Discord Alternatives for 2025

Since it launched, Discord has changed the game for how communities and teams connect online – blending text, voice, and video into one flexible app. It started with gamers, but quickly caught on with startups, creative teams, and remote workers everywhere.

That said, Discord isn’t the perfect fit for every team. Some need more structure for managing projects. Others want something that supports professional workflows just as well as casual chats.

The good news? There are plenty of great Discord alternatives out there – from simple chat apps to full-on collaboration tools built for both work and fun. We’ve rounded up the best of them here, so you can find the one that fits your team best.

TL;DR: Discord Alternatives Shortlist

• Slack for complex project hierarchies and structures
• Orchestra for messaging with built-in calls, tasks & docs
• Zoom Team Chat for Zoom-centered workflows
• Google Chat for Google-centered workflows
• Chanty for team chat with task tracking 
• Mattermost for self-hosted collaboration with that old-school SaaS vibe 
• Microsoft Teams for Microsoft-centered workflows

Why Switch from Discord

Discord is an well-known app among tech community, especially gamedev. It’s for collaboration via channels and video chats. While Discord shines for casual use, it’s not built with business in mind. There are lots of frustrations like:

In 2025, the best Discord alternatives finally get the balance right – bringing together communication and management in a way that just makes sense for modern teams.

Slack vs. Discord

A pioneer in the world of SaaS communication tools that connects teams and integrates with apps for work collaboration.

📍Key Features

• Slack Connect. Shared channels to message and stay aligned with people outside your team, like clients, contractors, or partners, directly in Slack without switching apps.
• Threads. The message flows in channels. They’re meant to keep discussions clear and on track.
• Huddles. Audio or video chats you can start in any channel or DM.
• Canvas. A collaborative space for your conversations, meeting notes, or project info that stays connected to your discussions.
• Lists. A task-tracking tool where the team can create to-dos, assign tasks, set priorities, and keep progress visible.
• Workflow Builder. A no-code tool for custom workflows like onboarding, approvals, or reminders.

🔎 Compared to Discord

• Pros: Work-focused, threaded messages (a plus for some), customizable alerts, more features for tech teams.
• Cons: Limited free features, less dynamic voice and video calls, a more formal vibe.

👾 Best for Teams

Slack is a go-to for large teams and enterprises, though it might feel messy and hard to navigate for startups, small, and mid-sized teams. Those teams are often settling for alternatives that are more budget-friendly and simple.

Orchestra vs. Discord

An all-in-one workspace that brings communication and management as intended – together. Orchestra’s interface is chat-centric, so every project and task has a separate chat to keep your team’s communication on point from the very start.

📍Key Features

• Task-focused Chats. Every task or project starts with a dedicated chat, keeping communication on point. Create private or public chats for personal, team, project, or task communication, plus channels for alerts.
• Chat Folders. A cleaner alternative to threads. With folders like favorites, unread, personal, or task-related, shape chat views however you like.
• Built-in Calls. Voice and video calls are already integrated into task-related chats. Recordings are stored within the same chat.
• Built-in Tasks. Projects and tasks can be created directly from chats. Add assignees, deadlines, and structure with hierarchies, lists, and boards — all in one workspace.
• Tasks from Messages. Turn messages into tasks in one click and link them to relevant projects instantly.
• Media & Files. Easy access to docs, media, and files in every chat.
• Teams & Free Guests. Build your team structure with customizable roles and permissions. No limits on external guests.

🔎 Compared to Discord

• Pros: Chats built with workflow management in mind, docs collaboration, async updates for flexible collaboration, unlimited guest access.
• Cons: Lacks casual and community features, less dynamic voice and video calls.

👾 Best for Teams

Orchestra works best for small and mid-sized modern product, marketing teams, and fast-moving startups. The app is simple yet packed with everything teams need to keep work flowing – easy to use and stylish to work with.

Zoom Team Chat vs. Discord

Formerly a video conferencing app, Zoom has expanded its product lineup and become Zoom Workplace, with Zoom Team Chat as one of its main products. 

📍Key Features

• Team Chat. A Slack-like interface built inside the Zoom ecosystem. Includes threads, as well as direct and group messaging.
• Meetings. Instant voice and video calls. Create breakout rooms for focused discussions or make async video updates when live meetings aren’t necessary.
• Huddles. Similar to meetings, but more informal and spontaneous.
• Phone. A cloud-based phone service to make and receive calls directly in Zoom, similar to how we used Skype before.
• Calendar. A classic calendar view for scheduling meetings.
• AI Agents. AI-powered chatbots that handle customer inquiries and route issues to the right team.

🔎 Compared to Discord

• Pros: Strong integration between chat and video, async video updates, seamless fit for teams already using Zoom.
• Cons: Lacks casual and community features.

👾 Best for Teams

Zoom Team Chat is a collaboration hub that integrates seamlessly into the Zoom platform, so it’s ideal for teams that are used to the Zoom platform.

Google Chat vs. Discord

Built for teams integrated into the Google Workspace ecosystem, Google Chat allows users to communicate in direct messages or group spaces while collaborating on familiar tools like Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

📍Key Features

• Messages & Group Chats. Direct or public chats for discussions. 
• Spaces. Threaded conversations, file sharing, and task assignments within each Space.
• Google Workspace Integrations. Additional services like Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, and Calendar to collaborate and share work without leaving the chat.
• AI Replies. AI-suggested messages to automate tasks and responses.

🔎 Compared to Discord

• Pros: Seamless integration with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Calendar), straightforward for teams already using Google tools, supports threaded conversations and spaces.
• Cons: Less dynamic for real-time collaboration, lacks rich voice and video features, lacks community tools.

👾 Best for Teams

Google Chat is best for teams already using Google Workspace. Teams that focus on document-based collaboration can also consider this tool.

Chanty vs. Discord

A team chat app that combines messaging, task management, and project planning into one tool.

📍Key Features

• Teambook. A central hub where you can find all your messages, tasks, files, and pinned content organized in one place. Threads are also available.
• Chanty Extras. Add-ons like dark mode, a built-in media player, and content previews to improve your work experience.
• Calls. Voice or video calls within the workspace when typing isn’t an option.
• Task Management. A range of tools to work with tasks and manage progress right in the chat.
• Team Space. A shared environment where your whole team can collaborate through chats and tasks.

🔎 Compared to Discord

• Pros: Simple and intuitive interface, built-in task management, great for small to mid-sized teams focused on productivity.
• Cons: Limited real-time collaboration features, less suitable for voice-first or community-driven workflows.

👾 Best for Teams

Chanty is a budget-friendly option for small to mid-sized teams seeking a communication tool with built-in basic project and task management.

Mattermost vs. Discord

An open-source team collaboration tool. It is often seen as an alternative to Slack and provides secure messaging, file sharing, and integration with apps to keep the work flowing.

📍Key Features

• Channels. Public or private spaces based on topics, teams, or projects for team communication.
• Threads. The Slack feature to follow specific conversations.
• Customizable Notifications. Tailored notifications to stay updated on important conversations.
• Dev-Centric Integrations. External apps like GitHub, JIRA, Google Drive, and more are connected to your workspace.

🔎 Compared to Discord

• Pros: Open-source means highly customizable and flexible for tech teams.
• Cons: Less user-friendly, has a smaller selection of community and casual-use integrations.

👾 Best for Teams

Mattermost is best suited for teams seeking a Slack alternative, as well as for development teams, security-focused organizations, or those that require a self-hosted solution.

Microsoft Teams vs. Discord

A collaboration platform integrated with Microsoft 365 for messaging, video calls, file sharing, and collaboration within the Microsoft Office ecosystem.

📍Key Features

• Chats. Direct messages with one or more colleagues.
• Channels. You can create them based on any topic. Channels are where all the conversations, files, wikis, and planners are.
• Teams. A space with a list of all the teams you're a part of. They are made up of channels.
• Calls. A cloud-based phone service for calls.
• Meetings. Instant voice and video meetings, just like everywhere else.
• File Collaboration. You can collaborate on Microsoft Docs simultaneously.

🔎 Compared to Discord

• Pros: Deep integration with Office apps, stronger project collaboration.
• Cons: Heavier UX, less customizable, slower performance.

👾 Best for Teams

Teams that are already using Microsoft 365 and need integration with Office apps will find this option perfect.

Discord Alternatives: The Table View

We’ve explored some of the best alternatives to Discord available in 2025. To help you decide, just focus on the features and the price. The table below should make the research easier: