A Skype Premium subscription is needed to make group video calls using Skype. Now, 12-month and 3-month Skype Premium subscriptions are available at up to 50% off, and also include unlimited phone calls to the US and Canada.
Below, compare costs and features for the different Skype Premium subscription lengths. Also, see which is cheaper for calls to the US and Canada, a Skype Premium subscription or an Unlimited calling subscription.
Skype Premium: Group Video & Unlimited US/Canada Calls
With group video calling on Skype, you can talk over video with two other people at the same time. To make Skype group video calls, at least one user in the group must have a Skype Premium subscription (or Skype’s business version).
When you get a 3-month or 12-month subscription to Skype Premium, subscribers in the United States and Canada will also get unlimited voice calls to the US and Canada.
Now Skype Premium subscriptions are now up to 50% off. So even if you don’t use Skype for group video calls, a Skype Premium plan may be a better deal than a Skype unlimited calling plan, if you need to call phones in the US or Canada.
Below are two comparisons:
- Costs and features are compared between the four different Skype Premium subscription lengths.
- Calling costs are compared between Skype Premium and Skype Unlimited calling plans (to the US and Canada).
Cost & Feature Comparison: Skype Premium Subscriptions
To make group video calls in Skype, you can use one of the four Skype Premium subscriptions: 12-month, 3-month, 1-month, or a day pass.
These four Skype Premium subscriptions are compared here, to help clarify which users will get the maximum value from each subscription:
SKYPE PREMIUM | 12 Month Subscription | 3 Month Subscription | 1 Month Subscription | Day Pass |
Sale Price | $4.49/month (Save 50%) | $6.74/month (Save 25%) | —– | —– |
Regular Price | $8.99/month | $8.99/month | $8.99/month | $4.99/day |
Savings | Save $53.94 per 12-month term | Save $6.74 per 3-month term | —– | —– |
Free | 6 Months Free | 1 Month Free | —– | —– |
Group Video Calling | ||||
Unlimited Calls to US & Canada** | ||||
Live Chat Customer Support | ||||
HD Webcam 25% Discount | ||||
Choose This Plan Because… | … you want to make 1 or more group video calls per month, in the next year. | … you want to make 2 or more group video calls per month, in the next 3 months only. | … you want to make 2 or more group video calls in the upcoming month only. | … you want to make a 1-time group video call. |
Save Money With This Plan Because… | … cheaper than 1 Day Pass per month. … also includes unlimited phone calls to the US and Canada. | … cheaper than 2 Day Passes per month. … also includes unlimited phone calls to the US and Canada. | … cheaper than 2 Day Passes in one month. | … for a single group video call, total cost is cheaper than a subscription. |
$4.49/month (save 50%) | $6.74/month (save 25%) | $8.99/month | $4.99/day | |
Learn More | Learn More | Learn More | Learn More |
**Only for users in the US and Canada.
As shown above, a Skype Premium subscription can include:
- group video calling (from 3 to 10 Skype users on a single group video call)
- unlimited phone calls to the US and Canada (only for users based in the US and Canada)
- live chat customer support
- HD webcam 25% discount at Skype’s store
The chart shows that users who make regular group video calls, and who also make regular phone calls to the US or Canada, will get the best value from a 12-month Skype Premium subscription.
Phone Call Cost Comparison: Skype Premium Vs. Unlimited
To make unlimited Skype calls to phones in the US and/or Canada, you can use a Skype Unlimited calling subscription or Skype Premium (12-month or 3-month subscription).
Skype Premium and Skype Unlimited calling plans are compared here for phone call costs and features:
Skype Premium | Unlimited US Calling (or Unlimited Canada Calling) | |
12-Month Subscription Sale Price | $4.49/month (Save 50%) | $5.94/month (Save 15%) |
Unlimited Voice Calls Included | US and Canada** | US only (or Canada only) |
Connection Fees per Call | No Fees | No Fees |
Group Video Calling | ||
Savings Per Year | Save $17.40/year vs. Unlimited US or Unlimited CanadaSave $88.68/year vs. Unlimited US and Unlimited Canada | —– |
Choose This Plan Because… | … Skype Premium is cheaper than a single Unlimited calling plan (US or Canada). … you can make unlimited phone calls to both the US and Canada. … unlimited group video calls are included. | … you want an unlimited calling plan to the US only (or Canada only), but are not based in the US or Canada. … you do not need to make group video calls. |
Learn More or Buy | Learn More or Buy |
**Only for users in the US and Canada.
For users inside the US and Canada, Skype Premium is the cheaper plan if you need to make calls to the US and/or Canada, even if you don’t ever use it to make group video calls.
For users outside of the US and Canada, to make unlimited calls to the US or Canada, using Skype Premium is not an option. These users can still use Skype Premium for group video calling. Skype’s only unlimited calling option for these users is a Skype Unlimited calling plan to call the US or Canada.
Group Video Calling With Skype Premium: System Requirements
The system requirements for each user in a Skype group video call:
- Skype 5.0 or higher, or the Skype business version
- a high-speed broadband connection
- minimum speed: 512 kbps download, 128 kbps upload
- recommended speed: 4 Mbps download, 512 kbps upload
- a capable computer
- minimum: a computer with a 1 GHz processor
- recommended: a computer with a Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHz processor
- a webcam
Download Skype software for free here.