The 24 Best Discord Alternatives for Gaming, Community, & More

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Other popular platforms for chatting, video calling, and community-building
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Are you looking for an alternative to Discord? Maybe you'd like more privacy and be able to host your own servers, or maybe you want more community features. While Discord is the most popular community platform, it's not the only one. You do have a lot of options available. Read on to learn more about the most popular Discord alternatives.

What are some good Discord alternatives?

Discord is the most popular community software, but there are lesser-known alternatives like Steam Chat for Steam PC players, Slack for workplaces, and TeamSpeak for other gamers. You can also try Guilded, Mumble, Matrix, Element, WhatsApp, Facebook Groups, MS Teams, Google Chat, and more.

1

Slack

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  1. If you're not already, think of it as the professional Discord. Users can make their own accounts, have permissions, and create small profiles within an organization. However, anything outside of "huddles" is limited, so it's not the best option for video calls or forums. More missing features include polls, questions, and events.
    • Administrators can create multiple channels as subtopics.
    • You can't join a server without an invite.
    • Slack is free with limitations, but you can pay for more features.
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2

Steam Chat

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  1. Best Discord alternative for gamers on Steam. The chat integrates with PC gameplay, meaning it's a great alternative for PC players who play on Steam . There are many similar Discord features, like creating voice and text channels, but there are extra Steam-related features, like inviting others to play your game.
    • Although there's a mobile app for this, most players take advantage of the PC gameplay integration and play more on their desktops than on their phones.
    • It's free with no hidden costs or premium tiers.
    • This is not the best option for a business, as Steam Chat is optimized for gamers and there aren't productivity features like a task manager or file storage systems. [1]
3

TeamSpeak

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  1. Great option for gamers. TeamSpeak is another option for gamers, like Steam Chat, but it is also the official voice supplier for Overwatch. TeamSpeak integrates gameplay with your games and works best with Overwatch. You'll find many similarities to Discord, like text and voice channels.
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4

Guilded

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  1. It's a newer competitor, owned by Roblox, that offers many of the best features of Discord, like voice and video chat, messaging, forums, calendars, and scheduling tools. Users say that the UI is easier to use, but Discord is by far the most popular platform.
    • Guilded might be a better option for you if everyone is using it; it's not a great platform to meet new people, like Discord. [3]
5

Mumble

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  1. Best for simplicity. This is a VoIP option for gamers who value simplicity over all the features Discord has to offer, like channels and threads. The main draw to Mumble is the positional audio; this immerses players more, as you can hear others based on how close they are in-game.
    • Use Mumble for free!
    • The audio-only vibe is attractive to some users.
    • It lacks the modern design elements of Discord and might be harder to use and navigate if you're used to those features.
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6

Matrix

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  1. Best for tech-savvy individuals. Matrix is a decentralized, open-sourced competitor to Discord, but it isn't as easy to use. You can host your own server, so you don't have to be too concerned about privacy, but you can also use a free Matrix server. This guide also covers Element, which is built on Matrix but is easier to use.
7

Element

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  1. Best for decentralized communication. Element is built on Matrix, which emphasises security and privacy. Because the platform is decentralized, you have the option to join existing servers or self-host your own. You can create chat rooms with other users by adding them via their email address or username. Users have the option to create either private or public rooms. Any Element user can join a public room, while private rooms require an invitation to join.
    • Use Element for free, but you can also pay for more features. [4]
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8

WhatsApp

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  1. The main drawback is that you need a phone number to use WhatsApp, and you can add friends with their phone numbers. However, it's a very popular method of communication and is super easy to use.
    • WhatsApp is free to use and is available on Android, iOS, and Windows.
9

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  1. Best option for simple and free groups. With some newer Facebook Groups features, you can invite others to a chat for more immediate communication. However, it can get confusing to use from the Facebook home screen and Feed since the group's info might be missed. You also don't have a lot of customization options, since Facebook groups can only add a cover image and logo (which might be a pro if you don't need a lot of customization).
    • You can use Facebook Groups for free.
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10

Microsoft Teams

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  1. Best for businesses already using Microsoft tools. The integration with other MS products, like MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, is unparalleled and will make your work that much easier to produce with MS Teams. With Teams, you can host webinars, manage tasks, or co-create documents easily.
    • Teams has a free plan, but you can pay for more features.
    • Flexible pricing means Teams is great for small businesses and large enterprises.
    • Not the best option for Discord alternatives for gamers or businesses that work outside of Microsoft's ecosystem.
11

Google Chat

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  1. Best for Google workspace users. Just like MS Teams is vital for users in the Microsoft ecosystem, Google Chat is invaluable to those in the Googlesphere. Google Chat works closely with other Google products, like Google Meet, Google Calendar, Google Drive, and more.
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12

Telegram

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  1. Telegram isn't a VoIP like many other options, but it functions more like WhatsApp, with SMS and email. It may not be the best app for hosting a forum, but it has a lightning-fast messaging feature so you can get a message out to a group of people.
    • You can use Telegram for free.
    • Telegram is less tailored and feature-packed than other alternatives, like Slack.
13

Viber

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  1. Features include built-in calling. While you can call landlines and cell numbers, you can also organize group or 1:1 calls or video calls. Viber messages disappear, like Snapchat, and has great security and privacy features.
    • Viber works best for small communities; a larger community may become unwieldy and confusing for users.
    • Check out our wikiHow article on using Viber .
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14

Snapchat

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  1. Best for photo and video sharing. This may not be the first platform on your mind when you're thinking "Discord alternative," but it might be the right fit for some people. The community features mean you can build a following to share media with. You can share text, images, photos, videos, and even call others. However, Snapchat does not offer forum features like Discord.
    • Snapchat is free to.
15

Revolt

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  1. Open-sourced alternative with self-hosting options. Again, if your main concern is privacy, you can host your own server with Revolt . It looks a lot like Discord, but it is open-source and free. It's also super easy to use.
    • You can even get your server featured with Discover, a feature that's very similar to Discord! [5]
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16

Troop Messenger

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  1. Troop Messenger is generally used as an internal communication messaging app, but it has more functionality than that. Use Troop Messenger to overview tasks, projects, and daily workloads.
    • There is a 7-day free trial, but you need to pay for a plan to use Troop Messenger.
    • Organizations and businesses are the key demographics for Troop Messenger, so it's probably not the best option for gamers or others looking for a community platform. [6]
17

Geneva

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  1. Best for building tight-knit online communities. This app offers features like chats, forums, video and audio capabilities, and tools for community management. Geneva features more traditional content, like blogs and discussion forums.
    • Geneva is free to use.
    • This is sorta like a dating app to find nearby friends that are interested in the same things as you. They have the tagline, "The online place to find your offline people." [7]
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18

Circle

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  1. Good paid alternative. As a Circle owner, create things for paid members, including discussions, courses, events, and live streams.
    • You can start a Circle for free, but you'll need to pay after the 14-day free trial.
    • This is more targeted for those who want to create their own space with personalized branding, like logos and a custom feed. [8]
19

Reddit

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  1. Best for a text-first, simple community experience. is a social network where you can join as many groups and conversations as you want to. Unlike Discord, there are no voice channels for you to join.
    • Conversations are text-based, and there are no audio options.
    • Conversations in a forum are generally public, so others can join the conversation too!
    • Reddit is free to use.
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20

Flock

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  1. If you like Slack, meet Flock. It has a lot of Slack-like similarities, including voice calling that can be 1:1 or in a group setting. With Flock, you get a messaging forum and calling features. Flock's website even compares its own software against Slack and Microsoft Teams, so if you aren't happy with either of those, you most likely won't like Flock. [9]
    • Use Flock for free or pay to unlock more features.
21

Rocket.Chat

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  1. Best for data protection. Rocket.Chat is open-source with an option to self-host. The free plan is great and offers 1:1 calls as well as group calls. The setup may be a bit confusing to some users, but the complexity provides a more secure experience.
    • Rocket.Chat may not work well for smaller organizations, but it's a valuable platform for larger teams.
    • Since Rocket.Chat boasts that it is "DoD approved," it is most likely overkill to use this platform for something like gaming. [10]
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22

Chanty

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  1. Good for the workplace. Chanty offers a channel interface that looks a lot like Discord's as well as a similar file-sharing feature. You can also make one-on-one calls or group calls. Since it prioritizes improving teamwork, it may not be the best option for gamers.
    • Use Chanty for free or pay for more features. [11]
23

Discourse

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  1. Good text-based alternative. Discourse is another open-source alternative, but it is text-based only. It's very similar to a forum, but you can pay to host your own server.
    • You have to have somewhere to host the server.
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24

Ventrilo

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  1. Ventrilo is a simple voice-communication software. You won't find the ability to add text channels or anything fancy like that. Instead, the bare minimum features include voice, and that's all, which means the software is very lightweight and doesn't use a lot of resources on your computer.
    • Use Ventrilo for free.

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      References

      1. ↑ https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/595C-42F4-3B66-E02F
      2. ↑ https://support.teamspeak.com/hc/en-us
      3. ↑ https://www.guilded.gg/
      4. ↑ https://element.io/help
      5. ↑ https://support.revolt.chat/kb/safety/discover-guidelines
      6. ↑ https://www.troopmessenger.com/faqs
      7. ↑ https://www.geneva.com/about
      8. ↑ https://help.circle.so/p/basics
      9. ↑ https://www.flock.com/compare/flock-vs-slack
      1. ↑ https://www.rocket.chat/blog
      2. ↑ https://www.chanty.com/blog/

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