The use of video chats among friends and family proliferated during the pandemic, then slowly waned. Many senior adults can still benefit from them, however, especially those with limited opportunities for social interaction or face-to-face visits with family and friends. Maintaining interaction supports mental health, including minimizing depression, and video chat apps for seniors provides an excellent way for them to stay in touch.
This Seniors Guide list of video chat apps for seniors highlights technologies that are easy to use, even for people who are less comfortable with technology.
Six video chat apps for seniors to choose from
Oscar Senior
Oscar Senior was designed specifically for older adults and caregivers. It emphasizes accessibility and easy communication.
The interface uses large buttons, large text, and an uncluttered design designed for people who may not be comfortable navigating a conventional smartphone or tablet. Family members or caregivers can also help remotely with certain settings. One-touch video calling makes it easier for older adults to contact family members, while an auto-answer option can make receiving calls easier. Group calls are also available.
For older adults and their loved ones, Oscar Senior goes well beyond video calls. Depending on the version and service being used, features can include check-ins, cognitive training, messaging, photo sharing, reminders, games, news, weather information, medication support, and activity tracking.
Unlike the major free video chat services, however, Oscar Senior requires paid subscriptions. That makes it less appealing if all you need is occasional video calling, but its senior-oriented interface and caregiver features could justify the expense.
- Available on: Android smartphones and tablets; iPhones and iPads. Apple also lists compatibility with newer Apple-silicon Macs.
WhatsApp remains one of the most popular choices for keeping in touch with friends and relatives, particularly when family members live in different countries.
WhatsApp offers text messaging, voice calling, video calling, group conversations, photo and file sharing, and other features. Personal messages and calls are protected by end-to-end encryption.
The interface is relatively straightforward once the account is set up. Since WhatsApp uses a phone number to register an account, contacts are relatively easy to find, as long as they have also signed up. A senior can start a conversation with a family member and use the phone or camera icon to begin a voice or video call.
WhatsApp’s expanded tablet support offers dedicated versions for Android tablets and iPads in addition to smartphone and computer options. A WhatsApp account can also be linked to multiple devices.
Many seniors prefer a tablet to a smartphone since the larger display makes faces easier to see and larger on-screen controls can be easier to operate.
- Available on: Android phones and tablets; iPhones and iPads; Windows and Mac computers; and web browsers.
FaceTime
If an older adult already owns an iPhone or iPad, FaceTime may be the simplest choice. It’s built into compatible Apple devices, so there is no separate account or third-party video calling service to set up.
FaceTime integrates with Apple’s other services, making calling particularly straightforward. A user can select a person and start a FaceTime call without navigating the more complicated meeting controls found in some business-oriented video conferencing apps.
FaceTime also works well with Apple’s accessibility features. Seniors can take advantage of features such as larger text and other settings already configured on their device.
In an improvement from its original, FaceTime isn’t limited to conversations between Apple-device users. Someone with an Apple device can create a FaceTime link and send it to a person using Android or Windows. That person can then join the FaceTime conversation using a supported web browser without owning an Apple product.
There is one limitation. Android and Windows users can join a FaceTime call through a link, but they do not have a full FaceTime app that works like the Apple version. An Apple user must create and share the link.
- Available on: iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers; Android and Windows users can join invited FaceTime calls through a supported web browser.
Google Meet
Google Meet is another strong option among video chat apps for seniors, particularly for those who already use Gmail or other Google services. Google has consolidated its consumer video calling around Meet, making it useful for both informal calls and scheduled video meetings.
For easiest use, a family member can create a meeting and send the senior a link. This can reduce the confusion of searching for usernames or navigating contact lists. Google Meet also works in supported computer browsers, so a user doesn’t have to install desktop software.
The biggest advantage of Google Meet is its versatility. The same service works on a smartphone, tablet, Chromebook, laptop, or desktop computer. For someone already comfortable with Google products, the learning curve can be relatively small.
Google Meet also includes meeting and scheduling features, which someone who simply wants to call their grandchildren may never need. Setting up the app and contacts ahead of time can make the experience considerably easier.
- Available on: Android phones and tablets; iPhones and iPads; Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, and supported Linux computers through compatible browsers. A progressive web app is also available for computers.
Zoom
Zoom became virtually synonymous with video calling during the pandemic, and it remains useful for family gatherings, clubs, religious groups, classes, community organizations, and other situations involving multiple participants.
Senior Guide’s Step-by-Step Guide to a Zoom Meeting
For a meeting that someone else organizes, the senior simply joins the conversation via a provided link. Simple!
Zoom also lets participants join meetings without signing in, which can remove a potential source of frustration.
Controls for turning the microphone and camera on and off are relatively easy to recognize and spot, especially after using Zoom a few times. However, the number of controls and options can make Zoom more intimidating than FaceTime or WhatsApp for someone who is new to online meetings.
Zoom is a particularly good choice when the senior participates in organized group calls rather than makes spontaneous one-to-one calls.
- Available on: Android phones and tablets; iPhones and iPads; Windows, Mac, Linux, and ChromeOS computers; and supported web browsers.
Microsoft Teams Free
Microsoft channeled consumers to Microsoft Teams Free, replacing Skype. Teams Free offers one-to-one and group calls, chat, messaging, and file sharing. Former Skype users can sign in to Teams Free with their Skype credentials and import contacts and chats.
Teams has more features than many seniors need, so it wouldn’t necessarily be the first choice for the simplest possible video calling experience. But it’s easy to join a meeting – a Teams Free meeting link lets a recipient on a computer join using a supported browser without creating an account or installing the desktop app.
Teams Free is worth considering for seniors who previously used Skype or whose families already use Microsoft products.
- Available on: Android phones and tablets; iPhones and iPads; Windows and Mac computers; and supported computer web browsers.
Which video chat app is best for seniors?
The best choice depends on what a person already owns and is familiar with as well as their intended uses.
For iPhone or iPad owners, FaceTime is hard to beat for simplicity. WhatsApp is a strong choice when family members use a mixture of Apple, Android, and computer devices. Messenger makes sense for someone who already uses Facebook regularly. At the same time, Google Meet and Zoom are particularly useful for relatives, organizations, or caregivers to send a link to a scheduled call. Oscar Senior stands out when ease of use and caregiver support matter more than a completely free service.
Whichever app you choose, help your loved one get it set up before they need to use it independently. Add important contacts, change the text size and volume, enable the necessary camera and microphone permissions and make a few practice calls. Put the application’s icon somewhere easy to find on the device home screen.
Also remind older users to observe basic online safety. They should be wary of unsolicited video calls as well as invitations, links, and messages from unknown contacts. As always, never share passwords, verification codes, or bank information and never make a payment to accept a video invitation.
Ultimately, the best video chat apps for seniors are not always the ones with the most features. They’re the ones that make it easy to see a familiar face, have a conversation, and stay connected with family and friends.
This article was originally posted on March 15, 2021. It was updated completely and republished on Sept. 18, 2026.
