Open source Discord alternatives
Open source means the code that runs the service is public. Anyone can read it, check what it does with your messages, and keep it running if the company behind it stops. For a community that has been burned by a platform once, that is the point.
Open clients on a closed server don't count here. The board below only lists apps where the server itself is open.
| Destination | Open source | Hosting | Encryption | Voice | Video | Threads | Members pay | Runs on | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DISCORDleaving | No | Cloud only | TLS + E2EE voice | Yes | Yes | Yes | Free | PCMACLINUXIPHONEANDROIDWEB | STABLE |
| ARMADA | Yes | Cloud or self-hostDecentralized | E2EE everything | Yes | Yes | Yes | Free | PCMACLINUXIPHONEANDROIDWEB | BETA |
| ELEMENT | Yes | Cloud or self-hostFederated | TLS + E2EE private rooms | Yes | Yes | Yes | Free | PCMACLINUXIPHONEANDROIDWEB | STABLE |
| FLUXER | Yes | Cloud or self-host | TLS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Free | PCMACLINUXIPHONEANDROIDWEB | STABLE |
| STOAT | Yes | Cloud or self-host | TLS | Yes | Yes | No | Free | PCMACLINUXIPHONEANDROIDWEB | STABLE |
Open source isn't the same as self-hosted
Every app on this page publishes its code, and all of them also let you run your own copy. That isn't true of every open-source chat app, so check the Hosting column if running your own server is the goal.
Open source also doesn't mean encrypted. Most of these use TLS, which protects traffic on its way to the server but lets whoever runs the server read it. Only Armada encrypts everything end to end.
Questions
What is the most Discord-like open source alternative?
Fluxer and Stoat look and work most like Discord: servers, channels, roles, bots and voice. Fluxer has threads and Stoat doesn't. Neither has a native iPhone app yet.
Is Matrix open source?
Yes. Matrix is an open protocol and Element, its main app, is open source under AGPL-3.0. You can use the free matrix.org server or run your own.
More ways to narrow it down
- Self-hosted Discord alternatives
- Encrypted Discord alternatives
- Discord's age checks, and where people are going
- How to move a Discord server
- Discord alternatives for businesses
Something wrong? Tell r/LeavingDiscord.