Discord is undoubtedly one of the online services that has managed to grow more and better in the shadow of the gaming and streaming ecosystem. And it is not a platform or a game service, but it provides a sensational communication platform, packed with functions that do not stop growing (the effort of its developers to add new features is commendable), for example a few weeks ago they added a new forums function, and that also in its free mode already offers more than enough functions for the vast majority of users. And I say this from my own experience, since I have been a user for about two years now, and for a long time I have been a user of the basic plan, the free one.
So much so that, in reality, quite a few Discord users are unaware that the platform has several payment plans, called Nitro, and that they add some interesting features. Two plans are currently available: Nitro Classic, which contains all the features included in the first payment method that was installed on the platform, and Discord Nitro, which takes all the features of the previous plan and adds some additional ones, such as the ability to upgrade a server of your choice, because it includes two boosts (improvements) freely available. Their prices are $4.99 and $9.99.
However, and even with Discord Nitro Classic offering the annual payment method for 49.99 (that is, with the savings of the two-month fee), what I indicated at the beginning happens, that it is a highly valued service, but that Despite this, it does not have as many people who have hired Nitro as one might think. In my circle of friends, acquaintances and others, I am the only person who has chosen to pay to use Nitro’s featureswhich indicates to me that there does not seem to be much intention, on the part of many, to checkout.
This can be due to two reasons: economic limitations or lack of interest without more. In the second case, little can be done clearly, except to start subtracting functions from the free level to make them exclusive to the paid ones, but from what I know of the service, it would be quite strange for them to take any step in this direction. In the first, however, and following the trend that we see in other services of multiple types, the key may be to offer a cheaper subscription.
And that is, as we can read on your blog, what the company intends to offer, Starting next October 20, Discord Nitro Basic, the entry level subscription to the service, will be launchedwith a $2.99 monthly feeand that will include two of the most commonly used functions with higher plans: animated and personalized emojis anywhere and the possibility of uploading larger files (up to 50 megabytes).
YouTube Premium started testing a cheaper modality some time ago, Netflix and Disney+ will soon see their cheaper plans debut with advertising… it seems that, in general, services are looking for ways to offer cheaper plans, in part to gain new users, and on the other hand to retain those whose permanence hangs in the balance. It makes sense, of course, that Discord Nitro joins this movement, since the drop in stream consumption must have also affected it. However, and in my external perception, I believe that it is the service related to the entire ecosystem that is knowing how to weather the storm more and better.
