So, we recently came to notice that a lot of people are looking for FaceTime on Android. But, we're sorry to let you know that this app is only available on Apple's ecosystem. So, no FaceTime for us.
Don't try to install any apps that are called FaceTime on Google Play. Most of them are fakes or downright scams. Instead, try one of the alternative options that are available on Android!
1: Facebook's Messenger
Facebook's messenger is one of the most popular, if not the most popular chatting apps that you can find on the Play Store! Not to mention that it's extremely convenient as well.
After all, despite Facebook's declining popularity, almost everyone still has a Facebook account. And that makes Messenger a decent option for chatting with friends or family - despite the kind of device that they may be using.
That's right. Unlike FaceTime, Facebook's Messenger can be used across both Apple and Android devices without an issue!
Another great thing is that if you already have a Facebook account, you don't need a Messenger one. All you have to do is install the app and log in to your Facebook account with the press of a button.
Last, but not least, let us not forget about Messenger Lite which, as the name implies, is the lightweight version of Messenger.
It occupies less than 1/5 of Messenger's full size while still offering all of the basic features - such as text messages, video chatting, media attachments, etc.
We tried to run it on a 7-year-old device just to see what happens and it actually works surprisingly well. Not that it's absolutely necessary. Nowadays, even budget smartphones come with quad-core processors.
Still, it's a great way to save some space and even speed up your phone a little bit.
Pros:
- Big user-base
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Facebook is known for aggressively collecting user data
2: Skype
Skype is owned by Microsoft and it actually used to be one of the most popular video-chatting platforms. And, well, it still is. But there is no doubt that it can hardly compete with others like Messenger, Snapchat, and WhatsApp.
One of its biggest downsides, apart from the technical issues that it faces every now and then, is that casual users stopped relying on it a while ago. Most of its users nowadays are professionals who need to communicate with clients, freelancers, or co-workers fast and efficiently.
Does that mean that it's a bad app? No. It only means that it's not for everyone.
We highly recommend it but only if your circle uses it and only if you're not one of the unlucky people who are constantly experiencing technical issues with it. That's the ugly side of Android, I guess.
Pros:
- Beautiful UI
- Allows you to video-call numerous people at once
Cons:
- User-base has declined over the years
3: WhatsApp
This is quite possibly the closest that you can get to having FaceTime on Android. After all, WhatsApp is by far the most popular messenger that one can find on Google Play.
And we suppose that this is for a good reason as well. There aren't a lot of apps out there that are so straight-forward and easy to use.
Setting up an account on WhatsApp is as easy as installing the app, submitting your phone number, waiting for verification, and you should be good to go.
After that, if any of your contacts have the app as well, then you should automatically find them on your contacts list without having to search for them one by one. It literally doesn't get any easier than that.
But that's not to say that WhatsApp doesn't have its flaws. Bugs and any issues that occurred with the last update aside, you need to be connected with your phone in order to use it - even if you're using it on PC.
That can be a bit of an issue for those who like turning off Wi-Fi and data on their phone when they don't need it in order to save battery.
Not to mention that the download size of 120 megabytes for a messenger is somewhat insane (Only for PC).
Pros:
- Huge user-base
- Extremely easy to use
Cons:
- Can't use it on PC unless you're actively connected with the phone
4: Snapchat
Snapchat is a bit, well, different than the others. It's so much more about interacting with stories rather than the traditional texting and/or video-calling.
Still, if you wish to use it like that, nobody is gonna stop you. And you'll find pretty much anything else that there is to find on "Traditional" messengers as well.
Text messaging, video-calling, group video-chatting, and more. Not to mention that Snapchat, as an app, has a lot to offer.
We're talking about built-in camera filters (Including the infamous gender-bender), the option of following other accounts - individuals or not, and things like that which generally cannot be found on other apps. Even if Facebook's Messenger, Instagram, and other apps started copying the stories trend quite some time ago.
The only downside that it has is that it gets a while to get used to it. After all, the UI and the way that we need to interact with, well, almost everything, generally differs from anything else that we've seen.
Pros:
- Generally offers more features than Messenger apps
- Big user-base
Cons:
- Takes a while to get used to it
5: Viber
Viber is very similar to WhatsApp. Activating an account is as easy as installing the app, giving your phone number, and setting a name.
After that, anyone else who has a Viber account in your contacts should appear in your Viber contacts list and you should be able to communicate with them for free. At least for as long as you're connected to a network, of course.
It supports end-to-end encryption and it's actually known for being one of the most secure apps out there. After all, there is no password to crack. One needs physical access to your device in order to get in.
The only small downside is that unlike Facebook's Messenger, a lot of stickers ask for a small price. We suppose that it's a decent way to monetize the app - but it's still a bummer for people who really enjoy stickers.
Pros:
- Extremely easy to use
- Clean UI
- Secure
Cons:
- Some stickers are not free
FaceTime on Android Alternatives: Wrapping Up
Since FaceTime on Android isn't natively available, these were all the decent alternative options that we could come up with at the moment. Hopefully, at least one of them suits your taste and needs.
Feel like we forgot to mention something important? Got anything wrong? Then let us and everyone else know about it in the comments section down below!
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