Discord is optimized for community-based voice and text communication with robust moderation tools, while Telegram prioritizes privacy, encrypted messaging, and operates as a direct messaging app with larger channel audiences. Discord excels for gaming and community servers; Telegram excels for secure one-to-one and broadcast communication.
Discord vs Telegram — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
VoIP and instant messaging platform with 150+ million monthly users, dominant in gaming communities.
Privacy-focused messaging app with encrypted chats, channels, and lightweight design.
Primary Use Case. End-to-End Encryption. Voice Channel Capacity. Monthly Active Users. Moderation Tools. Message Search Functionality. Data Storage on Servers
Choose Discord if you're building an active community around gaming, hobbies, or group projects where robust moderation, unlimited voice channels, and searchable message history matter. Choose Telegram if privacy is your priority, you need secure one-to-one messaging, or want a lightweight app with broader global adoption and better support for large broadcast audiences.
Discord: 50-100ms with spatial audio | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Limited/Third-party only | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Comprehensive API with bot framework (GDC 2026) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Limited third-party apps | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Free (with Nitro at $9.99) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: 25 participants | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Outstanding (advanced codecs) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: 1080p (1920x1080) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: 0 (no native support) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Minimal (intuitive design) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: 500+ million registered users | Telegram: N/A
Discord: SOC 2, GDPR (limited enterprise focus) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Completely free | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Discord Nitro $9.99-99.99/year | Telegram: N/A
Discord: 1440 (24 hours) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Up to 50 (voice channel) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Limited, experimental | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Permanent (searchable) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Basic moderation bots | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Yes, SOC 2 Type II | Telegram: N/A
Discord: 1080p @ 60fps | Telegram: 720p @ 30fps
Discord: 10,000+ bots | Telegram: 500+ bots
Discord: Free (with Nitro at $9.99/mo optional) | Telegram: Free
Discord: Opus (optimized, 128kbps default) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: 1080p (premium servers) | Telegram: N/A
Message History Scanning for AI Training
Discord: Yes (Discord trains AI on content) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: $9.99 per server/month | Telegram: N/A
Discord: 50+ participants | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Basic (bots only) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: 128 kbps optimized | Telegram: N/A
Discord: No (opt-in only) | Telegram: Yes (Secret Chats)
Discord: 0.1-0.3 seconds | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Proprietary/Closed | Telegram: N/A
Discord: 150+ million | Telegram: 800+ million
Discord: Free (Nitro $9.99/year) | Telegram: N/A
Maximum Simultaneous Video Participants (Free)
Discord: 50 with Nitro ($99.99/year) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: No direct integration | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Not HIPAA certified | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Speech-to-text via integrations only | Telegram: N/A
Discord: 50 participants | Telegram: N/A
Discord: ~8,000 public servers (estimated) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: 4.3 stars (3.8M reviews) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: No native integration | Telegram: N/A
Discord: 8 video participants | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Free (unlimited) | Telegram: N/A
Free Tier Group Video Call Duration Limit
Maximum Group Call Participants (Free Tier)
Discord: No (bot-dependent) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Yes (unlimited) | Telegram: N/A
Maximum Webinar Participants (Paid Plan)
Discord: Not enabled by default (optional for 1-on-1 only) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Proprietary/Closed-source | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Under 100ms optimized | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Not supported; Discord-only infrastructure | Telegram: N/A
Maximum Concurrent Voice Users (Free Tier)
Discord: Limited control; Discord retains indefinitely | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Free (Nitro $9.99 optional) | Telegram: N/A
Discord: 200 million registered | Telegram: N/A
Discord: No native AI features | Telegram: N/A
Discord: Unlimited | Telegram: 200 participants
Discord: Server-side only (E2E requires manual enable) | Telegram: Server-side; E2E in secret chats
Discord: Full history searchable | Telegram: Limited in free version
Discord: Advanced (roles, automod, audit logs, permissions) | Telegram: Basic (admin removal, message deletion)
Discord: Unlimited (16.7M+ in largest server) | Telegram: Unlimited (channels support 5M+ subscribers)
Discord: Not available | Telegram: Available (1 second to 1 month)
Discord: AutoMod, basic filters, requires bots | Telegram: N/A
Discord: N/A | Telegram: All chats (optional secret mode)
Discord: N/A | Telegram: Basic (API-dependent, fewer built-in tools)
Discord: N/A | Telegram: Highly flexible and well-documented
Discord: N/A | Telegram: New UI redesign, sharing prevention, member tags, privacy controls (4 major)
Discord: N/A | Telegram: Power users and privacy enthusiasts
Discord: N/A | Telegram: Third-party bot integrations and custom bots
Discord: N/A | Telegram: 4 hours 25 minutes
How to choose between Discord and Telegram
Discord vs Telegram — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Discord vs Telegram. Contains 148 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Discord vs Telegram — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Discord vs Telegram.
Which app is more secure for private conversations?
Telegram is more secure for private messaging. It offers end-to-end encryption enabled by default in 'Secret Chats' with optional message auto-delete timers (1 second to 1 month). Discord's end-to-end encryption requires manual activation and only works in 1-on-1 DMs. For sensitive conversations, Telegram's secret chats are the more privacy-forward option.
Which platform is better for large communities and gaming groups?
Discord is significantly better for large communities. It supports unlimited concurrent voice channel participants, advanced moderation with role-based permissions, full message searchable history, and bot integration. Telegram's group video calls max out at 200 participants, and moderation tools are much more limited. Discord's server structure is explicitly designed for community management.
How much data and battery do these apps use?
Telegram is dramatically more lightweight. Telegram's app is 3-5 MB versus Discord's 90-120 MB, making it ideal for users with limited storage or data plans. Telegram also consumes significantly less battery due to its minimal feature set. Discord's larger footprint is due to its extensive voice, video, and integration features.
Telegram allows greater anonymity. You can create a Telegram account with a username and keep your phone number hidden from other users. Discord requires email verification and displays your username publicly. Neither offers completely anonymous access, but Telegram's username-based system provides better privacy.
Which platform is more popular globally?
Telegram significantly outpaces Discord with 800+ million monthly active users compared to Discord's 200 million (as of 2025). Telegram's superior adoption is driven by its lightweight design, privacy focus, and popularity in regions with limited internet infrastructure. Discord dominates in gaming and Western communities but remains far smaller globally.
How to Choose Between Discord and Telegram
Primary Use Case: Discord has Community servers (gaming, hobbies, interest groups), while Telegram has Direct messaging and broadcast channels.
End-to-End Encryption: Discord has Not default; only in DMs with specific setting, while Telegram has Default in secret chats; optional in regular chats.
Voice Channel Capacity: Discord has Unlimited concurrent users per server, while Telegram has Group calls limited to 200 participants.
Monthly Active Users: Discord has 200 million (as of 2025), while Telegram has 800+ million (as of 2025).
Moderation Tools: Discord has Advanced: role-based permissions, automod, audit logs, while Telegram has Basic: admin controls, message deletion, user removal.
Message Search Functionality: Discord has Full message history searchable, while Telegram has Limited to recent messages in free version.
Data Storage on Servers: Discord has All messages stored indefinitely by Discord, while Telegram has Auto-delete options available; optional cloud backup.