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Discord alternatives: 15 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Discord: not built for enterprise compliance, and consumer-style interface for work. We ranked 15 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Discord, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Slack currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Zulip logoZulipOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +42 of 361.3
2Rocket.Chat logoRocket.ChatOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +41 of 354.8
3Mattermost logoMattermostOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +41 of 352.4
4Stoat logoStoatOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +45 of 540.0
5Mumble logoMumbleOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +13 of 340.0
6Fluxer logoFluxerOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +45 of 540.0
7Element logoElementOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +44 of 438.6
8Lemmy logoLemmyOpen sourceYesWeb, iOS, Android +14 of 438.6
  1. Zulip logo

    1. ZulipTop pick

    Best for: Distributed teams that work asynchronously across time zones

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    61.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Discord

    Open-source, threaded chat that suits project communities.

    Pros

    • Topic threads keep chat organized
    • Open source and self-hostable
    • Great for async work

    Cons

    • Topic model takes getting used to
    • Fewer third-party integrations
    Visit Zulip Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1577
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Zulip a good Discord alternative?

    Verified facts

    2 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026zulip.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Yes
    Not checked yetzulip.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Rocket.Chat logo

    2. Rocket.Chat

    Best for: Teams that need self-hosted chat plus customer messaging

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    54.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Discord

    Self-hosted community chat that you control fully.

    Pros

    • Open source and self-hostable
    • Omnichannel customer inbox
    • Matrix federation

    Cons

    • Setup and upgrades take effort
    • Interface less polished than Slack
    Visit Rocket.Chat Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1553
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Rocket.Chat a good Discord alternative?

    Verified facts

    1 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Not checked yetgithub.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026rocket.chat(opens source in a new tab)
    Free edition
    Yes
    Not checked yetrocket.chat(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Mattermost logo

    3. Mattermost

    Best for: Security-conscious organizations that must self-host chat

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    52.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from Discord

    Self-hosted alternative for teams that need compliance controls.

    Pros

    • Open source and self-hosted
    • Slack-like interface
    • Strong compliance options

    Cons

    • Self-hosting requires maintenance
    • Smaller integration catalog than Slack
    Visit Mattermost Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1553
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Mattermost a good Discord alternative?

    Verified facts

    1 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Not checked yetgithub.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026mattermost.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free edition
    Yes
    Not checked yetmattermost.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Stoat logo

    4. Stoat

    Best for: Gaming groups and communities that want an open, ad-free alternative to Discord

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    40.0

    score / 100

    Why switch from Discord

    Open-source Discord-style servers and channels, with no paid cosmetic tiers.

    Pros

    • Free and open source, with self-hosting possible
    • Familiar Discord-style servers, channels and roles
    • No ads, data mining or paid cosmetic tiers

    Cons

    • Much smaller user base than Discord
    • Some features and apps are still maturing
    • Small team, so development pace varies
    Visit Stoat Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Stoat a good Discord alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026stoat.chat(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, web
    Checked Oct 25, 2026stoat.chat(opens source in a new tab)
    Group DMs
    Up to 50 members
    Checked Oct 25, 2026stoat.chat(opens source in a new tab)
    Free upload limit
    20 MB
    Checked Oct 25, 2026stoat.chat(opens source in a new tab)
    Data location
    Built in Europe
    Checked Oct 25, 2026stoat.chat(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Mumble logo

    5. Mumble

    Best for: Gaming groups and communities that want free, low-latency voice on their own server

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWindows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted

    40.0

    score / 100

    Why switch from Discord

    Free, open-source, self-hosted low-latency voice chat.

    Pros

    • Free and open source
    • Very low latency and positional audio
    • Self-hosted with a detailed permission system

    Cons

    • Basic text chat and a dated interface
    • No official mobile apps
    • You host or rent the server yourself
    Visit Mumble Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Mumble a good Discord alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Price
    Free and open source
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mumble.info(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mumble.info(opens source in a new tab)
    Large sessions
    100+ simultaneous speakers
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mumble.info(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Fluxer logo

    6. Fluxer

    Best for: Communities that want an independent, open-source Discord alternative with voice

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    40.0

    score / 100

    Why switch from Discord

    Open-source Discord-style chat with voice, video and self-hosting.

    Pros

    • Free and open source, with self-hosting supported
    • Voice, video and screen sharing built in
    • No venture capital or ads

    Cons

    • Young project with a small community so far
    • Larger uploads and HD streaming need Plutonium
    • Fewer bots and integrations than Discord
    Visit Fluxer Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Fluxer a good Discord alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026fluxer.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Plutonium price
    $4.99/month or $49.99/year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026fluxer.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Free upload limit
    25 MB
    Checked Oct 25, 2026fluxer.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Funding
    No outside investors
    Checked Oct 25, 2026fluxer.app(opens source in a new tab)
  7. Element logo

    7. Element

    Best for: Communities and organisations that want open, federated, encrypted chat they can run themselves

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    38.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Discord

    Open, federated community chat with end-to-end encryption.

    Pros

    • Federated: talk across servers, or host your own
    • Encrypted by default for private chats
    • Open source, with bridges to other networks

    Cons

    • More complex than mainstream messengers
    • Key backup and device verification confuse newcomers
    • Self-hosting a homeserver takes real admin work
    Visit Element Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.37
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Element a good Discord alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Free community edition
    Checked Oct 25, 2026element.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise pricing
    Per seat/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026element.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Certification
    ISO/IEC 27001:2022
    Checked Oct 25, 2026element.io(opens source in a new tab)
  8. Lemmy logo

    8. Lemmy

    Best for: Reddit users who want community discussion without ads or a single corporate owner

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    38.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Discord

    Threaded, searchable community discussion on the fediverse instead of fast-moving chat.

    Pros

    • Familiar Reddit-style voting and threads
    • No ads or tracking; moderation logs are public
    • Lightweight and self-hostable

    Cons

    • Much smaller communities than Reddit
    • Server choice and defederation confuse newcomers
    • Relies on third-party apps for mobile
    Visit Lemmy Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.37
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Lemmy a good Discord alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Ads and tracking
    None
    Checked Oct 25, 2026join-lemmy.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes, runs on a Raspberry Pi
    Checked Oct 25, 2026join-lemmy.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Apps
    iOS, Android, desktop and web
    Checked Oct 25, 2026join-lemmy.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best Discord alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Slack logo

Best Discord alternative for most people

Slack

More professional workspace features and integrations for companies.

Zulip logo

Best Discord alternative for a free option

Zulip

Open-source, threaded chat that suits project communities.

TeamSpeak logo

Best Discord alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

TeamSpeak

Voice-first community servers you can host and control yourself.

Rocket.Chat logo

Best Discord alternative for open source

Rocket.Chat

Self-hosted community chat that you control fully.

Mattermost logo

Best Discord alternative for self-hosting

Mattermost

Self-hosted alternative for teams that need compliance controls.

Stoat logo

Best Discord alternative for Mac

Stoat

Open-source Discord-style servers and channels, with no paid cosmetic tiers.

Mumble logo

Best Discord alternative for Windows

Mumble

Free, open-source, self-hosted low-latency voice chat.

Fluxer logo

Best Discord alternative for Linux

Fluxer

Open-source Discord-style chat with voice, video and self-hosting.

Brave Talk logo

Best Discord alternative for iPhone and Android

Brave Talk

Private, no-login video calls for small groups without joining a server.

Skool logo

Best Discord alternative for working in the browser

Skool

Built-in courses, payments and gamification for creators monetising a community.

Discord alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Discord?

Slack ranks first right now. More professional workspace features and integrations for companies. Zulip and Rocket.Chat follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Discord?

Yes. Slack (free plan + paid), Zulip (open source), Rocket.Chat (open source) and Mattermost (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Discord?

Yes: Zulip, Rocket.Chat, Mattermost and Stoat, plus 4 more in the list above. Zulip, Rocket.Chat and Mattermost can also be self-hosted.

Which Discord alternatives work on Linux?

Slack, Zulip, Rocket.Chat, Mattermost and Stoat run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Discord?

The complaints we hear most: not built for enterprise compliance; consumer-style interface for work.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Discord, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.