What happened to Omegle?

Omegle launched in 2009 and paired strangers at random for text or video chat, without an account. Its founder closed it on 8 November 2023, saying that running the service was no longer sustainable, financially or psychologically, after years of misuse. Websites that use the Omegle name today are run by other people and are not the original service.

Three kinds of Omegle alternatives

Most services that replaced Omegle work in one of the following ways. The right choice depends on whether you want quick random matches with anyone, an app with filters or a conversation with a woman.

Free random video chat sites

OmeTV, Chatroulette, Bazoocam and Camsurf match you with a random person in seconds. They are free to start, but you cannot choose who appears next, and a gender filter is often missing or paid.

Social video apps

Apps such as Azar ask you to create an account and often sell in-app currency or subscriptions for filters by gender or country.

One-to-one video chat with women

TalktoStrangers connects men with women whose profiles are verified. Each conversation is private between two people, free chats last up to one minute, and longer chats use paid minutes.

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Looking for women on an Omegle-style site?

On free roulette sites the person on the other side is random. Many people searching for “Omegle TV girls” want a video chat with a woman, which a random match cannot promise. A service built for that is more direct: on TalktoStrangers you choose the men’s route, create an account, allow your camera and are connected with a woman. If a conversation does not suit you, you can leave and meet someone else.

How to choose a safe alternative

Check these points before you open any random video chat:

  • Adults only: the service states an 18+ rule and checks profiles or ages.
  • Reporting: you can report a person and leave a conversation at once.
  • Real cost: what is free, what filters or minutes cost and whether anything renews automatically.
  • Privacy: whether you can use a nickname and what account details are required.
  • Who you meet: random strangers, people filtered by country or gender, or one-to-one chats with women.

Stay safe on any random chat

Keep your full name, address, workplace and social accounts out of the conversation and out of the camera frame. Never send money, card details or verification codes to a chat partner. Assume that the other person can record their screen. Leave and report anyone who makes you uncomfortable.