Zulip
Focus: team chat, threads and open source. Shares slack alternative with Discord. Same 4.5 rating.
Web AppFree planWeb, macOS
4.5Visit
Web App
Discord
Free voice, video and text chat for communities, friends and small teams.
Rating
4.5 / 5
Pricing
Freemium
Difficulty
Beginner
Works on
Web, Windows, macOS
Built with love by Shushant Lakhyani. Building bestproductivityresources.com
What is Discord?
Discord organises conversations into servers with text channels, voice channels, video calls and screen sharing. It is free to use; the optional Nitro subscription adds perks such as bigger file uploads, HD video streaming and custom emoji. It is popular for communities, creator groups and small teams that want always-on voice rooms.
Pros: what Discord does well
- Free unlimited text, voice and video chat
- Drop-in voice channels feel like a shared office
- Apps for every desktop and phone platform
Cons: where it falls short
- Built for communities, so admin and compliance tools are thin for businesses
- Busy servers can get noisy without careful channel setup
Who Discord is for
Communities, creators and small teams that want free voice and text chat.
Who can skip it
Companies that need formal admin controls and data retention.
Compare Discord
See how Discord stacks up, side by side, plus the lists it made.
Discord alternatives
Not sold on Discord? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.
Mattermost
Focus: team chat, self-hosted and open source. Shares slack alternative with Discord. Rated 4.4 (Discord: 4.5).
Web AppFree planWeb, Windows
4.4Visit
Element
Focus: matrix, messaging and open source. Shares slack alternative with Discord. Rated 4.3 (Discord: 4.5).
Web AppFree planWeb, Windows
4.3Visit
Slack
Focus: channels and teams. Shares chat with Discord. Rated 4.2 (Discord: 4.5).
Web AppFree planWeb, macOS
4.2Visit
Mumble
Focus: audio, self-hosted and open source. Shares voice chat with Discord. A desktop app, not a web app. Free (Discord: Freemium). Rated 4.4 (Discord: 4.5).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.4Visit
Microsoft Teams (free)
Focus: video meetings, microsoft and personal. Shares chat and slack alternative with Discord. Free (Discord: Freemium). Rated 4.0 (Discord: 4.5).
Web AppFreeWeb, Windows
4.0Visit
Free alternatives to Discord
Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.
Screenity
Focus: screen recorder, loom alternative and annotation. Also in Communication and Collaboration, like Discord. A browser extension, not a web app. Free (Discord: Freemium). Adds Chrome. Rated 4.7 (Discord: 4.5).
Browser ExtensionFreeChrome
4.7Visit
Syncplay
Focus: watch together, video sync and remote teams. Shares chat with Discord. A desktop app, not a web app. Free (Discord: Freemium). Rated 4.4 (Discord: 4.5).
Desktop AppFreeCross-Platform
4.4Visit
FilePizza
Focus: file transfer, peer to peer and webrtc. Also in Collaboration and Communication, like Discord. Free (Discord: Freemium). Same 4.5 rating.
Web AppFreeWeb
4.5Visit
Annotely
Focus: annotation, screenshots and markup. Also in Communication and Collaboration, like Discord. Free (Discord: Freemium). Rated 4.4 (Discord: 4.5).
Web AppFreeWeb
4.4Visit
Jitsi Meet
Focus: video calls, open source and self-hosted. Also in Communication and Remote Work, like Discord. Free (Discord: Freemium). Rated 4.3 (Discord: 4.5).
Web AppFreeWeb, Android
4.3Visit
Lemmy
Focus: forum, communities and fediverse. Also in Communication and Collaboration, like Discord. Free (Discord: Freemium). Rated 4.2 (Discord: 4.5).
Web AppFreeWeb, iOS
4.2Visit
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