Viber and Skype have been deemed as pioneers in the Voice Over Internet Protocol sector. Both are communication apps that are most popular for their online and video conferencing feature.
This is useful for businesses as well as individuals. However, there is certainly a lot of competition between the two.
Viber vs Skype
The difference between Viber and Skype is that Viber is primarily a mobile app that allows users to log in with their phone numbers. On the other hand, Skype was earlier a desktop app that expanded its base to mobile phones as well. Instead of logging in with a phone number, the customer must create a username and password on the platform.
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Viber is a VoIP and instant messaging platform launched by the company Rakuten. It is free to use on iOS, Android, Microsoft Windows, Linux and macOS.
The app allows users to video call, send images, and share videos. It even gives users service for mobile calling and paid international landlines.
Skype is another such platform that was developed by Microsoft’s Skype Technologies. It provides features including video calling, instant messaging, landline and mobile calling and file transfers.
People can use it on desktops, mobiles and even gaming console platforms. More than 100 million people use this service monthly all over the world.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Viber | Skype |
|---|---|---|
| Launch | Viber was launched in 2010. | Skype was launched in 2003. |
| Developer | It was developed by the Japanese company Rakuten. | It was developed by Microsoft’s branch, Skype Technologies. |
| Platform | Viber was intended to run on mobile devices. | Skype was primarily a desktop application. |
| Video Calling | Viber allows the user to have 20 participants on call at once. | Skype allows a user to have 50 participants on call at once. |
| Use | Viber works best when used by individuals. | Skype has features that make it perfect for business use. |
What is Viber?
Viber is a VoIP application that can run on iOS, Android, Microsoft Windows, Linux and macOS. Primarily, it was meant to be used on mobile devices however, upgrades were made which allowed it to be used on desktops as well.
It was developed by the Japanese company, Rakuten and was launched in 2010. The application allows users to register and log in using their mobile phone numbers.
People can make use of a variety of features for instant messaging, file transfers, and video calling. The app also provides a service for international landline and mobile calling, but it costs an extra fee.
This service is called ‘Viber Out’. More than one billion people have registered on it to date.
Initially, Viber was only available on the Apple store and was meant to be used only on iOS devices. However, an android platform was released in 2013 which allowed it to be used on blackberry and Windows phones.
Later, the company diversified its service to other platforms as well.
In 2016, the company added end-to-end encryption to their product, which was not the case earlier. This added additional security to conversations, be it between individuals or groups. The protocol followed the same concept as the Signal Protocol.
What is Skype?
Skype is another VoIP application that is very popular for its videoconferencing, videotelephony and voice calling features. It was developed by a branch of Microsoft called Skype Technology in 2003.
The app also allows users to message, transfer files and call to mobile and landlines worldwide.
To register and log in on the platform, people need to create a username and password. Earlier, this was only possible on desktops.
However, the app was later upgraded so that it could be used on mobile devices as well. Skype even provides users with ‘Online Numbers’ that can be reached out to using conventional phone numbers.
However, emergency numbers such as that of the police or ambulance cannot be called using skype. The service is only meant to be used by individuals and organizations.
Due to the fact that up to 50 people can join in on one conference call, skype is perfect to be used by businesses.
Unlike Viber, Skype was a secure communication service when it was released. This means that all the conversations that were carried out on the platform had end-to-end encryption.
The feature could not be disabled whatsoever. Skype is used by 40 million people on a daily basis all across the world. It is available in 108 languages.
Main Differences Between Viber and Skype
- Viber was launched in 2010 whereas Skype was launched much earlier in 2003.
- Viber was developed by the Japanese company Rakuten whereas Skype was developed by a branch of Microsoft called Skype Technologies.
- Viber was initially meant to be run only on mobile devices whereas Skype was initially meant to be run only on desktops.
- Viber allows a user to have 20 participants on a video call at once whereas Skype allows up to 50 participants at once.
- Viber is more popular among individuals whereas Skype is more popular among businesses.
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7182585/
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7458295/
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
