Best Omegle alternatives to chat with strangers

First launched in 2009, Omegle was built for a simple purpose: To connect online strangers in a chatroom. Users would be randomly paired up and could chat for as long as they wanted. And while users could voice chat or just text, Omegle was known predominantly for video chats with strangers. What could go wrong?

Struggling to prevent misuse of its site, Omegle has been shuttered and was no longer operational as of November 2023. That’s right; Omegle is no more. But there’s no shortage of alternatives. Here are some sites that are similar to Omegle for chatting with strangers.

Emerald Chat

• Price: Free
• Requires signup: No
• Minimum age: 18
• Available on: Web browsers

Touting itself as the “new Omegle,” Emerald Chat offers the standard video and text chat features, along with a group chat function. The site also boasts an interest-matching system and lets you filter potential matchups by gender, karma ratings, and other options. 

YouNow

• Price: Free
• Requires signup: No
• Minimum age: 13
• Available on: Web browsers, iOS, Android

Technically, YouNow is more akin to YouTube or Twitch than Omegle. The U.S.-based platform has a heavy slant toward live streaming, and users can tune in to channels to interact with like-minded folk. Broadcasts cover a wide range of interests, including music and gaming.

Chatroulette

• Price: Free
• Requires signup: No
• Minimum age: 18
• Available on: Web browsers, iOS, Android

Chatroulette’s name says it all. The service requires access to video, though you can choose to communicate through voice or text. You can also request to be matched with users in specific countries, such as the U.S., the UK, Australia, Thailand, and more.

Chatrandom

• Price: Free
• Requires signup: No
• Minimum age: 18
• Available on: Web browsers, iOS, Android

Don’t want to be matched with just anybody? Chatrandom offers a potentially more curated chat-matching experience, where you can indicate your gender and interests, and even filter your matches according to specific genders and/or countries. 

Chatspin

• Price: Free
• Requires signup: No
• Minimum age: 18
• Available on: Web browsers, iOS, Android

Chatspin contains many features already included in other apps on this list, such as country and gender filters. However, where it shines is in its selection of specialized chats, offering options such as Anonymous Chat, Singles Chat, and Text Chat. 

LiveMe

• Price: Free
• Requires signup: No
• Minimum age: 18
• Available on: Web browsers, iOS, Android

Similar to YouNow, LiveMe is another option for those who prefer to join group broadcasts and interact with live streamers. The service includes filters by country, gender, newness, and popularity.

TinyChat

• Price: Free
• Requires signup: Yes
• Minimum age: 18
• Available on: Web browsers

Rather than matching you with strangers automatically, TinyChat gives you the option of choosing a chatroom to join. You can also create your own chatrooms to invite your friends or open them up to other users.

Chathub

• Price: Free
• Requires signup: No
• Minimum age: 18
• Available on: Web browsers

Chathub’s fuss-free design is great for those who just want to stick with the basics—simply indicate your gender to get started. Like many of the other apps, you can filter matches by gender and country, though Chathub also offers a unique option of filtering by spoken language.

Why did Omegle shut down?

The anonymous nature of Omegle was both its pride and downfall. What started out as an innovative mode of making friends quickly devolved into a notorious hunting ground for bullies and predators. Following numerous complaints and a lawsuit alleging that the site was being used to facilitate the sexual abuse of minors, Omegle’s founder Leif K-Brooks finally closed the site after a 14-year run.

Tips for staying safe on random chat sites

The prospect of chatting with strangers online can be exciting, but also comes with several risks. Here are some things to keep in mind to keep yourself protected online:

• Avoid sharing personal information. This could be anything from your phone number and email address to your real name, which could easily be used for nefarious ends.

• Do not open or download suspicious links and files. These could contain malware and other online threats, leaving your device vulnerable to cyber attacks.
• Use a VPN. A trustworthy VPN like ExpressVPN can help obscure your IP address and real location, helping you stay private and secure online at all times.