The Best Open Source Discord AlternativesTop Video Calling & Group Chat Apps like Discord

The best open source alternative to Discord is Element. It's not free, so if you're looking for a free alternative, you could try Element or Mumble. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Discord and loads of them is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to Discord are Signal, Zulip, Matrix and Fluxer.

filter to find the best alternatives

Discord alternatives are mainly Group Chat Apps, but if you're looking for Video Calling Apps or Instant Messengers you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Online, iPhone, Chrome OS, Open Source, Self-Hosted + Open Source, Windows Phone and Self-Hosted. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Discord.

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Get a badge for your siteDiscord alternatives page was last updated Sep 7, 2026

Element
837 likes
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.
353 Element alternatives
Cost / License
Free Personal
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Instant Messenger
Video Calling
Origin
United Kingdom
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
Snapcraft
Matrix.org
Flathub
F-Droid
Cloudron
OpenAPK
United Kingdom
+3
Good alternative?Is Element a good alternative to Discord?

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20comments
Element vs Discord Comments

Top Positive Comment
kaspian
Dec 29, 2022
8
Much better, no censorship, decentralized and End to end encryped!
Top Negative Comment
Guest
Jan 21, 2020
40
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.
coffee415
Positive commentApr 3, 2026
0
Element is an excellent alternative for highly technical users that would like to migrate away from Discord. It is not for your average user. I strongly advise against Element if you're just an average Joe using Discord. I work in the technical department, and I still find it frustrating to set up.
3 of 20 comments
Element is Free Personal and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
Element is an Instant Messenger Discord is a Video Calling App
Element is Decentralized, Privacy focused and LightweightDiscord is not according to our users
Mumble
493 likes
Free, open source voice chat featuring low-latency, high quality audio, secure encrypted communication, self-hosting options, in-game overlays, positional audio, scripting support, low resource usage, and robust user permission controls for gaming and collaboration.
73 Mumble alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Group Chat
Encrypted Chat
Origin
Germany
EU
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
iPhone
BSD
iPad
Self-Hosted
Snapcraft
Flathub
PortableApps.com
Haiku
Germany
EU
+8
Good alternative?Is Mumble a good alternative to Discord?

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15comments
Mumble vs Discord Comments

Top Positive Comment
scottfrost
Jul 14, 2025
4
Mumble doesn't support screen sharing, which is a critical feature of Discord
Top Negative Comment
Julien Beauvais
May 27, 2018
4
Mumble are for real time communication not differed and persistent chat like Discord.
coffee415
Positive commentApr 3, 2026
1
Mumble is an excellent alternative to Discord for gamers who need a lightweight VoIP app. It doesn't support all of the features that Discord has. It's not exactly a 1:1 alternative, but if you need something to talk to your gaming buddies, this is the one.
3 of 15 comments
Mumble is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
Mumble is a Group Chat Discord is a Video Calling App
Mumble is Lightweight and Privacy focusedDiscord is not according to our users
Stoat Chat
145 likes
Instant messaging platform supporting text and voice channels, live video calls, secure screen sharing, private group chats, customizable permissions, moderation tools, bot integration, privacy-focused design, open-source development, and cross-platform use.
82 Stoat Chat alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Group Chat
Instant Messenger
Origin
United Kingdom
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
Android Tablet
Rust
F-Droid
United Kingdom
+3
Good alternative?Is Stoat Chat a good alternative to Discord?

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14comments
Stoat Chat vs Discord Comments

Top Positive Comment
Gruak
May 30, 2022
9
Revolt has much better privacy policy, is open source, and therefore much more trustworthy.
Top Negative Comment
Wizzrimp
Feb 10, 2025
-1
cant make a damn invite link
Alejandro V.
Positive commentAug 31, 2026
0
Yes, I tried both. Similar plafform for communications
3 of 14 comments
Stoat Chat is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
Stoat Chat is a Group Chat Discord is a Video Calling App
Stoat Chat is Privacy focused, Lightweight and CustomizableDiscord is not according to our users
Signal
1465 likes
An open-source messaging app emphasizing privacy with encrypted communication. Share texts, calls, photos, and videos without ads or trackers, available across major platforms. Developed by Signal Technology Foundation and praised globally for security measures.
254 Signal alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Instant Messenger
Video Calling
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
iPad
Snapcraft
Android Auto
Flathub
Ubuntu
Debian
OpenAPK
United States
+6
Good alternative?Is Signal a good alternative to Discord?

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4comments
Signal vs Discord Comments

Raygen
Negative commentFeb 16, 2026
0
chat app. Not call / videocall communities app.
coffee415
Negative commentApr 3, 2026
0
Signal is an amazing application for instant messaging, but it is not a direct alternative to Discord.
Guest
Negative commentMar 16, 2026
1
Signal is more aimed for one-on-one chats and small groups, rather than communities with multiple chatrooms.
3 of 4 comments
Signal is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
Signal is an Instant Messenger Discord is a Video Calling App
Signal is Privacy focused, Security-focused and LightweightDiscord is not according to our users
Zulip
275 likes
Threaded group conversations combine live and asynchronous messaging, separating topics for organized collaboration, supporting open-source, cloud, and self-hosted deployments, secure communication with encryption, and multi-platform access for diverse teams.
252 Zulip alternatives
Cost / License
Free Personal
Open Source (Apache-2.0)
Application typeApplication types
Instant Messenger
Group Chat
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
BSD
iPad
Self-Hosted
F-Droid
United States
+4
Good alternative?Is Zulip a good alternative to Discord?

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15comments
Zulip vs Discord Comments

Top Positive Comment
Geobomatic
Oct 31, 2025
1
Zulip approach instant messaging in an innovative way, a hybrid between pure IM and old fashioned forum. It helps keeping the messages organized and not jumble around many discussion in the same flow
Top Negative Comment
Raygen
Feb 16, 2026
0
Business oriented, Slack alternative not Discord alternative. No native voice calls, no native video calls , no screensharing, no bots or gamery customizations, etc...
coffee415
Negative commentApr 3, 2026
0
Zulip is a business/enterprise platform, more relevant to being an alternative to Slack and the like. Not Discord.
3 of 15 comments
Zulip is Free Personal and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
Zulip is an Instant Messenger Discord is a Video Calling App
Zulip is Privacy focused and LightweightDiscord is not according to our users
Matrix
417 likes
Open standard protocol enabling decentralized, encrypted instant messaging, VoIP signaling, IoT device connectivity, and persistent data management across federated servers without central control or single points of failure, bridging communication platforms.
198 Matrix alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Instant Messenger
Group Chat
Origin
United Kingdom
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
WebRTC
Python
JavaScript
Go (Programming Language)
Cloudron
Java
Perl
United Kingdom
Good alternative?Is Matrix a good alternative to Discord?

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5comments
Matrix vs Discord Comments

Top Positive Comment
luananeder
Apr 26, 2024
1
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.
Top Negative Comment
somegirlfromit
Dec 1, 2022
10
Matrix.org is a transport protocol. Discord is chat software. Matrix is no more software than Discord is a protocol.
cum
Negative commentSep 5, 2026
0
mostly a protocol, also for ex-discord users, it's pretty slow and doesn't integrate features quite well, it's more of a p2p/group focused app, not for communities/servers, seek IRC if you want something lighter
3 of 5 comments
Matrix is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
Matrix is an Instant Messenger Discord is a Video Calling App
Matrix is Decentralized, Privacy focused, Security-focused and LightweightDiscord is not according to our users
Fluxer
46 likes
Free and open-source instant messaging and VoIP platform with private DMs, group chats, markdown, file sharing, video calls, screen sharing, moderation tools, quick search, custom emojis, CSS themes, AGPLv3 self-hosting, and multi-device access.
30 Fluxer alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Video Calling
Group Chat
Origin
Sweden
EU
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Self-Hosted
Android
Flathub
Sweden
EU
Good alternative?Is Fluxer a good alternative to Discord?

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1comment
Fluxer vs Discord Comments

Oli-6253
Positive commentFeb 14, 2026
1
only open-source app that has almost all the features of Discord
Fluxer is Freemium and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
Fluxer is Privacy focused and CustomizableDiscord is not according to our users
Jami
249 likes
Open source decentralized communication platform supporting secure end-to-end encrypted calls, messaging, group conferencing, file and media sharing, SIP compatibility, multi-device sync, and strong privacy, available across desktop and mobile systems.
183 Jami alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Instant Messenger
Video Calling
Origin
Canada
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Canada
+9
Good alternative?Is Jami a good alternative to Discord?

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2comments
Jami vs Discord Comments

RemovedUser
Positive commentApr 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.
coffee415
Negative commentApr 7, 2026
0
Jami is not an alternative do Discord because it is a team/business/enterprise software collaboration app.
Jami is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
Jami is an Instant Messenger Discord is a Video Calling App
Jami is Decentralized and Privacy focusedDiscord is not according to our users
Jitsi Meet
292 likes
Open-source video conferencing platform with encryption by default, up to 75 participants, live group chat, HD audio, screen and document sharing, Etherpad editing, mobile and browser support, custom deployment options, privacy-first features, and community-driven development.
177 Jitsi Meet alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (Apache-2.0)
Application typeApplication types
Video Calling
Group Chat
Origin
United States
Platforms
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
Apple Watch
F-Droid
United States
Good alternative?Is Jitsi Meet a good alternative to Discord?

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1comment
Jitsi Meet vs Discord Comments

brickelt963-altto
Positive commentFeb 21, 2026
0
Jitsi is a great videoconferencing software, the only thing that's a shame is the connection is only possible either via Google or Github (Microsoft). It's not even possible to create an account directly on Jitsi. Fortunately I go through Framatalk (from Framasoft). At least I know where my data is.
Jitsi Meet is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
Jitsi Meet is Privacy focused, Security-focused and LightweightDiscord is not according to our users
Element X
51 likes
It is the brand new, and fastest ever, Matrix client. It is for personal and community use, and will support enterprise functionality later this year.
138 Element X alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Instant Messenger
Video Calling
Origin
United Kingdom
Platforms
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Android Auto
OpenAPK
United Kingdom
Good alternative?Is Element X a good alternative to Discord?

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3comments
Element X vs Discord Comments

brickelt963-altto
Positive commentMay 14, 2025
0
The advantage of Element for me is that it's open source. I really appreciate the fact that it's a flexible solution that isn't polluted by foreign investment and the profit rationale that is becoming increasingly prevalent in Discord. Especially since I've seen documentaries showing financial relations with Chinese companies already well known for their government ties. It's like creating a Discord ‘server’ with rooms from lots of different places ^^.
cum
Negative commentSep 5, 2026
0
element X is a client of matrix, it's not an entire alternative to discord, but if you're interested on matrix, seek other clients (this one kinda sucks)
luananeder
Negative commentApr 26, 2024
0
Does not even supports Matrix’s “Spaces”, so not similar at all to Discord and its “servers”.
Element X is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
Element X is an Instant Messenger Discord is a Video Calling App
Element X is Lightweight, Privacy focused and DecentralizedDiscord is not according to our users
Spacebar
26 likes
Open source group chat, voice, and video platform with self-hostable private servers, Discord compatibility, extensible plugin and theme system, end-to-end encryption, support for multiple instances, and community-driven development offering high flexibility.
39 Spacebar alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Group Chat
Video Calling
Origin
International
Platforms
Linux
Online
Self-Hosted
Global
Good alternative?Is Spacebar a good alternative to Discord?

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1comment
Spacebar vs Discord Comments

Wizzrimp
CommentNov 6, 2024
0
Still in development, it wont let me make a new "guild" or add friends
Spacebar is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
Spacebar is a Group Chat Discord is a Video Calling App
Spacebar is Privacy focused and DecentralizedDiscord is not according to our users
RetroShare
172 likes
Open source, decentralized platform enabling encrypted chat, secure voice and video calls, anonymous file sharing with swarming, censorship-resistant forums, channels, link sharing, and offline messaging. Uses OpenPGP and OpenSSL for robust privacy and security.
155 RetroShare alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Instant Messenger
Video Calling
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
BSD
OpenPGP
+2
Good alternative?Is RetroShare a good alternative to Discord?

12 of 83 Discord alternatives

The Best Open Source Discord AlternativesTop Video Calling & Group Chat Apps like Discord

Alternatives list

Element

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Mumble

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Stoat Chat

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Signal

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Zulip

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Matrix

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Fluxer

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Jami

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Jitsi Meet

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Element X

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Spacebar

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RetroShare

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