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Discord, Gamers favourite chatbox, wants to be more. Plus how good do we rate it

Discord - Wants to be loved by everyone not just gamers

discord explained for parents, discord for gaming, chat, messaging
Discorders are generally quite tech-savvy and enjoy NOT being hassled by advertisers

Parents Summary 

  • Free chat service originally for gamers, Company is looking to expand
  • Available online and all devices incl. iPhone & Android
  • No advertising and no feed, Just chat, messaging
  • A subscription service is available with premium options
  • For 13 yrs plus only - Generally considered a safe portal

Discord was launched in 2015 by two gamers who wanted a better to talk with other gamers online. Both co-founders worked within the video game industry and wanted to build a better communication tool. So, Discord finding a home amongst the type of users they had in mind made sense. Check our Discord podcast

Users participate in voice and video chats, send private text-based messages. Build their own private communities, called "servers" on the platform. People use Discord to discuss different things, from family holidays to homework and even mental health. 

Discord is a place where they are free to be themselves and enjoy time with other people who share their interests and hobbies. There's no algorithm suggesting what you should see, no endless scrolling, and no news feed. Conversations on Discord are driven by shared interests.

The great majority of servers are private, invitation-only locations where friends and communities can chat, message and spend time together. There are also larger, more open groups based on specific topics like popular video games like Minecraft and Fortnite. People have complete control over their groups which is a very important feature. Book an Internet safety talk 

Danny De Vito advert for Discord  Imagine a Place campaign, courtesy @Discor

How much does Discord cost?

Discord is completely free to join. Similar to other chat services like Slack, Reddit which have free tiers with messaging limits.

Discord does not have any such limits. It's completely free to use with complete access to your messages, history, communities, etc. It's free to start your own server too.

Also, there are paid subscriptions for bonuses and perks.

For $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year, users can sign up for Discord Nitro. Subscribers are granted access to free games in Discord's store and provide platform extras such as animated avatars, custom sitewide emojis, larger file upload sizes and more. Prices are in USD except for Poland, Turkey and Brazil, as of December 2021. Check out Hard Block

how much is discord, discord pricing, how much is discord in UK?

2020 sales of $130ml, must be doing something right

Discord, How they make their dough

Now they want to woo less tech-savvy users beyond their traditional gaming base. Their first brand campaign — called “Imagine a Place” — featured a short film starring Danny DeVito. 

Sales tripled to $130m in 2020. Currently, users can spend $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year for its premium subscription, Nitro, which adds exclusive emojis, animated avatars and higher video resolution. 

Citron insists that the perks are attractive to non-gamers as well as the gaming community, giving those who love the platform new ways to express themselves. The model has won over some analysts. 

They’ve already started to build a pretty robust subscription business that is not dependent on advertising like Snapchat, Youtube etc. Discorders appreciate being unmolested by advertisers and are happy to pay for the service.

Discord is looking for ways to help influencers and creators to make money from their fans more directly on a revenue share basis. 

discord explained for parents, what is discord

Discord dashboard show wide choice from Valorant to Minecraft.

How did Discord become so popular?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, quite a few social networking platforms and chatting apps enjoyed growth as people looked to stay in touch online. The increase in content creators such as YouTubers, podcasters, live streamers, and other online influencers building their audience reach using Discord was an unexpected boon.

Discord integrates with Patreon and Spotify. According to the company, Discord has more than 140 million active monthly users.

Is Discord secure?

It is not a substitute for an app like WhatsApp or Signal. It's not end-to-end encrypted The data you post goes through Discord's servers. Over the years, there have been stories about unauthorised users accessing private Discord servers and wiping communities of content.

So what do we think?

  • Well, it looks like a genuine service for a younger audience

  • Certainly worth checking out for people with young gamers in the house

  • What's not to like about no advertising, no algorithms forcing rubbish down peoples gullets

  • Remember it does not have to be Snapchat for kids to fight online or be exceptionally nasty

  • A small concern about their plan to bring more Influencers and advertisers

  • 3.75 from 5 from us. Would have been in the low 4s but for expansion plans

 

Articles of Interest

 

Book an Internet safety talk 

Hard Block Our New DNS Filtering service

Internet Safety Talks for Kids Aged 6-9

Internet Safety Tips for KidsKeeping Kids Safe Online 10k + reads


Handy Connections
 

Setting up the right Social Media Profile for Kids

Low-Cost Norton 360 Premium 

Gamers - You need Nord VPN

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