Side by side
Discord vs Lag
Both stand on game voice chat software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+4
Discord combines community servers with voice, video, and text communication across desktop, mobile, and web. Its call encryption does not extend to messages.
Visit Discord
Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+5
Lag combines gaming voice rooms with text and mobile apps, and offers both hosted and self-hosted use. Its desktop app is currently listed for Windows and Linux, while its SDKs cover only the public REST API.
Visit LagThe facts
| Discord | Lag | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Android, API, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Web, Windows | Android, API, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Nitro Basic: $29.99 a year | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 5 | 1 |
| Maker | Discord | Not published |
| Website | discord.com | trylag.com |
| On game voice chat software | #4 of 22 | #8 of 22 |
Discord: what it does well
- Create servers with channels for communities.
- Calls work in direct messages and voice channels.
- Supported consoles can stream gameplay directly.
- Apps can be added through the desktop and browser directory.
- Passkeys can use on-device biometrics.
What to know first
- Messages are not encrypted.
- Nitro Basic costs $2.99 a month.
- Nitro costs $9.99 a month.
Lag: what it does well
- Free plan has no tiers or feature gates.
- Voice rooms include messaging, emoji reactions, and replies.
- Native mobile apps support push notifications and background audio.
- Self-hosted deployment is open source under MIT.
- CLI supports voice chat over SSH.
What to know first
- Desktop app is listed for Windows and Linux only.
- SDKs do not cover WebSocket or voice.
- Web sign-in requires Discord or Google OAuth.