The Best Video Chat Apps for Android

Best for Business: Zoom

Zoom is a popular video chat app with small and large businesses to connect their employees during remote meetings. But, you don't have to be a business to use it. Zoom offers free memberships with an email sign-up, and their Android app is one of the cleanest around. There are no flashy UI animations to slow things down, and Zoom works well when you want to send one invite link to several people.

Paid plans give you the option to record calls (to the cloud or your device), and some levels allow for automatic text transcription. While Zoom is at its best on a desktop app (the Android version only lets you have a four-video grid on your screen at once), its mobile version is also nice.

Best for Privacy: Signal

Signal touts end-to-end encryption for all your chats and calls using a proprietary protocol. And, if that security isn't enough, use encrypted stickers while in your conversations. Otherwise, the app acts like any other chat interface you're used to, offering direct one-on-one messages, group chat capabilities, and video calls.

The interface is clean, and there are no ads, trackers, or Signal data mining, as grants and donations support the platform. However, because there's not much money flowing in, you can't expect flashy new features or product innovations.

Best for Hobbyists & Superfans: Discord

At its core, Discord functions a lot like a hybrid of Slack and Reddit. You create a "server," which is a channel focused on one specific topic. Then, you can invite people to join that server, and it functions as a chat room. This exclusivity level makes it great for people who want to create safe spaces for themselves and their friends.

While the platform caters to gamers and tech enthusiasts, you can create a server that supports any of your passions. The video chat function allows you to chat with your group or one on one, and the screen-sharing feature makes Discord great for streamers who want a more exclusive group than something like Twitch allows.

Best for Keeping in Touch: Facebook Messenger

Considering most everyone has a Facebook account, the universal video chat interface has to be Facebook Messenger. What started as a small component of the Facebook site has become a full-fledged chat app. The video chat component is simplistic, however, and not as full-featured as others.

You can get on a call with up to eight people, which is enough for families but might present some limitations for large friend groups. Where the app shines is that it connects you with anyone who has a Facebook or Instagram account, meaning you can set up a call on the Android Facebook Messenger app quickly and easily.

Best for International Users: WhatsApp

WhatsApp is a favorite text app for ex-pats and international users because it circumvents the need for a cellphone plan to use SMS-based messaging. As a result, many people from countries around the world default to giving out their WhatsApp info.

So, if you want to have video chats with people who use WhatsApp as their primary text device, it's a natural progression. It's easy to set up by tapping the video call icon at the top of the screen when you're in a chat. There is a way to create a "room" and invite multiple people to join, but that functionality is a bit clunky and not ideal.

Best for Work and Play: Skype

While you may associate Skype with the desktop experience, the team (which is now part of Microsoft) has done a lot of work to make the Android app a friendly, easy-to-use experience. You can connect with up to 24 participants at once, making it great for family calls and allowing some overhead if you need to take a business call.

The association with Microsoft also makes it friendlier for business. There's plenty of non-video functionality, allowing you to use SMS texting with a corresponding phone number or call a live phone number from the app. This latter point makes it an excellent hybrid for any use you could have for a phone, whether it's conducting a voice call to order a pizza or a video call to connect with your family.

Runner-Up, Best for Business: BlueJeans

Though Zoom has a larger caché in the business space, BlueJeans makes a compelling case as a better option for work-friendly video calls. BlueJeans partnered with Dolby Voice to offer a clear and powerful sound quality to your video calls on the plus side.

You can conduct meetings with up to 200 participants with the highest subscription level. With smart calendar sync functionality and a seamless file-sharing engine, BlueJeans is ideal for business meetings.

It's not all positive. While you can join any meeting, you must sign up for an account to create your own. Subscriptions start at $10 per month.