European Alternatives to Discord
Communication platform for communities and gamers. Combines text, voice and video chat with servers organized in thematic channels. Over 200 million monthly active users.
Discord Features
- Text chat with channels and threads
- High-quality voice and video calls
- Screen sharing and streaming
- Servers with roles and permissions
- Bots and third-party integrations
- Mobile and desktop applications
Why leave Discord?
- In November 2022, Discord received an 800,000 euro fine from the French CNIL for five GDPR violations, including lack of data retention policy.
- In 2025, a data breach at a Discord contractor exposed government ID photos of 70,000 users.
- Discord is subject to the US CLOUD Act: US authorities can demand access to European users' data.
- Discord requires age verification via face scan or government ID to access certain features (March 2026).
Recommended : Element
Decentralized communication platform based on the open source Matrix protocol. End-to-end encryption by default. Used by governments (France, Germany, NATO).
Country : GB
Compatibility Scores
- Migration : 60/100
- GDPR : 95/100
- Features : 85/100
- Overall Score : 82/100
Element Features
- Text chat with rooms and spaces
- Encrypted voice and video calls
- Screen sharing and collaboration
- Federation between Matrix servers
- Self-hosting possible
- E2E encryption audited by NCC Group
Why this choice?
Element is the ideal choice for organizations concerned about digital sovereignty. Its decentralized Matrix protocol and audited encryption make it the solution adopted by NATO and the Bundeswehr.
Switch from Discord to Element
Strengths
- Open source and decentralized protocol
- E2E encryption audited by NCC Group
- Used by European governments (Bundeswehr, France)
- Self-hosting for full sovereignty
- Federation between organizations
Weaknesses
- Steeper learning curve than Discord
- Gaming community less developed
- Some features require configuration
All Alternatives
- Element (GB) — Score : 82/100 (Recommended)
- TeamSpeak (DE) — Score : 69/100