After what seemed like an endless wait, WhatsApp finally released the new video calling feature. The update is available for download on the Google Play Store for Android devices. WhatsApp has been the most preferred messaging app for many Android users. And now, with free video calling, albeit the standard data tariff, WhatsApp has finally joined the likes of Skype and FaceTime.
Given that we now have Skype, FaceTime, and WhatsApp to choose from, which one should we opt for? While Skype has more or less established itself in video calling space, FaceTime is the preferred app for most Apple users. Will WhatsApp prove to be advantageous over the other two established video calling apps? If so, how?
WhatsApp vs Skype vs FaceTime Video Calls: Data Consumption And What It Means For You
We take it for granted that you would only choose to use video calling feature over a Wi-Fi connection. Video calls on mobile network will cost you dearly. Should a situation arise when you have to make calls using mobile data, it’s a good to know which of these consumes the least amount of data. So when the time comes, you can make the right decision – a decision that saves you money.
To see how these apps fare, we performed a 5-minute call with each app. WhatsApp consumed about 14MB of mobile data during the 5-minute video call. Skype didn’t fare any better. It consumed about 13.5MB. However, Apple’s FaceTime consumed far less – just 10MB. Also, the video quality on WhatsApp and Skype wasn’t that great. FaceTime video quality was pretty good.
Cost Of Video Calls In India
A 5-minute video call on FaceTime approximately costs you about Rs. 3 considering the data tariffs and plans that are available throughout the country. For Skype and WhatsApp video calls, you will end up spending about Rs. 4.
So overall, FaceTime is a good option if you are an Apple user. But if you have to choose between Skype and WhatsApp, we would say both are pretty similar in terms of quality of the calls and even the amount of data consumed and the price.