Search interest in Discord alternatives has spiked sharply following the platform’s announcement that users will be required to verify their age or be placed into teen settings by default.
As previously reported, Discord confirmed it would be introducing mandatory age verification measures in March 2026, meaning users who do not verify will automatically be treated as teenagers within the app’s safety framework.
The move was framed as part of broader efforts to improve platform safety and compliance. On the same day of the announcement, search traffic for ‘Discord alternatives’ shot up, including specific searches for similar apps, such as Stoat.
Who are the Discord alternatives?
Data from Google Trends shows searches for “Discord alternatives” surging on February 9, the same day Discord announced, and in the days that followed, with interest jumping from near-zero to peak levels within hours.
Numerous searches for Stoat (formerly Revolt) and Matrix, both open-source chat platforms, represent the bulk of related queries, with others including Teamspeak, Ventrilo, and Skype, the last of which ceased operations in May 2025, when Microsoft retired the app.
The spike suggests that at least a portion of Discord’s user base is actively exploring other community platforms in response to the new verification requirements.
It remains unclear how many users, if any, will ultimately migrate to alternative services. At the very least, though, it’s an early sign that the measures could lead to a dip in Discord’s active users.
In January, it was reported that the platform had confidentially filed for an initial public offering in the U.S.
