Houseparty alternative · Updated
Best Houseparty Alternatives for Hanging Out Online
Houseparty, the drop-in video app, closed in 2021. For hanging out with friends, Discord, FaceTime, WhatsApp, Google Meet and Telegram fill the gap. For a spontaneous talk with someone new, Mindfuse is a voice-only app for iOS and Android that connects you one-to-one with a real person somewhere else in the world, with no profile and no photos.
Best Houseparty Alternatives at a Glance
Ordered by use case, not by score: hanging out with people you know first, meeting someone new last.
We make Mindfuse. The facts about other apps come from their own listings, checked November 2026.
| App | Best for |
|---|---|
| Discord | Best for hanging out with friends and communities through voice channels, video, and text. |
| Telegram | Best for group voice chats, video calls, and conversations within communities. |
| FaceTime | Best for casual video calls with friends and family using Apple devices. |
| Best for group calls and staying in touch with people you already know. | |
| Google Meet | Best for starting video calls with friends or groups through a link. |
| Mindfuse | Best for a live one-on-one voice call with someone new. |
Best Houseparty Alternatives
Discord: best for group hangouts
Discord lets friends create a shared space where they can chat, join voice channels, and spend time together online. You can use it for gaming sessions, casual conversations, or communities built around common interests.
Good: Always-open voice channels your friends can drop into, much like Houseparty rooms.
Keep in mind: Someone has to set up a server and invite everyone first.
Telegram: best for group voice chats and communities
Telegram offers messaging, voice and video calls, and group voice chats in supported groups and channels. It can suit people who want to combine everyday messages with live conversations in one app.
Good: Messages, calls and group voice chats in one app.
Keep in mind: Everyone in the group needs a Telegram account.
FaceTime: best for video calls with friends
FaceTime is a straightforward choice for people already using Apple devices. If you want to see and talk to friends or family, you can start a video call or use audio-only calling on your Apple device.
Good: Built into Apple devices, with nothing new to install.
Keep in mind: It is made for Apple devices; friends on other phones join through a link.
WhatsApp: best for staying in touch with friends
WhatsApp lets you make voice and video calls, including group calls, from a familiar messaging app. You can start a call with people you already chat with instead of asking everyone to join a new social platform.
Good: Most of your friends probably have it already.
Keep in mind: It is built around calling people in your contacts.
Google Meet: best for easy video hangouts
Google Meet lets you start or join video calls through a link. It can work for a group of friends who want to catch up without installing a dedicated social hangout app. It is more call-focused than Houseparty's casual drop-in model.
Good: One link and anyone can join, also from a browser.
Keep in mind: On the free plan, group calls end after 60 minutes.
Mindfuse: best for a live one-on-one voice call with someone new
Mindfuse is a voice-only app for iOS and Android for people who want a conversation with someone new instead of a group video call. One tap connects you with a real person somewhere else in the world, with no profile and no photos.
Good: Someone new to talk to, somewhere in the world, even when none of your friends are online.
Keep in mind: It is not for calling your friends: there are no groups, and you cannot choose who you talk to.
Mindfuse vs. Houseparty
| Feature | Mindfuse | Houseparty |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Meet someone new for a one-on-one voice conversation | Hang out with friends through group video chats |
| Who you talk to | One person you are matched with | Friends and people in your social circle |
| Video | Voice-only; no camera | Video was central to the experience |
| Social setup | No public profile shown to the person you meet | Built around friend connections and group hangouts |
| Best for | Spontaneous conversations without video | Casual video hangouts with people you know |
Why Shift From Houseparty to Mindfuse?
You don't need a group of friends online
If you want to talk but nobody you know is available, Mindfuse is built for you.
You can leave the camera off
Mindfuse is voice-only, so you do not need to think about your appearance, lighting, or background.
You talk to one person at a time
Instead of joining a group where several people compete to speak, you can focus on a direct conversation.
You can meet people beyond your social circle
Mindfuse connects people from around the world, making it an option when you want to speak with someone new rather than catch up with the same friends.
Mindfuse does not replace every part of Houseparty. If your goal is to see your friends and hang out as a group, Discord, FaceTime, or WhatsApp may suit you better. If you want a real spontaneous, one-on-one conversation without video, Mindfuse is the best fit.
Why spontaneous connection beats scheduled video calls
Houseparty understood that social connection should not require a calendar invitation. The drop-in, real-time model captured something important about how friendships actually work: you talk to people when you feel like talking, not when a slot is free in both your calendars.
But video calls, even casual ones, create a visual performance layer. You are aware of how you look. You manage your background. You notice yourself in the corner of the screen. All of this subtle self-monitoring takes attention away from the conversation itself.
Voice-only removes this entirely. When there is no image to manage, you can actually focus on what the other person is saying.
One tap and you are in a live conversation with someone real, somewhere on Earth.
Mindfuse preserves everything that was valuable about Houseparty, the immediacy, the liveness, the feeling of dropping in on a real human moment, and removes the video, the social graph, and the known identities. What is left is conversation at its most direct.
You do not know who you will talk to. That is part of it. Because there are no profiles, the conversation can go anywhere: you are not managing a long-term relationship, you are just talking to someone who showed up at the same moment you did. Calls are never recorded.
Your first 3 days are unlimited. After that, one free conversation a day, whether you start it or answer it, and the Daily Fuse hour, every day at 17:00 UTC, is unlimited for everyone. Premium is unlimited, with 7 days free to try. Available on iOS and Android.
Common Questions About Houseparty Alternatives
Is there any way to get the original Houseparty app back?
Houseparty was discontinued in 2021. Be careful with websites offering unofficial downloads or claiming to restore the original service. Use a supported alternative from its official app store or website instead.
Which app feels closest to Houseparty's drop-in hangout style?
None is an exact copy of Houseparty, so the closest fit depends on how your friends prefer to hang out. If you just want to talk to someone, you can try Mindfuse.
What if my friends use different phones?
Choose an app that supports everyone's devices. WhatsApp and Google Meet work across major mobile platforms, while FaceTime supports links for people using compatible non-Apple devices. Check current device and browser support before arranging a group call. Mindfuse also works on both iOS and Android, though it connects you with someone new rather than with your friends.
What can I use if I want to talk to someone but don't want a video call?
You can use an ordinary phone call, an audio-only call in a messaging app, or a voice-focused app. Mindfuse is an option if you want a one-on-one voice conversation with someone new rather than calling a person you already know.
Are there Houseparty alternatives that don't require everyone to create a new social profile?
Some services let people join a call through an invitation link or an existing messaging account. Google Meet can be convenient for link-based calls, though access requirements may vary. Check the current joining rules before asking a group to switch apps.
Is there an app to talk to someone new when my friends are busy?
Yes. Mindfuse connects you by voice with a real person somewhere else in the world, one-to-one, whenever you feel like talking. The busiest hour is the Daily Fuse, every day at 17:00 UTC, and it is unlimited for everyone.
Drop in. No camera required.
Mindfuse: spontaneous one-on-one voice conversations with real people around the world. Whenever you feel like talking.