Discord vs Guilded 2026: Features & User Comparison
Discord dominates with 200+ million monthly users and superior gaming integration, while Guilded offers more customizable moderation tools and better server organization features at no cost. Discord remains the industry standard for gaming communities, whereas Guilded appeals to users prioritizing granular control and organization.
Discord
VoIP and instant messaging platform with 150+ million monthly users, dominant in gaming communities.
Gaming communities, streaming networks, large-scale communities (500+ members), organizations leveraging gaming platform integrations
Guilded
Purpose-built gaming community platform optimized for esports teams with 1+ million users and advanced moderation.
Community organizers needing calendar integration, moderation-heavy communities, smaller gaming guilds (50-500 members), organizations avoiding subscription tiers
Quick Answer
AI SummaryDiscord dominates with 200+ million monthly users and superior gaming integration, while Guilded offers more customizable moderation tools and better server organization features at no cost. Discord remains the industry standard for gaming communities, whereas Guilded appeals to users prioritizing granular control and organization.
Our Verdict
AI-assistedChoose Discord if you're building a gaming community, need massive ecosystem integration (Steam, Twitch, YouTube), or want access to the largest user base with established community standards. Choose Guilded if you need enterprise-grade moderation controls, prefer forum-style organization with native calendar/event management, or want a free alternative without subscription pressure for premium features.
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Choose Discord if
Best pickGaming communities, streaming networks, large-scale communities (500+ members), organizations leveraging gaming platform integrations
Choose Guilded if
Community organizers needing calendar integration, moderation-heavy communities, smaller gaming guilds (50-500 members), organizations avoiding subscription tiers
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Key Differences at a Glance
- Monthly Active Users:✓ Discord wins(200+ million vs 5-10 million estimated)
- Maximum File Upload Size (Free):✓ Guilded wins(50 MB vs 25 MB)
- Built-in Calendar Feature:✓ Guilded wins(Yes (native feature) vs No (requires bot integration))
Key Facts & Figures
65 numeric metrics compared
| Metric | Discord | Guilded | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audio Latency(milliseconds) | 50-100ms with spatial audio | — | — |
| Free Audio Quality(kbps) | 128 kbps | — | — |
| Base Pricing (Monthly)(USD) | Free (with Nitro at $9.99) | — | — |
| Maximum Video Meeting Participants(participants) | 25 participants | — | — |
| Language Translation Support(languages) | 0 (no native support) | — | — |
| Registered Users Globally(millions) | 500+ million registered users | — | — |
| Free Tier Cost(USD) | Completely free | — | — |
| Group Video Call Duration Limit (Free)(minutes) | 1440 (24 hours) | — | — |
| Maximum Meeting Participants(participants) | Up to 50 (voice channel) | — | — |
| Max File Upload Size(MB) | 100 MB | — | — |
| Mobile App Size (iOS)(MB) | ~150 MB | — | — |
| Bot/Integration Ecosystem Size(available bots) | 10,000+ bots | — | — |
| Cost for Personal Use(USD/month) | Free (with Nitro at $9.99/mo optional) | — | — |
| Public Bot Library Size(bots) | 500,000+ | — | — |
| Monthly Cost (Basic Premium)(USD) | $9.99 | — | — |
| Monthly Cost (Pro Plan)(USD) | $9.99 per server/month | — | — |
| Voice Audio Codec Quality(kHz) | 48 kHz | — | — |
| Maximum Video Call Participants(people) | 50+ participants | — | — |
| Voice Chat Bitrate(kbps) | 128 kbps optimized | — | — |
| Third-Party Integrations(integrations) | 400+ | — | — |
| Paid Plan Starting Price(USD/month) | Free (Nitro $9.99/year) | — | — |
| Max Video Conference Participants(people) | 50 | — | — |
| Voice Codec Quality Rating(score (1-10)) | 9.5 | — | — |
| Enterprise Security Certifications(count) | SOC 2 only | — | — |
| Time to Deploy(seconds (average)) | 1 | — | — |
| Uptime Guarantee(percent) | 99.99% | — | — |
| Monthly Cost (1 Pro User)(USD) | $0 (free tier) | — | — |
| Screen Sharing Maximum FPS(fps) | 60fps | — | — |
| Supported Language Captions(languages) | 15 languages | — | — |
| Enterprise Fortune 500 Adoption Rate(percent) | Less than 5% | — | — |
| Maximum Simultaneous Video Participants (Free)(participants) | 50 with Nitro ($99.99/year) | — | — |
| Audio Sampling Rate(kHz) | 48kHz premium | — | — |
| Real-Time Auto-Transcription Languages(languages) | Speech-to-text via integrations only | — | — |
| Average Daily Time Spent(minutes) | 195 minutes | — | — |
| Maximum Voice Call Participants(users) | 50 participants | — | — |
| Content Retention Period (Free)(days) | 30 days | — | — |
| Number of Public Communities(thousands) | ~8,000 public servers (estimated) | — | — |
| Mobile App Store Rating(stars) | 4.3 stars (3.8M reviews) | — | — |
| Maximum Free Storage Per Upload(MB) | 100 MB | — | — |
| Voice Latency(milliseconds) | 50-80ms | — | — |
| Third-Party Bot Integrations Available(count) | 10,000+ bots | — | — |
| Base Pricing (Team/Workspace)(USD per month) | Free | — | — |
| Voice Latency (Lower is Better)(milliseconds) | 20-30ms | — | — |
| Free Tier Monthly Active Users(millions) | 150 million | — | — |
| Video Participants (Free Tier)(maximum simultaneous) | 8 video participants | — | — |
| Workspace/Server Creation Cost(USD per month) | Free (unlimited) | — | — |
| Monthly Cost (Pro/Premium Plan)(USD) | $9.99 | — | — |
| Maximum Group Call Participants (Free Tier)(users) | 100 | — | — |
| Screen Share FPS (Free Tier)(fps) | 60 | — | — |
| Maximum Webinar Participants (Paid Plan)(users) | 100 | — | — |
| Average Voice Latency(milliseconds) | Under 100ms optimized | — | — |
| Free Tier File Upload Size Limit(MB) | 8 MB per file | — | — |
| Monthly Cost Per User (Pro Plan)(USD) | Free (Nitro $9.99 optional) | — | — |
| Third-Party Integrations Available(integrations) | 150+ | — | — |
| Message Search Quality Score(1-10 scale) | 2.0 | — | — |
| Setup Time for New Teams(minutes) | 5-10 | — | — |
| User Base Size(millions of developers) | 200 million registered | — | — |
| Voice Call Audio Quality Score(1-10 scale) | 9.5 | — | — |
| Mobile App File Size(MB) | 90-120 MB | — | — |
| Voice Channel Latency(milliseconds) | 80-120ms | 40-60ms | |
| Official Game Integrations(integrations) | 2000+ | 200+ | |
| Available Bots(bots) | 6.7+ million | ~5,000 | |
| Free Tier File Upload(MB) | 100 MB | 50 MB | |
| Server Creation Limit(servers) | 100 | Unlimited | |
| Premium Subscription Cost(USD/month) | $9.99 | $4.99 |
Sourced from publicly available data ·
Key Differences
7 attributes compared head-to-head
- 200+ million(winner)Monthly Active Users5-10 million estimated
- 25 MBMaximum File Upload Size (Free)50 MB(winner)
- No (requires bot integration)Built-in Calendar FeatureYes (native feature)(winner)
- Basic role systemCustom Roles Hierarchy ControlAdvanced nested role management with item-level permissions(winner)
- Steam, Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Battle.net, EA Play, Ubisoft+(winner)Gaming Partner IntegrationsLimited third-party gaming integrations
- Thread-based (introduced 2021)Thread Organization SystemForum-style with categories and subcategories(winner)
- Free (Nitro subscription optional at $9.99/month)Cost for Core FeaturesFree (no premium tier required for core features)
- Monthly Active Users
Discord
200+ million(winner)
Guilded
5-10 million estimated
- Maximum File Upload Size (Free)
Discord
25 MB
Guilded
50 MB(winner)
- Built-in Calendar Feature
Discord
No (requires bot integration)
Guilded
Yes (native feature)(winner)
- Custom Roles Hierarchy Control
Discord
Basic role system
Guilded
Advanced nested role management with item-level permissions(winner)
- Gaming Partner Integrations
Discord
Steam, Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Battle.net, EA Play, Ubisoft+(winner)
Guilded
Limited third-party gaming integrations
- Thread Organization System
Discord
Thread-based (introduced 2021)
Guilded
Forum-style with categories and subcategories(winner)
- Cost for Core Features
Discord
Free (Nitro subscription optional at $9.99/month)
Guilded
Free (no premium tier required for core features)
Full Comparison
| Attribute | Guilded | |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier Participant Limit(participants) | Unlimited | — |
| Free Tier Video Call Duration(minutes) | Unlimited | — |
| Maximum Group Call Participants (Free Tier)(users) | 100 | — |
| Maximum Webinar Participants (Paid Plan)(users) | 100 | — |
| Maximum Concurrent Voice Users (Free Tier)(users) | Unlimited | — |
| Audio Latency(milliseconds) | 50-100ms with spatial audio | — |
| Mobile App Size (iOS)(MB) | ~150 MB | — |
| Voice Audio Codec Quality(kHz) | 48 kHz | — |
| Maximum Video Call Participants(people) | 50+ participants | — |
| Voice Chat Bitrate(kbps) | 128 kbps optimized | — |
Show 9 more attributesMessage Search Speed(seconds) 0.1-0.3 seconds — Time to Deploy(seconds (average)) 1 — Uptime Guarantee(percent) 99.99% — Screen Sharing Maximum FPS(fps) 60fps — Voice Latency(milliseconds) 50-80ms — Voice Latency (Lower is Better)(milliseconds) 20-30ms — Average Voice Latency(milliseconds) Under 100ms optimized — Mobile App File Size(MB) 90-120 MB — Voice Channel Latency(milliseconds) 80-120ms 40-60ms | ||
| Free Audio Quality(kbps) | 128 kbps | — |
| Maximum Video Resolution(pixels) | 1080p (premium servers) | — |
| Video Meeting Notes with AI | No | — |
| Maximum Video Meeting Participants(participants) | 25 participants | — |
| Language Translation Support(languages) | 0 (no native support) | — |
| Group Video Call Duration Limit (Free)(minutes) | 1440 (24 hours) | — |
| Real-Time Translation Support(Languages) | Limited, experimental | — |
Show 24 more attributesMessage History Retention(text) Permanent (searchable) — AI Assistant Capabilities(text) Basic moderation bots — Max File Upload Size(MB) 100 MB — Voice Channel Participant Limit(users) Unlimited — Screen Share Quality(fps @ resolution) 1080p @ 60fps — Free Message History(days) Unlimited — Third-Party Integrations(integrations) 400+ — Max Video Conference Participants(people) 50 — Supported Language Captions(languages) 15 languages — Maximum Voice Call Participants(users) 50 participants — Content Retention Period (Free)(days) 30 days — Maximum Free Storage Per Upload(MB) 100 MB — Free Tier Message History(messages) Unlimited — Video Participants (Free Tier)(maximum simultaneous) 8 video participants — Native Meeting Recording No (bot-dependent) — Persistent Message History Yes (unlimited) — Free Tier File Upload Size Limit(MB) 8 MB per file — Voice Call Audio Quality Score(1-10 scale) 9.5 — Offline Message Functionality(yes/no) Limited — Max Group Video Call Participants(users) Unlimited — Message History Search Full history searchable — Official Game Integrations(integrations) 2000+ 200+ Free Tier File Upload(MB) 100 MB 50 MB Server Creation Limit(servers) 100 Unlimited | ||
| Enterprise SSO Support | Limited/Third-party only | — |
| Custom Workflow Automation | Basic (bots only) | — |
| Developer API for Integrations | Comprehensive API with bot framework (GDC 2026) | — |
| Bot/Integration Ecosystem Size(available bots) | 10,000+ bots | — |
| Third-Party Bot Integrations Available(count) | 10,000+ bots | — |
| Calendar Integration | Limited third-party apps | — |
| Microsoft 365 Integration | No native integration | — |
| Base Pricing (Monthly)(USD) | Free (with Nitro at $9.99) | — |
| Free Tier Cost(USD) | Completely free | — |
| Paid Plan Cost (Single User/Month)(USD) | Discord Nitro $9.99-99.99/year | — |
| Cost for Personal Use(USD/month) | Free (with Nitro at $9.99/mo optional) | — |
| Monthly Cost (Basic Premium)(USD) | $9.99 | — |
Show 7 more attributesMonthly Cost (Pro Plan)(USD) $9.99 per server/month — Paid Plan Starting Price(USD/month) Free (Nitro $9.99/year) — Free Tier Call Duration Limit(minutes) Unlimited — Monthly Cost (1 Pro User)(USD) $0 (free tier) — Workspace/Server Creation Cost(USD per month) Free (unlimited) — Monthly Cost Per User (Pro Plan)(USD) Free (Nitro $9.99 optional) — Premium Subscription Cost(USD/month) $9.99 $4.99 | ||
| Voice Chat Quality Rating(subjective score) | Outstanding (advanced codecs) | — |
| Voice Codec Quality Rating(score (1-10)) | 9.5 | — |
| Video Resolution Support(maximum resolution) | 1080p (1920x1080) | — |
| User Learning Curve(difficulty rating) | Minimal (intuitive design) | — |
| Learning Curve(difficulty rating) | 1.5 | — |
| Message Search Quality Score(1-10 scale) | 2.0 | — |
| Registered Users Globally(millions) | 500+ million registered users | — |
| Free Tier Monthly Active Users(millions) | 150 million | — |
| User Base Size(millions of developers) | 200 million registered | — |
| Enterprise Security Compliance(certifications) | SOC 2, GDPR (limited enterprise focus) | — |
| SOC 2 Compliance(text) | Yes, SOC 2 Type II | — |
| Default End-to-End Encryption | No (opt-in only) | — |
| Source Code Availability | Proprietary/Closed | — |
| Enterprise Security Certifications(count) | SOC 2 only | — |
Show 4 more attributesHIPAA Compliance Certification(yes/no) Not certified — SOC 2 Type II Compliance Yes — End-to-End Encryption Not enabled by default (optional for 1-on-1 only) — Default Encryption Type Server-side only (E2E requires manual enable) — | ||
| Maximum Meeting Participants(participants) | Up to 50 (voice channel) | — |
| Public Bot Library Size(bots) | 500,000+ | — |
| Voice Codec Quality(codec type) | Opus (optimized, 128kbps default) | — |
| Message History Scanning for AI Training(status) | Yes (Discord trains AI on content) | — |
| SOC 2 Type II Certified | No | — |
| Users Per Workspace(count) | Unlimited | — |
| Maximum Server/Community Size(members) | Unlimited (16.7M+ in largest server) | — |
| Self-Hosting Option | No | — |
| Self-Hosting Support | Not supported; Discord-only infrastructure | — |
| Monthly Active Users(millions) | 150+ million(winner) | 1+ million |
| Message History (Free Plan)(days) | unlimited | — |
| HIPAA Compliance Certified | No | — |
| HIPAA Compliance(Yes/No) | Not HIPAA certified | — |
| Maximum Free Server Categories(categories) | Unlimited | — |
| Enterprise Fortune 500 Adoption Rate(percent) | Less than 5% | — |
| Free Video Call Duration Limit(minutes) | Unlimited | — |
| Maximum Simultaneous Video Participants (Free)(participants) | 50 with Nitro ($99.99/year) | — |
| Audio Sampling Rate(kHz) | 48kHz premium | — |
| Message History Retention (Free)(searchable messages) | Unlimited | — |
| Google Calendar Integration | No direct integration | — |
| Real-Time Auto-Transcription Languages(languages) | Speech-to-text via integrations only | — |
| Average Daily Time Spent(minutes) | 195 minutes | — |
| Number of Public Communities(thousands) | ~8,000 public servers (estimated) | — |
| Mobile App Store Rating(stars) | 4.3 stars (3.8M reviews) | — |
| Base Pricing (Team/Workspace)(USD per month) | Free | — |
| Free Group Video Call Duration Limit(minutes) | Unlimited | — |
| Free Tier Group Video Call Duration Limit(minutes) | Unlimited | — |
| Monthly Cost (Pro/Premium Plan)(USD) | $9.99 | — |
| Screen Share FPS (Free Tier)(fps) | 60 | — |
| Source Code Accessibility | Proprietary/Closed-source | — |
| User Data Retention Control | Limited control; Discord retains indefinitely | — |
| Auto-Delete Message Option | Not available | — |
| Third-Party Integrations Available(integrations) | 150+ | — |
| Available Bots(bots) | 6.7+ million(winner) | ~5,000 |
| Setup Time for New Teams(minutes) | 5-10 | — |
| AI-Powered Features(count) | No native AI features | — |
| Moderation Tools Sophistication(features) | Advanced (roles, automod, audit logs, permissions) | — |
| Community Moderation Features(features) | AutoMod, basic filters, requires bots | Native role hierarchies, granular permissions, content automation |
Show 9 more attributes
Show 24 more attributes
Show 7 more attributes
Show 4 more attributes
Pros & Cons
10 pros·8 cons across both
Discord
Pros
- 200+ million monthly active users creating largest community ecosystem
- Native integrations with Steam, Twitch, YouTube, Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and Battle.net
- Superior voice codec optimization for gaming (Opus codec at 48kHz)
- Extensive bot marketplace with 700,000+ verified bots for automation
- Established monetization features (Server Boosting) allowing community funding
Cons
- 25 MB file upload limit on free tier requires frequent compression for media
- No native calendar system (requires third-party bot implementation)
- Moderation tools require community manager expertise to configure properly
- Server organization limited to text/voice channels without hierarchical categorization
Guilded
Pros
- Native calendar and event scheduling system eliminating bot dependency
- 50 MB file upload limit (2x Discord's free tier) for media-heavy communities
- Advanced role hierarchy with item-level permission controls for granular moderation
- Forum-style organization with nested categories and subcategories for better discoverability
- Lightweight platform with faster message load times and lower bandwidth requirements
Cons
- 5-10 million estimated users compared to Discord's 200 million limits network effects
- Minimal third-party integrations and limited bot ecosystem (estimated 500+ bots vs Discord's 700,000)
- Weak gaming platform integration (no native Steam, Twitch, or console connections)
- Smaller community of developers and fewer third-party resources for customization
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questions
Discord is significantly better for gaming communities due to its 200+ million user base, native integrations with Steam, Twitch, Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and Battle.net, plus optimization for gaming voice chat (Opus codec at 48kHz). Guilded is suitable only for smaller gaming guilds (50-500 members) prioritizing moderation control over network effects.
Resources & Learn More
Curated sources to dive deeper
Where to Buy
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Wikipedia
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