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Discord alternatives: courses, events and members on your own domain, with your Discord server kept in the loop

Quick summary

Memberfy is the best Discord alternative when the community needs more than a chat: courses with certificates, ticketed events, a real-time channel with threads and the member list, all on your own domain, from US$ 10 a month, with an MCP server to run it from Claude or ChatGPT. Your Discord server does not have to go: Memberfy’s ready-made integration posts to a channel for every new member, sale or completed course. Two caveats: outside Brazil, charging your members in US dollars by card is still coming, and Discord wins on live voice and on being free. Circle, Discourse, Slack, Skool, WhatsApp and Telegram fit other cases, compared below.

  • Charging members: Discord’s server subscriptions are only for creators in the United States; Memberfy charges 6.99% + US$ 1.00 per sale, payment processing included, in Brazil today and in US dollars by card soon elsewhere.
  • Content that stays: 30 space types, with courses with certificates, ticketed events with check-in and a real-time channel with threads, instead of everything mixed in the chat.
  • The server stays: Discord, Slack and Telegram get Memberfy’s notices through the ready-made integration, with no automation to build.
  • Brand and data: your own domain on every plan, and the member list, billing and e-mails stay with you.
  • Where Discord wins: it is free, has voice channels and Stage, and many people already have the app installed.
Quick summary
PlatformBest forPublished price
1. MemberfyCommunities that want courses, events and content on their own domain, without leaving Discord behindPublished price: US$ 10/month, annual + 6.99% + US$ 1.00 per sale
2. CircleCommunities that want courses and live sessions with unlimited members and apps in the storesPublished price: US$ 89/month, annual
3. DiscourseCommunities that want organized, searchable discussions that do not vanish in the scrollPublished price: Free; Pro US$ 100/month
4. SlackProfessional communities whose members already work in SlackPublished price: Free; Pro US$ 7.25 per user/month
5. SkoolCreators who want a simple community, course and chat, charging in US dollarsPublished price: US$ 9 or US$ 99/month
6. WhatsAppSmall, close groups, where everyone already isPublished price: Free
7. TelegramLarge groups and channels, with channel subscriptions in Telegram StarsPublished price: Free

Competitor data checked on November 1, 2026, on each one’s own pages.

Why so many people look for a Discord alternative

Discord is home to many communities, and for good reason: it is free, has apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, handles servers of up to 25 million members and brings together text and voice channels, Stage, forums, scheduled events, roles with permissions and a huge ecosystem of bots.

The trouble starts when the community wants to charge. Server Subscriptions require US banking and ID, and Discord says the feature will not be available outside the United States. Creators there keep 90%, plus processing fees; on iPhone, Apple takes an additional 30%, and subscriptions cannot be bought in the Android app. Everywhere else, charging means selling access outside Discord and granting the role some other way.

More weighs in as the server grows. The community lives inside Discord, with no domain of its own; a custom invite link only comes at Boost level 3. Above 2,500 members, phones stop getting a notification for every message. Lessons, recordings and resources compete with the conversation. And in Brazil, video and Go Live have been suspended since August 17, 2026 by order of the ANPD, the data protection authority; voice and text still work.[1,4,5,6,10]

How to choose a Discord alternative

Six questions for a community that lives on a server. Answer them before you look at the price.

Will you charge your members?
If so, check which currency and methods, whether subscriptions are supported and whether access turns on and off with the payment by itself.
What has to outlast the chat
Lessons, recordings, resources and the event calendar get lost in the scroll. Check whether the platform has a proper place for each.
Live voice or content
If the community lives on voice conversations, Discord is hard to beat. If it lives on content and scheduled sessions, other tools organize it better.
Brand, domain and member list
Inside a third-party app, the community is one server among many. On your own domain, the page, the e-mails and the list of who pays are yours.
How the price grows
Free, per user or by member tier: in a community of a thousand people, the gap between those models is large.
Can you keep what already works?
Nobody has to move house in a day. Check whether the alternative talks to Discord, Slack or Telegram while your audience moves over.

The alternatives, one by one

1. Memberfy

Best for: Communities that want courses, events and content on their own domain, without leaving Discord behind

What it does well

  • One fee per sale (6.99% + US$ 1.00), payment processing included and the same with any method; access turns on and off with the payment, with nobody checking lists by hand.
  • A real-time channel, as on Discord: threads, reactions with any emoji, @mentions, photos and video, unread counts in the menu, search and muting, plus private messages between members.
  • 30 space types for what must not get lost in the chat, among them feed, ticketed events with check-in, courses with certificates, gallery, downloads and store.
  • A ready-made integration with Discord, Slack and Telegram: the channel gets a notice when someone joins, buys, subscribes or cancels, registers for an event or completes a course.
  • Your own domain on every plan; the Memberfy branding comes off from Growth, at US$ 19. The member list, billing and e-mails are yours.
  • An MCP server with 959 tools, a public API and 101 webhook event types on every plan: the community run from Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor, with a confirmation before anything touches money.

Limitations

  • Outside Brazil, charging your members in US dollars, by card, is still coming; in Brazil they pay by PIX, boleto or card.
  • No voice channels or stage: live streams come from YouTube, Vimeo or Mux, on the event’s page.
  • Not on the App Store or Google Play: it installs on the phone’s home screen with the community’s name and icon and sends notifications. Plans go by member limit (100, 1,000, 5,000 and 20,000); above that, US$ 19 for every 2,000.
  • There is no third-party bot catalog like Discord’s: automation lives in workflows, the API and webhooks.

Pricing model

From US$ 10 (Starter, up to 100 members) to US$ 99 (Scale, up to 20,000) a month on annual billing, billed in US dollars outside Brazil, plus 6.99% + US$ 1.00 per sale, payment processing included. Unlimited admins and moderators on every plan.

Verdict: The best Discord alternative when the community needs courses, events and content on its own domain, with the server kept in the loop by the ready-made integration, from US$ 10 a month. If your members must pay in US dollars today, Circle and Skool already charge that way; if the community is free and lives on voice, Discord is still the best choice.

See plans and pricing →

2. Circle

Best for: Communities that want courses and live sessions with unlimited members and apps in the stores

What it does well

  • Unlimited members on every plan.
  • Direct messages, group chat and chat spaces on every plan.
  • Live streams and live rooms inside Circle: 100 attendees and 15 participants on Professional.
  • Community, courses, events, website and email marketing in one product, and Circle’s app on iOS and Android.

Limitations

  • Card through Stripe; in Brazil, PIX only for one-time payments.
  • A 2% fee on Professional (1% on Business and Scale), on top of Stripe’s fees.
  • Circle’s branding comes off only from Business, at US$ 199 a month on annual billing, the plan where the Admin API and Circle MCP also start.
  • 3 admins included on Professional; each extra one costs US$ 10 a month.

Pricing model

Professional US$ 89, Business US$ 199 and Scale US$ 419 a month on annual billing; Circle Plus on request. A transaction fee of 2%, 1%, 1% and 0.5%, plus Stripe’s fees.[13,14,15,16,17]

Verdict: The most complete alternative if you want live sessions inside the platform, unlimited members and dollar billing today. For a lower entry price, unlimited admins and an AI assistant on every plan, Memberfy fits better.

Official site ↗Full comparison: Memberfy × Circle →

3. Discourse

Best for: Communities that want organized, searchable discussions that do not vanish in the scroll

What it does well

  • Open-source forum software you can run on your own server.
  • A free hosted plan, and unlimited members on every plan.
  • Free iOS and Android apps, with push notifications for hosted communities.
  • Plugins such as chat, Solved and Subscriptions, which sells subscriptions that grant access to groups.

Limitations

  • It is a forum: courses do not appear on the pricing page.
  • Your own domain, the API and webhooks from Pro; events and gamification only on Business, at US$ 500 a month.
  • Staff seats limited by plan (2, 5 and 15).
  • The pricing page does not say which processor Subscriptions uses.

Pricing model

Free (hosted, 2 staff seats), Pro US$ 100 a month (5 seats), Business US$ 500 a month (15 seats) and Enterprise on request, all with unlimited members.[18]

Verdict: The best on this list for turning Discord chatter into searchable knowledge. For a paid community with courses and events in one place, Memberfy does more.

Official site ↗

4. Slack

Best for: Professional communities whose members already work in Slack

What it does well

  • Familiar to anyone who works in a team, with apps for Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
  • A free-forever plan.
  • Group huddles and unlimited history from Pro.
  • Slack Connect to talk with up to 250 organizations on paid plans, and AI features on every plan.

Limitations

  • On the free plan, only 90 days of history, up to 10 apps and 1:1 huddles.
  • Paid plans charge per user, which adds up in a large community.
  • The pricing page does not mention charging members, courses or events.

Pricing model

Free US$ 0; Pro US$ 7.25 per user a month on annual billing (US$ 8.75 monthly); Business+ US$ 15 (US$ 18 monthly); Enterprise+ on request.[19,20]

Verdict: Good when the community is an extension of work. To charge members and organize courses and events, Memberfy, and Slack gets its notices through the ready-made integration too.

Official site ↗

5. Skool

Best for: Creators who want a simple community, course and chat, charging in US dollars

What it does well

  • Very simple: feed, chat, courses and a calendar of events and live calls in one place.
  • Unlimited members, courses and videos on both plans.
  • Gamification with points and levels that unlock courses.
  • Skool’s own checkout, with no Stripe account needed.

Limitations

  • Every price is in US dollars and members pay in dollars, by card.
  • A 10% + 30¢ transaction fee on Hobby.
  • A custom group URL on Pro only; the help center does not mention a custom domain.
  • Zapier on Pro only; a public API and webhooks are not mentioned in the help center.

Pricing model

Hobby US$ 9 a month (10% + 30¢ per transaction) and Pro US$ 99 a month (2.9% + 30¢ up to US$ 899 and 3.9% + 30¢ above), on monthly billing. 14-day free trial.[21,22,23,24]

Verdict: Great for simplicity with dollar billing today. For your own domain, the API and an AI assistant, Memberfy fits better.

Official site ↗Full comparison: Memberfy × Skool →

6. WhatsApp

Best for: Small, close groups, where everyone already is

What it does well

  • Free, with apps for phone, computer and tablet, and WhatsApp Web.
  • Groups of up to a thousand people, and Communities that bring several groups together with an announcement group.
  • Polls, events with RSVPs, voice and video calls and large file sharing.
  • Admins decide who can add or remove people.

Limitations

  • The site does not mention charging members of groups or communities; channel subscriptions may not be available to everyone.
  • Up to a thousand people per group.
  • Courses and organized content do not appear on the pages checked.

Pricing model

Free; your carrier may charge for data.[25,26,27,28]

Verdict: Unbeatable for a small, free group. To charge and keep content, Memberfy, with campaigns and workflows that also send WhatsApp messages from the Business plan.

Official site ↗Full comparison: Memberfy × WhatsApp →

7. Telegram

Best for: Large groups and channels, with channel subscriptions in Telegram Stars

What it does well

  • Free, with apps for Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Mac and Linux, and web versions.
  • Groups of up to 200,000 members and channels with unlimited subscribers.
  • Admins with detailed permissions and a log of the last 48 hours of actions.
  • Monthly channel subscriptions in Telegram Stars through a paid invite link, and an open Bot API.

Limitations

  • Members buy Stars inside the app; withdrawals go through Fragment, to a TON wallet.
  • The pages do not publish the fee on channel subscriptions.
  • Groups and channels live inside Telegram, on a t.me link.

Pricing model

Free; Premium is an optional subscription for each user. Channel subscriptions are charged in Telegram Stars.[29,30,31,32,33]

Verdict: Strong for huge groups and a broad audience. For courses and events on your own domain, Memberfy, and Telegram gets its notices through the ready-made integration too.

Official site ↗Full comparison: Memberfy × Telegram →

Feature by feature: Memberfy, Discord and the alternatives

Feature by feature: Memberfy, Discord and the alternatives
FeatureMemberfyDiscordCircleSkoolDiscourseSlack
Entry priceMemberfy: US$ 10/month, annual, up to 100 membersDiscord: Free; Nitro is per user[1,3]Circle: US$ 89/month, annual (Professional)[13,14]Skool: US$ 9/month (Hobby)[21]Discourse: Free (hosted); Pro US$ 100/month[18]Slack: Free; Pro US$ 7.25 per user/month, annual[19]
Charging membersMemberfy: In Brazil, PIX, boleto and card; elsewhere, US dollars by card, coming soon; 6.99% + US$ 1.00 per saleDiscord: Server subscriptions for US creators only; the creator keeps 90%[6,5]Circle: Stripe, 2% to 0.5% fee; in Brazil, PIX only for one-time payments[15,16]Skool: US dollars, by card; 10% + US$ 0.30 on Hobby[21,22]Discourse: Subscriptions plugin; processor not stated[18]Slack: Not on the pricing page[19]
MembersMemberfy: 100 to 20,000 by plan; unlimited teamDiscord: Up to 25 million per server[4]Circle: Unlimited; 3 admins on Professional[14]Skool: Unlimited[21]Discourse: Unlimited; 2 to 15 staff seats[18]Slack: Priced per user[19]
Domain and brandMemberfy: Domain on every plan; no branding from US$ 19Discord: Inside Discord; custom invite at Boost level 3[4]Circle: Domain on every plan; branding off from Business[14]Skool: Custom URL on Pro; domain not mentioned[21]Discourse: Your own domain from Pro[18]Slack: A workspace inside Slack[19]
AppMemberfy: Installs on the phone, with notifications; not in the storesDiscord: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and browser[2,1]Circle: Circle’s app in the stores[14]Skool: Not stated on the pages checkedDiscourse: Free iOS and Android apps[18]Slack: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android[20]
Chat and voiceMemberfy: Channel with threads, reactions and mentions, and private messages; no voiceDiscord: Text, voice, Stage and forums; video suspended in Brazil[4,8,10]Circle: Direct messages, group chat and live rooms[14]Skool: Chat and live calls[23]Discourse: Forum, with a chat plugin[18]Slack: Group huddles from Pro; 90 days of history on Free[19]
Courses and eventsMemberfy: 30 space types, with courses with certificates and ticketed eventsDiscord: Scheduled events and forums; courses not mentioned[8,9]Circle: Courses, live events and website[14]Skool: Courses and an event calendar[23]Discourse: Events on Business; courses not mentioned[18]Slack: Not on the pricing page[19]
IntegrationsMemberfy: API, 101 webhook event types and ready-made notices for Discord, Slack and TelegramDiscord: Incoming webhooks, bots and apps[11,12]Circle: Admin API on Business; webhooks on Scale[14]Skool: Zapier on Pro[24]Discourse: API and webhooks from Pro[18]Slack: Up to 10 apps on Free; no cap on Pro[19]
AI and MCPMemberfy: MCP with 959 tools on every planDiscord: Not stated on the pages checkedCircle: Circle MCP from Business[17]Skool: Not stated on the pages checkedDiscourse: Daily AI credits by plan[18]Slack: Basic AI; advanced on Business+[19]

Sources

Competitors’ pages, checked on November 1, 2026; each cell and section carries the number of its source:

  1. [1] Discord Support: Getting Started
  2. [2] discord.com/download
  3. [3] discord.com/nitro
  4. [4] Discord Support: Account Caps, Server Caps, and More
  5. [5] Discord Support: Server Subscriptions for Members
  6. [6] Discord Creator Support: Creator Revenue FAQ
  7. [7] Discord Support: Roles and Permissions
  8. [8] Discord Support: Forum Channels FAQ
  9. [9] Discord Support: Scheduled Events
  10. [10] Discord Support: video features unavailable in Brazil
  11. [11] Discord Support: Intro to Webhooks
  12. [12] Discord Support: Using Apps on Discord
  13. [13] circle.so/br/precos
  14. [14] circle.so/pricing
  15. [15] Circle Help Center: paywalls no Brasil (PIX)
  16. [16] Circle Help Center: paywall transaction fees
  17. [17] circle.so/mcp
  18. [18] discourse.org/pricing
  19. [19] slack.com/pricing
  20. [20] slack.com/downloads
  21. [21] skool.com/pricing
  22. [22] Skool Help Center: Skool Payments FAQs
  23. [23] skool.com/features
  24. [24] Skool Help Center: Zapier Integration
  25. [25] whatsapp.com/groups
  26. [26] whatsapp.com/communities
  27. [27] whatsapp.com/channels
  28. [28] whatsapp.com/download
  29. [29] telegram.org/faq
  30. [30] telegram.org/tour/groups
  31. [31] telegram.org/apps
  32. [32] core.telegram.org/api/subscriptions
  33. [33] core.telegram.org/bots/features

Memberfy data: the pricing page and the Help Center (docs.memberfy.net).

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Discord alternative for a paid community?
For a community that wants courses, events, a real-time channel and the member list on its own domain, Memberfy: from US$ 10 a month, with 6.99% + US$ 1.00 per sale, payment processing included, and the API, webhooks and an MCP server on every plan. If your members must pay in US dollars today, Circle and Skool already charge inside the platform.
Can I charge subscriptions on Discord outside the United States?
According to Discord’s pages, no: Server Subscriptions require US banking and ID, and Discord says the feature will not be available outside the United States. On Memberfy, members in Brazil pay by PIX, boleto or card; elsewhere they will pay in US dollars by card, which is coming soon.
Do I have to shut down my Discord server to use Memberfy?
No. Memberfy has a ready-made Discord integration: you paste a channel’s webhook and it gets a notice when someone joins, buys, subscribes or cancels, registers for an event or completes a course; check-ins are added if you want them. The same works for Slack and Telegram. The paid community and the content live on Memberfy, and the server stays the meeting point.
Does Memberfy have voice channels like Discord?
No. Memberfy has a real-time channel, with threads, reactions, mentions, photos and video, and private messages between members; live sessions are events, with the stream from YouTube, Vimeo or Mux on the event’s page. If live voice is the heart of the community, Discord is still better at it.
Is there a free Discord alternative?
WhatsApp and Telegram are free, with groups of up to a thousand and up to 200,000 people. Slack has a free plan, with 90 days of history, and Discourse has a free hosted plan. Memberfy is paid, from US$ 10 a month, and what it brings is billing, organized content and your own domain.
Discord or Slack for a community?
Discord is free and has voice channels; Slack is familiar to people who work in teams, but the free plan keeps 90 days and paid plans charge per user, from US$ 7.25 a month on Pro, annual. Neither charges your members for you outside the United States, and both receive Memberfy’s notices.
How do I bring my Discord members to Memberfy?
Members come in from a CSV or XLSX spreadsheet, only people who consented, and written content can be imported from Substack, Medium and WordPress. On the server, a pinned message with the link to your plans page lets people move over at their own pace, and the integration keeps the channel posted on who arrived.

Keep reading

Your community on your own domain, with Discord kept in the loop

Create the account, set up your plans and domain, and turn on the Discord integration so the server hears about every new member and every sale.

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