Why isn't hello.fan a random video chat site?
The appeal of random video chat is easy to see: tap a button and someone new appears. The downside is just as familiar. You don't know who's next, most matches end in a quick skip, and the conversation rarely goes anywhere. It's video chat with strangers in the most literal sense.
hello.fan keeps the good part, talking live to someone new, and drops the roulette. The people you can call are real creators, coaches, tutors and experts, and each one's page shows you:
- who they are and the topics they talk about;
- the languages they speak;
- what video, voice and chat with them cost a minute;
- whether they're online right now, based on the working hours they set.
So a video call with strangers becomes a call with someone you chose, for a reason. If you're new here, our video chat guide explains the basics in a few minutes.
Why is choosing better than being matched?
Being matched at random puts the work on you: you skip, wait, skip again and hope. Choosing flips that. Everyone you can call on hello.fan decided to be online and talk, so the person who picks up actually wants the conversation.
Choosing also means you know what you're getting into:
- Their price, up front. Each creator sets their own, from 50 to 5,000 credits a minute, with 100 credits equal to $1.
- Their topics and languages. You can pick a guitar teacher, a career coach or simply someone who speaks the language you're learning.
- Who's verified. Creators can get a Verified badge after an ID check, and everyone on hello.fan is 18+.
And if a call still isn't right, you're in control. Block and report sit inside every call, nothing is recorded, and your phone number stays private. Hang up and the meter stops. Read more on hello.fan's safety page.
What about free random video chat?
If you were looking for free random video chat, you've probably noticed that random sites cost little or nothing to start. hello.fan is free to join and browse, but video and voice calls are paid per minute at a price each creator sets, in credits (100 credits = $1). What you get for it is a person who chose to be online, a call that's about you, and a meter that runs only while you're both connected.
Some things do cost nothing. Signing up is free, seeing who's online is free, ringing is free, and a call that never connects is free. A creator can also set text chat to free, which is a good way to say hello before a video call. During the launch offer, your first top-up comes with +20% credits on top.
Billing is per started 15 seconds, so a short hello stays short. If a call isn't what you hoped, hang up and the meter stops right there. Our page on free video chat lists everything on hello.fan that costs nothing.
How do you get the buzz of a random video call without the roulette?
The best thing about a random video call is that it can happen right now. You can keep that part. Open the list of creators online now, pick someone whose page catches your eye and call. If they pick up, you're talking live within seconds, from your phone or your computer's browser.
A few ways to keep it spontaneous and still good:
- Try someone new each week. A language tutor one week, a musician the next.
- Start in chat. Where chat is cheap or free, a quick message tells you whether you'll get on before you go on video.
- Heart the ones you like. You'll get an alert the next time they come online.
Language is no barrier either. Calls have live translated subtitles in 30 languages, and chat translates itself, so the person you pick can be anywhere; our language practice guide builds on that. It has the energy of live random video chat at its best, except that you chose who answered, and they chose to be there.
Random chat sites vs hello.fan
| hello.fan | Random chat sites | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you meet | Someone you choose from the people online now | Whoever the site pairs you with next |
| What you know first | Their topics, languages and per-minute price | Usually little or nothing |
| Who's on the other side | Real creators, coaches, tutors and experts, all 18+ | Anyone who opened the site |
| How you pay | Per started 15 seconds, only while connected; ringing is free | Often free to start, with paid extras on some sites |
| Safety tools | Verified badges, block and report in every call, nothing recorded | Vary from site to site |
| Best for | A conversation that goes somewhere | Pure surprise, if that's what you enjoy |
How to start
- See who's online. Open hello.fan and browse the creators, coaches, tutors and experts online right now.
- Pick, don't skip. Read a page, check topics, languages and price, and choose someone you want to talk to.
- Call or chat. Start a video call, voice call or chat; ringing is free and you pay only while connected.
Frequently asked questions
Does hello.fan match you with random people?
No. There's no random matching on hello.fan. You see who is online, with their topics, languages and per-minute prices, and you choose whom to call. The person who answers chose to be online and talk.
Is stranger video chat safe on hello.fan?
Everyone on hello.fan is 18+, creators can get a Verified badge after an ID check, and adult content is never allowed. Nothing is recorded, your phone number stays private, and block and report are built into every call.
Can I still talk to someone new every day?
Yes. Open the list of creators online now and pick someone new whenever you like. The difference from a random site is that you choose who to call, after seeing their page, topics and price.
What does a short video call with someone new cost?
It depends on the creator's price, from 50 to 5,000 credits a minute (100 credits = $1). Billing is per started 15 seconds, so for example a two-minute hello at 100 credits a minute uses 200 credits, or $2.
Can I talk to people who speak another language?
Yes. Calls have live translated subtitles in 30 languages, and chat translates itself, so you can each speak your own language and still understand each other. Creator pages also list the languages each person speaks.
Published by Premiums Only LLC, the company behind hello.fan and store.fan. We recommend our own platforms — and say when another kind of tool fits you better. How we write.