Get some face time without FaceTime
FaceTime isn't on Android, but lots of great alternatives are
(Image: © FaceTime)
FaceTime is a video call platform that should need no introduction for iPhone users. But given it's an Apple app, which the company has decided to keep exclusive to its ecosystem, means Android users can’t access it. By extension, this also means iOS users can’t use FaceTime to communicate with their Android-using friends.
Fortunately, there are some great alternative apps that are available on both platforms. So Android users can get a FaceTime-like experience, and everyone can communicate with everyone else.
While these alternatives don’t totally recreate the FaceTime experience, they are great video calling apps in their own right. We’ve highlighted three of the very best FaceTime alternatives below, and under that you’ll find a list of other options you might want to consider.
- If you do know people with iOS devices, here's how to use FaceTime
WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps around, and while it’s mostly known for text, it also supports voice and video calls.
It’s a great alternative to FaceTime in part because a lot of people already have it. One of the best things about FaceTime is that it comes pre-installed on iOS devices, so everyone in that ecosystem will be able to communicate, whereas for other apps you need everyone you want to call to install it.
So, chances are most of those people already have WhatsApp. Beyond that, it’s also useful since calls are encrypted and they’re easy to start – just tap the video camera icon in any chat.
If you’re worried about using a lot of data during video calls, WhatsApp has you covered there too, as it includes a ‘Low Data Usage’ toggle (in Settings > Data and storage usage) which can reduce video quality to lessen the data use.
And as WhatsApp is also a full-featured app for voice and text chats, complete with groups, cloud backups, GIFs and more, it’s potentially the only communication app you’ll ever need.
Keep in mind that the app uses your phone number, which means it only properly runs on your phone – though you can use WhatsApp Web to get it synced up with your computer or tablet.
WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps around, and while it’s mostly known for text, it also supports voice and video calls.
It’s a great alternative to FaceTime in part because a lot of people already have it. One of the best things about FaceTime is that it comes pre-installed on iOS devices, so everyone in that ecosystem will be able to communicate, whereas for other apps you need everyone you want to call to install it.
So, chances are most of those people already have WhatsApp. Beyond that, it’s also useful since calls are encrypted and they’re easy to start – just tap the video camera icon in any chat.
If you’re worried about using a lot of data during video calls, WhatsApp has you covered there too, as it includes a ‘Low Data Usage’ toggle (in Settings > Data and storage usage) which can reduce video quality to lessen the data use.
And as WhatsApp is also a full-featured app for voice and text chats, complete with groups, cloud backups, GIFs and more, it’s potentially the only communication app you’ll ever need.
Keep in mind that the app uses your phone number, which means it only properly runs on your phone – though you can use WhatsApp Web to get it synced up with your computer or tablet.
