A preferred communication application hierarchy that specifies user priorities for application selection for communication sessions and functional communication capabilities of each prioritized application is configured for at least one user of a group of users. A real-time communication request, initiated by a user with a configured preferred communication application hierarchy, is detected that specifies a particular type of communication functionality and that includes an indication of another one of the group of users as a requested communication recipient. Responsive to detecting the real-time communication request that specifies the particular type of communication functionality, a highest-priority application usable to perform the specified particular type of communication functionality with a communication device of the requested communication recipient is selected from the configured preferred communication application hierarchy of the requesting user.