Interest in alternatives to the popular chat platform Discord has spiked dramatically in recent days, with searches for “Discord alternatives” jumping about 10,000 per cent online following the company’s announcement of new global age-verification requirements that will take effect in March 2026. The planned changes have provoked widespread criticism from long-time users concerned about privacy, data security and intrusive verification processes.
Discord’s controversial rollout mandates that users, both existing and new, confirm their age before accessing certain features. According to reporting, the platform will treat all users as “teenagers” by default and require age verification through methods such as video selfie estimation or government ID submission to continue using core parts of the service, including age-restricted channels and direct messaging features.
With these changes looming, one name at the forefront of alternative interest is Stoat, formerly known as Revolt, a free, open-source, privacy-oriented communication platform designed to offer text, voice and community features similar to Discord without ads, tracking or corporate data collection. The rebranding from Revolt to Stoat occurred in late 2025 after a trademark dispute, and the platform has since been positioning itself as an ethically-minded rival focused on user control and transparency.
Stoat and other alternatives have seen search interest climb sharply in the wake of Discord’s announcement, with Stoat searches up around 9,900 per cent alongside strong interest in its former name (Revolt) as users explore options that promise self-hosting, open-source code and enhanced privacy features.
While Stoat is among the most discussed alternatives, analysts note that no single platform currently matches Discord’s scale, polish or integration of voice, video, screen sharing and community tools. Other contenders mentioned in online discussions include Matrix-based systems, TeamSpeak, and early-stage projects like Root and Roomy.space, though these vary widely in maturity and feature completeness.
