WhatsApp has already multiplied its traffic in Spain by 7 since the beginning of the isolation by the coronavirus . Messaging applications are the best way to keep in touch with family and acquaintances, and there are even those who are using it as a working tool. However, is it enough to use WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is, along with FaceTime, one of the best ways we have to make video calls from the mobile. The problem is that this greatly limits their functionalities, in addition to the fact that there is a very clear problem that both platforms have: that we cannot use them on a Windows computer.
Thus, there is a great factor that must be taken into account before comparing both apps: the platform on which we are going to use it. If it is in Windows, the clearest option is Skype , which is the most used and is also the most advanced. Along with it we also find Hangouts , which has some cons that must be taken into account. In the comparison we will list the free functions offered by the platforms, since in the paid versions many are improved, as is the case with Hangouts.
Number of users at a time
On mobile, WhatsApp only allows you to make video calls with up to 4 people at a time. Skype accepts up to 50 people , while Hangouts accepts up to 25 participants. Therefore, if you are going to use it for a meeting or class where there are more than 25 people, the only possible option is Skype.
Picture quality
The best image quality is offered by far Skype . The reason is that the Microsoft platform uses its own codec for video calls, while WhatsApp considerably limits its quality for making calls on mobile devices. Hangouts offers good quality, but it doesn’t reach Skype levels. This is important also if your connection is data and limited, since Skype will consume more data.
Sound quality
The best sound quality is found on Skype with its HD Voice , followed by Hangouts. WhatsApp, when hearing the majority of calls from the mobile, excessively compresses the sound of the calls, although it continues to offer an acceptable sound quality. Here all three platforms perform quite well, but with Skype we will ensure that we will not have any sound problems .
Screen and file sharing
This is another of the great limitations of WhatsApp, where we cannot share the screen unlike what happens in Skype or Hangouts . When it comes to sharing files, however, we have it more complicated in Hangouts, because we already depend on Google Drive, unlike what happens on WhatsApp or Skype. In Hangouts we can only send images as such directly from chats. Skype also allows you to record calls , something that neither of the other two does not allow free or native.
Easy to use
WhatsApp is the easiest to use of all because it is the one we are most familiar with. We just have to click on the video call icon to start it. Hangouts is also very intuitive, and here Skype is the one that loses because it is the one with the least intuitive interface, both on PC and mobile. However, Skype starts with the advantage that it has a native client for Windows, unlike Hangouts which requires using it on the web and sometimes we have it difficult to answer a call because the notification does not appear.
Conclusion
In short, it pays a lot to use Skype or Hangouts versus WhatsApp if we are going to use it to attend an online class or for meetings. Skype is the most complete and easiest option to use compared to Hangouts and WhatsApp, so it is worth installing those apps to make calls instead of using WhatsApp.
