Short answer: if Zoom’s 40-minute limit keeps cutting your calls, the best free swaps in 2026 are Google Meet and Microsoft Teams (60-minute group calls, up to 100 people), Jitsi Meet (no account, open source) and, for calls with up to 4 people, Brave Talk (no time limit). For one-to-one calls, Google Meet and Teams let you talk for hours.
We checked every free plan below on the provider’s own website in October 2026. Free plans change often, so the table links to where you can confirm them. Two names you will still see in older lists are gone: Skype closed on 5 May 2025 (Microsoft moved its users to Teams Free) and BlueJeans was shut down by Verizon in 2023-2024.
Free plans compared (October 2026)
| Tool | Group call limit (free) | People per call (free) | Account needed? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoom Basic (for reference) | 40 minutes | 100 | Host only | — |
| Google Meet | 60 minutes (1:1 calls: no limit) | 100 | Google account (host) | Most people, anyone with Gmail |
| Microsoft Teams (free) | 60 minutes (1:1 calls: up to 30 hours) | 100 | Microsoft account (host); guests can join from a link | Former Skype users, Windows users |
| Jitsi Meet | No time limit stated | Not stated | No account needed to join | Quick calls without sign-ups, privacy |
| Brave Talk | No limit on number or length of calls | 4 | Brave browser for the host | Small private calls |
| Webex Free | 40 minutes | 100 | Yes (no card needed) | Webinar-style meetings |
| Whereby Free | 30 minutes | 4 (1 room) | Host only; guests join in the browser | One fixed room link for clients |
| — | 32 | WhatsApp account | Family and friends on phones | |
| FaceTime | — | 32 | Apple device to start; Android/Windows can join from a link | Groups with iPhone users |
| Discord | — | Small groups | Discord account | Gaming and online communities |
“—” means the provider does not advertise a time limit for that kind of call. Limits apply to the person who creates the meeting: if the host is on a free plan, everyone gets the free limit.
The 10 best free Zoom alternatives
1. Google Meet: the easiest switch
Anyone with a Google account can start a meeting from meet.google.com or Gmail, and guests join from the browser without installing anything. On a free personal account Google allows up to 100 participants and group meetings of up to 60 minutes; one-to-one calls have no time limit. It has screen sharing, live captions and background blur.
Watch out: group calls end at 60 minutes. Start a new link if you need longer.
2. Microsoft Teams (free): the home of former Skype users
Teams Free replaced Skype for personal use. You get group meetings of up to 60 minutes with up to 100 people, and one-to-one calls of up to 30 hours. People without Teams can join from a link in their browser.
Watch out: the app is heavier than Meet or Jitsi, and the free and work versions of Teams look similar, which confuses some guests.
3. Jitsi Meet: no accounts, open source
Go to meet.jit.si, type a room name and share the link. The Jitsi project describes it as free to use “all day, every day” with no account needed. Because it is open source, organisations can also run it on their own server.
Watch out: quality depends on everyone’s connection more than with the big platforms. For large groups, test first.
4. Brave Talk: private calls for small groups
Built into the Brave browser and based on Jitsi. Brave says the free version covers video calls of up to 4 people with no limit on the number or length of calls. Larger calls need the paid plan.
Watch out: the host needs the Brave browser.
5. Webex Free: familiar for business meetings
Cisco’s free plan allows meetings of up to 40 minutes with up to 100 attendees, with no card required to sign up. Free recordings are saved on your computer.
Watch out: 40 minutes is the same limit as Zoom, so it only helps if you need Webex-specific features. In the EU, free-account meeting data is deleted after 30 days.
6. Whereby: one permanent room link
Whereby gives you a fixed room URL that guests open in the browser, with nothing to install. The free plan has 1 room, up to 4 attendees and meetings of up to 30 minutes.
Watch out: the free limits are tight; it suits short client check-ins, not team meetings.
7. WhatsApp: group video on the phone everyone already has
Group video calls support up to 32 people, and call links let you invite people without adding them to a group. Good for family calls and quick catch-ups.
Watch out: not designed for work meetings: no scheduling, and screen sharing is basic.
8. FaceTime: now open to Android and Windows
Group FaceTime supports up to 32 people. iPhone, iPad and Mac users can create a FaceTime link that Android and Windows users open in Chrome or Edge.
Watch out: someone with an Apple device has to start the call.
9. Discord: for communities and gaming groups
Free video calls in direct messages and server voice channels, plus screen sharing (“Go Live”). Ideal if your group already lives on Discord.
Watch out: video is meant for small groups, and it looks too informal for most work meetings.
10. BigBlueButton: for teachers and online classes
An open-source virtual classroom with whiteboard, polls and breakout rooms. Many schools and Moodle sites already include it.
Watch out: there is no simple public free version; you use it through a school, a hosting provider or your own server.
How to choose
- Calls longer than 40 minutes with a group: Google Meet or Teams (60 minutes). If you need more, start a second link or pay for one host licence.
- Long one-to-one calls: Google Meet (no limit) or Teams (up to 30 hours).
- Guests who won’t create accounts: Jitsi Meet, Whereby, or a Teams/Meet link opened in the browser.
- Privacy first: Jitsi Meet (open source, can be self-hosted) or Brave Talk.
- Family and friends: WhatsApp or FaceTime.
- Classes: BigBlueButton if your school offers it; otherwise Google Meet.
FAQ
Is there a free Zoom alternative with no time limit?
For small groups, Brave Talk (up to 4 people) advertises no limit on call length, and Jitsi Meet does not state one. For one-to-one calls, Google Meet has no time limit and Teams Free allows up to 30 hours.
What is Zoom’s free time limit in 2026?
Zoom Basic allows meetings of up to 40 minutes with up to 100 participants.
Is Skype still available?
No. Microsoft retired Skype on 5 May 2025 and moved its users to Microsoft Teams Free.
Which free option works best in a browser with no download?
Google Meet, Jitsi Meet and Whereby all run in the browser. Teams and FaceTime links can also be opened in a browser by guests.
Can I record meetings for free?
Webex Free saves recordings to your computer. On other free plans recording is limited or missing, so you can use your computer’s own screen recorder instead (and always ask participants first).
