Discord AlternativesOnly apps categorised as Instant Messengers

The best Instant Messenger alternative to Discord is Element, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Discord and loads of them are Instant Messengers so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Instant Messenger alternatives to Discord are Tox, Revolt , Guilded and Telegram.

filter to find the best alternatives

Discord alternatives are mainly Instant Messengers but may also be Group Chat Apps or Video Calling Apps.  Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Discord.
Discord iconDiscord
  1071
  • ...

A versatile platform for text and voice communication, featuring topic-specific channels, customizable moderation, and smooth low latency interactions.

More about Discord
More about Discord
Discord alternatives page was last updated Apr 1, 2025
Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard
Alternatives
  1. Element icon

    Element

     710 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Provides secure collaboration with end-to-end encryption, supporting chat, voice, and video calls. Available on all major platforms, it enables digital sovereignty with a decentralized design and interoperability through bridges to systems like Slack and Teams. Includes enterprise-grade SaaS.

    300 Element alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    Video calls for desktop and mobile

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Clean design

    Features

    1.  End-to-End Encryption
    2.  Decentralized
    3.  Federated
    4.  Team Collaboration
    5.  Encrypted Chat
    6.  Video Calling
    7.  Matrix Protocol
    8.  Voice Chat
    9.  Direct Messaging
    10.  Federation
    11.  Cloud Hosting
    12.  Cross-Platform

    Element VS Discord

     
    Comments about Element as an Alternative to Discord
    Comment summary: Element is praised for being decentralized, secure, and user-hostable, but criticized for its user experience and lack of robust voice features compared to Discord. Users appreciate its federated nature and encryption but find the platform lacking in ease of use and speed. Voice features and channels are noticeably missing, limiting its capabilities for seamless voice communication. While there are positive remarks on privacy and open-source benefits, many view it as a work in progress.
    Top Positive Comment
    kaspian
    Dec 29, 2022
    6

    Much better, no censorship, decentralized and End to end encryped!

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    Jan 21, 2020
    34

    Voice features are just lacking too far behind or practically non existent compared to discord. No channels, no audio wizards setup or even basic settings like volume control or open mic threshold settings, no push to talk. It's very very barebones. If it were to have Mumbe's voice features instead of Jitsi's it would be a discord killer.

    Most Recent Comment
    luananeder
    Negative •Apr 26, 2024
    -2

    Awful UX, spaces aren’t nearly the same as discord ‘servers’. Element is definitely the worst Matrix client out there, but there aren’t many great options either.

    Cinny.in is the only good Matrix client I could find, but it’s desktop and web only so using Matrix is still very much not feasible if you own a phone.

    Show more comments
    3 of 15 comments
    Discord Icon
    Element icon

    • Most users think Element is a great Discord alternative.

    • Element is the most popular Web-based, Windows, Android & Mac alternative to Discord.

    • Element is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Discord.

    • Element is Freemium and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Element is Decentralized and Privacy focusedDiscord is not according to our users
  2. Tox icon

    Tox

     549 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    With the rise of widespread government monitoring programs, Tox is an easy to use application that allows you to connect with friends and loved ones without anyone else listening in.

    214 Tox alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • F-Droid
    The Universal Tox Client. A Tox client that runs on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac OSX, Linux, FreeBSD & the web. Written in JS using React & React Native / electron.

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Security-focused
    3.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Encrypted Chat
    2.  Decentralized
    3.  Peer-To-Peer
    4.  End-to-End Encryption
    5.  Multiplatform
    6.  No registration required
    7.  Screen Sharing
    8.  No Tracking
    9.  AES-256 Encryption
    10.  P2P Network
    11.  Client side encryption
    12.  Dark Mode

    Tox VS Discord

     
    Comments about Tox as an Alternative to Discord
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    Mar 1, 2019
    12

    The privacy capability gives Tox an edge over most other alternatives to Discord.

    Top Negative Comment
    givi o
    Nov 6, 2023
    0

    Tox is not an alternative.

    Most Recent Comment
    rad1an
    Negative •Oct 2, 2021
    0

    It doesn't have servers, is less convenient

    Show more comments
    3 of 8 comments
    Discord Icon
    Tox icon

    • Most users think Tox is a great Discord alternative.

    • Tox is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Tox is Decentralized, Privacy focused, Security-focused and LightweightDiscord is not according to our users
  4. Revolt icon

    Revolt

     85 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Revolt is a user-first, privacy focused chat platform.

    39 Revolt alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Rust
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • GitHub
    Revolt screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Support for Themes
    3.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  Text chat
    3.  No Tracking
    4.  VoiP Calls
    5.  Bots
    6.  Multiple Servers
    7.  Cross-Platform
    8.  Dark Mode
    9.  Reactions
    10.  Custom roles
    11.  Two-factor Authentication
    12.  Cloud Sync

    Revolt VS Discord

     
    Comments about Revolt as an Alternative to Discord
    Top Positive Comment
    Gruak
    May 30, 2022
    7

    Revolt has much better privacy policy, is open source, and therefore much more trustworthy.

    Top Negative Comment
    RemovedUser
    Mar 24, 2023
    2

    re-encodes all jpgs to a lower quality. useless to share jpg media as they will get encoded to dust in a few reposts. while it doesnt happen with other files, it's sucky. revolt is also buggy and slow as hell, featuring unhelpful staff - I asked for voice channel bitrate, no one answered me, they all tried to be funny. asked the admin directly and was ignored (he was online and chatting on main channel).

    Most Recent Comment
    arthurfragoso
    Positive •Apr 1, 2025
    0

    It's open source, but as March 2025, there is still no E2EE in DMs.

    Show more comments
    3 of 11 comments
    Discord Icon
    Revolt icon

    • Most users think Revolt is a great Discord alternative.

    • Revolt is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Revolt is Privacy focused and LightweightDiscord is not according to our users
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Zoho Cliq icon
    Zoho Cliq

    Zoho Cliq simplifies your team communication with organized conversations, information that's easy to find and by connecting to the tools you love. Transform ideas into reality with your team. With channels, your team communi...

    https://www.zoho.com
    Learn More
  6. Guilded icon

    Guilded

     74 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    An advanced gaming chat platform competitor to Discord with features like calendars, advanced voice chat, and forums to better manage and grow your gaming communities.

    118 Guilded alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Chat for gaming communities
    with power user features
    Bring conversations to life with threads

    Properties

    1.  Gaming-focused
    2.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Voice Chat
    2.  Text chat
    3.  Tournament Management
    4.  Calendar Integration
    5.  Private Chat
    6.  Scheduling
    7.  VoiP Calls
    8.  Integrated Chat
    9.  Gamification
    10.  Reminders
    11.  Dark Mode
    12.  Support for @mentions

    Guilded VS Discord

     
    Comments about Guilded as an Alternative to Discord
    Comment summary: Guilded is praised as a strong alternative to Discord, offering more features for free, such as varied channel types, calendars, and a bot builder. Users appreciate its user-friendly design and lack of subscription fees for advanced features. However, some issues like media compression and performance are noted. Despite these, Guilded stands out for its active development and feature richness. A drawback is its UI polish compared to Discord, and it's less popular than its competitor.
    Top Positive Comment
    Bloo Alien
    Aug 21, 2022
    3

    It's the overall most Discord-like application/service I've seen yet. If you're looking for a valid competitor to Discord, this one looks like it holds that potential.

    Top Negative Comment
    Kippenhof
    Apr 23, 2021
    0

    It Isn't Polished as much.

    Discord Is really good in keeping the UI Clean, Modern and Polished. Guilded doesn't do that very well.

    Most Recent Comment
    RemovedUser
    Positive •Mar 24, 2023
    1

    guilded transcodes everything to low quality webp. definitely do not use to share media.

    Show more comments
    3 of 27 comments
    Discord Icon
    Guilded icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Guilded is a great Discord alternative.

    • Guilded is Free and ProprietaryDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
  7. Telegram icon

    Telegram

     2044 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Maximize your messaging experience with efficient communication, speedy delivery, and optional end-to-end encrypted Secret Chats. Engage in unlimited channels and groups up to 200,000 members. Enhance chat management and media sharing with Telegram Premium and its exclusive benefits. All core features remain free.

    296 Telegram alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • HUAWEI AppGallery
    • iPad
    • Apple Watch
    • Linux Mobile
    • Android Wear
    • PortableApps.com
    • FreeBSD
    • Apple Car Play
    • Android Auto
    Telegram Desktop

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused
    3.  Security-focused

    Features

    1.  Encrypted Chat
    2.  Stickers
    3.  Chat Bot
    4.  Large File Transfer
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  End-to-End Encryption
    7.  Video Calling
    8.  Multi Device Support
    9.  Channels
    10.  Dark Mode
    11.  Bots
    12.  Secret chats

    Telegram VS Discord

     
    Comments about Telegram as an Alternative to Discord
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    Jan 22, 2019
    5

    Telegram DOES HAVE voice chat. It has no premium features, it's all free. Plus stickers.

    Top Negative Comment
    Rizowski
    Dec 30, 2019
    5

    Telegram is more akin to whatsapp than discord. Discord would be closer to mumble, teamspeak or ventrilo.

    Most Recent Comment
    Eric Badunov
    Positive •Dec 20, 2022
    0

    Love the safety it provides. Fast mobile app too. Can recommend!

    Show more comments
    3 of 9 comments
    Discord Icon
    Telegram icon

    • Some users think Telegram is a great Discord alternative, some don't.

    • Telegram is Freemium and ProprietaryDiscord is also Freemium and Proprietary
    • Telegram is Lightweight and Privacy focusedDiscord is not according to our users
  8. Jami icon

    Jami

     226 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Jami (formerly GNU Ring, SFLphone) positions itself as a potential free Skype replacement

    163 Jami alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Jami video conference OS X

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Decentralized
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Video Conferencing
    4.  Peer-To-Peer
    5.  Video Calling
    6.  Multi Platform
    7.  Encrypted Chat
    8.  Distributed
    9.  End-to-End Encryption
    10.  SIP client
    11.  Screen Sharing
    12.  No Tracking

    Jami VS Discord

     
    Comments about Jami as an Alternative to Discord
    RemovedUser
    Positive •Apr 6, 2019
    8

    Decentralized, end-to-end encrypted, and ironically works better than other services that I have used. I'm not sure if it has group calls, though.

    Guest
    Negative •Feb 9, 2017
    1

    Ring lacks most chat features.

    Discord Icon
    Jami icon

    • Most users think Jami is a great Discord alternative.

    • Jami is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Jami is Decentralized and Privacy focusedDiscord is not according to our users
  10. Matrix icon

    Matrix

     352 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Matrix defines a set of open APIs for decentralised communication, suitable for securely publishing, persisting and subscribing to data over a global open federation of servers with no single point of control.

    161 Matrix alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • WebRTC
    • Python
    • JavaScript
    • Go (Programming Language)
    • Cloudron
    • Java
    • Perl
    Main Page

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Support for Themes
    4.  Security-focused

    Features

    1.  Decentralized
    2.  End-to-End Encryption
    3.  Federation
    4.  Team Collaboration
    5.  Distributed
    6.  Spaces
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  No Tracking
    9.  VoiP Calls
    10.  Dark Mode
    11.  Multiple Account support
    12.  Support for @mentions

    Matrix VS Discord

     
    Comments about Matrix as an Alternative to Discord
    somegirlfromit
    Negative •Dec 1, 2022
    7

    Matrix.org is a transport protocol. Discord is chat software. Matrix is no more software than Discord is a protocol.

    luananeder
    Positive •Apr 26, 2024
    0

    The protocol has the potential to be a good Discord alternative.

    Issue is the clients are almost all awful, which makes the UX horrible. So not a feasible alternative, at least not until a good app appears.

    Discord Icon
    Matrix icon

    • Most users think Matrix is a great Discord alternative.

    • Matrix is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Matrix is Decentralized, Privacy focused and LightweightDiscord is not according to our users
7 of 53 Discord alternatives