Alternatives
HOLLA Alternative: Switch From a Phone App to Your Browser
If you're looking for a HOLLA alternative that doesn't need a store app or an account, Omlet is a free random 1-on-1 video chat that runs in your phone's browser. Open omlet.site in Safari or Chrome, press Start and allow your camera; add it to your home screen if you'd like an icon.
Switching takes about five minutes. This page walks through leaving any chat app cleanly, setting Omlet up on your phone, making phone chats comfortable, and what to compare before you decide.
HOLLA at a glance
HOLLA is a random video chat service best known for its mobile apps, built around meeting new people on camera. Its features, any paid options and its rules are set out in its app and terms, and they can change.
Check HOLLA's current terms for up-to-date details. Omlet isn't affiliated with HOLLA, and the HOLLA name belongs to its owner.
Step 1: leave the old app cleanly
Deleting an app from your phone doesn't always delete your account or stop payments. Whatever chat app you're leaving, run through this first. Menu names may differ slightly by version.
- Check for subscriptions. On iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions. On Android, open the Play Store, tap your profile icon, then Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions. Cancel anything you no longer want.
- Delete your account if you want your data gone. Look in the app's settings or help pages for an account deletion option. It's usually easiest to do from inside the app, before you uninstall it.
- Review permissions. On iPhone, Settings → Privacy & Security shows which apps can use your camera, microphone and contacts. On Android, look for Permission manager in Settings; where it sits varies by phone maker.
- Uninstall. Press and hold the app icon and remove it.
Step 2: set up Omlet on your phone
iPhone
- Open omlet.site in Safari.
- Tap Start, pick your egg avatar under I am and confirm you're 18+.
- Tap Allow when Safari asks for the camera and microphone.
- For an icon, tap Share, then Add to Home Screen.
Android
- Open omlet.site in Chrome.
- Tap Start, pick your egg avatar under I am and confirm you're 18+.
- Allow camera and microphone access when Chrome asks.
- For an icon, open the ⋮ menu and choose Install app (or Add to Home screen on some versions).
The Android video chat and iPhone video chat pages cover camera permissions and fixes for each platform, and the random video chat app page explains how a browser-installed app differs from a store app.
If you plan to buy the country filter, buy it in the version you'll actually use. On iPhone, a Home Screen web app can keep its own storage separate from Safari, so a purchase made in one may not show up in the other.
Step 3: make phone chats comfortable
Phones are great for random video chat, with a few quirks a laptop doesn't have.
- Prop it up. Lean the phone against something at eye level so your partner sees your face rather than your ceiling. Holding it gets tiring fast.
- Watch your data. Video uses far more data than text. Use Wi-Fi where you can, or check how much data a video call uses before chatting on a mobile plan.
- Keep the screen awake. If your phone dims or locks mid-chat, the fixes are in phone screen turns off during video calls.
- Turn on Do Not Disturb. An incoming call can grab your camera and mic, and notifications are distracting.
- Plug in for long sessions. Camera, screen and network together drain a battery quickly.
- Type when it's noisy. The text chat sits alongside the video, with emoji and messages of up to 1,000 characters.
What's different without an account
No account means nothing to set up, and also nothing that follows you around. A few things work differently from a profile-based app:
- No profile. Under I am you pick an egg avatar, shown to the people you chat with. There's no bio, photo gallery or follower count.
- No friends list or chat history. Each chat is one to one and ends when either of you moves on.
- Your settings live in your browser. A country filter purchase is tied to that device and browser, and clearing site data removes it.
- Bans are per device. Breaking the rules gets a device banned, and sexual content involving anyone under 18 means a permanent ban.
- Privacy, in short. Calls are encrypted and peer-to-peer, Omlet doesn't record or store them, and there are no ads. The connection can share your IP address with your partner, so use a VPN if you prefer.
Omlet next to what to check on HOLLA
Omlet's side is what it does today. For HOLLA, here's what to look up in its app or terms.
| Omlet | What to check on HOLLA | |
|---|---|---|
| How you get it | Browser; optional install from the browser | Which app and web versions are offered |
| Store account | Not needed | Whether you need one to install |
| Sign-up | None; confirm you're 18+ | What details sign-up asks for |
| Devices | Phones, tablets, laptops and desktops | Which devices are supported |
| Paid extras | Country filter only: free first day, then $3 once | What's paid and whether it renews |
| Reporting | Flag button, five reasons, report and skip | How to report and block someone |
| Calls | Encrypted, peer-to-peer, not recorded by Omlet | What their privacy policy says |
Comparing more apps? See Omlet as an Azar alternative for worldwide chat without an app, or a CooMeet alternative if cost is your main question. When you're ready, start chatting in your browser.