{"id":12064,"date":"2024-01-17T16:01:19","date_gmt":"2024-01-17T16:01:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/?p=12064"},"modified":"2026-10-23T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T00:00:00","slug":"discord-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/discord-alternatives\/","title":{"rendered":"18 Best Discord Alternatives in 2026 (for Work, Gaming & Communities)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With over 200 million monthly active users, Discord is one of the most popular team chat apps<\/a> on the market.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, many teams that started out their professional communication journey on Discord are now looking for a more business-suited app<\/strong> for their internal and external communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why I personally tested and compiled my list of the 18 best Discord alternatives for 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s dive in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why trust us?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The apps we talk about are selected, tested, and written about by human reviewers who follow strict review and editorial guidelines. We pick solutions that are practical, purposeful, and can offer real value for the specific use case or business context we\u2019re covering \u2014 while also being justified in their pricing. Our methodology is transparent, clear, and available to everyone:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about our review methodology here \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Why are teams leaving Discord?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On its face, Discord seems simple and without issue. Nevertheless, several concerns have recently come to light. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discord calls are end-to-end encrypted, but text messages are not, which leaves conversations vulnerable in case of a data breach<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, that isn\u2019t just a remote possibility. The app has recently come under scrutiny due to controversies<\/a> such as safety problems, confidential data leaks, and data collection practices. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, in the second half of 2026, Discord also rolled out age assurance checks<\/a> \u2014 to access sensitive or age-restricted servers, people must verify their age<\/strong> through a facial scan or photo ID. The change has raised additional privacy concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Discord alternatives for 2026: A quick overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I determined that apps similar to Discord should provide an uncomplicated user experience while offering what the platform lacks \u2014 secure data protection and updated features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a quick look at my 18 picks before getting into the detailed reviews. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

App<\/strong><\/th>Best for<\/strong><\/th>Standout feature<\/strong><\/th>Price (per user per month, paid annually)<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Pumble<\/strong> by CAKE.com<\/strong><\/td>Organized all-in-one collaboration and communication<\/td>Unlimited message history, channels, and users even on the free plan<\/td>\u2013 Free
\u2013 Paid plans start at $2.49<\/td><\/tr>
Microsoft Teams<\/strong><\/td>Microsoft 365 Business users<\/td>Microsoft 365 integrations<\/td>\u2013 Free
\u2013 Paid plans start at $4<\/td><\/tr>
Slack <\/strong><\/td>Extensive integrations<\/td>2,600+ third-party app integrations<\/td>\u2013 Free
\u2013 Paid plans start at $7.25<\/td><\/tr>
Flock<\/strong><\/td>Useful team collaboration features<\/td>Project management lists<\/td>\u2013 Free
\u2013 Paid plans start at $4.5<\/td><\/tr>
Chanty<\/strong><\/td>Task-oriented teams<\/td>Task management features<\/td>\u2013 Free
\u2013 Paid plans start at $3<\/td><\/tr>
Google Chat<\/strong><\/td>Google Workspace users<\/td>Google Workspace integrations<\/td>\u2013 Free
\u2013 Paid plans start at $7<\/td><\/tr>
Troop Messenger <\/strong><\/td>Secure business messaging<\/td>Burnout feature for self-destructing messages<\/td>\u2013 Free trial available
\u2013 Paid plans start at $2.5<\/td><\/tr>
Rocket.Chat<\/strong><\/td>Strong data protection<\/td>Self-hosting for greater data control <\/td>\u2013 Free 
\u2013 Custom pricing<\/td><\/tr>
Element<\/strong><\/td>Decentralized communication<\/td>Decentralized communication through the Matrix protocol <\/td>\u2013 Free 
\u2013 Custom pricing<\/td><\/tr>
Wire<\/strong><\/td>Hyper-private communication<\/td>End-to-end encrypted communication<\/td>\u2013 Free
\u2013 Paid plans start at $8.58<\/td><\/tr>
Tox<\/strong><\/td>Users that don\u2019t want to share personal information<\/td>Peer-to-peer communication without requiring personal information <\/td>Free<\/td><\/tr>
Stoat<\/strong><\/td>Open-source community communication<\/td>Open-source, Discord-like community servers<\/td>Free<\/td><\/tr>
TeamSpeak<\/strong><\/td>Lag-free VoIP<\/td>Low-latency voice communication<\/td>\u2013 Free 
\u2013 Paid plans start at $53.99 per server per year<\/td><\/tr>
Mumble<\/strong><\/td>Simple text, video, and voice communication<\/td>Positional audio for immersive voice chat<\/td>Free<\/td><\/tr>
Ventrilo<\/strong><\/td>Minimal use of the CPU resources<\/td>Low CPU resource usage<\/td>Free<\/td><\/tr>
Steam Chat<\/strong><\/td>Users of Steam games<\/td>Built-in integration with Steam\u2019s gaming platform<\/td>Free<\/td><\/tr>
WhatsApp<\/strong><\/td>Casual messaging<\/td>End-to-end encrypted messaging and calls<\/td>Free<\/td><\/tr>
Viber<\/strong><\/td>Personal instant messaging and group calls<\/td>Voice and video calls alongside text and media messaging<\/td>\u2013 Free
\u2013 Paid plan is $1.99<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Secure business messaging<\/h2>\n

Protect your team and company with a tool built for workplace communication.<\/p>\n\n

\n Sign up<\/a>\n\n Learn more<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \n \"Illustration\"\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Discord alternatives for team collaboration & productivity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking for apps like Discord that will allow your team to collaborate without a hitch, these are my top picks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pumble<\/a> by CAKE.com \u2014 best for organized all-around communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pumble by CAKE.com is a comprehensive app that enables quick and effective team communication<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This easy-to-use Discord alternative<\/a> is ideal for remote and hybrid teams looking to streamline and centralize communication<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Pumble
Pumble workspace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Pros of using Pumble:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I appreciate that Pumble combines the best features of video conferencing<\/a> and instant messaging apps. Thanks to its functionality, you can connect with coworkers through:<\/p>\n\n\n\n