--- title: "Open source Discord alternatives: Fluxer, Stoat, Matrix and more" description: "Fluxer, Stoat, Matrix, Mumble, TeamSpeak, Root and GameVox compared on source code, self-hosting, encryption and federation, and where the others are ahead of Fluxer." url: "https://fluxer.com/help/discord-alternatives" language: "en" last_updated: "2026-11-12" category: "About Fluxer" --- > Index of Fluxer's official pages for AI agents: https://fluxer.com/llms.txt > Index of this topic: https://fluxer.com/help/category/about/llms.txt > Links to Fluxer pages go to their Markdown versions when they have one. For other Fluxer help, policy or blog links, remove any #section part and add .md to the end. # Open source Discord alternatives: Fluxer, Stoat, Matrix and more Fluxer, Stoat, Matrix, Mumble, TeamSpeak, Root and GameVox compared on source code, self-hosting, encryption and federation, and where the others are ahead of Fluxer. ## Which Discord alternatives are open source? Fluxer, Stoat, Matrix and Mumble are open source, and you can run any of them on your own machine for free. TeamSpeak, Root and GameVox haven't published their source code, and TeamSpeak and GameVox charge for some or all self-hosted servers. | | Source code | Self-hosting | Who makes it | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Fluxer](https://fluxer.com/help/open-source.md) | [AGPL 3.0 or later](https://github.com/fluxerapp/fluxer/blob/main/LICENSE) | [Free, with no license key](https://fluxer.com/help/is-self-hosting-free.md) | Fluxer Platform AB in Sweden, with [no outside investors](https://fluxer.com/help/who-runs-fluxer.md) | | [Stoat](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-stoat.md) | [AGPL 3.0 or later, with some shared libraries under MIT](https://github.com/stoatchat/stoatchat/blob/18b656465888d1cf08773eae33d4fbc85a29a4df/LICENSE) | [Free, with Docker Compose on a Linux server](https://github.com/stoatchat/self-hosted/blob/9af5e9063a8d1311477b7d2f24f5764ffe3e1cd1/README.md) | [Revolt Platforms Ltd](https://stoat.chat/legal/imprint) in England, [funded by donations](https://github.com/stoatchat/stoatchat/blob/18b656465888d1cf08773eae33d4fbc85a29a4df/docs/docs/faq.md#L29-L36) | | [Matrix (Element)](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-matrix.md) | [Synapse is AGPL 3.0 or later, and its contributors sign a CLA](https://element.io/blog/element-to-adopt-agplv3/) | Free, and [Element also sells paid editions](https://element.io/pricing) | The [Matrix.org Foundation](https://matrix.org/blog/2018/10/29/introducing-the-matrix-org-foundation-part-1-of-2/), a UK non-profit, and Element, a company [funded by investors](https://matrix.org/blog/2021/07/27/element-raises-30m-to-boost-matrix/) | | [Mumble](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-mumble.md) | [BSD 3-Clause](https://github.com/mumble-voip/mumble/blob/master/LICENSE) | [Free, with no paid version](https://www.mumble.info/) | [Volunteer developers](https://www.mumble.info/about/) | | [TeamSpeak](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-teamspeak.md) | [Closed source](https://teamspeak.com/en/terms-and-conditions/) | [Free for non-commercial use up to 32 slots](https://support.teamspeak.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002712958), and [paid licenses above that](https://support.teamspeak.com/hc/en-us/articles/26033788383261) | [TeamSpeak Systems, Inc.](https://teamspeak.com/en/terms-and-conditions/) in California | | [Root](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-root.md) | [Closed source](https://www.rootapp.com/blogs/ask-root-episode-1) | [Not yet, and Root says it wants to allow it](https://www.rootapp.com/blogs/ask-root-episode-1) | [Root Communications, Inc.](https://www.rootapp.com/terms-of-use) in Los Angeles, [backed by venture capital](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/press-release/root-raises-9m-in-funding-to-build-a-next-gen-discord) | | [GameVox](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-gamevox.md) | [Not published](https://gamevox.com/licenses) | [From US$2 a month for new servers, with sign-in through GameVox](https://gamevox.com/pricing) | LightSpeed Gaming LLC in Ohio, which [says it has no investors](https://www.gamevox.com/press) | ## Which Discord alternatives are end-to-end encrypted? Element turns on end-to-end encryption by default in DMs and private rooms, and [Element Call](https://element.io/blog/end-to-end-encrypted-voice-and-video-for-self-hosted-community-users/) encrypts calls. [TeamSpeak](https://teamspeak.com/en/) encrypts its global chat end to end and lets you turn it on for private group chats, and [GameVox](https://gamevox.com/press) says its voice calls are end-to-end encrypted. Stoat isn't end-to-end encrypted, and nothing on Fluxer is end-to-end encrypted yet. We plan it for Fluxer with no setting to turn it off, for [calls in 2026](https://fluxer.com/help/encryption.md) and for [DMs and group DMs](https://fluxer.com/help/encryption.md), with an experimental draft in 2026 and a stable release in 2027. ## Which Discord alternatives are federated? Matrix is a federated network, and one Matrix account can join rooms on any Matrix server. Fluxer plans optional [federation](https://fluxer.com/help/federation.md), with an experimental draft in 2026 and a stable release in 2027, and Stoat's [developer FAQ](https://github.com/stoatchat/stoatchat/blob/18b656465888d1cf08773eae33d4fbc85a29a4df/docs/docs/faq.md#L45-L57) says federation isn't on its roadmap. ## Which Discord alternative fits my group? Fluxer and Stoat both have communities with text and voice channels, roles and permissions, custom emoji and bots, and you can host either one yourself for free. Fluxer's API is compatible with large parts of Discord's, and you can [import a Discord server template](https://fluxer.com/help/import-discord-server-template.md) to bring over your channels, your roles and the permissions of each role. If your group mostly talks in voice, Mumble and TeamSpeak are both built around low-latency voice. Mumble is free and has positional audio and an in-game overlay for games, and TeamSpeak's hosted communities cost money after a free trial. If you want end-to-end encryption and federation today, Matrix with Element has both. The Matrix.org Foundation wrote in [February 2026](https://matrix.org/blog/2026/02/welcome-discord/) that no Matrix app is a full drop-in replacement for Discord yet, and that apps like Cinny may feel closer to it. Root and GameVox have mobile apps in the App Store and Google Play and an in-game overlay, and GameVox has built-in AutoMod, polls and a soundboard. ## Where are the other apps ahead of Fluxer? fluxer.com opened to everyone in January 2026, and Stoat has run since 2021, Matrix since 2014, Mumble since 2005 and TeamSpeak since 2001. Stoat also needs less memory to self-host, with 2 GB to start, where Fluxer needs at least 4 GB. Element and TeamSpeak encrypt some chats or calls end to end today, and Matrix is federated today. You can read where each app is ahead of Fluxer in our comparisons with [Stoat](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-stoat.md), [Matrix](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-matrix.md), [Mumble](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-mumble.md), [TeamSpeak](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-teamspeak.md), [Root](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-root.md) and [GameVox](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-gamevox.md). ## How does Discord compare? Discord's apps and server software are [proprietary](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-discord.md), and you can't host Discord yourself, although Discord publishes some of its libraries as open source. We've also compared [Fluxer with Discord](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-discord.md) on price, privacy and features, including [where Discord is ahead](https://fluxer.com/help/fluxer-vs-discord.md). ## How do I start using Fluxer? You can [download Fluxer](https://fluxer.com/download) or open [fluxer.com](https://fluxer.com/app) in your browser and make a free account. If you want to run it yourself, start with [self-hosting Fluxer](https://fluxer.com/help/self-hosting-fluxer.md). If your community is on Discord, [its channels, roles and permissions can come with it to Fluxer](https://fluxer.com/help/move-from-discord.md). Discord is a trademark of Discord Inc., and Fluxer isn't affiliated with Discord. --- Canonical page: https://fluxer.com/help/discord-alternatives Last updated on November 12, 2026