Discord Alternatives for Windows

There are many alternatives to Discord for Windows if you are looking for a replacement. The best Windows alternative 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 are available for Windows so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Windows alternatives to Discord are Signal, Telegram, TeamSpeak and Matrix.

filter to find the best alternatives

Discord alternatives are mainly Group Chat Apps, but if you're looking for Instant Messengers or Video Calling Apps you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Online, iPhone, Open Source, Chrome OS, Screen Sharing, Self-Hosted and Self-Hosted + Open Source. 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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Alternatives list

  1. Element icon

    Element

     827 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.

    340 Element alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    Video calls for desktop and mobile
     
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    20
    Element vs Discord Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    kaspian
    8

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

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    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.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    coffee415
    Positive
    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 Decentralized, Privacy focused and LightweightDiscord is not according to our users
  2. Mumble icon

    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.

    66 Mumble alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • iPhone
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    Client (Mumble 1.3.0)
     
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    15
    Mumble vs Discord Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    scottfrost
    5

    Mumble doesn't support screen sharing, which is a critical feature of Discord

    Top Negative Comment
    Julien Beauvais
    5

    Mumble are for real time communication not differed and persistent chat like Discord.

    coffee415
    Positive
    0

    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 Lightweight and Privacy focusedDiscord is not according to our users
  4. Stoat Chat icon

    Stoat Chat

     139 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.

    71 Stoat Chat alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • Rust
    • F-Droid
    Stoat Chat screenshot 1
     
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    13
    Stoat Chat vs Discord Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    Gruak
    9

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

    Top Negative Comment
    Wizzrimp
    -2

    cant make a damn invite link

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Draco18s
    Negative
    0

    Does not have good search features. Can't search for mentions by user name, search is "per channel" not "per server", does not have any search filtering (eg. has:image, before:date, from:user, etc). Notification/mute settings will still mark a server has having an @-mention if it happens in a channel you have muted and no notifications. You can't mark this notification as "seen" unless you manage to locate the channel it happened in and mark the channel as read. Which you can't do unless you unmute the channel.

    3 of 13 comments
    • Stoat Chat is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Stoat Chat is Privacy focused, Lightweight and CustomizableDiscord is not according to our users
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Virola Messenger icon
    Virola Messenger

    Secure self-hosted platform unites private and group messaging, voice and video meetings, meeting recording, file transfer, issue tracking, screen sharing, remote control, and flexible permissions for on-premises collaboration in...

    https://virola.io
    Learn More
  6. Signal icon

    Signal

     1446 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.

    241 Signal alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Snapcraft
    • Android Auto
    • Flathub
    • Ubuntu
    • Debian
    Signal screenshot 1
     
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    3
    Signal vs Discord Comments
    Raygen
    Negative
    0

    chat app. Not call / videocall communities app.

    coffee415
    Negative
    0

    Signal is an amazing application for instant messaging, but it is not a direct alternative to Discord.

    Guest
    Negative
    1

    Signal is more aimed for one-on-one chats and small groups, rather than communities with multiple chatrooms.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Signal is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Signal is Privacy focused, Security-focused and LightweightDiscord is not according to our users
  8. Telegram icon

    Telegram

     2114 likes

    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.

    310 Telegram alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • HUAWEI AppGallery
    • iPad
    • Apple Watch
    • Android Auto
    • Linux Mobile
    • Android Wear
    • PortableApps.com
    • FreeBSD
    • Apple Car Play
    Telegram Desktop
     
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    13
    Telegram vs Discord Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    MrLegit
    2

    Telegram is NOT privacy focussed!

    Top Negative Comment
    Rizowski
    6

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

    Draco18s
    Negative
    0

    JFC Telegram is awful.

    • No/bad privacy focus (account is hard linked to phone number, get a new number, fuck you; phone number is automatically shared publicly and you can't turn that off without first signing in, which will automatically alert anyone who has your number in their contacts list that you created an account; Two-factor auth is essentially one-factor: it sends a Telegram message to you, or a txt to the phone number you signed up with, which is presumably the device you are using Telegram ON, someone steals your phone, fuck you)
    • No actual "servers" in the discord sense. It's all ad-hoc groups and DMs, all of which are sorted by "most recent message." While groups CAN have channels, the UI for them sucks donkey ass (someone reacted to your message? have that notification forever until you switch from channel mode to hashtag mode and back again).
    • muting a group doesn't actually keep it out of your "server list" it just shows the unread messages in gray instead of blue. You have to "archive" the group for it to actually get fucked off to the "I don't care" bin.
    • Not decentralized
    3 of 13 comments
    • Telegram is Freemium and ProprietaryDiscord is also Freemium and Proprietary
    • Telegram is LightweightDiscord is not according to our users
  9. TeamSpeak icon

    TeamSpeak

     216 likes

    Embrace lag-free, secure voice chats with TeamSpeak, offering cross-platform compatibility and low CPU usage. Enjoy advanced audio controls, push-to-talk, in-game overlay, and security-focused privacy features, tailored for gamers seeking seamless communication.

    70 TeamSpeak alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Flathub
    • Cloudron
    TeamSpeak screenshot 1
     
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    7
    TeamSpeak vs Discord Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    usernamehere
    6

    Choose whether you want to host your own server for free or rent. Better permission system than discord.

    Top Negative Comment
    RemovedUser
    8

    servers are self-hosted, it focuses on voice chat, android app is paid

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    coffee415
    Positive
    0

    TeamSpeak, solely for its VoiP quality is the best alternative to Discord. People migrated to Discord to experience something more than TeamSpeak. Yes, Discord did deliver, but not with the same voice quality and stability that TeamSpeak does.

    TeamSpeak 3 is a gold standard and I would recommend it to any gamer who needs a stable VoIP app.

    3 of 7 comments
    • TeamSpeak is Freemium and ProprietaryDiscord is also Freemium and Proprietary
    • TeamSpeak is DecentralizedDiscord is not according to our users
  10. Matrix icon

    Matrix

     414 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.

    188 Matrix alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • WebRTC
    • Python
    • JavaScript
    • Go (Programming Language)
    • Cloudron
    • Java
    • Perl
    Main Page
     
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    4
    Matrix vs Discord Comments
    somegirlfromit
    Negative
    10

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

    coffee415
    Negative
    0

    A protocol is not an alternative to Discord.

    luananeder
    Positive
    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.

    3 of 4 comments
    • Matrix is Free and Open SourceDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Matrix is Decentralized, Privacy focused, Security-focused and LightweightDiscord is not according to our users
  11. Zulip icon

    Zulip

     272 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.

    246 Zulip alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    Zulip screenshot 1
     
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    15
    Zulip vs Discord Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    Geobomatic
    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
    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
    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 Privacy focused and LightweightDiscord is not according to our users
  12. Jami icon

    Jami

     250 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.

    177 Jami alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Jami video conference OS X
     
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    2
    Jami vs Discord Comments
    RemovedUser
    Positive
    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.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    coffee415
    Negative
    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 Decentralized and Privacy focusedDiscord is not according to our users
  13. Fluxer icon

    Fluxer

     44 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.

    21 Fluxer alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • Android
    • Flathub
    Fluxer screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Fluxer vs Discord Comments
    Oli-6253
    Positive
    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
  14. Slack icon

    Slack

     874 likes

    Offers unified communication for teams with advanced real-time messaging, contextual features, versatile chat tools, and organized conversations in dedicated channels with integrated file sharing on Mac, Windows, Linux, and mobile platforms for enhanced productivity.

    256 Slack alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Electron
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Slack screenshot 1
     
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    9
    Slack vs Discord Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    OAKSIF0
    0

    Has the same chat features, is more secure than discord, lets you call.

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    28

    Many features discord has are paid in Slack, it's a horrible alternative targeted for businesses

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Sumit C
    Positive
    0

    Slack has a more polished UI when compared to Discord. The only problem I see is the rate limit of one message per second when using the API post call.

    3 of 9 comments
    • Slack is Freemium and ProprietaryDiscord is also Freemium and Proprietary
  15. Mattermost icon

    Mattermost

     255 likes

    Self-hosted collaboration platform featuring chat, workflow automation, voice and video calling, screen sharing, AI capabilities, broad third-party integration support, cross-platform apps, compatibility with Slack imports, and flexible deployment options for secure team communication.

    149 Mattermost alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • JavaScript
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Go (Programming Language)
    • Cloudron
    Mattermost screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Mattermost vs Discord Comments
    coffee415
    Negative
    0

    Mattermost is an unsuitable alternative to Discord because it is another business/enterprise collaboration chat app.

    • Mattermost is Paid and ProprietaryDiscord is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Mattermost is LightweightDiscord is not according to our users
12 of 71 Discord alternatives