In May 2025, Microsoft announced that Skype would be officially shutting down. As a well-known platform, Skype for Business was a popular choice for video conferencing, and this shut down leaves millions of accounts obsolete.
If you previously used Skype or you've been looking into different options for video conferencing, here's an overview of what this shutdown means for business collaboration and some Skype alternatives to consider.
Why is Microsoft shutting down Skype for Business?
Microsoft's reasoning for shutting down Skype is that the company wants to adapt to market needs and streamline their offerings. The tech giant is instead encouraging former Skype users to use the free version of Microsoft Teams as a platform that will adhere to more modern needs.
Will Microsoft Teams replace Skype for Business?
Microsoft Teams is similar to Skype, but not identical. Teams is a more all-in-one platform, housing communication channels, calendars, document management, video conferencing, voice calling, and more under one roof.
Skype offered unique features as well, such as meetings that could go up to 24 hours long, while Teams caps meetings at an hour for the free plan with options for longer meetings with paid plans.
However, since Skype for Business was discontinued in 2021, the service did not offer any phone or web support to customers. Microsoft Teams has dedicated customer support teams, and if you have a managed communications provider, they may even call these support lines for you as a part of their vendor management services.
How Many People Were Using Skype Every Day?
Skype had billions of active user accounts at the time it was shut down in May 2025. Many customers still used the service, prompting Microsoft to release statements for users to switch to the free version of Teams as an alternative.
Users were prompted to migrate their data to Teams after Skype was retired on May 5th, 2025. Existing calling and Skype Number accounts stopped renewing after April 3rd, 2025. As of May, new purchases from Skype Subscriptions, Skype Number, and Skype Credit are no longer available.
What Are the Best Alternative Programs to Skype in 2025?
Although Microsoft's alternative to Skype is their native communications platform, you have many different video conferencing options. Cloud communications apps come with a wide array of features, compliance capabilities, and integrations, so it's crucial to find one that works best for your needs.
If you're looking for alternatives to Teams and Skype, some good options include:
- Zoom
- Slack
- Google Meet
- Cisco WebEx
You can read more about these video conferencing platforms and other apps like Skype in our blog: Top Microsoft Teams Alternatives
To read a more in-depth analysis of some of the most popular platforms, check out our comparison here: Top Video Conference Platforms for Small Businesses
What to Look for In a Quality Unified Communications Cloud-Based Platform
There are many elements to look for in a quality video conferencing platform. The biggest factors to consider first would be your industry, data security compliance frameworks, communication needs, existing tools you use, and any other specific needs.
Some specific features to look for in a collaboration platform include:
- Voice and Video Calls
- Collaboration tools like whiteboards and breakout rooms
- Instant messaging apps for mobile business communication
- HIPAA compliance features like user access control and document security protections
Read more about HIPAA compliance and how to achieve it with cloud tools in our blog: Is Microsoft Teams HIPAA Compliant?
Guide to Video Conferencing Equipment
If you're looking to upgrade your office space or equip your staff with the latest cloud collaboration tools, it's important to know what to look for in devices.
Some of the devices to explore when creating video conferencing capabilities include:
- Video conferencing cameras
- Desktop & hanging microphones to capture sound in larger rooms
- Hubs to control meetings
- Video conferencing speakers
- Headsets, desk webcams and other personal video meeting devices
To read more about how to create these spaces and equip your staff to meet virtually, read our blog: An Ultimate Guide to Video Conferencing Equipment for Small to Large Rooms
How to Find Video Conferencing Solutions
A great avenue to innovating with your communications technology is by hiring a managed communications provider. With the complexity of cloud technology, you're bound to run into snags with integration, problems with equipment, and other technical difficulties with your chosen platform.
Because of this, it's wise to invest in a service that can quickly resolve issues for you while working with vendors directly on your behalf. This is a major benefit of managed communications services. Also called cloud services, these companies are familiar with applications similar to Skype, so they can offer quicker, more local support than vendors themselves.
If you're ready to upgrade your video conferencing capabilities, click the button below to speak with a cloud expert about your business.
