Stoat review

Stoat ranks first because it is the most direct swap for a Discord server. The app, which ran as Revolt until its rename, uses the same model of servers, channels and voice chat, with file sharing, markdown, role-based permissions and moderation tools. Stoat makes a point of giving away what Discord charges for: custom emojis, a 20MB upload limit, server-specific profile pictures, animated avatars and profile banners come with no subscription. Group DMs hold up to 50 members and bots work in them. The code is public, the company is based in Europe, and it says it runs no ads and sells no data. Communities that want full control can self-host for free, and developers get the same public API the official apps use. The tradeoff is scale: the bot catalog and the number of active servers are far smaller than Discord's, so expect to rebuild some moderation and music workflows.

Who it is for

Gaming groups and friend communities that want the closest match to the Discord layout without ads or paid perks.

Price

Free and open source, no paid plan listed; self-hosting is also free.

Free and open source, now and forever.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Servers, channels, voice chat, file sharing and markdown
• Role-based permissions and moderation tools
• Custom emojis, 20MB uploads and animated avatars with no subscription
• Group DMs for up to 50 members, with bots allowed
• Free self-hosting and a public API used by the official apps

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Layout and features Discord users will recognize
• Strength: Perks Discord sells, like custom emojis and profile banners, are free
• Strength: Open source code and a short privacy policy, built in Europe
• Weakness: Smaller community and bot catalog than Discord
• Weakness: No published paid support or service plan
• Weakness: Video and streaming features are less documented than voice and text

Key facts

• Price: Free
• Upload limit: 20MB
• Group DM size: Up to 50 members
• Self-hosting: Free and open source
• Formerly: Revolt

Where it ranks

Stoat is No. 1 in our Best Discord Alternatives verdict and No. 5 in Best Voice Chat Apps for Gamers.