Communication
Skype
Microsoft consumer calling and messaging service retired on May 5, 2025; retained here only as a migration and historical comparison record.
What it is
Skype was Microsoft's consumer internet calling, video meeting and messaging service. It is no longer an active product choice: Microsoft retired free and paid Skype on May 5, 2025 and stopped selling paid Skype features to new customers. The replacement path was Microsoft Teams Free using Skype credentials, with eligible contacts and chats transferred. The final Skype Export Portal request deadline was June 15, 2026, and Microsoft warned that deletion of older inactive history began April 1, 2026. Skype for Business was explicitly outside this consumer retirement announcement and must be assessed separately.
Skype pricing
Skype does not publish a plan ladder we could verify. Free.
Prices read from the vendor's own pricing page on 2026-08-24. Vendors change plans without notice — check the source before you budget. Price verification log.
Key features
Retired messaging
Previously provided consumer chat, file sharing and synchronized conversation history.
Retired calling
Previously supported internet voice/video plus paid calls and numbers for the telephone network.
Teams migration
Microsoft directed consumers to Teams Free using their Skype sign-in.
Historical export
The Skype Export Portal offered chat and media requests only through the now-passed June 2026 window.
Strengths and trade-offs
What works well
- The historical service combined chat, voice, video and phone-network calling under a widely recognized identity.
- Microsoft provided a Teams Free migration path using existing Skype credentials.
- Remaining paid users were given Dial Pad access through the Skype web portal and Teams Free during transition.
- A documented export process existed before the final 2026 deadline.
Where it falls short
- Consumer Skype has been retired since May 5, 2025 and cannot be selected for a new deployment.
- Paid Skype Credit, calling subscriptions and Skype Numbers are no longer sold to new customers.
- The June 15, 2026 export-request deadline has passed; unavailable or deleted history cannot be assumed recoverable.
- The retirement notice does not cover Skype for Business, so the two products must not be conflated.
Who it is for
Former Skype users documenting migration, retention and remaining paid-number obligations—not new buyers.
Pick it or skip it
Pick Skype if
- Historical product comparisons
- Auditing whether a former Skype account was migrated to Teams Free
- Documenting legacy calling subscriptions or number-porting follow-up
Skip it if
- You are choosing a current consumer messaging or meeting platform
- You expect to create a new Skype paid account, Credit balance or calling subscription
- You assume old Skype history is still exportable after the published deadline
Our verdict
Skype is retired and should be excluded from every new-product shortlist. Former users should inspect Teams Free and carrier records for what survived, but the official Skype export window has already closed and recovery must not be promised.
Closest alternatives we track
Same category, ordered by verified starting price.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does Skype cost?
- Skype is free to use. We verified this against the vendor's own page; see "What we checked" below for the date.
- Does Skype have a free plan?
- Yes. Skype is free to use at its base level.
- Who is Skype best for?
- Former Skype users documenting migration, retention and remaining paid-number obligations—not new buyers.
- What are the main drawbacks of Skype?
- The trade-offs we noted: Consumer Skype has been retired since May 5, 2025 and cannot be selected for a new deployment.; Paid Skype Credit, calling subscriptions and Skype Numbers are no longer sold to new customers.; The June 15, 2026 export-request deadline has passed; unavailable or deleted history cannot be assumed recoverable..
- When should you not use Skype?
- Skip Skype if: You are choosing a current consumer messaging or meeting platform; You expect to create a new Skype paid account, Credit balance or calling subscription; You assume old Skype history is still exportable after the published deadline.
What we checked
- Public APIOffers a documented API you can build against.No
- Mobile appHas a native app for iOS or Android, not just a mobile website.No
- Open source / self-hostableSource is open and the tool can be run on your own infrastructure.No
- SSO (SAML)Supports SAML single sign-on on at least one plan.No
“Not checked” means exactly that — we have not verified it, and we do not guess.
Evidence and freshness
Status: Official sources reviewedReviewed: 2026-08-24
- Microsoft Support — Skype retirement ↗
Checked 2026-08-24 · Supports: May 5 2025 retirement, free and paid consumer scope, Skype for Business exclusion, Teams Free migration, paid-feature sales stop, Dial Pad transition, April and June 2026 history and export deadlines, irreversible deletion warning
Limit: Microsoft's official consumer Skype retirement notice was reviewed; ToolCompare did not sign in to a former account, test Teams migration, inspect a paid subscription or Skype Number, request an export before the deadline, attempt recovery, contact Microsoft or a carrier, or assess Skype for Business. The service is retired and transitional access for remaining paid users can change; this record must not imply current availability.
Compare Skype with alternatives
Tools that do the same job as Skype
Same job, different pricing. Verified starting price first.
More Communication tools: see the full Communication category
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