The digital landscape has made it possible for us to connect with people who are thousands of miles away in a matter of just seconds. The world has become border less today because of telecommunication applications that enable us to make voice and video calls online. In this article, we will look at a comparison of two highly popular telecommunication applications, Skype vs Discord.
Let’s start off the Skype vs Discord discussion with a brief overview and discuss why is Discord better than Skype. Skype is a telecommunication software that was first introduced in 2003 by Skype Communications and was later acquired by Microsoft in 2011. On the other hand, Discord is a freeware voice over internet protocol (VoIP) software that was initially designed for the gaming communities. It was first introduced in 2015 by Discord Inc and has rapidly grown its user base to 45 million users in only two years.
Skype vs Discord Comparison:
Skype has been the leading video conferencing software for years now but ever since Discord arrived in 2011, it has been giving Skype a run for its money. Let’s look at a comparison of Skype vs Discord below:
1. Bandwidth Usage:
In terms of data usage, Discord is more efficient than Skype. Discord only transmits audio data when a participant in a call speaks while Skype constantly transmits audio data (it is more like a phone call). Speaking quantitatively about Skype vs Discord, Skype has a recommended bandwidth of 100 kbps for voice calls while Discord has a recommended bandwidth of 64 kbps. This is one reason as to why is Discord is better than Skype.
2. CPU Usage:
While the CPU usage is subjective to the system configurations, users have reported that Skype reaches a CPU usage of as high as 30% during a voice call while Discord reaches a CPU usage of as high as 15% during a voice call. This Skype vs Discord comparison shows that Discord’s average CPU usage is less than that of Skype’s.
3. File Transfer Features:
Skype supports the transfer of all file types and allows you to open multimedia files (such as images and audio) from within the software. Discord also supports the transfer of all file types and allows you to play them from within the application. It is a tie in this Skype vs Discord comparison.
4. Max File Size:
The maximum file size limit for Skype is 300 MB while it is 8 MB (free version) and 50 MB (Nitro version) for Discord. Skype is the clear winner in this Skype vs Discord comparison.
5. Screen share Features:
Both Skype and Discord have a built-in screen share feature, but it works differently in each application. In Skype, you can share your screen during a voice or video call by simply pressing the “+” key and selecting “Share screens…”. In Discord, you can share your screen during a video call only by tapping on the Video/Screen share swap button – within the screen share feature, you can choose to share your entire screen or just a specific application/part of your screen (a key function that is missing in Skype). Discord wins here because it offers privacy in screen sharing which Skype does not.
6. Call Recorder Features:
Neither Skype nor Discord supports native call recording, so it is a tie between the two. However, you can make use of extensions and third-party programs to add the call recording functionality. For Skype, you can use Callnote Premium Call Recorder. For Discord, you can use Discord Echo.
7. Group Call Features:
You can make free group calls via Skype and Discord, but come with different features for facilitating the group calls. The most major difference though is that Skype supports up to 25 members for a group call while Discord supports only up to 10 members. So, for large online meetings or conferences, you should choose Skype.
8. Private Call Feature – Audio/Video:
Skype and Discord allow you to make one-on-one or small group private audio and video calls. Skype allows private calling to landline and mobile phone numbers while Discord does not. However, Discord’s private call feature is more secure (since it assigns a dedicated server for private calls) which is why it takes the edge in this comparison.
Conclusion – Skype vs Discord:
Out of the 8 comparison factors that we have discussed, 4 factors were in favour of Discord, 2 factors were in favour of Skype, while 2 remained a tie. Based on these scores, our winner in the Skype vs Discord comparison is Discord. If you are looking for a reliable and stable telecommunication software, our recommendation is to use Discord.