Hey there! If you‘re like me, you may have seen exciting offers for something called "Discord Nitro" and wondered, is this premium service really free or is it a paid subscription?
I was confused by this too, so I dug into the details as a long-time Discord user. The short answer is: no, Discord Nitro is not free. However, there are some limited ways to access Nitro perks without paying, which I‘ll explain shortly.
Stick with me for this full guide, where I‘ll walk you through what exactly Discord Nitro offers compared to the free version, when you can score free trials and deals, whether it‘s actually worth paying for, and tips for managing your subscription.
Nitro vs Free Discord – What‘s the Difference?
Let‘s first break down the key differences between the free and paid tiers of Discord:
| Feature | Free | Nitro Basic | Nitro Classic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $2.99 per month | $9.99 per month |
| Custom Emoji Slots | 5 | 50 | Unlimited |
| File Upload Limit | 8 MB | 50 MB | 100 MB |
| Screenshare Quality | 720p | 1080p/60fps | 1080p/60fps |
| Server Banner Image | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Group DM Size Limit | 10 users | 25 users | 250 users |
| Nitro Profile Badge | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
As you can see, both paid Nitro tiers offer bonuses over free Discord like more emoji, larger file sharing, and badge perks. But Nitro Classic has the most benefits.
Free Discord definitely covers the basics like messaging, voice/video calls, and managing a server. But Nitro caters to power users who want to customize their experience.
According to a 2021 Discord user survey, the most popular Nitro perks are:
- Custom emoji (used by 68% of Nitro subscribers)
- Improved video quality (used by 60%)
- File size increases (used by 57%)
- Badge customization (used by 51%)
So users clearly value expanded creative and sharing options. But again, Discord‘s core utility works fine without these extras.
When Can You Get Free Nitro?
While Nitro isn‘t free forever, there are limited offers to access some benefits:
Free trial: Discord frequently offers 1 month full Nitro trials, especially for new users. This lets you preview the perks risk-free.
Microsoft promotions: Xbox Live and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers often get 1-3 free months of Nitro as a partner perk.
Mobile app: Download the Discord mobile app during a promotion to get 2 months of Nitro Basic without paying.
Discord events: Certain official Discord activities will reward community members with a few months of free Nitro Basic.
Gifting: Friends with Nitro can gift you a free month, but this isn‘t super common.
Giveaways: There are constant Nitro giveaways done by fans, servers, streamers, and Discord. You can enter for a chance to win a free trial code.
I recommend trying the 1 month classic trial or keeping an eye out for Microsoft deals to test Nitro firsthand if you‘re unsure.
However, watch out for sketchy offers of "free unlimited Nitro." Anything asking for personal info or account access is likely a scam. Stick to legitimate Discord promotions.
Is Paying for Nitro Worth It?
Whether you should pay for Nitro really depends on your needs as a Discord user. Let‘s go over the key factors:
Casual vs Power Users
If you only use Discord occasionally to chat with friends, the free version is probably fine. But for community leaders, hardcore gamers, and streamers who live on Discord daily, Nitro adds a lot of nice quality of life upgrades.
Budget and Value
Nitro starts at just $2.99 per month for Basic, which gets you 50 emoji slots, larger files, and a profile badge. That‘s pretty affordable! But the $9.99 for Classic may not be worth it if you‘re a student on a tight budget. Evaluate whether the expanded perks fit your budget.
Heavy Emoji Users
According to Discord, over 60% of Nitro subscribers utilize the expanded custom emoji perks. So if you love adding emoji reactions and stickers, an unlimited Nitro slot is extremely valuable compared to just 5 free slots.
Profile Customization
Over half of Nitro users like being able to customize their profile with badges, banners, themes, and avatars. If you love showing off unique style, Nitro helps you stand out.
Group Chat Size
Nitro Classic bumps your max group DM size from 10 users to 250. For people who use Discord like a social network to chat with large friend groups, this expanded capacity could be game changing.
HD Video Streaming
Gamers and streamers in particular benefit from Nitro‘s boosted 720p to 1080p/60fps screenshare quality. Crisp, smooth video makes Discord ideal for hanging out and screensharing games.
So in summary, think about your needs and priorities as a user, and how often you would realistically use the Nitro perks. For most casual chatters, the free plan should be sufficient!
Tips for Managing Your Nitro Subscription
If you do decide to purchase Nitro, here are some tips to get the most value from it:
Add custom emoji and profile items right away, since they will be removed when your subscription ends.
Use Nitro server boosts selectively on your favorite communities versus boosting randomly.
Check your billing date and turn off auto-renewal if you‘re unsure about keeping it long term.
Activate free trials from the mobile app or Microsoft for bonus months before paying.
Seek refunds within 5 days if you mistakenly buy a year but quickly regret it.
Make sure your payment information is safe and secure to prevent unwanted charges.
Consider buying discounted Nitro gift cards from resellers if you find cheaper deals.
Use Nitro profile customization to jazz up your look, since you lose it after your subscription.
The Bottom Line
Hope this helps explain exactly what you get with a paid Discord Nitro subscription! Core Discord is still free and functional for most users. But if you love customizing, emojis, HD video, and showing off, Nitro does offer some nice bonuses.
Take advantage of the occasional free trials and gifts through Microsoft to test it out first. And think about whether you‘ll use the perks enough to justify the ongoing subscription cost. Let me know if you have any other Nitro questions!
