What Replaced Skype Credit? How to Call Phone Numbers After Skype
Skype closed on May 5, 2025 and new Skype Credit can't be bought. What replaces it for calling landlines and mobiles: pay-as-you-go services like VoixCall, from $0.02/min to the US.
Short answer: nothing from Microsoft replaced Skype Credit. Skype closed on May 5, 2025, new credit can’t be bought, and Teams Free doesn’t call phone numbers. What Skype Credit did, calling landlines and mobiles abroad pay as you go, is now done by separate calling services. VoixCall works the most like it: buy credit from $5, it never expires, and you call any landline or mobile in 160+ countries from your browser or the iOS and Android apps, from $0.02/min to the US and Canada.
Key points
- If you already had Skype Credit, you can still spend it in the Skype Dial Pad (Skype web portal or Teams Free). You can’t add more.
- Teams Free does app-to-app calls and meetings, not calls to regular phone numbers.
- WhatsApp, Signal and FaceTime are free but only reach people on the same app, never a landline.
- To call a landline, a bank or a 1-800 number, you need a service that connects to the phone network.
What happened to Skype Credit
Microsoft retired Skype on May 5, 2025 and moved users to Teams Free. On that date it also ended Skype SMS, call forwarding, voicemail, credit gifting and caller ID setup. Automatic top-up stopped on April 3, 2025.
Existing paid users kept one thing: the Skype Dial Pad, in the Skype web portal and Teams Free, where remaining credit and subscriptions can still be used. Nobody can buy new credit, so once it runs out, that’s the end of Skype calling.
What does the job now
| You want to call… | Use | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| A landline or mobile abroad | A pay-as-you-go calling service (VoixCall, Viber Out, Rebtel) | Per minute, shown before the call |
| Someone who has WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime | That app | Free over Wi-Fi or data |
| A US 1-800 number from abroad | A US-routed service (how it works) | $0.02/min on VoixCall |
| A bank or airline abroad | Their international number, or a calling service (guide) | Varies |
| Video meetings | Teams Free, Zoom, Google Meet | Free tiers |
For a full comparison of 22 options, see the best Skype alternatives.
Why VoixCall is the closest match to Skype Credit
- Same model: prepaid credit, billed per minute, no subscription or monthly fee.
- Credit never expires, even if you only call a few times a year.
- No app needed: it runs in Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge, like Skype on the web did. iOS and Android apps are optional.
- The other side needs nothing: a parent’s landline rings like a normal call.
- US toll-free works from any country, the thing many people used Skype for.
- Rate shown before every call, so there are no surprises.
| Landline rates on VoixCall | Per minute |
|---|---|
| United States, Canada | $0.02 |
| United Kingdom | $0.02 |
| France | $0.03 |
| Mexico | $0.03 |
| Australia | $0.04 |
| Germany | $0.04 |
Mobile rates differ by country (UK mobiles $0.05, Germany mobiles much higher), and the exact rate shows in the dialer before you call. See all rates.
How to switch in two minutes
- Open VoixCall in your browser or get the app, and sign up. Your first call is free.
- Add credit from $5 when you need it.
- Dial the number with its country code, for example +44 20 7946 0000 for a London landline.
- Optional: verify your own number as caller ID so the person sees a number they know, and switch on recording to keep a copy of important calls.
What VoixCall doesn’t do
- It doesn’t do free app-to-app calls or video. Use WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime for that.
- It doesn’t send SMS. Virtual numbers receive texts only.
- It can’t move your Skype number or Skype Credit across. Spend any remaining credit in the Skype Dial Pad first.
Frequently asked questions
What replaced Skype Credit?
Nothing from Microsoft. Skype closed on May 5, 2025, new Skype Credit can't be bought, and Teams Free doesn't sell calling credit. Skype Credit's job, calling landlines and mobiles in other countries pay as you go, is now done by separate calling services such as VoixCall, Viber Out and Rebtel. VoixCall works the most like Skype Credit: buy credit from $5, it never expires, and call any landline or mobile in 160+ countries from a browser or the iOS and Android apps.
Can I still use my remaining Skype Credit?
Only if you were already a paid user. Microsoft kept the Skype Dial Pad open for existing paid users in the Skype web portal and Teams Free, so remaining credit and subscriptions can still be spent there. You can't top it up: automatic top-up ended on April 3, 2025 and new credit isn't sold.
Does Microsoft Teams replace Skype for calling phone numbers?
Not for most people. Teams Free covers app-to-app calls, chat and meetings, but it doesn't sell credit for calling landlines and mobiles. Calling regular phone numbers from Teams needs a paid business Teams Phone setup.
What is the cheapest way to call landlines now that Skype is gone?
A pay-as-you-go service that shows the rate before each call. On VoixCall, landlines cost $0.02/min in the US, Canada and the UK, $0.03 in France and $0.04 in Germany, with no subscription and no monthly fee. If the other person has a smartphone and internet, WhatsApp or Signal calls are free, but they can't reach a landline.
Can I call a parent's landline abroad without them installing an app?
Yes. Services that call regular phone numbers, like VoixCall, ring the landline like any normal call. Only you need the app or a browser. The person you call doesn't need internet, a smartphone or an account.
Can I call US 1-800 numbers without Skype?
Yes. Skype was a common way to reach US toll-free numbers from abroad. VoixCall routes calls through the US network, so 1-800, 888, 877 and 866 numbers connect from any country for $0.02/min.