7 Promising Web3 Discord Alternatives

Do you know?

Discord, primarily started as an instant messaging platform to connect Gamers.

Jason Citron & Stan Vishnevskiy are the co-founders of Discord. They both shared a love for video games, which led to its development.

Discord later received wide acceptance outside the gaming community. Educational groups, Professional Workgroups, Content creators, & Tech Enthusiasts. Most people started using Discord to share information and knowledge.

Discord acted as a common ground for connecting like-minded individuals.

Although Discord is widely accepted, it lacks all of the ethos of Web3. The need for a Discord alternative with a privacy focus, data security, democratic governance, and crypto monetization is the need of the hour. That’s the very reason for this blog.

I will discuss the 7 Web3 alternatives to Discord below.

• Catalyze
• Matrix
• Tribes
• Status
• Common Ground
• UUKI
• Sphinx

Let’s jump-start this.

Catalyze

Catalyze is another blockchain-based decentralized messaging alternative to Discord.

Ray Laracuenta & Johann Hartmann are co-founders of this messaging platform.

In Catalyze, crypto transactions are made possible using the Web3 identity and a crypto Wallet.

It includes a chat facility, community groups, a calendar, an events planner & more.

Pros

• Enhanced security over data compared to centralized systems.
• Rewards users for their contribution to the community.

Cons

• May be complex for users unfamiliar with Web3 concepts.
• Network congestion on Blockchain can impact user experience.

Matrix

Matrix is an open protocol for decentralized and secure communication.

Matthew Hodgson, Amandine Le Pape, & Dr. Jutta Steiner are the co-founders of the Matrix platform.

Element is a widely known client built on top of the Matrix platform.

It is a secure communication platform built with ethos belonging to decentralized systems.

Pros

• There is plenty of information in Matrix docs for developers to get started.
• It enhances Privacy and prevents a single entity from controlling the network.

Cons

• Setup is definitely not as easy as setting up a Discord server.
• With Blockchain dependence, efficiency could be compromised during high demand.

Tribes

With Tribes, you can chat, transact, and co-own assets with anyone on Ethereum & Solana blockchains.

The Tribes app is available both in the Apple Store & Google Play, which has led to more users signing up for the service.

Recently, Tribes has raised $3.3M from Kindred Ventures, South Park Commons & Script Capital.

Basically, Tribes help the next generation of crypto consumers, creators, communities & DAOs collaborate & build relationships.

Tribes was founded in 2021 by Hish Bouabdallah.

Pros

• With Blockchain wallets as identities, it ensures a high level of security.
• Supports direct interactions with Blockchain networks, Ethereum & Solana.

Cons

• Learning curves associated with managing digital wallets can deter newcomers.
• This may not have exhaustive features like Discord.

Status

The next Discord alternative is Status.

Status is a secure communication tool combining messaging, communities, a crypto wallet, and a dApp browser.

Status is an open-source project that provides free service.

Status Communities are self-sovereign spaces where users are in complete control.

Jarrad Hope & Carl Bennetts envisioned the organization.

Founded in 2017, this open-source platform has grown to over 90 core contributors.

Pros

• The platform includes ERC-20 compatible wallets.
• Privacy & Security is guaranteed by using a peer-to-peer protocol.

Cons

• Achieving widespread adoption in the face of centralized platforms can be difficult.
• Since Status is built on Ethereum, it inherits the limitations.

Common Ground

Common Ground is a healthier alternative to Discord with a simple, neat UI.

With Common Ground, you can create your community and initiate chats within communities.

You can start video calls with your community.

Florian & Jan founded Common Ground in 2021.

Pros

• All the Web3 login stuff is optional. This helps invite newbies to Web3.
• White Label instances of Common Ground are possible.

Cons

• The use of Token-gated roles & permissions may limit participation.
• Users may have to wait for specific features mentioned in the roadmap.

UUKI

The User Interface of UUKI is a lot more beautiful than the typical Discord server, and many people would be happy to get on board with it.

You can gamify your community here. You can have them earn “karma points.”

You can also organize events and collect payments in FIAT and crypto. You can integrate with Metamask, and I believe more wallet integrations are being planned in the future.

Anil Matcha is the founder of UUKI.

Pros

• They have plenty of documentation for you to get started.
• The platform has a white-label facility, which is great.

Cons

• Users might encounter bugs and stability issues with every release.
• Complexity of Web3 technologies might pose a barrier to entry.

Sphinx

Like other alternatives, Sphinx Chat is a decentralized social media platform that emphasizes privacy and data ownership.

It leverages the Bitcoin Lightning Network for end-to-end encrypted communications, removing the need for a central server.

Its approach enables users to pay their favorite content creators directly with Bitcoin.

It offers a secure chat environment that promotes financial transactions within the messaging app.

Sphinx is headed by its founder, Paul Itoi.

Pros

• Sphinx Chat provides a highly secure communication channel for its users.
• The integration with the Bitcoin Lightning Network facilitates direct financial transactions.

Cons

• The use of Bitcoin and the Lightning Network might present a learning curve.
• Sphinx Chat may face challenges in achieving widespread adoption.

Over To You

Although Discord has been widely adopted, it has failed in terms of privacy and data security.

I hope you received a grasp of  Web3 Discord alternatives discussed in this blog.

These Web3 alternatives follow the Web3 ethos and can help establish a more democratic governance model of instant messaging.

You can share your experience with us when you use these platforms. If you feel any important alternative is missed, do let us know. I can consider adding it to the blog. You can reach us at [email protected]

Ready to explore privacy-first platforms? Start by trying BlockSurvey - secure forms and surveys built for Web3 communities.