What are the best voice chat software for gaming?

Paul Paul 5 appsUpdated

Voice communication is essential when playing online with your teammates. Whether it's for playing an FPS or managing your guild in an MMORPG, the solution for online discussions must be lightweight, efficient, complete, and cross-platform. Although some legacy software like https://alternativeto.net/software/skype/ and https://alternativeto.net/software/google-hangouts/ still dominate the market in this area, there are many other solutions more suited for gamers.

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  1. TeamSpeak icon
     Like

    Use crystal clear sound to communicate with your team mates cross-platform with military-grade security, lag-free performance & unparalleled reliability and uptime.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Flathub
    • Cloudron
    TeamSpeak screenshot 1
    TeamSpeak screenshot 1
    TeamSpeak screenshot 2
    +1
    TeamSpeak screenshot 3
    Paul Paul ’s note

    Teamspeak is the market leader in group voice communication. It brought the idea of servers with user management. In addition, it is the first to have introduced two options: push-to-talk (PTT) and sound detection to turn on the microphone. Although it can be used for any type of audio conferencing, Teamspeak is appreciated for its low consumption of system resources, its ease of use and its many administration and moderation options. Today, its aging interface and price could cause it to lose market share.

  2. Mumble icon
     Like

    Open source, low-latency voice chat offering high quality audio, secure encryption, self-hosting, in-game overlays, positional audio, and granular permissions.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • iPhone
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    Client (Mumble 1.3.0)
    Connected to a Server (Mumble 1.3.0)
    Public Server List (Mumble 1.3.0)
    +8
    Mumble 1.2.3 Release Candidate – some users in different channels
    Paul Paul ’s note

    Specifically designed for gamers, Mumble is a high quality voice communication program with very low latency that allows you to talk to your fellow gamers. Mumble has a simple administration interface that allows you to assign permissions to each user. It also offers an overlay to view in the game window the players connected to a chat room. Its advanced audio options also allow you to enjoy good quality discussions.

  3. Discord icon
     Like

    A versatile platform for text and voice communication, featuring topic-specific channels, customizable moderation, and smooth low latency interactions.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Snapcraft
    • Epic Games Store
    • Flathub
    • Electron
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
    Desktop UI
    Desktop UI Color Customization
    Cross Platform Video Chat and Screensharing
    +8
    Phone UI
    Paul Paul ’s note

    Discord is an instant messaging service for voice and text messages specially designed for gamers. Created as an alternative to TeamSpeak icon TeamSpeak, Discord adapts perfectly to your gaming habits and allows you to use as many servers as you want, without any limitations. Discord stands out from its competitors, and Skype icon Skype in particular, by promising to not slow down any part of the game when you make calls. This is because the program uses very few CPU resources.

  4. Element icon
     Like

    A secure collaboration app with end-to-end encryption and interoperability across web, desktop, and mobile. Includes chat, voice, and video calls.

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    • OpenAPK
    Element screenshot 1
    Element screenshot 1
    Video calls for desktop and mobile
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    Collaboration widgets
    Paul Paul ’s note

    Riot is an open source communication service that provides its users with everything they need to communicate, exchange ideas ,and work on common projects from a single platform. Developed using the Matrix icon Matrix secure communication network, Riot encrypts your exchanges from end to end, which gives it a very good reputation. Riot is not made specifically for gamers but remains an excellent free and secure solution for everyone.

  5. Overtone icon
     Like

    We know you're here to chat with your team and enjoy the game. That's why we're building a new communication platform around some of the most trusted tech in the game industry.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Overtone screenshot 1
    Paul Paul ’s note

    Overtone is another great voice chat app for gamers which you can use to connect with your friends while playing games. The app is simple to use and it’s based on Vivox, one of the best integrated voice chat service that is used by popular games like Fortnite Battle Royale icon Fortnite Battle Royale, PUBG icon PUBG, League of Legends icon League of Legends, etc. Overtone aims to bring this exclusive technology to gamers around the world, making it a great alternative for Discord icon Discord.


Of course, this list is non-exhaustive and there are many other alternatives: From general use software like https://alternativeto.net/software/sip-communicator/, https://alternativeto.net/software/ring/, and https://alternativeto.net/software/ventrilo/ to more gaming-oriented software like https://alternativeto.net/software/steam-chat/ and https://alternativeto.net/software/battle-net-mobile-app/, you have a wide variety of choices that will certainly allow you to find the software that suits you best. Let me know in the comments if you recommend other great software for communication while gaming. 🙂

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