The 9 best Discord alternatives for 2026.

The default home for gaming groups, with text, voice, video and Go Live screen share.

Best for

Groups whose friends, bots and integrations already live there.

Stands out

Huge reach, mature moderation tools, and voice, video and Go Live calls that are end-to-end encrypted by default.

Watch out

Free uploads stop at 20 MB and free screen share at 720p 30 fps; Nitro is $9.99 a month. Emoji and sticker slots grow with paid boosts.

The open-source group chat formerly called Revolt, free and funded by donations.

Best for

Communities that want open-source software they can host themselves.

Stands out

AGPL licensed with a self-host guide, no paywalled features, and video calls with 720p screen share since July 2026.

Watch out

Uploads cap at 20 MB, screen share starts at 720p 30 fps, there is no end-to-end encryption, and there is no iPhone app yet (iPhone users get the web app).

A Discord-like open-source chat app from Sweden, open to everyone since January 2026.

Best for

People who want a familiar Discord feel on open-source software.

Stands out

Free to self-host, custom CSS themes, and up to 4K 60 fps streams and 500 MB uploads with Plutonium at $4.99 a month.

Watch out

Free uploads cap at 25 MB and free streams at 720p 30 fps, large files expire, the iPhone app is a TestFlight beta, the Mac app needs Apple silicon, and end-to-end encryption is on the roadmap.

A messenger built on Matrix, an open and decentralized network.

Best for

Groups that put privacy and end-to-end encryption first.

Stands out

End-to-end encryption on by default in DMs and private rooms, plus bridges and self-hosting.

Watch out

Matrix concepts and running your own server take more setup than a typical gaming chat app.

The long-running voice app, now on TeamSpeak 6 with chat and communities.

Best for

Squads that care most about low-latency voice and running their own server.

Stands out

Voice quality, server control and permissions, with 4K 60 fps screen share in beta.

Watch out

TeamSpeak 6 is a desktop-only beta (the phone apps are still TeamSpeak 3), there is no web app, and community tools are lighter than an all-in-one chat app.

Free, open-source, low-latency voice chat.

Best for

Groups that only need great voice and want to host it themselves.

Stands out

Lightweight, free and open source, with encrypted connections.

Watch out

Voice only: no feeds, forums or rich community tools. There is no official Android app, and the iPhone app has not been updated since 2017.

Chat, voice and video with apps built right in.

Best for

Gaming communities that coordinate raids, projects and tasks.

Stands out

A task tracker, raid planner and app platform inside the chat, and it can import a Discord server template.

Watch out

The app-driven setup can be more structure than a casual group needs, there is no web app, and pricing is not documented.

A gaming voice and chat app from the team that owns Ventrilo.

Best for

Gaming groups that want to move a Discord setup and pay per server.

Stands out

Discord import for channels, roles, emoji and soundboard, with free servers that allow 500 MB files and 1080p 30 fps streams.

Watch out

Still in open beta, free servers stop at 100 members, and bigger limits are per-server plans up to $19.99 a month.

A newer chat app built for gaming guilds, with encrypted private channels and an in-game overlay.

Best for

Small and mid-size guilds that want private channels nobody else can read.

Stands out

Private channels sealed with MLS end-to-end encryption, push to talk with an in-game overlay, screen share, and managed hosting if you want it.

Watch out

Free only up to 250 members, with paid tiers above that. There is no iPhone, Mac or Linux app, and the Android app is an APK you sideload instead of a Play Store app.