Quick Answer
Discord collects user data, and recently announced they are going to require ID verification. Here are the standout privacy-respecting Discord replacements, by use case:
- Telegram: a popular chat, voice, and video communications platform that supports public channels. See this post for more details.
- Matrix/Element is decentralized, has end-to-end encryption, is good for communities, has lots of bridges.
- Mumble has strong privacy for voice-first or small, trusted groups.
- Quiet is peer-to-peer, Tor-based, no servers, excellent for highly private groups. User interface is still rough.
- Rocket.Chat and Mattermost are Slack-like, self-hostable, with strong security and compliance options.
More Details On Discord Alternatives
Telegram (Cross-Platform Messaging App)
- Telegram is a cloud‑based messenger built for regular texting and big group chats
- It’s works well for media‑heavy chats and broadcasts
- Owned and tightly controlled by founder Pavel Durov
Telegram is a messaging app that sits somewhere between WhatsApp, Discord, and a minimalist social network. You get normal one‑to‑one chats, group chats, and huge broadcast channels, all wrapped in a relatively clean interface. It’s available on almost every platform (iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, web).
Unlike SMS or iMessage, you can join public channels, browse archives, react to posts, and interact with bots — all while hiding your real phone number behind a username if you tweak your settings.
Matrix + Element (decentralized community chat)
- Matrix/Element is federated, open source, supports “rooms,” comparable to Discord channels.
- Ease of use: 7 out of 10.
- Can self-host (e.g., Synapse) or use a host — bridges to Discord, Slack, etc.
- Good balance of usability and privacy for larger communities.
- Example deep dive: Proton’s guide to Discord alternatives.
Mumble
- Mumble is open-source, low-latency VoIP with encryption and self-hosted servers.
- Ease of use: 7 out of 10. Basic interface.
- Solid for gaming squads or small groups that prioritize security over features.
Quiet (Tor-based P2P “Discord-like” app)
- Quiet has no central server; data only lives on member devices, syncs via Tor.
- Easy of use: 6 out of 10.
- Slack/Discord-style channels, file sharing, images, notifications.
- Good for small–medium communities that want strong metadata protection.
Rocket.Chat / Mattermost (self-hosted, more “Slack” than Discord)
- Rocket.Chat and Mattermost are open-source, self-hostable, with strong security and compliance options.
- Ease of use: 8 out 10.
- Best for teams and organizations, less ideal for “gamer community” vibes.
- Good overview: open-source Discord alternatives.
