Making a direct comparison between Discord, Slack and WhatsApp may seem unviable at first, given that on the face of it, the three apps seem to serve the same purpose. But, once you peel away the branding, and you will find that these apps even look almost similar on the inside.
“Guarding your heart and protecting your dignity are a little bit more important than clarifying the emotions of someone who’s only texting you back three words. I’ve learned that from trying to figure out people who don’t deserve to be figured out.”
Taylor Swift (Brainyquotes)
While the similarities continue, between the common overlap of features, you will find that they are not so interchangeable after all. Let us shred the links that make these apps feel the same and determine how they are different from each other.
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Feature Comparison
| Discord | Slack | ||
| Supported Platforms | Supported on: · Windows · Mac · SaaS · Android · Linux · iPhone · iPad | Supported on: · Windows · Mac · SaaS · Android · Linux · iPhone · iPad | Supported on: · Windows · Mac · SaaS · Android · iPhone · iPad |
| Target Audience | Meant largely for business communities and small collaborators and online communities who want to organize live chat facilities for their teammates. A good alternative to Slack. | From start-ups to large organizations, the messaging app is oriented from the perspective of business owners and business communication. | Most commonly used for personal chatting purposes and personal communication through a non-paid messaging channel. |
| Pricing | Free version and free trial available. | Free version and free trial with the option to take a paid plan at $6.67 per user every month. | Free version available. |
| Training | Users can learn anything about the app through documents. | Available in the form of documentation, live and online support and in-person support. | No training available. |
| Purpose | Useful for collaboration, internal communication, live chatting, messaging, screen sharing, team communication, and team chat. | Useful for collaboration, internal communication, live chatting, messaging, project management, remote working, screen sharing, team chatting, team communication, video conferencing, and web conferencing. | Useful for customer communication management, internal communication, live chatting, messaging, team chatting, team communication, and telephony. |
| Internal communication features | · Blogging · Chat & messaging · Employee directory · Event calendar · Photo gallery · Social sharing · Video chatting · Voice chatting · Telephony · App integration | · Chats & messaging · App integration · Blogging · Employee directory · Photo gallery · Social sharing · Telephony · Video chatting · Voice chatting | · Chat & messaging · Photo gallery · Telephony · Video chatting · Voice chatting |
| Messaging Features | · Voice calling · Video conferencing · Stickers & GIF’s · Auto-delete messages · Search · Groups · File sharing | · File sharing · Groups · Search · Stickers · Threaded discussion · Video conferencing · Voice calling | · End to end encryption · File sharing · Groups · Payment · Search · Stickers · Voice calling · Video conferencing |
Comparing The Three Apps
There are many ways in which Slack, WhatsApp, and Discord differ from each other. It all boils down to how you want to use the app and what purpose it is meant to fulfill for you.
For example, when it comes to text chatting, Slack works best for an organization, while WhatsApp takes the edge when it comes to personal chatting. However, at the same time, audio and video are better with Discord.
Which One Should You Use?
It may be insufficient to leave the comparison between the three apps at this. With every distinction, you will find that while one app serves you better on one front, something else may appear more fulfilling with the other one. So, the question at this point is to ask which one of them is best suited for you!
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Summary
When you think of it, the only thing that you can do is to go with the branding. So, while Discord is better suited for online communities, Slack is better for a business. For personal conversations, WhatsApp remains the choice of app. This is just how these apps are built and meant to be operated.
But that being said, this does not say that you cannot mix and match these apps at all. Sometimes, you may want to use Discord for business purposes, but you might face some shortcomings, and similarly, Slack may be fine for your business as long as you are willing to work on a limited basis. The bottom line remains that these apps are not interchangeable, which is why it is important to understand their differences.
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