How to Create an App Like Discord

Curious about how to create an app like Discord? Keep reading to find out exactly how you can take steps to start your own app today!

Communication apps, messengers, and social networks are common, and you certainly use some of them regularly. However, why does an app like Discord need to be created if you can simply use Discord, Telegram if you want, Signal, or anything else? Well, there can be several reasons, and if you are here, you probably have at least one.

There is a good guide on how to create an app like Discord for you. But before that, let’s start from the basics. We’ll see how these apps can be used, except for the obvious aim of simple communication, and why you may need your own Discord.

Communication Apps: Basics 

Communications apps are used for creating and transmitting information: this is their primary purpose, and all other features make it more comfortable. They should also have basic functions to create the content: write messages, including voice and video messages, take photos, and edit them. 

These options require the front-end and back-end sides of the application. The first will be visible to your customers and should be carefully designed, while the latter will process all queries.

File sharing is another vital function, and thus, you need cloud storage for your files. Lastly, privacy is an essential part of your app. You should ensure end-to-end encryption for all information transferred by users.

Let’s review what you certainly should have in your communication app like Discord:

• Messaging: send and receive messages with one another in real time.
• Voice and video calling: make voice and video call with each other.
• Group chats: create ones and participate in them.
• File sharing: send, store, and receive documents, images, and videos.
• Photos and videos: an app can have camera access to instantly create and modify photos and videos inside it.
• Emojis and stickers: use emojis and stickers which are customized, or even allow people to create ones.
• User profiles: create and customize a profile, choose a username, and set a profile picture.
• Privacy and encryption: your users should be able to control their privacy settings, and you should ensure that your app will not be easy to hack.

Finally, let’s see what you need to develop it:

• A chat-builder platform, such as Appy Pie: you can use it to create a draft for your app. You can see its interface below.
• Frameworks for developing app functions. Consider various chat APIs and SDKs, such as Twilio, to facilitate your development. React framework is mostly used for web design, but it is also helpful for developing a user interface.
• Programming languages: Python and Node.js are usually enough for developing both front- and back-end of the application.
• Cloud storage, if you don’t want to allocate your own server for user files storage. Google Drive is a good example.

Why You May Need Your Own App Like Discord?

Returning to an important question: why, if you can just use Discord? There are, actually, a wide range of available options. Discord is a good option to create and manage various communities, servers, and channels from gaming to business ones. Slack enables creating your own customizable platform for personal or cooperative purposes.

People routinely use WhatsApp and Viber for managing their chats and communicating with relatives and colleagues. Lastly, if you and your peers want to remain anonymous, you can use Telegram or Signal messengers, which, in addition, provide a wide range of customization. Millions of unique Telegram stickers is a good example. 

But what if none of these options can satisfy you?

You may need your own app like Discord if:

• You want your personal communication platform for your family, gaming community, or a small local group.
• You want to create a unique brand application for your customer community, to be in touch with them and handle their feedback and requests.
• You want your own corporate app for your employees.

If you need an app for personal or business purposes, it is an excellent time to create it. Let’s consider the typical advantages and disadvantages of such applications.

Advantages

Text apps give a lot of advantages to those who use them, and implementing one of them into your routine will likely improve it.

• Productivity rises. Instead of time-consuming meetings, you can write a couple of messages to easily address or resolve most of the problems, be it work or personal ones.
• Easy cooperation. File sharing, instant messaging, and the ability to save information greatly increase the potential for cooperation.
• Management and Engagement. People become connected and involved in all processes, ensuring that they can share their ideas and realize themselves.

Disadvantages

However, if you plan to implement such an app in your business or family, be ready for possible drawbacks. By knowing them, you can understand how to cope with them. Here you can read more about the general disadvantages of texting apps.

• Distractions. While useful, online communication distracts people from their daily routines, as they must check messages every several minutes.
• Face-to-face communication declines. Live communication is essential for people, and people can become disengaged if they communicate via chat apps.
• Increased risk of misunderstanding. You cannot convey your emotions and mimics directly via the chat app. In addition, as responses take time, the speed of information transfer is limited. Therefore, your peers can easily misunderstand each other.
• Safety issues. Although you can make your app safer by ensuring end-to-end encryption and personal data protection, it is still much easier to manipulate people or information they provide via chatting.

How to Create? An Algorithm, Time, and Cost

If you are still sure that you need an app like Discord, we’ve summarized the described process in a short action plan.

1. Define purposes/Conduct market research. The purpose is the first, not the code. It defines which design and functionality your app will have. If you want the app to work for business, such as communicating with customers or employees, conduct market research.
2. Develop a clear concept and monetization model. A purpose that led to the decision to create your own app like Discord. Key features, target audience, and design are essential for this stage. If you want to use it for other than personal purposes, make sure to figure out the monetization model for the application.
3. Build a team. While you can make a work by yourself, at least partially, using chat builders and other frameworks, you need a team of professionals. Primary, you need developers to build the app’s back-end and designers to build the front-end part.
4. Develop a prototype by hand, using a chat builder, or combining. As mentioned, AppyPie is a good tool for developing. You need to create a chat client and a front-end interface, which your users will see. Then, develop a back-end server part that will process information, provide safety, store data, and perform other mentioned functions. Consider the usage of frameworks, such as Twilio for chat functions and React for UI.
5. Start testing. After having a working prototype, be sure that you test it with various people and probe its privacy settings.
6. Release, promote, and improve. Develop a marketing plan for your app or the approach of how you’ll present it to your peers. Schedule regular updates and checks of the app’s design, functions, and security, and be ready for feedback!

Lastly, you need to estimate the time and cost of the app development. Allocations, according to the guide, are project analysis, design, coding, testing, and management. Based on estimates, it gives approximately 5 months and $210,000.

According to another analysis we’ve found here, the answer can vary from $50,000 and 3 months to $600,000 and 6 months. The graph below shows how the internal build differs from purchasing a chatting app as a service: the maintenance cost will be much lower, but you need to invest in the creation.

Conclusion

As you see, firstly, you need to clearly understand why you need such an app. Defining purposes, understanding advantages and disadvantages, and exploring the market of famous chatting apps to develop a monetization model are necessary actions. 

If you are sure you need your own app like Discord, then you can find a chat app builder and study its functions. Become familiar with all relevant frameworks and programming languages. They include Python and Node.js, React for UI, and various chat APIs. 

Don’t forget to calculate the costs and time necessary for your app creation and maintenance and compare them with other functions, such as purchasing an app. Finally, be ready to test your application, schedule updates, and maintenance, and create a plan of how to deliver it to end users.