With the rising in popularity of Internet-enabled phones, staying in touch with people has become much easier. Today the market is crowed with plenty of apps that offer text, audio or video-based options to stay connected. It at times becomes difficult to pick the ones most appropriate for you.

Here is a list of the most popular free calling applications. Have a check!

1) Skype

Skype is probably the pioneer that in this area that still continues to be used by millions across the globe. This enables you to go for text, voice and video chats. It also lets users go for group calls, call landlines and mobile phones.

Available for: iOS/ Android/ Windows Phone/ BlackBerry 10/ Windows/ Mac

2) WeChat

WeChat is available across various mobile platforms. Its awesome features include Live Chat, Group chat, Video calling and push-to-talk. This app also comes with a ‘Shake’ feature that helps you find new friends. All you need to do is to shake your phone and the app will help you connect with other people who are shaking their mobile simultaneously.

Available for: iOS/ Android/ Blackberry/ Symbian/ Windows Phone/ Web

3) Google Hangouts

Google offers a free video chat service known as the Google+ Hangouts. It enables free video calls which can be either one-on-one or and group chats (maximum ten people at a time). This app is available for all Android smartphones with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) or higher. For iOS devices, it should be running on iOS 6 or later.

Available for: iOS/ Android / Web

4) Tango

Tango is another great app that allows you to make free calls. This app has an active “Push-to-Talk” feature which can convert your smartphone into a walkie-talkie.

Available for: iOS/ Android/ Windows Phone 7/ Windows

5) Fring

Fring is a free application that allows you to make free calls. It has a group calling feature that helps you 4 people at the same time. Fring is also like Skype where you may make calls to regular phones around the world at an additional cost.

Available for: iOS/ Android/ Nokia

6) Viber

With Viber, you may make free calls, send free texts and share location and setting. You do not have to take extra time to create a separate username in Viber. Your mobile number will double up as your ID. After you have installed the Viber app, it will sync your mobile contact list and automatically detect the contacts area that is already using Viber. It is an app similar to WhatsApp.

Available for: Android/ iOS/ Blackberry/ Windows Phone/ Mac/ Nokia/ Bada/ Windows

7) Nimbuzz

Nimbuzz is a free messaging and calling app. It has also recently come up with ‘NimbuzzOut’ service, a low cost Pay-As-You-Go option to make calls to other mobiles and landlines numbers across the World.

Available for: Android/ iOS/ Blackberry/ Windows Phone/ Nokia/ Java

8)

Who does not know of this most popular app in the list? Today it has become the most preferred alternative SMS for millions round the world.

Available for: iPhone/ Android/ BlackBerry/ Nokia/ Windows Phone

9) Hike

Hike is an Indian app that offers a feature-set very similar to WhatsApp. It also offers additional features like sending SMS to non-Hike users, walkie-talkie mode and more.

Available for: iOS/ Android/ BlackBerry/ Nokia/ Windows Phone