When Discord launched in 2015, it pitted itself against two deep-seated apps: Skype and TeamSpeak. Neither were excellent, which is one of the reasons Discord generated so much traffic and praise from the get-go. Inevitably, this led to several server crashes, as the company struggled to meet demand.
Jason Citron, the founder of Discord, had come off a $100 million acquisition of his previous social gaming technology, called OpenFeint. He knew that by taking a modern approach to communication online, Discord could far surpass what Skype and TeamSpeak offered.
Citron made Discord more than a text / audio chat service through the use of servers. Instead of searching on Reddit or forums, players could join a server specifically dedicated to a game. As servers ballooned in popularity, admins were given the ability to add sub-channels for specific topics or game modes.
- Advertisem*nt -
There are 6.7 million active servers on Discord, a growing number of which are not gaming related. While Discord is still considered for gamers, the team have attempted to broaden coverage, in an effort to compete with Slack and Microsoft Teams.
The ability to create unmoderated private servers has caused controversy. In 2017, a server was used by white supremacists to organize the Charlottesville, Virginia rally. Discord shadow-banned members of the white supremacist group and many other neo-Nazi and alt-right servers, and has since launched verification and bot-moderation tools to quickly neuter these type of groups.
At launch, Discord only had text and audio communication. It added video calling and screen sharing in 2017. It has also added integrations with Twitch, Spotify and Xbox Live.
Discord’s rise coincided with the growth of e-sports, through games like League of Legends, Overwatch and Fortnite, which all had rather limited communication tools. As more Twitch streamers switched to Discord, it became its own marketing campaign for the app.
Even with the swift growth, accelerating from 10 million monthly active users (MAUs) in 2016 to 45 million in 2018, Discord struggled to find a revenue model. In the first few years, it sold digital stickers and merchandise, but that only pulled in $10 million in revenue in 2017.
It launched a games storefront in 2018, which offered a curated set of games. It also launched a subscription service, Discord Nitro, which included more emojis, larger upload size, server support and access to the video games on the storefront.
While Discord Nitro is still running, the company removed the free games feature in 2019, citing lack of interest from subscribers. It has since shelved the storefront, which was apparently not making Discord or the third-party game developers much money. Game developers can sell games directly on servers.
Even with the failure of the storefront, Discord remains in a healthy position. Usage has catapulted during the COVID-19 lockdown, it recently announced over 100 million MAUs and a new peak of 10.6 million concurrent users.
Whether it will be able to shake off the gamer association and win Slack and Microsoft Teams users and businesses is yet to be seen. It changed its motto from “Chat for Gamers” to “Chat for Communities and Friends” in March and redesigned its website to feature fewer gamer jokes.
We have collected data and statistics on Discord. Read on below to find out more.
Discord key statistics
- Discord generated $130 million revenue in 2020, an 188% increase year-on-year
- Almost all of Discord’s revenue comes from its Nitro, its premium enhancement bundle
- Discord has over 140 million active monthly users and 300 million registered accounts
- In 2021, it was valued at $15 billion, doubling its value in under a year
Discord overview
| Title | Title 2 |
|---|---|
| Launch date | 13 May 2015 |
| HQ | San Francisco, California |
| People | Jason Citron (co-founder, CEO), Stanislav Vishnevskiy (CTO) |
| Business type | Private |
| Industry | Communication |
Discord revenue
Discord increased its revenue by 188% in 2020, and is expected to generate more than $200 million in 2021.
Discord annual revenue 2016 to 2020 ($mm)
| Year | Revenue ($mm) |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 30 |
| 2019 | 45 |
| 2020 | 130 |
Note: Discord has not publicly disclosed revenue, all values are estimates. Sources:Forbes, WSJ
Discord users
Discord had 140 million monthly active users in 2021, a 40% increase on the previous year.
Discord annual monthly active users 2017 to 2021 (mm)
| Year | Users (mm) |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 45 |
| 2019 | 56 |
| 2020 | 100 |
| 2021 | 140 |
Note: Covers monthly active users. Sources: Business Insider, Techspot
Discord DAUs
Discord had 14 million daily active users in 2019. We estimate it had more than 20 million in 2021.
Discord annual daily active users 2017 to 2019 (mm)
| Year | Users (mm) |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 9 million |
| 2018 | 19 million |
| 2019 | 14 million |
Sources: TechCrunch, Engadget
Discord peak concurrent users
Discord reached 10.6 million peak concurrent users in 2020, that stat has not been updated since.
Discord annual peak concurrent users 2018 to 2020 (mm)
| Year | Concurrent users (mm) |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 8.2 million |
| 2020 | 10.6 million |
Source: Variety
Discord registered users
Discord has over 300 million registered users, 50 million were added in 2019.
Discord annual registered users 2016 to 2020 (mm)
| Year | Users (mm) |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 25 |
| 2017 | 45 |
| 2018 | 130 |
| 2019 | 250 |
| 2020 | 300 |
Sources: TechCrunch, Techspot, WSJ
Discord active servers
Discord had 13.5 million active servers in 2021, a large expansion on the 6.7 million in 2020.
Discord active servers 2018 to 2021 (mm)
| Year | Servers (mm) |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 4.4 |
| 2020 | 6.7 |
| 2021 | 13.5 |
Source: Wersm
Discord valuation
Discord was most recently valued at $15 billion in 2021, over double the price of its previous valuation the year before.
Discord valuation 2017 to 2021 ($bn)
| Year | Valuation ($bn) |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 1.6 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 3.5 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 15 |
Source: TechCrunch
Discord funding
Discord has received almost $1 billion in total funding since its inception, with $500 million coming from its Series H in September 2021.
Discord cumulative funding 2012 to 2021 ($mm)
| Year | Funding ($mm) |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2016 | 29 |
| 2017 | 80 |
| 2018 | 280 |
| 2020 | 480 |
| 2021 | 980 |
Source: Crunchbase
Discord FAQ
How many messages are sent on Discord?
850 million messages are sent every day, six billion each week, 25 billion every month (VentureBeat)
How many conversations happen on Discord?
Four billion minutes of conversation happen on Discord each day (The Verge)
What is Discord’s largest server?
Fortnite is the largest Discord server, with 571,000 members. Minecraft is a close second, with 569,000 members
- Slack Revenue and Usage Statistics (2023)
- Zoom Revenue and Usage Statistics (2023)
- Microsoft Teams Revenue and Usage Statistics (2023)
I am an enthusiast with a deep understanding of the technology and communication landscape, particularly in the realm of online chat platforms. My knowledge spans various aspects, from the evolution of communication tools to the intricacies of platform development and user engagement. Allow me to delve into the specifics of the concepts mentioned in the article about Discord.
1. Evolution of Discord:
- Launch and Positioning (2015): Discord emerged in 2015 as a competitor to established platforms like Skype and TeamSpeak, capitalizing on their shortcomings.
- Founder's Background (Jason Citron): Jason Citron, Discord's founder, leveraged his experience from a $100 million acquisition of OpenFeint, a social gaming technology, to pioneer a modern approach to online communication.
2. Discord Features and Development:
- Server-based Communication: Discord introduced servers, allowing users to create dedicated spaces for specific topics or games, distinguishing it from traditional forums.
- Diversification Beyond Gaming: Initially gaming-centric, Discord expanded its user base beyond gaming to compete with platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams.
- Private Servers and Controversy: The ability to create unmoderated private servers stirred controversy, exemplified by its misuse by white supremacists in 2017. Discord responded with measures such as shadow-banning and verification tools.
3. Discord's Growth and Features:
- Integration and Features (2017): Discord evolved by adding video calling and screen sharing in 2017 and integrating with platforms like Twitch, Spotify, and Xbox Live.
- E-sports and Twitch Integration: Discord's growth paralleled the rise of e-sports, and its integration with Twitch became a marketing campaign, attracting more users.
- Monetization Struggles: Despite rapid user growth, Discord initially struggled with a revenue model, experimenting with digital stickers, merchandise, a games storefront, and the Nitro subscription service.
4. Recent Developments and User Base:
- Coping with COVID-19 Lockdown: Discord experienced a surge in usage during the COVID-19 lockdown, reaching over 100 million monthly active users and 10.6 million concurrent users.
- Rebranding and Diversification: To broaden its appeal, Discord changed its motto from "Chat for Gamers" to "Chat for Communities and Friends," accompanied by a website redesign.
5. Discord's Financials and Valuation:
- Revenue Growth (2020): Discord's revenue surged by 188% in 2020, with Nitro, its premium bundle, being the primary revenue source.
- Valuation (2021): In 2021, Discord's valuation reached $15 billion, doubling in less than a year.
6. Discord Key Statistics (as of 2021):
- Active Users: Discord boasted over 140 million monthly active users, a 40% increase from the previous year.
- Daily Active Users: Estimated to surpass 20 million in 2021.
- Peak Concurrent Users: Hit 10.6 million in 2020.
- Registered Users: Surpassed 300 million.
- Active Servers: Grew to 13.5 million in 2021.
- Funding: Received nearly $1 billion in total funding, with a substantial amount coming from a $500 million Series H round in September 2021.
In conclusion, Discord's journey from a gaming-centric platform to a versatile communication hub, coupled with its financial performance and user metrics, showcases its significant impact on online communication trends.
