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Best Discord alternatives in 2026, compared

No single app replaces Discord: Root and Stoat are closest to its server model, TeamSpeak and Mumble focus on voice, Element and Signal on encryption, and Micup (micup.gg) adds 3D rooms and table games. We make Micup, so we are biased; that is why every table cell about another app links to a dated source, and why this page gives no overall winner.

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How do the main alternatives compare with Discord?

Checked on 31 October 2026, with Discord as the baseline. We compared what a group notices first: price, screen sharing, platforms, encryption, openness and what else there is to do. Prices are US prices where a country applies. "Not listed" means the cited page does not show it, not that the feature does not exist.

Best Discord alternatives in 2026, compared
TopicMicupDiscordRootStoatTeamSpeakElement
Price
Free to startYes Yes1 Yes2 Yes3 Partly Free client; a server needs a plan or your own machine4Yes Community plan5
Paid tier, monthly Plus: $1.99 $2.99 or $9.996 Sudo; amount not shown2 No subscription needed3 Hosted from $4.994 Per seat; amounts not published5
Voice and video
Free screen sharing 720p at 30 fps 720p at 30 fps1 720p at 30 fps7 720p at 30 fps for now8 4K at 60 fps in beta, according to TeamSpeak; free use not confirmed9 Not listed on its download page10
End-to-end encryptionNo Not claimed for messages or callsPartly Calls, not messages11 Not stated12 Not listed3 AES-based; end to end for global chat, according to TeamSpeak9Yes By default, according to Element13
Platforms
BrowserYes Yes14 Not listed15Yes16 Not listed17Yes10
AndroidYes Without 3D roomsYes18 Yes15 Partly Early access16Yes TeamSpeak 3 app17Yes Element X19
iOSNo In developmentYes18 Yes15 Partly Installed web app16Yes TeamSpeak 3 app17Yes Element X20
Extras
Walkable 3D roomsYes Five, free, on computersPartly None; a limited Living Room experiment21 Not listed22 Not listed3 Not listed9 Not listed10
Built-in gamesYes Six table gamesYes Official Activities23 Apps can be added; table games not confirmed24 Not listed3 Not listed9 Not listed10
Openness
Source codeYes AGPLv3: web, server, desktopNo Proprietary25 Open source not listed22Yes Backend generally AGPLv326No Proprietary27Yes AGPL-3.028
Run your own serverNo Offered as a hosted service Not listed18 Not listed22Yes26 Yes29 Yes28

When is Micup a fair pick?

Micup makes sense for a group that wants a Discord-style server and something more to do together. If you only want a cheaper or more private chat app, the options further down may suit you better.

  • You want 3D rooms. A voice channel can open as one of 5 3D rooms where people hang out as avatars, in a desktop browser or the desktop app, for free. No VR headset needed.
  • You play table games. Okey, 101 Okey, backgammon, chess, draughts and Turkish draughts are built into 3D rooms.
  • You want to pay little or just once. Plus costs $1.99 a month or $19.13 for 12 months, as a one-time purchase or a subscription. Taxes and local prices may vary.
  • You want to read the source. Micup's web app, server and desktop app are open source under AGPLv3, and the source of each release can be downloaded without an account.

When is Micup the wrong pick?

  • Your group is on iPhones or consoles: there is no iOS app yet and no console app.
  • You want encryption: choose Element or Signal.
  • You want to run your own server: choose Stoat, Mumble, TeamSpeak or Element.
  • You need forums, threads, Stage or scheduled events: stay on Discord or check Root.
  • You need a large catalog of bots and apps: Discord is far ahead.
  • Your group is far from Europe and voice delay matters most: Micup voice servers are in Germany today. We have not measured the delay.
  • Anyone in the group is under 15, or under a higher local age limit.

How do you choose and move without losing your group?

  1. Write down what your group actually uses: voice, screen sharing, bots, forums, iPhones.
  2. Drop any app that misses one of those. The table above and the list below are for that.
  3. Try your top two with three or four friends for an evening, before you move anyone.
  4. Keep the old server open while people move. Micup and Root rebuild structure from a Discord template; on Micup, messages and members do not move.
  5. Post one invite link and pin it, and set a date for the move.

How did we choose this list?

We looked for apps people can use today, in six areas: voice and screen sharing, how a community is organised, price, platforms, openness and sign-up rules. We list what each app is good at and leave out scores, because no score fits every group. The order follows need, not rank. Micup comes first under a stated condition because it is our product; if 3D rooms do not matter to you, start with Root or Stoat.

Which alternative fits which group?

If you want...Look at
3D rooms and table games with no VR headsetMicup
The closest thing to a Discord server, with an iOS appRoot
A free open source server you can run yourselfStoat
Voice for a gaming group on a server you controlTeamSpeak or Mumble
Encrypted group chatElement or Signal
Very large groups and big filesTelegram
Tools for a companySlack
Family and friends on phonesWhatsApp or Signal
Chat tied to your game librarySteam Chat
A quick watch party by linkKosmi
VR and user-made worldsVRChat

Micup: if you want 3D rooms without a VR headset

Micup has servers, text and voice channels, roles and bots, plus five 3D rooms and six table games on computers. It is free, and Plus costs $1.99 a month; taxes and local prices may vary. It has no iOS app yet, does not claim end-to-end encryption, and has a small bot catalog. It requires users to be at least 15, or older where local law requires. We make it.

Related pages: Micup vs Discord

Root: if you want a Discord-style server with higher limits

Root has communities with channels, imports Discord templates and runs on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android. It publishes generous limits: 200 members and 50 video streams in a voice channel, 10,000-character messages and 100 MB files. Its download page does not list a browser version, and it is for ages 16 and up.

Sources: Root limits, Root download

Related pages: Micup vs Root

Stoat: if you want free and open source

Stoat, formerly Revolt, is free, and custom emoji and animated avatars need no subscription. Its backend is generally AGPLv3, and you can run it yourself. Screen sharing arrived in July 2026 at 720p and 30 fps. Android is in early access, and iPhone users add a web app to the home screen.

Sources: Stoat, Stoat release notes

Related pages: Micup vs Stoat

TeamSpeak: if your gaming group wants its own voice server

TeamSpeak has a long history with gaming groups. Hosted plans start at $4.99 a month for 10 + 1 slots, and you can run your own server; TeamSpeak 6 is still in beta, with a 32-slot licence renewed every two months. Its downloads page lists no web client.

Sources: TeamSpeak community options, TeamSpeak 6 server

Related pages: Micup vs TeamSpeak

Mumble: if you only want voice

Mumble is free and open source under a BSD-style licence, focuses on low-latency voice, and includes positional audio and ReNameNoise noise suppression. You need a server, and the stable version has no screen sharing or video for now. Its official iOS app is unmaintained, and Android relies on the third-party Mumla app.

Sources: Mumble, Mumble downloads

Related pages: Micup vs Mumble

Element: if encryption and federation come first

Element is a Matrix client that says it encrypts messages end to end by default. You can run your own server, and Matrix servers connect to each other. It runs in a browser, on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. It leans towards organisations, and the public matrix.org homeserver limits free files to 10 MB.

Sources: Element encryption, matrix.org pricing

Related pages: Micup vs Element

Signal: if private messages matter most

Signal is free, run by a nonprofit, and says messages and calls are always end-to-end encrypted. Group calls hold 75 people and groups 1,000. It is a messenger, and its pages list no server structure. It has no web version, the desktop app needs a phone, and sign-up uses a phone number by default; registering without a number is an Android beta.

Sources: Signal terms, Signal group calls, Signal download

Telegram: if you need big groups and big files

Telegram is free, with groups of up to 200,000 members, channels with no subscriber limit, files up to 2 GB and group calls. It runs on phones, computers and the web. It needs a mobile number, and only Secret Chats are end-to-end encrypted.

Sources: Telegram FAQ, Telegram terms

Related pages: Micup vs Telegram

Slack: if you are running a company

Slack is built for work, with workflows and integrations. Its free plan keeps messages for 90 days and limits huddles to 2 people, and Pro lists at $8.75 per user a month. That pricing rarely suits a community.

Sources: Slack pricing

Related pages: Micup vs Slack

WhatsApp: if your group is family and friends on phones

WhatsApp is free, with group calls for up to 32 people, no time limit on calls, and end-to-end encryption on personal messages and calls. It needs a mobile number, and it suits small circles better than large communities.

Sources: WhatsApp calling

Steam Chat: if your group lives in Steam

Steam Chat is free with a Steam account and has group chats with persistent text and voice channels and roles. Remote Play Together lets friends share a local multiplayer game that one player owns. It only helps if everyone is already on Steam. The chat page we read dates from 2018.

Sources: Steam Chat update, Remote Play Together

Kosmi: if you want a watch party by link

Kosmi opens in a browser, and guests join by link with no account. It has synced streaming, built-in games such as poker, and free screen sharing up to 720p. It is built around rooms rather than lasting servers with roles.

Sources: Kosmi

Related pages: Micup vs Kosmi

VRChat: if you want VR and user-made worlds

VRChat is free to start, with VRC+ at $9.99 a month. It runs on VR headsets, Windows, iOS and Android, and its worlds are made by users. It does not list macOS, Linux or a browser version. It suits exploring more than running a community.

Sources: VRChat platforms

Related pages: Micup vs VRChat

Which apps on older lists should you skip?

  • Guilded: closed at the end of 2025.
  • Rec Room: closed on 1 June 2026.
  • Skype: closed on 5 May 2025.
  • Spatial: its free and Pro creator plans ended on 27 July 2026, and only the enterprise product continues.
  • Revolt: not closed, but now called Stoat.

Sources: TechCrunch on Skype, UploadVR on Spatial

Related pages: Guilded alternative, Rec Room alternative

Whose trademarks are these?

All product names and trademarks mentioned on this page belong to their owners. Micup is not affiliated with those companies.

Frequently asked questions

What is the closest app to Discord?

Root and Stoat follow the same server, channel and role model most closely, and Micup does too. Root also imports Discord templates and has an iOS app; Micup imports them and adds 3D rooms.

Which Discord alternatives work in a browser?

Discord, Micup, Stoat, Element, Telegram and Kosmi all run in a browser. The download pages of Root, TeamSpeak and Mumble do not list a web version. Micup 3D rooms need a computer.

Which alternatives are open source?

Stoat's backend, Element and Signal are under AGPL licences. Mumble has a BSD-style licence. Micup's web app, server and desktop app are under AGPLv3. Telegram publishes its client apps only.

Which alternative is end-to-end encrypted?

Signal says messages and calls are always end-to-end encrypted. Element says it encrypts by default. WhatsApp encrypts personal messages and calls. Micup does not claim it, and Discord's messages are not, though its non-Stage calls are.

Which is good for gamers?

TeamSpeak and Mumble for voice on your own server, Root or Stoat for a Discord-style server, Steam Chat if everyone is on Steam, and Micup if you want table games and 3D rooms between matches.

Why is Micup on this list if you made it?

Because it is a real option for some groups, and this is our site. We say so, list where it falls short, and link our sources so you can check them.

What are good Discord alternatives in 2026?

It depends on what you use Discord for. Micup (micup.gg) is a free Discord alternative with servers, voice channels, screen sharing and 3D rooms you enter as an avatar; Root and Stoat are closest to its server model, TeamSpeak and Mumble focus on voice, and Element and Signal on encryption.

Sources

  1. support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/360040816151-Go-Live-and-Screen-Share Accessed:
  2. www.rootapp.com/blogs/introducing-root-sudo Accessed:
  3. stoat.chat Accessed:
  4. support.teamspeak.com/hc/en-us/articles/26033099878045-Current-Community-Options Accessed:
  5. element.io/pricing Accessed:
  6. discord.com/nitro Accessed:
  7. support.rootapp.com/docs/member/voice-video/share-screen Accessed:
  8. stoat.chat/release-notes/93eb1f4ec77444ca9fb13617e0e6c0b1 Accessed:
  9. teamspeak.com/en Accessed:
  10. element.io/en/download Accessed:
  11. support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/38749827197591-A-V-E2EE-Enforcement-for-Non-Stage-Voice-Calls Accessed:
  12. www.rootapp.com/privacy-policy Accessed:
  13. element.io/en/features/end-to-end-encryption Accessed:
  14. support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045138571-Beginner-s-Guide-to-Discord Accessed:
  15. www.rootapp.com/download Accessed:
  16. stoat.chat/download Accessed:
  17. teamspeak.com/en/downloads Accessed:
  18. discord.com/download Accessed:
  19. github.com/element-hq/element-x-android Accessed:
  20. github.com/element-hq/element-x-ios Accessed:
  21. support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/19583625604887-Voice-Channels-FAQs Accessed:
  22. www.rootapp.com Accessed:
  23. support-apps.discord.com/hc/en-us/sections/26498424335895-Activities Accessed:
  24. apps.apple.com/us/app/root-community-chat-voice/id6742028281 Accessed:
  25. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discord Accessed:
  26. github.com/stoatchat/stoatchat Accessed:
  27. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TeamSpeak Accessed:
  28. github.com/element-hq/element-web Accessed:
  29. github.com/teamspeak/teamspeak6-server Accessed:

Discord is a trademark of Discord Inc.; Micup is not affiliated with that company. Root is a trademark of Root Communications, Inc.; Micup is not affiliated with that company. Stoat is a trademark of Revolt Platforms Ltd; Micup is not affiliated with that company. TeamSpeak is a trademark of TeamSpeak Systems, Inc.; Micup is not affiliated with that company. Element is a trademark of Element Creations Limited; Micup is not affiliated with that company.

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3D rooms and table games open on computers, in the browser and the desktop app.