Selecting the right conferencing tool can vastly improve your team’s productivity and collaboration. RingCentral Video and Discord are two popular options, each catering to different audiences. RingCentral Video is a strong contender in professional settings, offering robust features for business meetings and smooth integration with other productivity tools. Discord, on the other hand, is beloved by gamers and online communities, known for its user-friendly interface and powerful voice and text chat capabilities. This article will compare these platforms, helping you choose the one that best suits your specific use case.
General Information
RingCentral Video and Discord are two popular conferencing apps with distinct features and backgrounds.
RingCentral Video is developed by RingCentral and was released in 2020. It is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Web platforms. This makes it accessible on most major operating systems, catering to a wide range of users.
Discord, on the other hand, is developed by Discord Inc. and was released in 2015. It supports Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web, and Linux platforms. This additional support for Linux gives it an edge for users who prefer open-source operating systems.
In summary:
– Developer/Company: RingCentral vs Discord Inc.
– Release Date: 2020 vs 2015
– Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web vs Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web, Linux
Verdict:
Discord is better due to its earlier release date and support for more platforms, including Linux.
| Attribute |  |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Developer/Company | RingCentral | Discord Inc. |
| Release Date | 2020 | 2015 |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web, Linux |
Core Features
RingCentral Video and Discord both offer robust conferencing solutions, but they differ in core features.
Video Quality:
RingCentral Video provides HD video quality, ensuring clear and sharp visuals. Discord also offers HD video quality, but it is specifically 720p. Both platforms deliver good video experiences, but RingCentral Video might have a slight edge with its broader HD specification.
Audio Quality:
Both RingCentral Video and Discord boast high audio quality. Users can expect clear and crisp sound during their calls, making either platform reliable for audio communication.
In summary, RingCentral Video and Discord both excel in video and audio quality, with RingCentral Video offering a potentially higher HD video experience and both platforms ensuring high audio standards.
Verdict:
RingCentral Video is better due to HD, 720p video quality compared to Discord’s HD video quality.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Video Quality | HD, 720p | HD |
| Audio Quality | High | High |
Interactive demos of RingCentral Video and Discord
RingCentral Video Demo
Discord Demo
Collaboration Tools
RingCentral Video and Discord offer different strengths in collaboration tools.
Participants (Free): RingCentral Video allows up to 100 participants, while Discord supports 25.
Participants (Paid): RingCentral Video supports 200 participants, whereas Discord supports 50.
Meeting Duration (Free): RingCentral Video has a 40-minute limit, while Discord offers unlimited meeting duration.
Screen Sharing: Both platforms support screen sharing.
Recording: RingCentral Video offers recording in paid plans, Discord does not.
Virtual Backgrounds: RingCentral Video supports virtual backgrounds, Discord does not.
RingCentral Video is more suitable for larger meetings with its higher participant limits. Discord, however, excels in offering unlimited meeting duration for free. Both platforms provide essential features like screen sharing, but RingCentral Video has the edge with recording and virtual backgrounds in its paid plans.
Verdict:
RingCentral Video is better for collaboration tools.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Participants (Free) | 100 | 25 |
| Participants (Paid) | 200 | 50 |
| Meeting Duration (Free) | 40 minutes | Unlimited |
| Screen Sharing | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Recording | ✅ Yes (paid plans) | ❌ No |
| Virtual Backgrounds | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Integration and Compatibility
RingCentral Video and Discord both offer robust conferencing features but differ in several key areas of integration and compatibility.
In-meeting Chat: Both RingCentral Video and Discord support in-meeting chat, making communication seamless during sessions.
File Sharing: Both platforms allow file sharing, facilitating easy exchange of documents and media.
Breakout Rooms: RingCentral Video supports breakout rooms, which is useful for group activities and discussions. Discord does not offer this feature.
Polls and Q&A: RingCentral Video includes polls and Q&A functionalities, enhancing interactive sessions. Discord lacks these features.
Whiteboarding: RingCentral Video provides whiteboarding, useful for brainstorming and visual collaboration. Discord does not have this feature.
Meeting Notes: RingCentral Video supports meeting notes, allowing participants to keep track of discussions and decisions. Discord does not offer this feature.
Google Workspace Integration: Both RingCentral Video and Discord integrate with Google Workspace, ensuring compatibility with Google’s suite of productivity tools.
Microsoft 365 Integration: RingCentral Video integrates with Microsoft 365, offering additional flexibility for users of Microsoft’s productivity tools. Discord does not support this integration.
Third-party Apps Integration: Both platforms support integration with third-party apps, allowing users to extend functionality according to their needs.
API Availability: Both Ring
Verdict:
RingCentral Video is better with more features like Breakout Rooms, Polls and Q&A, Whiteboarding, Meeting Notes, and Microsoft 365 Integration.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| In-meeting Chat | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| File Sharing | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Breakout Rooms | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Polls and Q&A | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Whiteboarding | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Meeting Notes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Google Workspace Integration | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Microsoft 365 Integration | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Third-party Apps Integration | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| API Availability | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
Security and Privacy
RingCentral Video and Discord offer different levels of security and privacy features.
End-to-End Encryption:
RingCentral Video: Yes
Discord: No
Password Protection:
RingCentral Video: Yes
Discord: Yes
Waiting Room:
RingCentral Video: Yes
Discord: No
Participant Authentication:
RingCentral Video: Yes
Discord: Yes
Data Compliance:
RingCentral Video: GDPR, HIPAA
Discord: GDPR
RingCentral Video provides end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only the communicating users can read the messages. Discord lacks this feature, which may be a concern for highly sensitive communications. Both platforms support password protection and participant authentication, adding layers of security to prevent unauthorized access.
RingCentral Video includes a waiting room feature, allowing hosts to control when participants join the meeting. Discord does not offer this, which might be a drawback for those needing more control over meeting access.
In terms of data compliance, RingCentral Video adheres to both GDPR and HIPAA standards, making it suitable for industries requiring strict data protection, such as healthcare. Discord complies with GDPR but does not meet HIPAA standards, which could limit its use in certain professional settings.
Overall, RingCentral Video offers more comprehensive security and privacy features compared to Discord, particularly for users
Verdict:
RingCentral Video is better with End-to-End Encryption, Waiting Room, and HIPAA compliance.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| End-to-End Encryption | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Password Protection | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Waiting Room | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Participant Authentication | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Data Compliance | GDPR, HIPAA | GDPR |
User Experience
RingCentral Video and Discord both offer a high level of user experience.
Ease of Use: Both platforms score high, making them user-friendly and easy to navigate for all users.
UI Design: The user interface on both RingCentral Video and Discord is intuitive, allowing users to quickly understand and utilize the features available.
Mobile Functionality: Both apps support mobile functionality, ensuring users can access conferencing features on the go.
Accessibility: Both platforms are accessible, catering to a wide range of users with different needs.
Customer Support: RingCentral Video provides multiple support options including live chat, email, and phone support. Discord, on the other hand, offers email support and community support, which may be less direct but can be helpful through user forums and discussions.
Verdict:
RingCentral Video is better due to its comprehensive customer support options including live chat, email, and phone.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | High | High |
| UI Design | Intuitive | Intuitive |
| Mobile Functionality | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Accessibility | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Customer Support | Live Chat, Email, Phone | Email, Community Support |
Pricing
RingCentral Video and Discord both offer free tiers, making them accessible for users who need basic conferencing features without any cost.
When it comes to paid plans, RingCentral Video provides two options: the Standard plan at $11.99 per month and the Premium plan at $19.99 per month. These plans are designed to cater to different levels of business needs, offering more advanced features as you move up the pricing ladder.
Discord, on the other hand, offers more budget-friendly paid plans. The Nitro Basic plan is priced at $4.99 per month, while the Nitro plan costs $9.99 per month. These plans are tailored more towards enhancing the user experience with additional features rather than focusing solely on business conferencing needs.
In terms of free trial availability, RingCentral Video offers a free trial, allowing potential users to test out their paid features before committing to a subscription. Discord does not offer a free trial for its paid plans, which means users need to subscribe to experience the premium features.
Overall, RingCentral Video is more expensive but offers a free trial, while Discord is more affordable but lacks a free trial option.
Verdict:
RingCentral Video is better due to its free trial availability and more comprehensive paid plans.
Performance
RingCentral Video and Discord both offer high performance for conferencing needs.
Reliability: Both apps score high in reliability, ensuring stable connections and minimal disruptions during calls.
Latency: Both platforms maintain low latency, providing smooth and real-time communication without noticeable delays.
Resource Usage: RingCentral Video is more efficient with low resource usage, making it ideal for users with limited system capabilities. Discord, on the other hand, has moderate resource usage, which might be a consideration for users with older hardware.
High Traffic Feedback: Both RingCentral Video and Discord receive positive feedback under high traffic conditions, indicating that they handle large numbers of users effectively without compromising performance.
In summary, both apps excel in reliability and latency. RingCentral Video is more resource-efficient, while Discord may require more system resources. Both handle high traffic well, ensuring a positive user experience.
Verdict:
RingCentral Video is better due to lower resource usage while maintaining high reliability and low latency.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Reliability | High | High |
| Latency | Low | Low |
| Resource Usage | Low | Moderate |
| High Traffic Feedback | Positive | Positive |
Unique Selling Points
RingCentral Video and Discord offer distinct unique selling points tailored to different user needs.
RingCentral Video stands out with seamless integration with RingCentral Office, making it ideal for businesses already using RingCentral’s suite of tools. It provides HD video and audio, ensuring clear and professional communication. This makes it a strong choice for corporate meetings and professional settings.
Discord, on the other hand, is designed with gamers in mind. It boasts gaming-focused features and community-building tools that cater to creating and managing online communities. High-quality voice chat is a key feature, making it perfect for real-time communication during gaming sessions.
In summary:
– RingCentral Video: Seamless integration with RingCentral Office, HD video and audio.
– Discord: Gaming-focused features, community-building tools, high-quality voice chat.
Verdict:
RingCentral Video is better for business integration and HD quality, while Discord excels in gaming features and community tools.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Key Features and Differentiators | Seamless integration with RingCentral Office, HD video and audio | Gaming-focused features, community-building tools, high-quality voice chat |
User Feedback and Reviews
RingCentral Video and Discord are both popular conferencing apps, each with unique strengths based on user feedback and reviews.
RingCentral Video is highly rated for integration and ease of use. Users appreciate its easy integration with RingCentral Office and its user-friendly interface. However, the free plan has a limited duration, and some features are only available in paid plans.
Discord, on the other hand, is highly rated for community building and ease of use. It offers free, high-quality voice and video, making it great for community building. However, it lacks some professional features and does not have native recording capabilities.
Overall Ratings:
– RingCentral Video: Highly rated for integration and ease of use
– Discord: Highly rated for community building and ease of use
Pros:
– RingCentral Video: Easy integration with RingCentral Office, user-friendly interface
– Discord: Free, high-quality voice and video, great for community building
Cons:
– RingCentral Video: Limited free plan duration, some features in paid plans only
– Discord: Limited professional features, no native recording
Verdict:
RingCentral Video is better for professional use; Discord excels in community building and free high-quality communication.
| Attribute | |
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Ratings | Highly rated for integration and ease of use | Highly rated for community building and ease of use |
| Pros | Easy integration with RingCentral Office, user-friendly interface | Free, high-quality voice and video, great for community building |
| Cons | Limited free plan duration, some features in paid plans only | Limited professional features, no native recording |
Final Verdict
RingCentral Video and Discord both offer strong conferencing solutions, but RingCentral Video stands out overall. It provides superior HD video quality, comprehensive security features including end-to-end encryption and HIPAA compliance, and extensive customer support options. While Discord is more budget-friendly and suitable for casual use, RingCentral Video’s advanced features and higher security standards make it the better choice for professional and business needs.
