Facebook is a large, established platform with a broad user base and sophisticated advertising capabilities. However, it faces concerns about content moderation and privacy. Discord is a growing platform with a focus on community building and real-time communication, offering extensive customization options and a premium subscription service.
| Attribute | Discord | |
|---|---|---|
| User Base Size and Demographics | Over 3 billion monthly active users, largest age group is 25-34 (31.1%), approximately 56.8% male and 43.2% female, India has the largest audience by country. | Approximately 196.2 million monthly active users worldwide as of January 2024; estimated 656 million users by the end of 2025; primary age group 25-34 years (53.4%), 16-24 year age group (20.6%); predominantly male (67% male, 32% female). |
| Content Moderation Policies and Effectiveness | Meta is simplifying content policies, focusing on reducing mistakes and enforcing high-severity violations. Ending the third-party fact-checking program in the US and moving to a Community Notes model. Amnesty International reports that changes to Meta's content policies pose a grave threat to vulnerable communities globally and drastically increase the risk that the company will contribute to mass violence and gross human rights abuses. | Multi-layered approach including user controls, platform moderation, and community moderation; Community Guidelines enforced through proactive and reactive work; automated detection of policy violations; flexible approach to moderation; policy against health misinformation; bans for off-platform behavior related to hate speech and misinformation. |
| Privacy Settings and Data Security Measures | Updated privacy settings to control who sees your content. Enhanced controls are available over who can contact you. Becoming more transparent about data collection and how that data is used. | Privacy Policy explains data handling; users can request a copy of their data; encryption for data in transit and at rest; customizable personal settings; users can manage friend requests and content scanning. |
| Advertising Options and Targeting Capabilities | Offers core audiences (demographics, interests, behaviors), custom audiences (existing data like customer lists), and lookalike audiences (new users similar to best customers). Ad targeting capabilities have become more nuanced with machine learning analyzing user behavior. | No traditional advertising; advertising through community engagement, partnerships, and sponsorships; 'Quests' rewarded ad format, including Video Quests; brands can partner with large, active servers. |
| Community Features and Group Management Tools | Group admins have access to improved moderation tools, detailed engagement insights, and features that make hosting virtual events more seamless. Provides valuable data about what works in your community. | Tools for managing communities, including voice and video calls, persistent chat rooms, and direct messaging; communities organized into servers with channels; server owners and moderators can define norms; extensive server customization options; server analytics and activity data. |
| Real-Time Communication Features (Voice, Video, Text) | Messenger offers improved voice and video calls with high-quality and low-latency features. Video calls support augmented reality (AR) features and improved collaboration capabilities. | Real-time communication through text, voice, and video channels; voice channels for real-time voice conversations; video calling and screen sharing available; audio and video features implemented using WebRTC. |
| Customization and Personalization Options | New customization options, including the ability to exclude or include custom audiences, as well as suggest demographic preferences such as gender or age limits. | Customizable profiles with display names, avatars, pronouns, and 'About Me' sections; light and dark mode themes; Nitro users can use different avatars, banners, and bios on each server; extensive server customization options. |
| Integration with Other Platforms and Services | Messenger integrates with CRM systems and marketing automation tools. Allows users to log in to apps and websites using their Facebook account. | Integrates with other platforms and services, especially gaming platforms; users can link accounts to display activity status; supports integrations with project management tools like Trello and Asana. |
| API Availability and Developer Support | Messenger offers API access and third-party connectors for CRM integration. | Various ways to integrate tools, including webhooks and a new App Directory; Discord bots can be used to automate routine tasks and increase engagement. |
| Mobile App Usability and Features | 81.8% of Facebook users access the platform exclusively via mobile devices. The steps to adjust privacy settings are the same whether you're using a browser or the Facebook mobile app. | Runs on Android and iOS; downloaded 24.7 million times globally in Q1 2024. |
| Desktop App Usability and Features | 1.5% of users access Facebook via desktop only. | Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux; 75% of website traffic from desktops in October 2024. |
| Pricing Structure for Premium Features or Services | Not available | Offers a premium subscription service called Discord Nitro; takes a 10% fee from server subscriptions; made around $207 million in revenue from paid subscriptions in 2023. |
| Pros | Large user base, Nuanced ad targeting capabilities, Improved moderation tools for group admins, High-quality voice and video calls, Integration with CRM systems and marketing automation tools, Mobile app usability | Real-time communication through text, voice, and video channels, Extensive server customization options, Integrates with other platforms and services, API availability and developer support |
| Cons | Concerns about content moderation policies and potential for increased hate speech and misinformation, Privacy concerns and data collection practices, Amnesty International reports that changes to Meta's content policies pose a grave threat to vulnerable communities globally and drastically increase the risk that the company will contribute to mass violence and gross human rights abuses. | Not available |