This can be hit or miss and you can expect in-app purchases from some of the games, but the platform has understandably seen a lot of engagement since all this started, so theres no better opportunity to give it a shot.

But which of the two-dozen apps out there should you and your (perhaps not as tech-savvy) friends and family use Here are our recommendations, whether its for a coffee meeting, a family get-together or a late-night gaming hangout.

The focus here is on ease of use and features that make it attractive to ordinary people.

Best Hangout App Free And Cross

Every app is free and cross-platform, meaning iOS and Android at least, with many supporting Macs and Windows machines as well.

As long as you focus on just the video calls, its great, but Skypes emoji reactions, status updates and other cruft are best avoided.

Best Hangout App Software Uses Poor

Originally it was listed here as a good general-purpose option due to those pluses, but reports have multiplied that the software uses poor security standards and other shady practices which the company has deliberately misrepresented.

In fact, with so many other perfectly good options available, its hard to recommend using it at all.

It supports up to eight people in free video calls with no duration limit, and when you are doing a two-person call it switches to a peer-to-peer structure, skipping servers and potentially avoiding congestion.

Of course, its also a Facebook product, meaning youll need an account there not something everyone is into.

But Messenger use is considerably better protected from Facebook snooping than posts and images on the main site.

With a focus on privacy, WhatsApp is popular around the world despite being super ugly, and while video calls arent its main feature, they are possible if you dont mind a four-person limit.

To activate it, start a group chat and then hit the call button at the top right and select the participants, then hit the camera.

But the apps work pretty well for now, plugging into your existing Google contacts and accounts and letting you do straightforward, unlimited video calls.

Marco Polo is like a streamlined Snapchat, sending short videos to friends or groups with the option to add doodles, filters and so on.

If you and your friends are finding it hard to set aside half an hour to talk live, this can be a good alternative.

But if your friends do happen to have Apple products, its a great, simple, and secure option.

Instagram has video calling built into direct messages, which is nice for quick calls with people you arent sure you want to bring into a smaller circle of connectivity.

Pundits disapproved, but as usual, the kids get the last laugh.

Houseparty is nice for a group of close friends, alerting you when someones available and letting people easily join in the chat with minimal fuss.

The built in games are also fun, but youll have to pony up for Heads Up decks.

The Pictionary clone is fun, but desperately needs better words.

While its mainly focused on audio and does that well, video is an option too.

Less savvy users may also find its interface confusing, with multiple tabs, groups and channels.

Best Hangout App For Mac