Discord is a cross-platform voice and text chat app originally designed for gamers, but since finding mainstream popularity, all kind of communities have migrated to it. Even TechSpot staff have moved away from Slack to use Discord full-time for team collaboration and communication.

Is Discord better than Zoom?

Zoom and Discord serve two different purposes. Discord is great for small and big team communication and collaboration via text or voice. Zoom is better suited for real-time online meetings and presentations.

Is Discord only for gamers?

Discord is great for gaming and voice chat. That's how Discord got started but today all kinds of communities have migrated to it. Just like Microsoft Teams or Slack, Discord offers public and private servers that anyone can create and join for free, and today it's widely used for team communication and collaboration.

Is Discord encrypted?

Discord uses basic encryption methods like TLS to protect text and images in transit but does not offer end-to-end encryption like WhatsApp or Telegram. Other community oriented platforms offer similar safety features for written messages, but some like Microsoft Teams do offer end-to-end encryption for VoIP calls.

Is Discord free?

Discord is free for voice, text, and video chat options with no restrictions. There is an optional "Nitro" paid membership that offers extra benefits, but even setting up a private server for your business can be done with no additional cost.

Is Discord safe?

Although Discord is a great messaging app, the platform does not offer end-to-end encryption for text or audio/video communication. While your data is encrypted in transit to Discord servers, it is stored on said servers. Even when you use the app's privacy settings to disable their ability to "Use data to improve Discord," they still collect this data and store it in their database.

Discord Nitro Basic and Nitro: What's the Difference?

Our most-popular Nitro plan unlocks access to all the available Nitro perks, including custom emoji and stickers anywhere, HD video streaming, and an expanded selection of our newly-released Activities, just to name a few.

Nitro Basic includes a selection of some of the most-loved Nitro features that help you better express yourself on Discord, including custom emoji anywhere, bigger file uploads, and more.

Take a peek at the comparison chart below to see what each Nitro plan includes:

We're excited to continue growing Nitro and give users more ways to have fun and create lasting memories on Discord.

In the United States, Nitro Basic will be available for $2.99 per month. For those living outside the United States, pricing is viewable within your User Settings > Nitro page once it's rolled out.

Features

Discord was created to bring people together around games. You've taught us that it can be used for so much more. People use Discord for all kinds of hanging out: from live karaoke nights, to screenshare group painting, to virtual wedding parties. People create Discord servers for gaming, yoga classes, comedy fan clubs, and even run entire podcasting businesses. Discord is for anyone who could use a place to talk with their friends and communities.

Download Discord and experience modern chat:

  • Voice chat: Join voice channels and chat with your group
  • Real-time messaging: Share video, images, and text in rich chat
  • Push notifications: Never miss a thing with @mentions and direct messages
  • Instant Invite: Easily add friends to your voice server by sharing the Instant Invite link
  • Direct messages: Send one-to-one private messages
  • Multiple server support: Manage all your game chat groups in one client
  • Organizable channels: Keep discussions on topic through structured communication

What's New:

  • Windows version updated to 1.0.9159
  • Android version updated to 238.14
  • macOS version updated to 1.0.0 Build 0.0.317

Rythm is back. This time, forever. You can now use Rythm anywhere on Discord, including text channels and DMs. We're also expanding and launching our app later this summer for iOS & Android. This is the starting point of our mission to bring people together through music, join our journey.

Previous Release Notes:

  • VALORANT arrives in the Shop. Ace your look with Avatar Decorations and Profile Effects based on VALORANT Agents Jett, Reyna, Omen, and the newest Agent: Clove. Grab 'em on desktop before they head back to HQ.
  • Choose where people can see your decorations. Just like per-server avatars and bios, Nitro members can now set avatar decorations and profile effects on a per-server basis. Hand-select which communities are privileged to see your Cat Ears decoration…

It's time to pitch your Activity to us!

  • Devs! This year's Discord App Pitches are in full swing. This year, we're looking for the best community-made Activities to enjoy with friends on Discord. Submit your pitch by May 1st for a chance to win up to USD 30,000 and office hours with Discord staff. Eligibility & Official Rules.

What's in the Boooox???

  • Open some "100% Real" Digital Loot Boxes on desktop while you can. I'm not sure why my colleagues are snickering at me as I write this, but they said if you open enough boxes, you can win a prize for your profile that you can keep! You can access them until April 8 right here.

Watch stuff. Hunt stuff. Favorite LOTS of stuff.

  • Watch Together gets even better. Tons of quality-of-life fixes were added, including saving your recent searches for easy rediscovery (only you can see your history). Plus, server admins can now revoke a host's control if they queued up "rainbow bunchie 10 hours" ten times in a row.
  • Prepare to hunt with a Monster Hunter Now reward bundle for Nitro members. If you've got Nitro, head into your Gift Inventory from now until April 18th to receive a reward bundle! Use it to adventure in the city with your friends while hunting a Rathalos or two. More deets here.‍
  • We fixed a really niche bug related to saving way too many GIFs. Previously, if you favorited an obscene amount of GIFs, the GIF picker would eventually lock up and prevent you from adding or removing them. Thank the person whose GIF picker we had to fix for their noble contribution.

More Mobile Updates in the Coming Weeks

  • AirPods users on iOS can now mute their calls using their earbuds. This is either great for on-the-go talkers on an iPhone or iPad, or a nightmare for people who love to fidget with their hair or their earrings while on a call. Do people actually walk and talk with a big tablet?‍
  • Small-but-mighty fixes all over the place! Keen-eyed mobile users will start noticing some updates to how search filters appear and seeing attachments within your Search results (again). Lastly, when you start a video call on mobile, your friends will be fullscreen by default. Tell them we said hello!