Best Video Calling Apps for Families

Choose the FaceTime app for video calls if you and all your kids or grandkids have Apple devices like iPhones and iPads. It uses the contact information you already have in your phone. Plus, your cameras and mics are already optimized, so your audio and video quality will be top-notch.

FaceTime also uses end-to-end encryption, so you can be sure no one is using your call to spy on your grandkids.

Unfortunately, FaceTime only works well on Apple devices. It’s possible to send a FaceTime link to an Android device, but it doesn’t work as well.

Go with WhatsApp if you have a mix of Android and Apple devices on the call, but everyone’s using a smartphone. It’s free and works anywhere in the world. Plus, you can also use it for text messaging and sharing photos, videos, and files.

If your family members don’t already have WhatsApp, you’ll have to send a link to their phone number asking them to sign up. Then, they’ll need to download the app on their phones.

You can use WhatsApp from a web browser, too, but you have to use your phone for secure sign-on with a QR code.

Messaging and calls are encrypted, but you’ll probably get a lot of spam texts from people you don’t know. For that reason, we recommend extreme caution when installing WhatsApp on phones and devices that are accessible to children.

Google Meet is a core part of the Google ecosystem, so you can also jump into a call right from your Gmail inbox or a Google Calendar invite. It’s our recommendation if one or both people on the call are using a laptop. It’s less intuitive on a mobile device, but it’s a good option-of-last-resort if video calls aren’t working on other apps.

For personal calls between family members, Google Meet uses end-to-end encryption to keep your conversations private.

Anyone can join a call via a link, but the person starting the call must have a Google account. Group calls (three or more people) are limited to 60 minutes on the free version, but one-on-one calls can last up to 24 hours.

Most people already use Facebook and its companion app, Messenger, and it’s an easy way to start a video call. You don’t have to download anything extra or remember any new passwords, and you can start the call from an existing chat thread.

The Messenger Rooms feature allows up to 50 people to join a single call with no time limits, which is great for holiday calls or planning family reunions. I also like the Watch Together feature, which lets everyone on the call watch videos or movies in sync.

Like with WhatsApp, Messenger opens you up to spam and messages from strangers. You can change this in your Privacy and Safety settings, and you should have your kids do the same for the grandkids if they have their own accounts.

If you don’t trust big companies like Apple and Meta, go with Telegram, which is privately owned. You can message people one-on-one or set up groups, and you can broadcast to up to 1,000 people at a time.

One-on-one video calls are encrypted, but group chats are encrypted in transit (cloud-encrypted), so they are less secure. Make sure you spend a few minutes in the privacy settings to make sure your phone number isn’t visible to strangers.

Telegram isn’t owned by one of the social media giants, but it feels like social media because it gives you access to a lot of public channels, and may give strangers access to you. It’s great for tech-savvy adults, but we don’t recommend it for kids or teens.