Discord Is Making It Easier Than Ever to Discord (2024)

Since Discord launched in 2015, it has grown from a simple social app where people (mostly gamers) could chat and make little haiku bots to an all-purpose replacement for Zoom, Slack, and Facebook.

As it has expanded to juggernaut status, its many charms have remained oblique to people who use it as a basic chat and social app. Like me, for instance; I’m on Discord because I really need to share my opinions on royal gossip and YA fantasy and sci-fi novels, but I’m not really a power user. That’s not to mention the many people who are still struggling to manage their Instagram and WhatsApp notifications and might not see the point in switching to Discord at all.

That’s why today, Discord has unveiled several new features that make it easier and ever more alluring to use Discord. In addition to introducing a more affordable subscription tier that unlocks some of the more desirable for-pay features, it is also launching a new app directory and adding some new resources for developers and startups who want to do business on the platform.

Make My ‘Moji

Unlike many (now-ruined) social media platforms, Discord doesn’t make its revenue from advertising. While the core Discord experience is free, the company does offer Nitro, a $10-per-month subscription service that unlocks the ability for users to make custom emoji, support servers, stream HD video, and upload larger files.

If you’re already on Discord, you may have noticed that other people have snazzy avatars, and maybe you've yearned to get your own. I certainly feel this way, but my jealousy never prompted me to pay $10 a month for a subscription, especially when I also had to budget for ad-free Hulu. But now Discord offers Nitro Basic. For $3 a month, I can now whip up all the chameleon heart emoji that my conversations crave, as well as upload bigger files and get new badges on my profile that denote my status.

Breaking the Ice

For many newcomers, Discord feels a little like a fun but chaotic house party. You can’t just waltz in; someone has to invite you. You have no idea where the bathroom is. For about an hour, you’re standing by the fridge, eating chips, and wondering why you’re even there.

Courtesy of Discord

Discord Is Making It Easier Than Ever to Discord (2024)

FAQs

Is Discord becoming less popular? ›

Discord User Statistics

As of January 2023, Discord had approximately 154 million monthly active users. This is a 3% increase from the 150 million MAU reported in September 2021 and a 161% increase from 59 million active users in 2019.

Why is Discord so much better? ›

Discord offers some advanced features that make these servers more akin to online communities than simple chat rooms, including real-time audio and video conversations, custom emoji, and custom roles that distinguish users. Unlike most social consumer apps, Discord does not make money from ads.

Why isn't Discord used professionally? ›

Discord doesn't offer much in the way of official integrations, at least not for business-facing apps. There's pretty much just user-created bots, most of which don't offer any kind of support. You can build your own Discord bot using Zapier as a sort of workaround.

Should a 12 year old use Discord? ›

Common Sense Media also recommends that Discord users be at least 13 due to its open chat. Because it's all user-generated, there's the potential for plenty of inappropriate content, like swearing and graphic language and images (though it's entirely possible to belong to a group that forbids these).

Will Discord eventually shut down? ›

Discord is very much an active platform and there are no reports to suggest that it is going to 'shut down'. A social media went viral on Saturday claiming that Discord was "shutting down".

What age group mostly uses Discord? ›

The average age of Discord users is between 18-24. The most frequent Discord website visitors constitute 39.61% and are of the same age group, 18-24.

Why is Discord so addictive? ›

Discord addiction occurs because the app causes the brain to release dopamine – the feel-good neurotransmitter – which results in the individual experiencing pleasure. This reinforces the behavior and makes them want to repeat it.

Is Discord ok for 14 year olds? ›

Is Discord safe? Some of the servers on Discord are themed around adult topics that might not be suitable for your child. There are also reports of harmful and illegal content being shared on the platform. Anyone over the age of 13 can join public servers on Discord.

Who uses Discord the most? ›

The United States represents Discord's largest market, with 60 percent of the company's lifetime mobile in-app revenues being generated in the country. The United Kingdom and Canada followed, with six and five percent of the company's in-app revenues generated in the two countries, respectively.

What replaced Discord? ›

TeamSpeak

TeamSpeak is the number one choice VoIP communication system for online gaming. As a Discord alternative, it uses crystal clear sound to communicate with team members cross-platform with military-grade security, lag-free performance and unparalleled reliability in the market.

Why is Discord closing? ›

Conflicting applications or software running on your device may conflict with Discord. Outdated or incompatible graphics drivers can cause crashes. Discord uses hardware acceleration to boost performance. However, this feature can sometimes cause crashes.

What is banned in Discord? ›

We do not allow any type of harassing behavior, including sustained bullying, sexual harassment, ban or block evasion, or coordinating server joins for the purpose of harassing server members (“server raiding”). (See our Bullying, Harassment, and Threats Policy Explainer for more.)

Is Discord 17+ now? ›

#1 – For older digitally mature teens (remember the app is rated 17+), Discord is a great way to create community with friends when it comes to gaming and other online activities.

What is the 13 rule on Discord? ›

Discord's Terms of Service require people to be over a minimum age to access our app or website. The minimum age to access Discord is 13, unless local legislation mandates an older age. To ensure that users satisfy that minimum age requirement, users are asked to confirm their date of birth upon creating an account.

Is Discord 12+ or 13+? ›

Discord's Terms of Service states that only users who are 13 years or older may use its service in the U.S. That said, there are children under 13 who use Discord. The company has said it is developing a “gate” that asks users to self-report their date of birth upon creating an account.

Does anyone still use Discord? ›

With more than 500 million registered users, Discord is one of the most popular ways that gamers communicate online. Discord lets friends chat via voice, video, or text, and join servers where large communities gather.

Is Discord getting popular? ›

Discord had an estimated 175 million monthly active users in 2022, a 25% increase on the previous year.

How popular is Discord now? ›

Summary: Discord Statistics

Discord has 150 million monthly users worldwide. 34.14% of Discord users are from the U.S. 44.4% of Discord users are between 18 and 24. 65.33% of Discord users are male.

How many people still use Discord? ›

A server is a collection of persistent chat rooms and voice channels which can be accessed via invite links. Discord runs on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, iPadOS, Linux, and in web browsers. As of 2024, the service has about 150 million monthly active users and 19 million weekly active servers.

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