In this article, we compared Discord vs. TeamSpeak and tried to come up with an answer to determine which one is better!
Communication over the Internet has grown to be one of the most essential ways of interacting and socializing with people all over the world, especially in the gaming scene.
There are many Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) platforms out there, and one of the most talked about are Discord and Teamspeak.
TeamSpeak and Discord were released more than ten years apart. Both platforms are available for free and are still actively being developed and releasing new updates and versions.
In 2001, TeamSpeak made its debut as a VoIP platform after two years of development by a group of friends. They were looking for a more high-quality and lightweight application for better online communication, which is not available at the time.
Discord, on the other hand, was released in 2015 during the boom of the esports industry. They started the same, being an alternative to the in-game chat that provides a better communication service.
Both TeamSpeak and Discord has now evolved to be a more all-purpose communication platform instead of just gaming-focused software. However, most of the services provided are still catered to gamers. Discord has, for the most part, taken over competitive gaming but Teamspeak is still a viable option for many gamers.
Let’s take a look at the differences between Discord vs. TeamSpeak and which platform is better for you.
Show your house pride with the Slytherin Chair Skin from the Harry Potter x Secretlab Licensed Collection!
Bandwidth and audio quality
When we talk about the difference between the two platforms, one detail always shines the most – the audio quality. Both platforms use the same Opus codec with about the same audio functionality, such as noise reduction and echo cancellation.
TeamSpeak is known for having extremely high audio quality, which is very important in gaming communication, especially in the esports scene. It can handle a lot of people speaking at the same time without changing or disturbing their audio qualities.
The current TeamSpeak version offers access to a 100-Kbps bitrate audio quality. In the new version of TeamSpeak, they are promising an upgrade to the audio quality, with 384Kbps audio quality as a standard option.
Since the software is a lot more simple in its functionality, it also consumes less memory and bandwidth. This allows for the prioritization of audio quality as the higher the quality, the more bandwidth it consumes.
In the gaming world, it is very important to not overload your system so you can play the games smoothly. On Discord’s side, the platform consumes larger bandwidth and takes a lot of your system’s resources.
If we want to compare audio quality, Discord offers a pretty good quality range from 8 Kbps to 96 Kbps. If you opted for their paid membership, Discord Nitro, you can get up to 384 Kbps quality.
The audio quality is pretty even for both platforms. However, the user bandwidth and system requirements do affect the overall audio quality and playbacks, and this is where TeamSpeak wins the debate of Discord vs. TeamSpeak.
Discord has a better user interface – for now
We cannot deny the fact that Discord has a better, modern interface that is much more straightforward and beginner-friendly.
Discord lays out all of the user’s servers on the left side of the app. The next panel shows every channel in the server, followed by the channel’s content as the main panel.
Meanwhile, TeamSpeak’s current version still maintains an outdated interface look. It’ll be easier to navigate once you understand the flow of the application. The panels are collapsible and everything else open on a window panel.
In a new update teased by TeamSpeak, they are going to go for a full design reboot. We saw a glimpse of the new version in the trailer released in 2019, where the user interface mimics the more modern and sleek design of current application like Slack and Discord.
Security issue
In this Discord vs. TeamSpeak debate, TeamSpeak wins this aspect of the argument. TeamSpeak promotes decentralized infrastructure and offers users the ability to host their own servers.
They offer AES-based encryption and promise integrated military-grade security. With all this implementation, TeamSpeak will not have access to your data, so you can be at ease while using the platform.
Discord, on the other hand, give no options for the user to run their own server and roots everyone on one centralized server. This means they have access to your data, and they do share it with other third parties, but they insist they will not sell your data for monetary gain.
Server options
For any new user who hopped into either of the platforms, Discord definitely has the better pitch for server options. Normal users can create or join up to one hundred Discord servers and two hundred servers if they are subscribed to Discord Nitro. They can host more than 500,000 members on the server. And everything is free!
Meanwhile, on TeamSpeak, the free subscription offers you one virtual server (basically the same meaning as a server for Discord) with only 32 slots, meaning only 32 people can join in at a time. You also need your own server hardware, or you have the option to rent a host server.
If you want to upgrade your server, then you have to opt for the paid subscription. One virtual server with an upgraded 64 slots will cost you $55 USD. A subscription of 1024 slots with 2 virtual servers will cause you $500 USD.
Conclusion
Ultimately, both software is definitely the creme de la cream of the VoIP platform. It all depends on your intention on using it. If you like lightweight app with the best sound quality, especially for in-game chatting, you can use TeamSpeak. Meanwhile, if you love a friendlier interface with more in-chat features to socialize with your friends, then Discord is the one for you.
Stay tuned to Gamelevate for more gaming news and guides.
