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10 best VoIP and SIP apps for Android
We are becoming less and less dependent on mobile networks. You can get a data signal almost everywhere that you can get a mobile signal and most of us are around WiFi most of the time anyway. Technology has progressed to the point where we can now talk over the Internet almost as easily as we can talk on the phone. If you’re ready to make the switch because it’s cheaper, easier, or more efficient, then we’ve got a list of the best apps for VoIP and SIP calls for you.
The best VoIP and SIP apps for Android
Try the native solutions first
Before we begin the list, it’s important to note that Android has native SIP support and has for a very long time. In addition, many wireless carriers allow for Wi-Fi calling on iPhone and Android without any special setup. We recommend you first try using the native solutions before using the alternatives listed below. You can find Google’s tutorials for setting up SIP and Wi-Fi calling by clicking here. Please note that some devices may have slightly different placements for those settings if they use an OEM customization instead of stock Android.
Discord
Price: Free / $2.99 per month
Discord is an excellent tool for chatting over the Internet. You can make direct calls to another user or engage in server-based group chat. Gamers use this app all the time for communication purposes and it works quite well as a Steam chat alternative on PC. However, you can find (or create) servers for any reason. We use it for the Android Authority podcast and you can find anime, games, lifestyle, and other types of servers there as well. The call quality is usually quite good and you can change the servers if it’s not. The app is entirely free to use. There are some extras you can buy, but they’re solely cosmetic components.
Facebook Messenger
Price: Free
Facebook Messenger is an above-average app for VOIP calls. It’s primarily for text messages. However, the app also includes support for video calls, voice calls, and SMS text messages. The quality is, of course, determined by your Internet connection speeds. Other than that, it works well enough. The app is quite heavy on resource usage. Thus, we don’t recommend it on older or lower-spec devices. Messenger Lite is another option. It allows only calls and texts, but it’s also much lighter on system usage. Given its popularity, you can’t go wrong either way. This app can also manage your SMS messages if you want it to. Of course, WhatsApp, another Facebook-owned solution, works well here too.
Google Duo
Price: Free
Google Duo is Google’s latest video calling app. It supports regular voice calls as well. Like most VOIP apps, everyone has to be on Duo for the calls to work. However, the app has excellent quality in both voice and video. It’s quite simple. There is no extra stuff, no bloat, and it’s all free. You just get your friends to sign up and get going. It also works with iOS devices. It may even come pre-installed on some newer Android devices.
OpenPhone
Price: %13/month
OpenPhone markets itself as the modern VoIP app for small businesses and startups. It has a slew of features, from allowing you to access your number from any Wi-fi connected device to free texting and auto-replies. A shared inbox feature allows you to collaborate with your colleagues in the office. It’s a seamless and bug-free app, although most people would find it a little pricey because of its $13/month subscription.
Google Voice
Price: Free / $16 per month for business plan
The second Google app on this list, Google Voice is unique because it offers a free second phone number for Android. It is a refined and intuitive app, and its easy-to-use user interface makes it compelling for personal use. Because of its simple design, it doesn’t have a lot of features. No auto-replies, shared inboxes, or snippets, even with the paid business plan which starts at $16 per month. This total lack of features might put off some users.
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MizuDroid SIP VOIP Softphone
Price: Free
MizuDroid is one of the few regularly updated SIP apps on Google Play. It requires an already existing SIP account. However, it does support multiple SIP accounts, call diversion, VoIP tunneling and encryption, voicemail capabilities, and IM. The UI is a little older for our liking. The app is still quite functional and simple. Best of all, the app is completely free with no in-app purchases.
Skype
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Skype is one of the most popular VOIP apps right now. It has a vast user base and direct support with Microsoft and Facebook, and it’s fairly easy to use. The app is capable of voice calls, video calls, and text messages. It also supports landline calls with a nominal fee. The mobile app isn’t as good as the desktop app, but it’s not horrible either. This one has cross-platform support with multiple PC and mobile devices. It’s not the hottest or most popular option these days, but it’s still among the best for VOIP calls. The app is under constant construction, though, so that is something to take into consideration.
Signal Private Messenger
Price: Free
Signal Private Messenger is one of the best VOIP apps for privacy. It follows the trend of supporting text as well as voice calls. It doesn’t have an overly huge list of features. However, it does have above-average security, encryption, and privacy features. It also integrates with your existing phone number and contact list. We liked that a lot. Telegram is a little better for text. The signal is still better for voice and extras like that. It’s also completely free with no in-app purchases.
Viber
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Viber doesn’t have a huge user base in places like the United States. It’s immensely popular around the rest of the world, though. The app features a full-fledged chat service, voice call service, and video calls. It also includes public chats, stickers, file attachments, and more. People in the U.S. may not know much about Viber. However, it is quite popular in other countries. You can also engage in chat rooms and other social features. There are stickers and such that you can purchase with in-app purchases. Otherwise, the app is entirely free. It’s a solid, cross-platform option in the VOIP and SIP space.
Zoiper IAX SIP VOIP Softphone
Price: Free / $8.49 + in-app purchases
Zoiper is unique in that it’s one of the few VOIP and SIP apps left. It focuses primarily on phone call features. It includes Bluetooth support, the ability to make decent calls even over bad Internet connections, IAX support, and support for a variety of other protocols. If you go gold, you can also get video calling support, call transferring, and even better audio. It’s one of the few good SIP apps. It’s also great for those who want to mostly focus on voice calls and such. Thankfully, the design and UI are still updated regularly, even if this is relatively old technology.
FAQ
VoIP is a protocol that lets you make phone calls over the Internet instead of a traditional phone or cell phone line. It only works with audio signals. VoIP requires SIP to function, but a SIP can also support video, fax, and messaging as well as audio. All VoIP is SIP, but not all SIP is VoIP.
These days, it doesn’t matter. Most apps that let you make calls over the Internet also support video and messaging anyway.