18 Best Discord Alternatives You Must Try In 2025

Discord is one of the most used social media platforms. 

As per the Discord website, it currently has a user base of 259.2 million in 2025. 

It has earned its place as a go-to tool for group chats, gaming, communities, and team collaborations. 

But, as usual, people get tired of apps that lack something new, and the same is the case with Discord.

Call it a privacy issue or problem with some specific features, but people are tired of constantly closing and opening Discord browser. 

This is why they look for options, leading to a search for Discord Competitors or Discord Alternatives.

Whatever the reason may be, you're in luck- there are plenty of similar apps like Discord available in the market. 

Let's explore them one by one!

Best Discord Alternatives: Top Chat Apps To Try in 2025

Without circling around, we are here with the list of the best Discord alternatives to use in 2025. 

Here's a table summarizing Discord's Competitors:

Know them in Detail:

1. Slack: Best For Team Collaboration

Heard of Slack? A go-to platform for teams who look for seamless communication and collaboration. 

Slack offers continuous chat rooms called channels, which are separated by topic and chats. 

However, Slack has one of the top features that makes it the best Discord alternative for business: it replaces chaotic email threads with organized channels, keeping users focused. 

Features:

• • Integration with Google Drive, Office 365, and more
  • Organized channels for team collaboration
  • Powerful search and file management capabilities
  • Voice and video calls within the app

Why it's a Great Alternative: It ranks as a top app like Discord for being more work-oriented.

It combines group chats with task management and file-sharing options, making it a powerful tool for both remote teams and enterprises.

2. Guilded-Discord Alternative for Gamers

If you’re a huge fan of gaming, Guilded is one of the best Discord competitors for Gamers. 

It allows you to organize guilds, schedule events, and enjoy lag-free voice chat during gaming sessions.

As per their mission, they look forward to connecting over 800+ million players and fans, making it one of the free Discord alternatives dedicated to gamers. 

Features:

• • Built-in event scheduling and calendar for gaming teams
  • Customizable channels dedicated to different games
  • High-quality voice chat for smooth communication
  • Integration with popular games for stats and tournaments

Why it's a Great Alternative: For gamers, Guilded delivers an experience that’s similar to Discord but with gaming-added features.

It’s perfect for community-driven gaming where scheduling and stats tracking play an important role. 

3. Microsoft Teams- Discord Alternative For Business 

For businesses that are already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, Microsoft Teams is an excellent alternative to Discord.

It has all the important features needed to improve teams' productivity, such as seamless video conferencing and collaboration tools. 

Features:

• • Integrated with Office 365 suite
  • Offers chat, video conferencing, and file-sharing capabilities
  • Supports large teams and channel organization
  • Advanced security features for enterprise users

Why it's a Great Alternative: Microsoft Teams is designed for professional environments, 

It’s especially useful for organizations that need advanced features for collaboration, meetings, and file engagement, making it a reliable Discord competitor for businesses. 

4. Telegram-Free Discord Alternatives

Telegram stands out as a free Discord alternative with a strong focus on app security and data privacy. 

If your priority is to have encrypted communication, then Telegram can be an attractive and popular alternative for the level of security it offers. 

Features:

• • End-to-end encryption for messages
  • Unlimited group chats with up to 200,000 members
  • Self-destructing messages for enhanced privacy
  • Customizable bots for better automation

Why it's a Great Alternative: Telegram is the Best Discord Alternative for Privacy-Conscious Users. 

Its encryption and self-destructing messages make it an ideal choice for many.

Especially for those who prioritize secure communication without sacrificing speed or performance. 

5. Zoom- Great For Video Calls

While Zoom is primarily known for video conferencing, it’s also an excellent choice for group chats and real-time team collaboration. 

It allows you to connect with colleagues, friends, and communities through video calls, giving it a place among the best Discord alternatives for face-to-face communication. 

Features:

• • High-definition video calls and screen sharing
  • Virtual meeting rooms for team discussions
  • File sharing during calls
  • Webinars and large meeting support

Why it's a Great Alternative: If you need more video collaboration than what Discord offers, Zoom is your go-to. 

It’s widely used for meetings, presentations, and larger online gatherings, making it ideal for team collaboration or community events.

6. Mumble- High-Quality Voice Chat For Gamers

Many people look for voice communication, Mumble is one of the best Open-source alternatives to Discord.

It focuses heavily on clear, high-quality audio for gamers.

Mumble also offers low latency, providing smooth communication during intense gaming sessions.

Features:

• • Crystal-clear voice chat with low latency
  • Open-source and free to use
  • Customizable servers for personal use
  • Push-to-talk and voice activation modes

Why it's a Great Alternative: If you’re part of a gaming community and need high-quality voice chat with minimal delay. These qualities make it a Discord replacement for gamers. 

Plus, it’s open source, which makes it highly customizable, which means you can modify it as per your choice. 

7. Mattermost- Open-Source Discord Alternative

Mattermost is a popular open-source alternative to Discord. 

It offers teams complete control over their data and promotes customizations and self-hosting; Mattermost is the perfect fit. 

Features:

• • Open-source and highly customizable
  • Self-hosting option for complete control over data
  • File sharing and team communication in channels
  • Direct messaging and voice calls

Why it's a Great Alternative: For enterprise teams and those with privacy concerns. Mattermost offers a more secure, customizable platform than Discord. 

It’s especially great for teams that want to self-host and maintain control over their communications. 

8. WhatsApp: A Famous Chat App Like Discord 

WhatsApp is a go-to for anyone seeking a simple, secure messaging experience. 

Perfect for personal chats or small groups, it offers end-to-end encryption, ensuring your conversations stay private and safe, making it a solid alternative to Discord. 

Features:

• • End-to-end encryption for all messages
  • Group chats and media sharing
  • Voice and video calling capabilities
  • Cross-device synchronization

Why it's a Great Alternative: The element that makes it a secure application like Discord for privacy is its end-to-end encryption feature. 

This is why people use the app to have personal chats and also to make groups to connect and chat.

9. Signal - Discord Alternative for Secure Messaging

If privacy is your top priority, Signal is a standout choice. 

Known for its top-notch security, it provides end-to-end encryption and has earned good reviews for its commitment to user privacy.

That’s what brought our attention to put it on the list of Perfect Discord Alternative for the privacy-conscious users. 

Features:

• • End-to-end encryption for all conversations
  • Self-destructing messages
  • Group messaging and file sharing
  • Voice and video calls

Why it's a Great Alternative: If your main concern is security and you want a secure alternative to Discord, Signal offers unmatched privacy features, making sure conversations are safe.

10. Rocket.Chat: A Fully Customizable Chat Solution

If you’re looking for a powerful open-source Discord Replacement, look no further than Rocket. Chat is your answer. 

This platform is what you need to host your own server, providing more control over the communication environment. 

It’s perfect for teams who need a lot of customization and want to maintain their own privacy. 

Features: 

• • Being a secure app similar to Discord, it keeps communication safe. 
  • Modify themes, branding, and UI to fit your needs. 
  • Instantly translate messages for global teams. 
  • Share and Store files. 

Why It’s a Great Alternative: Unlike Discord, Rocket.Chat offers more control and customization options.

It’s ideal for businesses or communities that want to have a modified experience while maintaining high security.

11. Discourse: Best Discord Alternative For Community Engagement 

Discourse is an excellent platform if you’re looking for a community forum that encourages discussions and collaborations. 

Unlike Discord, which is chat-based, Discourse organizes conversations into topics and threads, which can be great for detailed, long-form discussions. 

Features: 

• • Organize conversations into topics for easy navigation. 
  • Share images, videos, and links within discussions. 
  • Engage your community with interactive polls. 
  • Assign roles and privileges based on user activity. 

Why It’s a Great Alternative: Discourse turns long discussions into threaded form, positioning it as a great Discord Replacement for long conversations.

12. Ventrilo: The Veteran Voice Chat Tool

Ventrilo has been around for a while and is considered an alternative to Discord for voice chat. 

It’s a bit simpler and more streamlined, focusing primarily on voice communication.

It’s perfect for gamers who want a light and easy-to-use tool without distractions. 

Features:

• • Enjoy crystal-clear voice chat with minimal lag
  • An app like Discord, but without unnecessary complexity
  • Runs smoothly on low-end systems
  • Adjust the microphone sensitivity and sound effects to suit your preferences.

Why It’s a Great Alternative: If you’re looking for a free Discord alternative for voice communication that doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles, Ventrilo is perfect. 

13. Viber: The Chatting Giant with a Personal Touch

Looking for a Discord competitor that’s a little less intense but still offers the features you need? Meet Viber. 

Known for its messaging and calling feature, Viber has evolved beyond just a simple mobile app, offering group chats and high-quality voice and video calls. It offers a Desktop version that makes it an excellent app like Discord. 

Going beyond, if you are into personal chats, community discussions, and keeping things simple, Viber provides a more laid-back but still highly effective alternative to Discord. 

Features:

• • Viber works seamlessly across different devices.
  • The community feature offers tool management and engagement 
  • Get crystal clear voice and video calls.
  • End-to-End Encryption. 

Why It’s A Great Alternative: For those who want a mix of ease, security, and cross-platform communication, there is no better Discord replacement than Viber. 

Viber allows all the communication features of Discord in a more user-friendly, secure package. 

14. Troop Messenger: Best For Team Collaboration 

Looking for a simple yet amazing Discord competitor for team communication? We suggest you use Troop Messenger. 

It stands out for features like private and group chat, voice messages, and screen sharing. 

It’s perfect for businesses that need something more structured than Discord but still want a chat app that’s easy to use. 

Features:

• • Instant messaging, file sharing, and voice messages
  • Voice and video calling within the app
  • Screen sharing and group chats
  • Customizable for team needs

Why it’s a Great Alternative: If you’re after Discord alternatives for team collaboration, Troop Messenger delivers all the communication tools without any added complexity. 

It’s easy to use and perfect for companies looking for a straightforward Discord replacement. 

15. Element: Open-Source Discord Competitor

 If you’re into privacy and want a platform with complete control over your data. Element could be the best option for you. 

This open-source app is a great Discord competitor for those who care about security and transparency.

Features:

• • End-to-end encryption for secure messaging
  • Open-source with customizations
  • Supports group chats, voice, and video calls
  • Works well with other open-source services

Why it’s A Great Alternative: For those seeking open-source Discord alternatives, it is Ideal. 

It offers more privacy and customization to apps like Discord, making it a standout for privacy-conscious users. 

16. Facebook Messenger- Popular Discord Alternative For Non-Gamers

Facebook is a top social media app that has been a go-to option for a lot of people. 

You might have it on your phone, but Facebook Messenger can also serve as a great platform like Discord for non-gamers.

It’s not as advanced as Discord in terms of community management, but it’s excellent for quick, easy chats. 

Features:

• • Text, voice, and video calls
  • Share media and documents easily
  • Integrates with Facebook for added convenience
  • Cross-platform support

Why it's a Great Alternative: If you’re into Free Discord alternatives that connect large communities, then Facebook Messenger can be a simple option to go with.

 It’s a great fit for secure Discord Alternatives for privacy, offering encryption without any complexity. 

17. Zulip- Free Discord Alternative For Organized Conversation 

Zulip is a free Discord competitor known for its organized conversation threads. 

It’s perfect for teams or communities that need structure in their discussions and want to keep things organized. 

Features:

• • Threaded conversations for organized discussions
  • Real-time messaging, file sharing, and integrations
  • Voice calls with customizations
  • Open-source with the ability to self-host

Why It’s A Great Alternative: For teams and businesses seeking more organized chat spaces, Zulip delivers better control than other apps like Discord. 

What we find amazing and attractive is its threading system that makes it the ideal Discord alternative for large communities and project management. 

18. Chatwork-The All-in-One Team Communication App

Chatwork is a powerful Discord Alternative for team collaboration that combines messaging, video calls, task management, and file sharing in one app. 

It is built for businesses, offering a streamlined communication experience without unnecessary distractions. 

Features:

• • Real-time messaging and file sharing
  • Task management and team collaboration features
  • Video and voice calls
  • Mobile and desktop apps for easy access

Why it's a Great Alternative: Looking for a professional chat platform? Chatwork is a great option for businesses. 

It combines productivity tools with instant messaging, making it a solid choice for teams that need Discord alternatives with video calling and task management.

What People Look For in A Discord Alternative? 

When looking for a good Discord alternative, people often have some features in mind. 

This can be anything from a seamless and user-friendly interface to robust voice and video chat capabilities. 

So, let’s find out the factors that make an app stand out as a strong alternative to Discord:

• User-Friendly Interface: A clean, intuitive design that makes navigation and interaction easy for users of all experience levels. 
• Customization Options: Customization allows personalizing channels, which is what many people look for in an app like Discord. 
• Reliable Voice & Video Chat: High-quality, lag-free voice and video channels are important for both casual and professional meetings. 
• Security & Privacy: Strong Encryption, data protection, and privacy features to ensure user safety.
• Cross-platform Compatibility: People can search for a Discord-like app from any device; this is why cross-platform compatibility is something people look for to access the app on different devices. 

Develop an App like Discord

Why just settle for browsing Discord alternatives when you can build your own platform that stands out? 

With the growing demand for interactive communication tools, this is your chance to create an app for gamers, remote teams, or communities. 

Whether you’re aiming for a Discord replacement or just want to build something with unique features, this is your opportunity to innovate. 

How to Create a Top Platform like Discord? 

Here are some steps to develop your own social media app like Discord:

• Define Your Niche: Decide if your app will focus on gaming, business, or social interaction. 
• Choose key features: In social media apps like Discord, features play an important role, so make sure to choose the best features to separate yourself.
• Select the Right Technology Stack: This is where you opt for reliable frameworks, including React for the front end and Node.js for the back end. 
• Build Secure Infrastructure: Focus on data encryption, app security, and user privacy. 
• Test & Iterate: Gather user feedback and work continuously to make the app bug-free and issue-free. 
• Launch & Market: Once the app is ready, it is time to launch the app on Play Store or submit it to the app store. Use social media to spread the word about your app. 

Tech Stack To Use While Developing a Discord-like App

Here is the app tech stack to use to create a top-notch app similar to Discord: 

• • Front-End: React, Redux, WebSockets (Socket.io) for real-time UI and communication.
  • Back-End: Node.js, Express.js, GraphQL for API and server-side management.
  • Database: MongoDB, Redis for fast data storage and caching.
  • Voice/Video: WebRTC for peer-to-peer calls, Twilio for scalable solutions.
  • Security/Hosting: OAuth 2.0, JWT for authentication, AWS/Docker for cloud and scalability.

Key Challenges in Developing a Discord Competitor

It may look easy to develop a Discord competitor, but here are some challenges you might face in doing so. 

• • Real-Time Communication: Ensuring low-latency and smooth real-time messaging can be complex. Use WebSockets (Socket.io) and optimize server infrastructure for faster message delivery.
  • Scalability: Handling thousands of concurrent users without performance issues is tricky. Thus, implement load balancing and use cloud services like AWS to scale efficiently. 
  • Data Security: Protecting sensitive user data and ensuring secure communication can be difficult. So, use end-to-end encryption and comply with security standards like HTTPS and OAuth.
  • Integration of Voice/Video: Implementing high-quality, lag-free voice and video calls requires significant resources. Take the help of WebRTC for peer-to-peer communication or integrate APIs like Twilio for reliable media features.
  • User Experience: Creating an intuitive and seamless UI/UX design that appeals to a wide range of users can be challenging. We recommend conducting regular user testing and focusing on a simple, minimalistic design to enhance usability.

Get an Outstanding Discord-like App with JPLoft

Creating a Discord-like App is a smart move for engaging users through real-time chat, voice, and video. 

People have shown consistent interest in such apps, so they offer huge money-making potential, too. 

Take the help of JPLoft, the best social media app development company, to develop your dream app. 

What we have is the experience in developing social media apps that separates us from others.

Our expert team will help you build a robust and scalable app with amazing features like those in Discord. 

Let’s work together to create the next big social media platform that keeps users connected and engaged. 

Wrapping Up

While Discord remains a popular tool for conversation, there are plenty of excellent options that cater to different needs, tastes, and security concerns. Whether you're a gamer, a worker, or just looking for a more private conversation tool, choices like TeamSpeak, Slack, Mumble, and more offer distinct features and customization options.

From advanced security measures and smooth cross-platform functions to simple user experiences and task management features, these Discord options ensure that you can stay linked in a way that works best for you. No matter your requirements, there's an alternative out there that offers better security, customization, or speed to meet your wants.