Open-source alternatives to Discord

Rocket.Chat is a mature self-hostable communication platform with text channels, voice and video, screen sharing, bots, integrations, and granular permissions. Its core is MIT licensed while Enterprise components use separate licensing.

Pricing: Free self-hosted core; Enterprise and hosted options may be paid.

• Mature platform
• Voice, video, screen sharing, and integrations
• Granular permissions
• More enterprise-focused than Discord
• Some features use separate Enterprise licensing

Element is a Matrix client providing rooms, direct messages, end-to-end encryption, voice and video calls, file sharing, threads, and federation between independently operated servers.

Pricing: Open-source clients and self-hosting are available; hosted and enterprise services may be paid.

• Federation and open Matrix ecosystem
• End-to-end encryption
• Voice, video, and cross-platform clients
• Matrix concepts can be confusing for new users
• Community management differs from Discord's server model

Fluxer is an AGPL-3.0 open-source communication platform for communities with text channels, direct messages, group chats, voice and video calls, screen sharing, custom emojis, moderation tools, webhooks, and themes.

Pricing: Free and open source under AGPL-3.0; self-hosted deployment is available.

• Very close to Discord's overall model
• Voice, video, screen sharing, and moderation
• Self-hosting
• Younger ecosystem than Discord
• Smaller bot and integration ecosystem

Cinny is an AGPL-3.0 Matrix client focused on a clean interface for rooms, direct messages, encryption, reactions, and media while connecting to the wider Matrix ecosystem.

Pricing: Free and open source; requires a Matrix homeserver.

• Clean interface
• Matrix federation and encryption
• Lightweight web client
• Requires a separate Matrix homeserver
• Voice and community features depend on Matrix

Stoat, formerly Revolt, is an AGPL-3.0 community chat platform with servers, channels, roles, direct messages, voice chat, file sharing, custom emojis, bots, themes, and moderation tools.

Pricing: Free and open source; self-hosting is available.

• Very Discord-like experience
• Servers, roles, voice, bots, and moderation
• Desktop, web, and mobile clients
• Smaller ecosystem than Discord
• Some parts are still evolving

Wire is a GPL-3.0 secure collaboration platform offering encrypted messaging, file sharing, voice calls, video meetings, desktop and mobile applications, and self-hosted server software.

Pricing: Self-hosted server source is available; hosted enterprise plans may be paid.

• End-to-end encryption
• Messaging, voice, video, and file sharing
• Enterprise security features
• Primarily aimed at professional communication
• Smaller community and bot ecosystem

Quiet is a GPL-3.0 peer-to-peer group messaging application built around Tor. Devices communicate without a central server, supporting channels, private groups, file sharing, and a metadata-focused privacy model.

Pricing: Free and open source under GPL-3.0; no server to host.

• No central server required
• Tor-based networking
• No phone number required
• Less suitable for large public communities
• Limited voice and community features

Macro Chat is an AGPL-3.0 team workspace combining channels, threaded messaging, documents, tasks, calls, CRM, unified inbox features, and AI agents.

Pricing: Open source and self-hostable; hosted services may be offered separately.

• Channels and threaded messaging
• Documents, tasks, calls, and AI agents
• Self-hosting
• More business-focused than Discord
• Broader and more complex than a pure chat platform

Mezon is an MIT-licensed communication platform aimed at communities and gaming, with community spaces, channels, voice and video, bots, native clients, and developer APIs.

Pricing: Open source infrastructure and deployment options are available; verify current hosted terms.

• MIT licensed
• Gaming and community focus
• Voice, video, bots, and SDKs
• Younger platform
• Smaller user and bot ecosystem

Valour is an AGPL-3.0 community communication platform focused on performance, customization, multi-window chat, voice and video, and integrated community economy features.

Pricing: Free and open source under AGPL-3.0; verify current deployment options.

• Community-focused
• Voice, video, and customization
• Open development model
• Small project
• Fewer integrations and less maturity than Discord

SAMA is a GPL-3.0 messaging server for developers building real-time communication applications, with private and group chats, presence, read receipts, attachments, encryption, push notifications, and clustering.

Pricing: Free and self-hostable under GPL-3.0; client development and infrastructure costs still apply.

• Messaging APIs and real-time primitives
• Encryption, presence, and push notifications
• Clustering and multi-device support
• Not a ready-to-use Discord replacement
• Requires building or deploying client applications