Is Discord or VLC better?

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

Which is cheaper, Discord or VLC?

Discord starts at Free and VLC at Free.

Does Discord or VLC run on more platforms?

Discord runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android. VLC runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.

Can I use Discord for free?

Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.

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 VLC is typically brought in for.

What can Discord do that VLC cannot?

Discord covers Voice channels, Video calls, Text channels, Screen sharing. VLC covers Media playback, Codec support, Streaming, Conversion.

Entertainment · head to head

Discord vs VLC

Discord

Entertainment

Your place to talk and hang out

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

VLC

Entertainment

The free and open source media player

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

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; VLC vLC is completely free open source software with no paid tier, ads, or vendor support contract
They diverge on capability: Discord covers Voice channels, VLC covers Media playback.
Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Discord and VLC actually diverge.

Attributes where Discord and VLC differ
Attribute	Discord	VLC
Pricing model	freemium	free
Platforms	Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android	Windows, Mac, Linux, Ios, Android, Web
Founded	2015	1998

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Entertainment).

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 VLC

Media playback
Codec support
Streaming
Conversion
Plugins
Network streaming
DVD playback
Open source

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 VLC
Running a moderated community server with roles and channelsnot VLC
Screen sharing and streaming gameplay to a small groupnot VLC

VLC

Media playbacknot Discord
Video conversionnot 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

VLC

VLC is completely free open source software with no paid tier, ads, or vendor support contract

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

VLC

Free

FreeFree
- All codecs
- No ads
- Open source

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 VLC if

You need media playback.
You want to start without paying.
You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
You also want codec support.

VLC review

Questions people ask

Is Discord or VLC better?: Neither clearly leads. Discord starts at Free and VLC at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Discord or VLC?: Discord starts at Free and VLC at Free.
Does Discord or VLC run on more platforms?: Discord runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android. VLC runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
Can I use Discord for free?: Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 VLC is typically brought in for.
What can Discord do that VLC cannot?: Discord covers Voice channels, Video calls, Text channels, Screen sharing. VLC covers Media playback, Codec support, Streaming, Conversion.

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

VLC: Is VLC media player free to use?

Yes. VLC is completely free and open source software with no subscription or licensing fees.

Source

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

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

Source

VLC: Can VLC be used commercially?

Yes. VLC explicitly states there is no spyware, no ads, and no user tracking. As open-source software under permissive licenses, commercial use is permitted within each license's specific terms.

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

VLC: Does VLC include all features across all platforms without additional purchase?

Yes. All playback features, codecs, cross-platform compatibility, and customization options are included with no additional purchases required for full functionality on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

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 VLC

Discord

VLC

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Discord

Only in VLC

What people use each for

Discord

VLC

Where each one falls short

Discord

VLC

Pricing, plan by plan

Discord

VLC

Which should you pick?

Choose Discord if

Choose VLC if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Discord

More on VLC

Keep looking

Other head to heads