Is Discord or Steam better?

Neither clearly leads. Discord starts at Free and Steam at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, Discord or Steam?

Discord has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Discord and On request for Steam.

Does Discord or Steam run on more platforms?

Discord runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android. Steam runs on Web.

Can I use Discord for free?

Yes. Discord has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Steam starts at On request.

What is Discord best used for?

Discord is most often used for text, voice and video chat for communities and gaming groups, running a moderated community server with roles and channels, screen sharing and streaming gameplay to a small group. Of those, text, voice and video chat for communities and gaming groups and running a moderated community server with roles and channels are not what Steam is typically brought in for.

What can Discord do that Steam cannot?

Discord covers Voice channels, Video calls, Text channels, Screen sharing.

Entertainment · head to head

Discord vs Steam

Discord

Entertainment

Your place to talk and hang out

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

Steam

Gaming

The ultimate destination for playing, discussing, and creating games

From: On request
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Only Discord has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
Each has a real cost: Discord file upload size is tied to subscription: Nitro Basic at $2.99 a month raises it to 50MB and Nitro at $9.99 a month to 500MB; Steam not a subscription-based platform; operates as a digital game store with per-title pricing
Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Discord and Steam actually diverge.

Attributes where Discord and Steam differ
Attribute	Discord	Steam
Starting price	Free	On request
Pricing model	freemium	subscription
Free tier	Yes	No
Platforms	Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android	Web
Category	Entertainment	Gaming
Founded	2015	Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Discord

Voice channels
Video calls
Text channels
Screen sharing
Go Live streaming
Server organization
Role management
Moderation tools

Only in Steam

Nothing recorded that Discord does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Discord

Text, voice and video chat for communities and gaming groupsnot Steam
Running a moderated community server with roles and channelsnot Steam
Screen sharing and streaming gameplay to a small groupnot Steam

Steam

PC game distribution and purchasenot Discord
Digital game library managementnot Discord
Multiplayer gaming platformnot Discord

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Discord

File upload size is tied to subscription: Nitro Basic at $2.99 a month raises it to 50MB and Nitro at $9.99 a month to 500MB
HD video streaming requires the full Nitro subscription
Custom emoji use across servers, custom profiles and per server profiles are full Nitro only
Server boosts are bundled only with full Nitro, at two boosts plus a discount on extras
Nitro Basic explicitly excludes several Nitro perks including Xbox Game Pass access and custom video backgrounds

Steam

Not a subscription-based platform; operates as a digital game store with per-title pricing
No service tiers or platform access fees; users access the platform free

Pricing, plan by plan

Discord

Free

FreeFree
- Unlimited text chat
- Voice & video calls
- Screen sharing
Nitro Basic$4.99/month
- 50MB file uploads
- Custom emojis anywhere
- Special Nitro badge
Nitro$9.99/month
- 500MB file uploads
- HD video streaming
- 2 Server Boosts

Steam

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Steam review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Discord if

You need voice channels.
You want to start without paying.
You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
You also want video calls.

Discord review

Choose Steam if

Nothing in the data separates Steam from Discord on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Steam review

Questions people ask

Is Discord or Steam better?: Neither clearly leads. Discord starts at Free and Steam at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Discord or Steam?: Discord has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Discord and On request for Steam.
Does Discord or Steam run on more platforms?: Discord runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android. Steam runs on Web.
Can I use Discord for free?: Yes. Discord has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Steam starts at On request.
What is Discord best used for?: Discord is most often used for text, voice and video chat for communities and gaming groups, running a moderated community server with roles and channels, screen sharing and streaming gameplay to a small group. Of those, text, voice and video chat for communities and gaming groups and running a moderated community server with roles and channels are not what Steam is typically brought in for.
What can Discord do that Steam cannot?: Discord covers Voice channels, Video calls, Text channels, Screen sharing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Discord: What is the price difference between Discord's free tier and Nitro subscriptions?

Discord's core service is free. Nitro Basic costs $2.99/month, and the full Nitro subscription costs $9.99/month. Both are recurring monthly charges with pricing that varies by region.

Source

Steam: Is there a cost to create a Steam account and download games?

No, creating a Steam account and accessing the platform is completely free. Individual games are sold at varying prices, and many titles are free-to-play. There is no platform subscription or membership fee required to use Steam.

Source

Discord: Can I try Nitro before committing to a subscription?

No trial period is mentioned on Discord's Nitro pricing page.

Source

Steam: Are free-to-play games truly available on Steam at no cost?

Yes, Steam hosts numerous free-to-play titles including Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Apex Legends, and PUBG: Battlegrounds. Players can download and play these games without any payment, though in-game cosmetics and passes may be available for purchase.

Source

Discord: What is included with the full Nitro subscription that is not in Nitro Basic?

Full Nitro includes Xbox Game Pass Starter Edition, custom profiles, 500MB file uploads (vs 50MB in Basic), HD video streaming, color app themes, 2 server boosts, and 3 friend passes to share Nitro benefits. Both tiers allow custom emoji anywhere.

Source

Discord: What happens to my Discord account if I cancel Nitro?

The pricing page does not specify what happens after cancellation. You would retain your Discord account but lose Nitro-exclusive features.

Source

Discord: Are there any differences in regional pricing or currency accepted?

Pricing varies by country and region. Users can check their localized rates in User Settings. Multiple payment methods are accepted.

Source

Discord vs Steam

Discord

Steam

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Discord

Only in Steam

What people use each for

Discord

Steam

Where each one falls short

Discord

Steam

Pricing, plan by plan

Discord

Steam

Which should you pick?

Choose Discord if

Choose Steam if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Discord

More on Steam

Keep looking

Other head to heads