Facebook Portal Video Calling Device

If you can’t be there, feel there with Portal

3.0•1 review•

3 followers

If you can’t be there, feel there with Portal

3.0•1 review•

3 followers

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Camera apps

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Video and Voice calling

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Physical Products

Facebook Portal is a brand of smart displays developed in 2018 by Facebook, Inc. The product line consists of four models (Portal, Portal Plus, Portal Mini, and Portal TV) that provide video chat via Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, augmented by a camera that can automatically zoom and track people's movements.

The Best Facebook Portal Video Calling Device Alternatives

The best Facebook Portal Video Calling Device alternatives are Echo Show, Facebook Messenger, AIWatchfulCompanion, Booyah, and Wyze.

Echo Show

Choose Echo Show if...

✓you want Alexa routines plus video calling
✓you need a smart home control screen
✓you prefer a general purpose kitchen display

See details ↓

Facebook Messenger

3.0 ·

Choose Facebook Messenger if...

✓you want video calls without dedicated hardware
✓you need chatting without a phone number
✓you prefer messaging features beyond calling

See details ↓

AIWatchfulCompanion

5.0 ·

Choose AIWatchfulCompanion if...

✓you want safety alerts for kids or elders
✓you need monitoring plus video check ins
✓you want to reuse existing devices for care

See details ↓

Booyah

Choose Booyah if...

✓you want fast mobile video chats with WhatsApp friends
✓you prefer phone first calling over shared screens
✓you need lightweight group video chat on the go

See details ↓

Wyze

Choose Wyze if...

✓you want affordable home cameras and sensors
✓you need whole home monitoring instead of calling
✓you prefer security alerts and recordings over chats

See details ↓

What to Consider

Facebook Portal made its name as a living-room video calling device designed for effortless, shared-family conversations—especially for Messenger and WhatsApp calls. The alternatives split into a few clear camps: smart displays like Echo Show that treat calling as one feature inside an Alexa-first home hub, software-only options like Facebook Messenger that deliver cross-device calling without dedicated hardware, and more purpose-built tools like AIWatchfulCompanion that shift the value proposition from chatting to proactive caregiving alerts and monitoring. On the other end, products like Wyze focus on budget home security coverage rather than communication, while mobile-first apps like Booyah aim for quick, lightweight video chats with existing WhatsApp circles.

In evaluating alternatives to Facebook Portal, the key considerations were whether you want dedicated hardware or to reuse existing devices, the strength of each ecosystem (Alexa smart-home control, Messenger/WhatsApp reach), and how well each option matches the core job-to-be-done—casual household calling versus always-on utility or safety monitoring. We also weighed everyday reliability signals surfaced in reviews (like app stability and browser behavior), along with integration expectations and the tradeoff between an all-in-one screen and narrower, purpose-built apps.

Echo Show

Amazon Echo now has a screen

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Echo Show is a better fit when video calling is only part of what you want from a screen in the home. Rather than centering the experience on family calling, it’s designed as an Alexa-first smart display for everyday tasks like timers, music, weather, and quick visual answers.

Where it stands out versus Facebook Portal is the breadth of smart-home control and the larger Alexa ecosystem. If the goal is to run routines, control compatible lights and thermostats, or use voice-driven “skills,” Echo Show functions more like a household control center than a single-purpose calling appliance.

It also works well in shared spaces like kitchens, where glanceable information and hands-free voice control matter as much as communication. The trade-off is that you’re choosing an all-around smart display experience, not a device optimized primarily around Messenger/WhatsApp calling flows and a call-first UI.

Best for

Best for households that want an Alexa-powered smart display for daily utility plus occasional video calls.

Standout features

✓Alexa voice assistant with a screen
✓Smart-home device control and routines
✓Music, timers, and daily info at a glance
✓App and skill ecosystem on Alexa

Facebook Messenger

Hang out anytime, anywhere

3.0 · 2 reviews

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Facebook Messenger is the simplest alternative when the biggest barrier is buying and maintaining dedicated hardware. It delivers voice and video calling across phones, tablets, and desktops, so households can use whatever screens they already have instead of placing a Portal in one room.

Messenger also shines when messaging is the primary workflow and calling is secondary. Chat threads, group conversations, link sharing, and quick check-ins can be more flexible than a living-room-first calling device, especially for families coordinating across many devices.

Another differentiator is that Messenger can be useful even when a phone-number-centric setup isn’t ideal, depending on how someone prefers to manage identity and access. The main trade-off versus Facebook Portal is that it’s not an always-on, shared household endpoint, so the experience depends more on personal devices, notifications, and app behavior.

Best for

Ideal for people who want free cross-device messaging and video calling without buying a dedicated display.

Standout features

✓Cross-device chat and video calling
✓Group threads for family coordination
✓Link sharing and rich messaging tools
✓Works on mobile and desktop

AIWatchfulCompanion

AI Caregiver to assist in caring for your loved ones

5.0 · 7 reviews

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AIWatchfulCompanion is compelling when the real need is peace of mind, not just face-to-face chats. Instead of acting like a stationary calling screen, it’s oriented around caregiving scenarios with monitoring and alerts that can help families stay informed between check-ins.

Compared with Facebook Portal’s call-first focus, AIWatchfulCompanion shifts the value to proactive awareness—such as detecting concerning events or abnormal sounds—and then pairing that with the ability to connect when something seems off. That makes it a better match for elderly care, child monitoring, or any situation where “no news” isn’t reassuring enough.

It’s also designed around using existing devices rather than requiring a single dedicated display in a specific room. The trade-off is that the experience is more safety-workflow-driven than social, so it’s best chosen for care and monitoring outcomes rather than casual household calling.

Best for

Best for caregivers who want monitoring alerts plus fast ways to check in.

Standout features

✓Real-time monitoring and alerts
✓Care-focused workflows for families
✓Uses existing devices as endpoints
✓Video check-ins when needed

Booyah

A super fast video chat for WhatsApp friends and groups

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Booyah is geared for fast, mobile-first video chats rather than a shared living-room screen. If most calls happen while out and about—or you prefer a lightweight app experience over placing a device in the home—this approach can feel more immediate than Facebook Portal.

Its positioning is especially relevant for WhatsApp-heavy social circles, where the goal is to jump into video chat quickly with people already in your contact graph. That can be a better fit than Portal’s household appliance model, which is optimized for a fixed location and shared family use.

Because it’s app-based, it’s easier to try, easier to share with friends, and doesn’t require coordinating around a single device in the house. The trade-off is that you give up the “always ready” communal calling station and instead rely on phones and their constraints like battery, notifications, and varying screen sizes.

Best for

Ideal for WhatsApp-oriented groups that want quick video chats on phones.

Standout features

✓Mobile-first video chat experience
✓Designed for quick, casual calling
✓Easy onboarding without hardware
✓Works well for on-the-go conversations

Wyze

Making great technology accessible

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Wyze is the better alternative when the priority is home monitoring, not communication. Rather than focusing on video calls like Facebook Portal, it’s built around affordable cameras, sensors, and alerts that help cover multiple rooms and entry points.

The key advantage is breadth and cost-effective scale: adding more coverage around the home typically matters more than having a single screen that’s great for family calls. For many households, event-driven notifications, recordings, and basic automation create more day-to-day value than a dedicated calling endpoint.

Wyze also fits scenarios where you want visibility while away—checking cameras, getting motion alerts, or monitoring specific areas. The trade-off is that it won’t replace the social experience of a calling device; it’s a security-and-awareness ecosystem first, with a fundamentally different “job to be done.”