Skype Is Dead, Long Live Discord

I've used Skype for many years in order to communicate with friends. Text chat mostly, with some voice on occasion. I started to hate the direction Microsoft was taking Skype, with ads everywhere and a gross interface. Eventually I decided I'd had enough, and looked elsewhere. What I found isn't just a Skype alternative, it's much better. Let's make one thing clear, however. Discord is not the same as Skype. There is no video chat and it isn't aimed at just anyone. Discord advertises itself as a chat client for gamers.

If you're familiar with TeamSpeak, Discord is much like if TeamSpeak and Skype had a baby. Users don't have to pay for their own servers, yet there's powerful options for channels, roles, moderation, and aesthetics. Links can be embedded into the chat, so you can see a little preview of whatever the link has. If you send an image or gif, it is embedded into the chat as well. With the latest update, this is even true for YouTube and Vimeo videos. Some other nifty features include the ability to search for gifs on giphy and post them directly inside the client, custom role colors, Twitch integration, and more. Discord has been very punctual in responding to user requests and giving constant updates for the better.

Discord is also smooth and fast. Voice chat is high quality with automatic noise reduction and a whole slew of other improvements to voice quality. When updates are released, there is a non-obtrusive update icon at the top and clicking it simply relaunches with a new update. There are clients for Windows, OSX, iOS, Android, and even a web interface. 

The only reason I would even consider using Skype now is for video chat, but then again there is Google Hangouts for that. Discord makes it easy and enjoyable to talk to friends online. Discord is powerful, yet easy to use and get the hang of. If you're using Skype or any other service to communicate with your friends, especially if you're a gamer, consider switching to this amazing startup service that listens to its users.

Source: Discord