Free phone chat apps arrive in a wide variety of purposes and platforms. Most of them help you send text messages and make voice and video calls with people you care about without taking too much from the plan provided by your carrier. Messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, Viber, Skype, WhatsApp, and WeChat can these essential communication functions very well. But some can even bring your communication, and even your dating game, to the next level by allowing you to video chat with random people. Here are the best random video chat apps that can help you interact online, meet strangers, and, perhaps, establish lasting relationships.
What Is a Random Video Chat App?
Random video chat apps work exactly the same as free online chat websites like Omegle and Chatroulette, which connect you with strangers online. The problem with Omegle and Chatroulette, however, is their lack of an official app. Eventually, these chat sites were adapted by app developers into apps to ride on to the immense popularity of video chatting with random strangers online.
Random video chat apps make it more convenient to find strangers and meet new friends. That aside, many content creators use these apps to capture candid moments and fun videos. Today, Google Play and Apple App Store are home to a vast collection of free phone chat apps for Android and iOS devices. Let us take a quick look at some of them that you might want to download and try.
Best Free Random Video Chat Apps
1. Camfrog
Emerging earlier than Chatroulette, Camfrog gives you an opportunity to meet others through random video chat rooms. Instead of one-on-one video chatting, this app allows you to join video chat groups that consist of multiple people with common interests. These chatrooms can be categorized based on interests, making the selection process easy for you. Having a parental control feature, Camfrog lets you apply restrictions. With this built-in feature, Camfrog can block adult or porn-themed chat rooms that are not appropriate for some users, particularly children.
Feature Highlights:
- Provides random live chat on-cam.
- Allows sending chat room invites to friends not on Camfrog using a link.
- Blocks adult chatrooms for minors.
Download Camfrog from App Store
Download Camfrog from Google Play Store
2. CamSurf
CamSurf has been receiving waves of praise from many users since its emergence in 2015. This fast-growing free random live chat on-cam app allows users to filter connections according to language and location. By doing so, the app makes sure that you and your newly-met long-distance friend will understand each other.
Feature Highlights:
- Random video chat and talk on cam with people in your area.
- Filter out connections based on location or language.
- No sign-up required.
Download CamSurf from App Store
Download CamSurf from Google Play Store
3. Chatous
Taking a leaf from Twitter’s book, Chatous takes advantage of the capabilities of the hashtag. You can pick a random chatmate on this free phone chat app by selecting a hashtag. By doing so, the app ensures that you and your chat mate will have a common interest or topic to discuss. In that way, your connection becomes more meaningful and not just a random online experience.
Feature Highlights:
- Send disappearing videos, photos, and audio messages.
- Filter out connections using #hashtags.
- Sync messages with www.chatous.com and continue conversations where you left off.
Download Chatous from App Store
Download Chatous from Google Play Store
4. ChatRandom
Taking inspiration from popular free dating apps like OkCupid, Skout, and Tinder, ChatRandom allows you to swipe right for a stranger that you desire to video chat with. Having features similar to those of Instagram, you can also enhance your video by using built-in filters so you can increase your chances of meeting new friends.
Feature Highlights:
- Easy to use — just swipe right to connect with someone new
- Filter out connections by gender.
- Limit connections according to locations.
Download Chatrandom from App Store
Download Chatrandom from Google Play Store
5. ChatSpin
Going live in 2015, ChatSpin has become one of today’s fastest-growing free random video chat apps, according to Alexa. Similar to ChatRandom, this random video chat app lets you swipe to choose your desired chatmate. Other key features include HD streaming, chat rooms, as well as gender and location-based filters to help you refine your search.
Feature Highlights:
- Filter out connections according to location and gender.
- Add cool effects and filters to your camera.
- No profile and account creation is needed.
Download ChatSpin from App Store
Download ChatSpin from Google Play Store
6. Hay (Holla)
With a name based on the Spanish word for “hello,” Holla (now Hay) acts as your first gesture to establish a connection with a new friend. Adopting the features of some of today’s popular dating apps, this Chatroulette alternative enables you to swipe cards to pick the perfect match and video chat with people of any nationality. But first, you must ensure that you have a good-looking profile photo to quickly get a good chatmate.
Feature Highlights:
- Connects you with more than 30 million users from 190 countries.
- Real-time translation.
- 1-on-1 direct video call.
- Filter out connections according to gender.
Download Hay – Holla from App Store
Download Hay – Holla from Google Play Store
7. MeetMe
MeetMe boasts that it has more than 100 million users from different parts of the world. This free phone chat app allows you to encounter strangers through its video chat feature. You can also make a live stream with this app, allowing you to show off your talent to increase your desirability. MeetMe enables you to pick a potential chatmate according to filters like proximity and interest.
Feature Highlights:
- Allows live streaming and following.
- Discover people nearby.
- Connects like-minded people.
Download MeetMe from App Store
Download MeetMe from Google Play Store
8. MeowChat
MeowChat combines the features of WhatsApp, WeChat, and Tinder into one. With this mix of functionalities, you can facilitate a meetup with random people who are nearby through a video chat with an option to live stream. Meeting those who are from a remote area and another time zone is also possible with this free phone chat app.
Feature Highlights:
- Live stream video chat to build following.
- Filter out connections according to location.
Download MeowChat from Google Play Store
9. OmeTV
OmeTV claims that it has achieved more than 10 million downloads. With more than 1 million mobile users under its belt, this Omegle-like free phone chat app brings to the table an unfussy way to do random chatting. Minus the need to register, the app keeps you anonymous, so you don’t have to worry about your security. It also features instant text translation support so you can chat with random people regardless of their language or country of origin.
Feature Highlights:
- No membership, no log-in requirement.
- Easy to use one-on-one random video chat.
- Available for text-only chatting.
Download OmeTV from Google Play Store
11. TinyChat
Appearing during the same time when Chatroulette started going online, Tinychat is home to thousands of video chat rooms. Using the app, you can enter group video chat rooms created by other people and join the discussion. You can also create your own chat rooms on the platform. Whether as a free phone chat app or a web-based client, TinyChat chat rooms are capable of holding up to 12 audio and video feeds at the same time.
Feature Highlights:
- Live stream video chat.
- Watch live-stream video chats by others.
Download Tinychat on App Store
Download Tinychat on Google Play Store
Takeaway
Random video chat apps like those in this list are helpful in expanding social life and meet new friends from around the world. However, like everything on the internet, you must be wary of accessing this kind of app. While they are generally safe, you may encounter unhealthy discussions and hate speech when using them. If you encounter unruly users, make sure to report them to keep a positive community.