Real-time conversation, built right into your community

Keep everyday updates to team-wide decisions all in one place.

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How communities use chat

Social interactions

Strengthen bonds through informal chats and socialization.

Staff and event coordination

Plan events and discuss community management strategies.

Team discussions

Collaborate on projects or operational challenges.

Built for trust and control

You own your data

Your content stays yours—Discourse guarantees complete data control and privacy.

Privacy-first design

We don’t track your users, run ads, or push premium subscriptions. You are our customer—not your users.

Access controls that work for you

Use category- and trust-level-based permissions to control who can participate—keeping your chat safe, focused, and spam-free.

Stay organized and on brand

Centralized communication

Bring forums and chat together in one platform—so nothing gets lost across tools.

Off-topic has a home

Let side conversations flourish in Chat, so forum topics stay focused and useful.

Right space for every chat

Channels, group chats, and DMs keep discussions organized—so your team can go wide, go deep, or go private.

Mobile-friendly design

Chat works seamlessly on any device—so your community stays connected, whether they’re at a desk or on the move.

Threads for clarity

Structure deeper conversations in threads to keep chat focused and easy to follow.

Accessible engagement

Lower the barrier for shy or new members to participate with friendly, low-stakes interaction.

Embrace the future with Discourse

Join a global network of communities enhancing their platforms with Discourse's open-source, community-driven solutions.

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