Discord review

Can new creators still turn on Discord Server Subscriptions?

Yes, if you are in the US. Discord's creator help center lists the requirements: you own the server, you are 18 or older, your account is in good standing with a verified email and two-factor authentication, and you can give Stripe a US bank account and US ID.

The server needs Community enabled, two-factor authentication required for moderation actions, and content that is not primarily NSFW. Discord's creator FAQ says Server Subscriptions will not be available outside the United States.

Each server can offer 1 to 3 paid tiers. You choose whether tiers gate some channels or the whole server, and you can add up to 25 premium emoji for subscribers.

Server Products, which sell one-time downloads and roles, are still in beta for a select group of servers. Do not plan a business around them until Discord opens them to everyone.

How much does Discord take?

Discord takes about 15.4% of each desktop or web sale. Its Monetization Terms set a 6% payment processing fee, then a 10% platform fee on what is left, which is 9.4% of the sale price.

Both fees are percentages with no fixed charge per payment. That softens the hit on cheap tiers, where a $0.30 per-sale fee on other platforms eats a bigger share.

On a $30 monthly tier, you keep $25.38. Currency conversion fees, refunds, and chargebacks can reduce that further, and the Monetization Terms make you responsible for chargebacks you lose and their fees.

Mobile has its own rules. Subscriptions bought in the iOS app cost the buyer more, because Discord raises the price to cover Apple's 30% fee, or 15% for subscribers past their first year. Members cannot buy subscriptions in the Android app. Compare the total with other platforms on the fee table.

How do Discord payouts work?

Discord pays once a month through Stripe, within 45 days after the month ends. Your first payout needs at least $100 in earnings, and later payouts need $25.

Discord's help center gives the example of a server that earns $100 by January 30 and most likely gets paid in February. If you need cash every week, Skool pays every Wednesday.

Setup takes a few steps. You create a Discord Team in the Developer Portal and a new Stripe account for it, because Discord's FAQ says you cannot reuse a Stripe account from another platform. Stripe asks for a tax ID, a website or social profile, and bank details.

Do you own your subscribers on Discord?

No. Subscribers buy through Discord, Discord decides refund eligibility under its own policy, and Discord's creator help center documents no way to export subscriber emails.

Discord's privacy help says moderators see the same profile information as any other member of the server. If you leave Discord, you can announce a new home in your server, but no subscription moves with you.

Changing what you sell has rules too. If you take perks away, the Monetization Terms require you to tell subscribers and let them cancel before the change. A monetized server can only be handed to another US-based owner, who then has to deliver every perk existing subscribers paid for.

That is the price of convenience. Members already have Discord open, and joining a paid tier takes a few taps instead of a new account on a new platform.

Who should use Discord instead of Circle or Skool?

Use Discord if your audience already chats in your server every day and you want to charge for extra channels or perks. Asking members to move to a new app is the hardest part of starting a paid community, and Discord skips that step. Gaming, fan, and hobby servers where a members-only channel or early access is the product fit best.

Pick Circle or Mighty Networks instead if you sell courses, need member emails, or live outside the US. Pick Skool if fees matter most and you want help finding members.