{"id":38140,"date":"2025-04-01T16:18:27","date_gmt":"2025-04-01T10:48:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mirrorfly.com\/blog\/?p=38140"},"modified":"2026-03-31T18:07:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T12:37:31","slug":"build-a-chat-app-like-discord","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mirrorfly.com\/blog\/build-a-chat-app-like-discord\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build a Voice Chat App Like Discord?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s totally normal to feel stressed when you think about building a gaming Chat app like Discord. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll have to add 100s of features, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

keep every code perfect,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

add enough security features,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All while counting on the deadline. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, it sounds like a nightmare. But it doesn\u2019t have to be this way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building a messaging app must be an exciting experience. That makes sure every part of the app you\u2019ve built excites your app user. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019d love to discuss one such strategy for a Build Discord clone. If you are all in for this, sit back, relax and enjoy every step we\u2019ve made it easy for you! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, if you are planning to build a Discord-like messaging app,<\/strong> a few of you must already be aware of what it is. But in this section, we\u2019ll brush up a few basics so newbie developers can find it helpful! 
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>What is Discord?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Discord<\/strong> is a free popular chat app. Today, the app is for everyone. Anyone can join the app and start chatting with others on the platform. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, when it started in 2015, it was really only for Gamers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can create your own servers, invite your friends or teammates, easily share files and collaborate. It is a platform for both personal and professional use, with a huge list of communication features. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a quick look into a few important features. This will give about the features needed to build a messaging app.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Key Features of a Discord-like Chat App<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Discord Chat Feature List<\/strong><\/td>Does MirrorFly support this feature? <\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
\ud83d\udcac Real-time Messaging<\/td>\u2705<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83d\udd14 @Mentions<\/td>\u2705<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83d\udcde\ud83c\udfa5 Voice & Video Calls<\/td>\u2705<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83d\udda5\ufe0f Screen Sharing<\/td>\u2705<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83d\ude80 Real-time Notifications<\/td>\u2705<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83d\udd11 Single Sign-On (SSO)<\/td>\u2705<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83d\udc65\ud83c\udfa6 Video Conferencing<\/td>\u2705<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83d\udcdc Message History<\/td>\u2705<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83d\udcce File Sharing<\/td>\u2705<\/td><\/tr>
\ud83c\udfad\ud83d\udcf9 Multi-user Video Calls<\/td>\u2705<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

These are some of the key features that a Discord app contains. You can add these features to your list, and also scout for more messaging features on our chat features page.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Infrastructure Of  A Discord-like Messaging App: What\u2019s Inside?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you build a messaging app like Discord, you\u2019ll have to make sure that both your frontend and backend work together. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Discord<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

On the front-end<\/strong>, you\u2019ll need to build a Chat Interface<\/strong> that supports communication features such as instant messaging, video calling, voice calling, media sharing and push notifications. To build this, you have 2 different approaches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. You can write the codes yourself <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Use a pre-built messaging solution like MirrorFly<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    We\u2019d recommend the latter as it is high-performant, low-cost, easy to build and gets work done within a few minutes. On the other hand, building it all by yourself gives satisfaction, yet it may take longer than you estimate and maintenance is not easy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Consequently, the backend <\/strong>does a lot of work for your chat app. It processes all the messages, manages the users on your platform and makes sure that the messages are delivered in real-time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you are building your chat app\u2019s backend, MirrorFly\u2019s multi-tenant chat servers<\/a> will handle the message routing, while Cassandra (or any database you prefer) stores the chat history, user profiles and group data. If you are looking for a more scalable option to store your media files like images, videos and documents, you\u2019ll need a cloud storage service like AWS S3 or Firebase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Next comes a very important part – Chat<\/strong> Security<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The app can use the solution provider\u2019s JWT or OAuth <\/strong>for performing the authentication mechanism. This way, only users authorized by your platform can access their messages. Neither attackers nor any malware or DDoS attacks<\/strong> can affect your messaging platform. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A key part of your messaging app\u2019s infrastructure will be the WebSockets or MQTT.<\/strong> These are real-time communication protocols <\/a>that make sure the messages your users exchange on your app reaches the intended recipient in real-time. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Lastly, you\u2019ll need a CDN (Content Delivery Network)<\/strong> for fast content delivery and a load balancer<\/strong> to distribute traffic efficiently.
    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/span>How Message Flows In Your Discord-like Chat App Built With MirrorFly<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    When a user logs in, the first action MirrorFly does is verifying their identity using JWT\/OAuth. <\/strong>If the verification is successful, the WebSocket <\/strong>within the chat solution starts real-time communication. 
    Right when the user types a message and clicks the send button, the client encrypts it<\/strong> and transmits it to the MirrorFly chat server<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"Discord<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    The server processes the message, assigns it a unique message ID<\/strong> and determines the recipient. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If the recipient is online<\/strong>, the message is delivered instantly through WebSocket<\/strong>, appearing in their chat window in real time. If the recipient is offline<\/strong>, a database<\/strong> like Cassandra or AWS stores it temporarily and later delivers it as a push notification<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Once the recipient opens the app, your app retrieves and displays the stored messages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Now, what happens when a user logs in from a different device? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    MirrorFly syncs all the past conversations<\/strong> from the database. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For every media exchanged in the platform, the server generates a link to access them. This is how exactly users experience instant, reliable and secure communication that\u2019s similar to Discord. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/span>How Much Does It Cost To Build A Discord-Like Chat App<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    When you build a messaging app like Discord from scratch, you\u2019re going to pay for the resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Want to know how much?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here is a full breakdown of the cost that will be incurred under various factors and circumstances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Based on the Complexity of the App:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    App Type<\/strong><\/th>Estimated Cost<\/strong><\/th>Development Time<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Basic Chat App<\/strong> (Messaging, voice calls, minimal UI)<\/td>$20000  – $30000<\/td>4 – 6 weeks<\/td><\/tr>
    Moderate Complexity<\/strong> (Messaging, voice\/video calls, file sharing, roles & permissions)<\/td>$40,000 –  $70,000<\/td>3 – 6 months<\/td><\/tr>
    Advanced App Like Discord<\/strong> (All major features: servers, screen sharing, integrations)<\/td>$80,000 – $150,000+<\/td>6 – 12 months<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    2. Feature-Wise Breakdown<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    Feature<\/strong><\/th>Estimated Cost<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    User Authentication & Registration<\/strong> (OAuth, SSO, Email, Google, etc.)<\/td>$3000 – $5000<\/td><\/tr>
    Real-time Messaging<\/strong> (WebSockets, database storage)<\/td>$6000 – $12000<\/td><\/tr>
    Voice & Video Calls<\/strong> (WebRTC, server setup)<\/td>$15000 – $25000<\/td><\/tr>
    Screen Sharing & Streaming<\/strong> (For meetings & gaming)<\/td>$10000 – $20000<\/td><\/tr>
    Server & Channel Management<\/strong> (Like Discord\u2019s server structure)<\/td>$8000 – $15000<\/td><\/tr>
    File Sharing & Media Storage<\/strong> (AWS S3, Google Cloud)<\/td>$5000 – $12000<\/td><\/tr>
    Push Notifications & Mentions<\/strong> (Firebase, OneSignal)<\/td>$3000 – $6000<\/td><\/tr>
    User Profiles & Status Updates<\/strong><\/td>$4000 – $8000<\/td><\/tr>
    Permissions & Moderation Tools<\/strong> (Role-based access, bans)<\/td>$5000 – $10000<\/td><\/tr>
    Security & Encryption<\/strong> (TLS, End-to-end encryption)<\/td>$7000 – $15000<\/td><\/tr>
    Admin Dashboard & Analytics<\/strong><\/td>$10000 – $20000<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    3. Cost Based on where you\u2019ll build the app<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    Location<\/strong><\/th>Hourly Rate<\/strong><\/th>Approx. Cost for 3-6 Months<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    USA, Canada<\/strong><\/td>$80 – $150\/hr<\/td>$100000 – $200000+<\/td><\/tr>
    Western Europe (UK, Germany, France)<\/strong><\/td>$60 – $120\/hr<\/td>$80000 – $180000<\/td><\/tr>
    Eastern Europe (Poland, Ukraine)<\/strong><\/td>$40 – $80\/hr<\/td>$50000 – $120000<\/td><\/tr>
    India, Southeast Asia<\/strong><\/td>$20 – $50\/hr<\/td>$30000 – $80000<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    4. Infrastructure & Maintenance Costs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    Category<\/strong><\/th>Monthly Cost Estimate<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Cloud Hosting (AWS, GCP, Azure)<\/strong><\/td>$500 –  $5,000+<\/td><\/tr>
    Database Management (MongoDB, PostgreSQL)<\/strong><\/td>$300 – $2000<\/td><\/tr>
    CDN & Media Storage (Cloudflare, AWS S3)<\/strong><\/td>$500 – $3000<\/td><\/tr>
    Third-Party APIs (WebRTC, Firebase, Twilio)<\/strong><\/td>$500 – $5000<\/td><\/tr>
    Security & Compliance (Encryption, Firewalls)<\/strong><\/td>$1000 – $5000<\/td><\/tr>
    Ongoing Maintenance & Updates<\/strong><\/td>15% – 25% of Development Cost Per Year<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Final Cost Estimate<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    Minimum Viable Product (MVP)<\/strong><\/td>$20000 \u2013 $50000<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Full-Featured Discord-Like App<\/strong><\/td>$80000 \u2013 $150000+<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
    Enterprise-Grade Solution<\/strong><\/td>$200000+<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Sounds like a lot? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This is why we\u2019d recommend the cost-effective approach<\/strong>: using pre-built chat SDKs. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It is best in terms of cost, development and performance. When you go for this approach, your budget is likely to go down significantly around $10000 –  $40000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Cost of Building a Discord-like Chat App with pre-built SDK like MirrorFly <\/td>$10000 –  $40000<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    This is absolutely a cost-efficient option, without compromising on the features and performance. 
    <\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"Steps
    Steps to build the Discord app <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    <\/span>9 Steps To Build A Voice Chat App Like Discord <\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Before you begin, ensure your development environment meets the following criteria:
    targetSdkVersion<\/strong> and compileSdk<\/strong> 34 or above (for Chat SDK version 7.11.4 or higher)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Android Lollipop 5.0 (API Level 21) or above<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Java 7 or higher<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Gradle 4.1.0 or higher<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 1: Obtain an SDK License Key<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    1. Register an account<\/strong> on the MirrorFly platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Log in<\/strong> to your account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What you\u2019ll need?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Before you begin, ensure your development environment meets the following criteria:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    targetSdkVersion<\/strong> and compileSdk<\/strong> 34 or above (for Chat SDK version 7.11.4 or higher)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Android Lollipop 5.0 (API Level 21) or above<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Java 7 or higher<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Gradle 4.1.0 or higher<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Integrating MirrorFly Chat SDK into Your Android App<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 2: Create or Open an Android Studio Project<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    If you don\u2019t have a project yet, create a new one in Android Studio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 3: Configure the Project Dependencies<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    For Gradle 6.8 or Higher<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Add the following code to your settings. gradle<\/strong> file:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    dependencyResolutionManagement {\nrepositories {\nmavenCentral()\ngoogle()\njcenter()\nmaven {\nurl \"https:\/\/repo.mirrorfly.com\/release\"\n}\n}\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
    For Gradle 6.7 or Lower<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
    Add the above code to your root build.gradle<\/strong> file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    Step 4: Add Dependencies<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    In your app\/build.gradle<\/strong> file, include the SDK dependency:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    check this <\/p>\n\n\n\n
    dependencies {   implementation 'com.mirrorfly.sdk:mirrorflysdk:7.13.16'}<\/strong><\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
    Step 5: Configure Gradle Properties<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    To prevent conflicts with imported libraries, add the following line to gradle.properties:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
    Step 6: Update Android Manifest<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    In AndroidManifest.xml<\/strong>, add the required permission:
    Initializing MirrorFly Chat SDK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
    To start using the SDK, initialize it in your Application<\/strong> class inside the onCreate() <\/strong>method:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    ChatManager.initializeSDK(\"LICENSE_KEY\", (isSuccess, throwable, data) -> {\n    if(isSuccess){\n        Log.d(\"TAG\", \"initializeSDK success \");\n    } else {\n        Log.d(\"TAG\", \"initializeSDK failed with reason \"+data.get(\"message\"));\n    }\n});<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
    Also, update the AndroidManifest.xml<\/strong> to include the MyApplication<\/strong> class:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    <application\n    android:name=\".MyApplication\"\n    android:icon=\"@mipmap\/ic_launcher\"\n    android:label=\"@string\/app_name\"\n    android:theme=\"@style\/AppTheme\">\n<\/application>\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
    User Registration<\/strong>
    To register a user in sandbox mode, use the following method:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    FlyCore.registerUser(USER_IDENTIFIER, (isSuccess, throwable, data ) -> {\n    if(isSuccess) {\n        String userJid = (String) data.get(\"userJid\");\n        Log.d(\"TAG\", \"User Registered: \" + userJid);\n    } else {\n        Log.e(\"TAG\", \"Registration failed\", throwable);\n    }\n});\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
    Step 7: Establish Connection to the Chat Server<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    Once registration is successful, the SDK automatically connects to the chat server. To observe connection events:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    ChatManager.setConnectionListener(new ChatConnectionListener() {\n    @Override\n    public void onConnected() {\n        Log.d(\"TAG\", \"Connected to Chat Server\");\n    }\n\n    @Override\n    public void onDisconnected() {\n        Log.d(\"TAG\", \"Disconnected\");\n    }\n});<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
    Step 8: Send a One-to-One Message<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    To send a message, use the following method:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    TextMessage textMessage = new TextMessage();\ntextMessage.setToId(TO_JID);\ntextMessage.setMessageText(\"Hello there!\");\n\nFlyMessenger.sendTextMessage(textMessage, (isSuccess, error, chatMessage) -> {\n    if (isSuccess) {\n        Log.d(\"TAG\", \"Message Sent Successfully\");\n    }\n});<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
    Step 9: Receive Messages<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    To listen for incoming messages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    ChatEventsManager.setupMessageEventListener(new MessageEventsListener() {\n    @Override\n    public void onMessageReceived(@NotNull ChatMessage message) {\n        Log.d(\"TAG\", \"New message received: \" + message.getMessageText());\n    }\n});<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
    So that\u2019s it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
    It\u2019s quick and easy to build a messaging app like Discord when you have a customizable chat solution like MirrorFly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
    <\/span>Top 10 Discord Alternatives 2025<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    Here are 10 popular Discord alternatives for different uses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n