What is free and what do you pay for? [ Edited ]

[spetho2001]

Everyone ask me "I thought Skype was free???" and I have to say I don't know what is free and what you pay for. Do you pay for video calls? Do you pay for regular calls?  I put $10.00 on account in the pay as you go. I did not buy a subscription. Where can you find the info on what you pay for and what is for free? I called Canada from the US the other day. It was the first time I used Skype. Both myself and the person I called had Skype so I thought it was for free. I have "Pay as you go". I put $10.00 on account just to try. I see I paid fourteen cents (US) for the call. Could not figure out why. I see there is a connection fee. Looks like  .14 for this call? Am I right?

Thank you,

      Tom

[Andre Staff Moderator]

Hi Tom,

I'll gladly answer some of your questions

1) Do you pay for video calls?

One to one video calls are free, but for group video calls you need a Skype Premium:

https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA10868/What-is-Skype-Premium

2) Do you pay for regular calls?

Skype to Skype account calls are free, but for calling phone numbers you need either a subscription or Skype Credit.

More info about subscriptions: https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA10414/How-do-subscriptions-work

More info about Skype Credit: https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA570/What-is-Skype-Credit

More info about Skype products and what they include: http://www.skype.com/intl/en/prices/

3) You were charged since you called a phone number: https://secure.skype.com/account/call-history

In order to make Skype to Skype calls both users need to be Online at the same time. It seems as your contact was offline and you called their phone number instead. The easy way would be to ask if your contact answered your call on their phone or in Skype.

I hope this helped a bit.

Andre

[cboyajian]

I'm reading many of these regarding billing and I'm also very unhappy and frustrated with the lack of customer service.    The "TIPS" online go on and on yet there's nothing relevant to my concern.

I was told by my friends to do the GREAT SKYPE thing and that it was FREE.  But I was billed upfront $30.00 or something like that and then got these statements of how much credit i have left.   I don't know why I was charged anything when all my friends overseas as well as domestically (US) pay NOTHING.!!!

I dislike the difficulty and find it tricky.   I'm not using it anymore and yet somehow have a $4.00 credit of something like that.  It's ridiculous and I'm amazed that it's so successful.

I'm writing in this in the hopes that it will somehow receive a reply from a kind soul out there.    In today's challenging world this type of business standard is simply unacceptable yet sadly typical and predictable.  

Thank you for your time and consideration to anyone reading this.

c. Boyajian  

[candyburgoyne]

I tried to make a Skype call online and the message was I had to buy credit? In the past I have never bought credit, this was a one to one Skype from one lap top to another? Is Skype one to one free or not?

[Andre Staff Moderator]

---

candyburgoyne wrote:
I tried to make a Skype call online and the message was I had to buy credit? In the past I have never bought credit, this was a one to one Skype from one lap top to another? Is Skype one to one free or not?

---

Hello,

Skype calls from one Skype account to another are free of charge, but if your contact is offline and they have a phone number on their profile then by default Skype offers calling phone number. Calling phone numbers is not free, you would need to either Buy Skype credit or Skype subscription

Can you confirm if your contact is online when you get the credit notification? If you open your contact then next to their profile picture they should have this icon:

[spetho2001]

Hi Andre,

 Thank you. I understand most of what you said. One question though.

 In your part 2 "Skype to Skype account calls" do I understand right, that this would only be a video call. If both people are on line and on Skype, you have two choices to talk to them, a video call (free) or call their phone (pay with credit). There is no way you call their phone and not pay, right?

Thanks again,

    TomS

[spetho2001]

Hi Andrea,

 I know I asked already but can I ask again? If you and your friend are both on line, and both have Skype, can you make a free to phone, not video, call for free? I think this is confusing to more than just me.

Thank you,

    TomS

[Andre Staff Moderator · Accepted solution]

---

spetho2001 wrote:

If you and your friend are both on line, and both have Skype, can you make a free to phone, not video, call for free? I think this is confusing to more than just me.

Thank you,

    TomS

---

Sorry for the confusion, will try to clarify

Skype to Skype call means if you call from your Skype account to your friends Skype account. It can be voice or video, doesn't matter.

- this is highlighted only if user is online

- ifyour friend is online then it will start free Skype to Skype voice call

                  - if your friend is offline then it will start call to phone number that is on your friend's profile (This is when credit or subscription is needed since calling to phone numbers is not free of charge)

[spetho2001]

Thank you Andre. I get it now. You can make a call from computer to computer whether you use video or just voice, right? That little green button that says "Call", if you click on the arrow I get "Call SKYPE" or two different phone numbers (cell and land line) I have listed for my friend. Three options. If I use "call Skype" (CALL) it will be calling from computer to computer using just voice, and will not involve a phone at all. Right?

Thanks again,

     TomS