Armadaencrypted,
    open-source,
    discord alternative

    • Unbannable communities
    • Private by default
    • Built on the open web
    Try Armada on the WebZapstoreGoogle Play
    $also on macOS, Linux & Windows·all downloads

    Voice and video calls, custom emojis, GIFs, and more.

    Armada on mobileArmada on mobileArmada on mobileArmada on mobileArmada on mobileArmada on mobileArmada on mobile
    D

    Discord bridge & server import

    Mirror a channel both ways, or import your whole server. Nobody has to move all at once.

    #love this theme 🎨

    Custom themes

    armada

    More than a dozen presets, from lantern to bubblegum, or build your own palette.

    Retro pixel emojis from the Trillian emoji pack installed in Armada

    Custom emojis

    Install whole emoji packs or upload your community's own, then react with anything.

    Compare features with other popular discord apps

    Nobody can read your chats, XFo A5XB E2x

    You and your friends seekey holders
    Chad's profile picture
    Chadsurprise party for Alex is a go 🎂
    Derek's profile picture
    Derekhis place, saturday, 7pm
    Lemon's profile picture
    LemonI'll handle the cake 🤫
    Everyone else seesrelays · ISPs · anyone
    ?
    MFfUUzJgPmaQqwFOVYLSDIuZm/eG5CnRW1lTxK13y18xUMmNIfN4LzY65n
    ?
    kC8Psd/xt5Lh1wQ9vl1NJgeC3zb89vPTSLT+bRH3DFSu+v19
    ?
    OkOb/UxUhhyi9JW8feOhQcpjOlNq5AeXrjMkOl3ir2T6ITb

    Locked on your device before sending, even the sender and community name. It uses the open Concord protocol, so anyone can verify it.

    Apps belong to whoever runs the servers...

    Your Armada community
    your community
    • ✕relay.damus.io
    • nos.lol
    • relay.primal.net
    • ✕relay.nostr.band
    • relay.ditto.pub
    • relay.dreamith.to
    • your relayself-hosted

    Armada is spread across free public servers.

    (not one corporate server...
    like some apps...    )

    Self-hostable at every level.

    Communities are decentralized by default. When you want more independence, every piece runs on your own hardware. Take one piece or all three; the self-hosting guide walks through each one.

    Self-host the client

    Serve the web app from your own domain. armada →

    Self-host a relay

    Keep encrypted messages on a relay you run. ditto-relay →

    Self-host voice

    Route calls through your own LiveKit box. armada-av →

    armada/infra

    $ git clone nostr://soapbox.pub/relay.ngit.dev/armada

    Open protocol · no lock-in

    Interoperable with other Nostr apps.

    Armada is built on Nostr and supports multiple formats including Concord, NIP-29, and Buzz communities. One key logs you in across the ecosystem, and where clients share protocols, your communities and DMs come with you.

    Buzz preview
    Buzz logoBuzz

    Block's open-source team chat with AI agents. Armada joins Buzz communities directly.

    Visit Buzz
    Flotilla preview
    Flotilla logoFlotilla

    Coracle's Nostr communities client, with rooms, events, and moderation.

    Visit Flotilla
    Vector preview
    Vector logoVector

    A private, end-to-end encrypted Nostr direct-messaging app.

    Visit Vector
    Obelisk preview
    Obelisk logoObelisk

    A Discord-style group chat that runs entirely on Nostr, no backend.

    Visit Obelisk

    Latest on Armada.

    How to Migrate Your Discord Server to Armada

    August 4, 2026 · M. K. Fain

    How to Migrate Your Discord Server to Armada

    Migrate your Discord server to Armada in minutes: channels, roles, emoji, and up to 10,000 messages of history per channel, plus an optional live two-way bridge.

    How to Self-host Armada: Open Source Discord Alternative

    July 30, 2026 · Derek Ross

    How to Self-host Armada: Open Source Discord Alternative

    Armada communities already run without a host. Here is how to own the rest: the app you load, the relay your messages travel over, and the server your calls go through.

    The Best Discord Alternatives in 2026, Compared

    July 30, 2026 · M. K. Fain

    The Best Discord Alternatives in 2026, Compared

    Discord's IPO, ID scans, and 2025 data breach have people leaving. We compare the top Discord alternatives on encryption, privacy, and who can shut you down.

    Read the blog

    Frequently asked questions

    Is Armada a good Discord alternative?

    If you have used Discord, you already know the layout: communities, channels, threads, voice, and moderation. The difference is underneath. Every community is end-to-end encrypted, your account is a key instead of an email, and communities live on many relays at once, so no company can ban you or delete your server. Read the full comparison.

    Is Armada free?

    Yes. Armada is free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 license, with no ads and no paid tier.

    Can I be banned from Armada?

    There is no company account to ban. Community owners moderate their own spaces, but no one can delete your identity or take your community down across all of its relays.

    Do I need a phone number or email to sign up?

    No. Signing up generates a cryptographic key, and that key is your whole account, on Armada and across every other Nostr app. How to store your key.

    Does Armada work on iPhone?

    There is no iOS app yet. The web app at armada.buzz works on iPhone, and native apps exist for Android, macOS, Linux, and Windows.

    Is Armada ready to use?

    Armada is in open beta ahead of its v1.0 release. Communities, encrypted DMs, and voice and video calls all work today, with new releases landing almost daily. Expect occasional rough edges while it matures.

    chat like nobody's watching.

    $ Community owned and operated._

    Armada WebZapstoreGoogle Play
    $also on macOS, Linux & Windows·all downloads

    On the way · iOS

    Get notified when Armada lands on iOS.

    Armada runs on the web, Android, macOS, Linux, and Windows today, and the iPhone app is coming. Drop your email and we will tell you the day it ships. No spam, just the release.

    Open source on ngit · Concord protocol specs