Discord is a popular cross-platform voice and text chat app that was initially designed for gamers. However, it has now gained mainstream popularity and is used by a wide range of communities. Even the TechSpot team has transitioned from Slack to Discord for team collaboration and communication.
Is Discord better than Zoom?
Discord and Zoom serve different purposes. Discord is ideal for team communication and collaboration through text or voice, while Zoom is better suited for online meetings and presentations in real-time.
Is Discord only for gamers?
While Discord started as a platform for gamers and voice chat, it has evolved to cater to a wide range of communities. Similar to Microsoft Teams or Slack, Discord offers public and private servers for free, making it a popular choice for team communication and collaboration.
Is Discord encrypted?
Discord uses basic encryption methods like TLS to protect text and images during transit. However, it does not provide end-to-end encryption like WhatsApp or Telegram. Some platforms, such as Microsoft Teams, offer end-to-end encryption for VoIP calls.
Is Discord free?
Discord offers free voice, text, and video chat options without any restrictions. While there is a paid “Nitro” membership with additional benefits available, setting up a private server for business purposes can be done at no extra cost.
Is Discord safe?
While Discord is a popular messaging app, it does not offer end-to-end encryption for text or audio/video communication. Although data is encrypted in transit to Discord servers, it is stored on these servers. Even if privacy settings are adjusted to prevent data usage for improvement, Discord still collects and stores this data.
Discord Nitro Basic and Nitro: What’s the Difference?
The Nitro plan provides access to all Nitro perks, including custom emoji and stickers, HD video streaming, and more. Nitro Basic offers selected Nitro features for better expression on Discord, such as custom emoji and larger file uploads.
We continue to expand Nitro to offer users more ways to engage and create memories on Discord. Pricing for Nitro Basic starts at $2.99 per month in the US, with international pricing available in User Settings > Nitro once rolled out.
Features
Discord was initially developed for gamers but has expanded to be used for various activities. People use Discord for karaoke nights, group painting sessions, virtual parties, yoga classes, and more. It serves as a platform for anyone looking to connect with friends and communities.
Download Discord and enjoy modern chat:
- Voice chat: Engage in voice channels to communicate with your group
- Real-time messaging: Share videos, images, and text in a rich chat environment
- Push notifications: Stay updated with @mentions and direct messages
- Instant Invite: Easily invite friends to your voice server using the Instant Invite link
- Direct messages: Send private one-to-one messages
- Multiple server support: Manage all your game chat groups in one client
- Organizable channels: Keep discussions structured and on-topic through organized channels
What’s New
Welcome to Patch Notes! In this series, we review the latest updates in performance, reliability, responsiveness, usability, and bug fixes that have been implemented to enhance the Discord experience.
If you encounter any issues, please check out our Bimonthly Bug Megathread on the r/DiscordApp subreddit. Feel free to share any concerns or problems you have encountered, and our Engineering team will investigate.
Those interested in early access to the latest features can opt into the TestFlight version of Discord on iOS. Help us identify and resolve pesky bugs before they are released to the general user base. Find the TestFlight version at dis.gd/testflight.
All fixes mentioned have been implemented and merged, but may still be rolling out to individual platforms at the time of this post.
Highlights
- We have addressed several user-reported issues related to server administration flows, particularly focusing on permissions, user states, and interactions with account safety features. These fixes are detailed in a dedicated Server Management & Moderation section in this edition of Patch Notes.
- Improvements have been made to the networking stack for Android video delivery, resulting in a nearly 5% increase in video startup speed for Android users. The average startup speed for video feeds on Android is now less than 600ms!
- Enhancements to the desktop user settings include merging Appearance, Accessibility, Chat, Streamer Mode, and Advanced pages into three main pages for better organization and clarity.
- We now fetch Soundboard data upon joining a voice channel, leading to faster loading times for accessing the Soundboard and increased usage of sound effects. Even a small boost in loading speed can encourage more frequent use of the Soundboard feature.
- Linux users can now enjoy an improved updater experience with support for .rpm and .pkg.tar.zst package formats, bringing Linux updates in line with the Windows updating process.
