Are you Looking Discord Alternatives?. Voice and text chat apps are generally used around the world, both by gamers and professionals alike, as they really help Streamline the workflow by enabling all team members to stay connected in real-time. A good chat app can actually make a big difference in the collaborative efforts of any team, which is why a ton of people use Discord.
Nevertheless, some find the UI of Discord not-so-professional or the loss of End-to-End encryption concerning. Therefore in order to assist you in finding a great app that you and your team can use, we have compiled a list of the best Discord Alternatives out there. Check out the subsequent apps, and you might find an application that fits your needs perfectly.
Best Discord Alternatives (Updated April 2021)
Here, we have enlisted applications similar to Discord in terms of functionality and feature set. While we have kept gamers in thought, we have also mentioned some apps which are more enterprise-like, but you can use them for creating private communities and instant messaging.
Why Use an Alternative to Discord?
While Discord is famous for its neat UI, ease of use, private servers, and gaming-related features, there are some disadvantages that are usually not discussed. For example, Discord does not support End-to-End encryption (even for private messages), which is much disappointing given that many competitors have implemented E2E long ago.
Aside from that, the file upload limit is just 8MB for free users and 50MB for paid users, which is significantly low when compared to other rivals. Finally, there have been reports of intruders spamming into individual servers, which are points of major security concern. And that is why you should look for an alternative to Discord.
List of Top Apps Like Discord
Here are the list of all the best Working Apps like Discord and Similar Softawres.
1. Mumble
First on our list is Mumble, an open-source VoIP program that is also designed for great low-latency audio calling. Greatly like TeamSpeak 3, Mumble requires a standalone client to work and does not include browser support, something that a number of Discord users love about the service.
Nevertheless, much like Discord, Mumble is totally free to use and is available on several platforms. Mumble also provides encryption of chats, which is great for people who’re concerned about their privacy, and its authentication feature prevents random people from dropping into your chat room, however, it does not feature DDoS protection like Discord.
Mumble is further quite efficient, as it uses just up to 20kbps of your bandwidth to function normally, a feat that Discord might not be able to accomplish. In contrast with Discord, Mumble’s voice quality is also quite good, and it also has a positional sound feature that sets it apart from other VoIP software.
Top Features
- Create your own server
- Chat encryption
- Open-source
- Low-latency audio calling
Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
2. Tox
If you have been using Discord for anything other than gaming and require a program that’s a bit more privacy-oriented then you should give Tox a try. Tox makes use of military-grade encryption, which implies that all your conversations on the program will remain safe from prying eyes.
Tox is also reasonably simple to use, and it has a clean, however dated-looking interface which you can get the hang of in minutes. There is support for voice, text, and video chat, along with a neat screen sharing trait that can come in handy if you wish to show your team something on your system.
There’s also a file-sharing feature, which is a great addition that makes Tox great for professional settings. What makes Tox unique, nevertheless, is the fact that it has no central servers, and the entire network is made up of its users. It implies that you won’t have to deal with any server outages that might hamper your workflow.
Top Features
- No outage
- Chat, audio, and video calls
- Powerful encryption
- Decentralized servers
- Simple interface
Supported Platforms: Linux, Android, Windows, macOS, iOS
3. Skype
If you are not looking for all the bells and whistles all the aforementioned applications have to offer and just want a simple, familiar service that will get the job done, then you should think about using Skype for your in-game communication needs.
The famous text and voice chat service is pretty simple to use and offers all the basic functionality you’d need to communicate with your friends in a group. Skype even enables users to share files in a chat, along with video chat capabilities, which might not be handy while gaming however may come in useful if you use it in a professional setting.
It’s deserving noting that Skype weighs heavily on system resources, which might have an influence on your gaming experience depending on your system configuration.
Top Features
- Free to use
- Share files up to 300MB
- Simple and easy to use
- Chat, audio, and video calls
Supported Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS
4. Slack
If you are viewing for the best Discord alternative for professional use, check out Slack – a team messaging program that looks a lot like Discord. The service has a similar clean and simple user interfaces as Discord, but it’s geared towards a more professional setting, so you won’t find any gamer-y things.
Instead, you will find a number of helpful features that aim to improve your productivity at work, nevertheless, if you’re looking for lag-free voice comms, then you should surely check out some of the other options. Slack sets itself aside from Discord by providing integrations for over 800 3rd-party software that are used by businesses.
It also allows you receive notifications through the software you’re using without requiring you to open the app. File sharing is further easier and more convenient on Slack as it has a 1GB limit on uploads, whereas Discord simply permits files up to 8MB in size to be shared on the platform.
Slack is surely worth a shot if you’re looking for a chat app for your business and not something you’d use while playing games with friends.
Top Features
- Integration with third-party apps
- 1GB upload limit
- Chat, voice, and video call
- Best for enterprise users
- Neat UI
Supported Platforms: iOS, Android, Linux, macOS, Windows
5. Element
While Discord is an excellent app for gamers, it doesn’t offer end-to-end encryption, which means that your conversations aren’t as secure as you might want them to be. In case you are someone who’s serious about privacy and are looking for the best Discord alternative that offers better privacy, then you should check out Element – a text and voice chat app that offers end-to-end encryption.
Element is primarily intended for team collaborations, and as such, it includes a bunch of tools to assist you in streamlining your team’s workflow. Created on the Matrix open communications protocol, Element further allows you to talk to anyone in the Matrix.org ecosystem.
It can come in helpful if someone who you want to talk to is using different Matrix-based software. While it is not designed for gaming, Element can also be used by gamers, and it enables users to share messages, images, videos, and files of any type within groups of any size. Now, there is further support for group video calls and voice calls.
Top Features
- Matrix protocol
- Low-latency calls
- Transfer all kinds of files
- Offers E2E
- Clean UI
Supported Platforms: Android, Web, Linux, Windows, iOS, macOS
6. Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams may not be produced for gamers, but people can use it to their advantage. Similar to Discord, you can talk with your teammates in real-time and chalk out a plan. There is now further support for voice and video calls both for individuals and groups.
Not to mention, you can transfer files utilizing MS Teams, and the upload limit is humongous 100GB. Discord easily pales in comparison as it only allows a maximum file transfer of 8MB under the free plan and 50MB under the paid Nitro plan. Additionally, MS Teams now offers a free plan with reasonable benefits.
Having stated that, the only downside of Microsoft Teams is that you can not host communities — either public or private — which can be a pain point for gamers and most Discord users. Notwithstanding, if you are viewing for a free app like Discord for real-time collaboration with your teammates, then MS Teams is a worthy pick.
Top Features
- Chat, voice, and video calls
- Free tier available
- Third-party app integration
- Collaborate with teammates
- File upload limit 100GB
Supported Platforms: Web, iOS, Linux, Android, macOS, Windows
7. Telegram
Telegram might be viewed as a WhatsApp rival, but at the heart of it, the famous messaging service is much more than that. I would say, Telegram competes straight with Discord than WhatsApp. It has tons of traits, instant chatting, supports hosting communities (both public and private), public channels, endless customization, and much more.
The great part is that now Telegram supports video calling and applies to both one-on-one and group calls. And similar to Discord, you can build bots to manage huge groups, integrate scripts, automate queries, etc. That stated, what sets Telegram apart from Discord is that Telegram gives optional End-to-End encryption for private messaging.
Whereas, Discord falls short in this regard. So if you are viewing for an app like Discord but with improved security, then Telegram will be an apt pick. Best of all, the service is entirely free, so you will have no issues jumping from Discord to Telegram.
To summarize, Telegram brings a boatload of traits just like Discord with End-to-End encryption, and you must give it a try.
Top Features
- Manage channels with bots
- Free to use
- 2GB upload limit
- Optional E2E support
- Tons of features
- Create public and private channels
Supported Platforms: iOS, macOS, Web, Android, Windows, Linux
8. Steam Chat
Another discord alternative you can attempt is Steam Chat, Valve’s own messaging and voice chat service for gamers which is also a great alternative if you do not want to use Discord. Steam’s chat trait is free to use, and you can create your own groups with buddies and talk to them over text or voice chat.
In order to make it simple for anyone to join your group, Steam also allows users to share unique URLs (like Discord), which you can click on and instantly join a pre-made group. Steam also provides group administrators to set roles for the members, which gives them various permissions, including the ability to kick out other members, manage group information, and set chat restrictions.
While Discord only provides a single user to have one role in a server, Steam group members can hold several roles to moderate the group and its contents. Much like Discord and Overtone, Steam chat further has a web client, which means you can utilize the service without first downloading Steam on your system.
Top Features
- Auto-moderation
- Voice call
- Free to use
- Best for gamers
- Create groups and chat
Supported Platforms: Linux, macOS, Windows
9. TeamSpeak
Before Discord was even a thing, a number of gamers relied on TeamSpeak for their in-game communication needs, and quite a few dedicated fans have still stuck around.
Like Discord, TeamSpeak makes usage of the opus codec for low-latency voice comms, and being a long-term consumer of the service, I can attest to its capabilities as a great voice and text chat app. Furthermore, now TeamSpeak’s UI has been completely overhauled, and it looks very similar to Discord.
TeamSpeak enables users to create dedicated servers for their needs, and other users can join these servers to communicate with each other regarding a common topic – be it for games or productivity. To keep your chats secure and private, TeamSpeak makes use of AES encryption which ensures that all of your conversations are safe from prying eyes.
Unlike Discord, you will need to download the TeamSpeak client to use it on your device as it does not include browser support. While TeamSpeak is free-to-use on several platforms, you will need to pay in order to set up a new server.
Top Features
- Brand new UI in beta
- Chat and calls
- Cross-platform
- Best for gamers
- AES encryption
- Create dedicated servers
Supported Platforms: Linux, Android, iOS, Windows, macOS
10. Overtone
Overtone is an easy-to-use Discord alternative that looks and feels a lot like its competitor. Based on Vivox, 1 of the best-integrated voice chat services that are used by popular games like Fortnite, PUBG, League of Legends, etc. Overtone intends to bring exclusive technology directly to gamers around the world.
The lightweight and the simple app does not use a ton of your system resources and is pretty easy to set up. Much like Discord, Overtone is cost-free to use, and it covers most of the necessary voice and text chat features, supporting text messages, voice chat, and group chats.
On top of that, Overtone also highlights a couple of social features that will assist you to connect with people who have similar interests and discover teams that are executing the same game. Much like Discord, you can further run Overtone on a web browser, so you do not need to download a separate client for your communication needs.
Top Features
- No client needed, run on a browser
- Integrates well with game publishers
- Free to use
- Best app for gamers
- Chat, voice, and video call
Supported Platforms: Web, Windows
Find the Best Apps Similar to Discord
Well, that rounds up our listing of the best Discord alternatives you can try. As you can say, there are a number of similar apps in the market, each with its unique features that you can use for gaming or in a professional setting. While some of these applications are more geared towards gamers (much like Discord), others have some great productivity-related traits that can help with your workflow at the office.
Out of the lot, I manage to use Telegram most frequently because I’ve been using it for quite a while now and I’m just used to the interface. But if Telegram does not fit your needs, you can try out any of the other Discord alternatives we have mentioned here.
