Finding a way to speak with multiple people at once over the internet can be a bit of a hassle. If you’re trying to get a group together in this way, you’ll probably be looking to download some new software that’s easy and effective to use.
Two of the top programs for a virtual group chat, focused mainly on gaming, are TeamSpeak and Discord. They are two of the most popular software for talking to others. Both of them are different from each other, though performing a similar task.
Depending on what you’re using the software for, the specifics of one or the other may prove to be more useful to you.
This article will weigh the differences between TeamSpeak vs. Discord, and the pros and cons of each so you can decide which one best suits your needs.
TeamSpeak
This program is well-known for its gaming voice chat capabilities, being used in esports leagues to communicate during gameplay. With TeamSpeak, you can create or join servers, which is where you can communicate with other users.
If you want to create your own private server, you’ll need the hardware to do so beforehand, but it’s free otherwise over TeamSpeak. If you don’t, you can host a server through TeamSpeak that will be public.
TeamSpeak is used mainly for in-game chats, and has great overall voice quality. Because of this, it’s great if you have a larger group of people all trying to communicate over a game at once. With TeamSpeak, you should be able to do so very smoothly.
Here are the pros and cons of the program in comparison to Discord.
Pros
- High voice quality. TeamSpeak is known for having extremely high sound quality, which makes it a good pick if you have a large group, as you’ll be able to hear everyone clearly.
- Less usage of bandwidth. If you’re worried about game lag occurrences while using a voice chat program, TeamSpeak doesn’t cause much of this compared to Discord, as Discord has more features which may cause lag during gameplay.
- In-game overlay available. If you need to use TeamSpeak while you’re playing your game, there is an overlay you can access while in-game. You can use this for text chat, or changing any TeamSpeak settings you might need to.
Cons
- Lacks a lot of text-chat features. The text chat in TeamSpeak is pretty bare-bones compared to Discord. If you don’t want a lot of frills for your text chat, you may actually prefer this though.
- Have to pay for servers. If you already have your own hardware to host a server, you can do so for free, but otherwise you’ll need to pay bandwidth fees in order to host one through TeamSpeak.
Discord
Discord is extremely popular to use for voice chatting. Though it began with mainly a gaming-based community, it’s usage has spread so you can find many different types of communities on the service. It’s much more like a social media network than TeamSpeak is.
In Discord, you can create or join servers for free. Within each server you can have different channels for different topics, and set roles for members of the server. With the capabilities of Discord’s text chat, such as being able to send pictures and gifs easily, it makes for a great social environment.
Here are some pros and cons of Discord compared to TeamSpeak.
Pros
- Intuitive user interface. Discord is very easy to use even if you’ve never used a similar type of program before. This makes it very simple to get started and begin using it right away.
- Free servers. With Discord, you can host servers for free, and all of the software itself is free to use as well. There is an upgrade you can pay for called Discord Nitro, but it’s not needed to enjoy all of the program’s features.
- Plenty of text chat features. Besides just voice chat, Discord also has a powerful text chat system within each server. You can send emojis, gifs, photos, attach files, and more. It makes for a great place for users to gather and communicate.
- Many users and communities. You can find tons of servers on Discord where you can discuss nearly any topic you wish. The program has expanded from gaming communities and now many more people have started hosting different types of servers. There are places where you can go just to chat and make friends, to talk about movies or books, music, and many more.
- In-game overlay. Like TeamSpeak, Discord also has its own overlay you can access while playing games. It’s also fully customizable if you want the overlay to look a certain way when opened up.
Cons
- Speaker prioritization system is lacking. If you have many people trying to voice chat at once in a Discord channel, it’s possible you may run into some issues. Discord may muffle someone if two people talk at once, and compared to TeamSpeak the voice quality is a bit lesser. If you don’t have many people in your voice chat, though, there shouldn’t be many problems.
- Collects user data. Discord has confirmed that they do collect user data. This includes your email, text chats, images, and voice chats. It’s unknown whether this data is sold to third parties, but it’s possible the company is using yours and other users’ data to determine their own future business model. Knowing this, it’s up to you whether you want to use the program or not.
Which Program Is Best?
When it comes down to it, choosing between TeamSpeak vs. Discord depends on what you’re wanting to use it for. If you have a small group you want to voice chat with, Discord is probably your best bet. Discord is also good if you’re more interested in text messaging and enjoy more of a social media environment.
If your main interest is using a program that can connect teammates for gaming, and you’ll be using voice chat consistently, TeamSpeak is a better option. With great voice quality and less danger of causing lag, the program is definitely made to compliment a multiplayer gaming experience.
Both programs have something to offer, so it comes down to deciding which features work best for you.