Discord vs Slack

Discord and Slack look similar on the surface, but the usage pattern is different: Discord often mixes text, voice rooms, streams, and community media, while Slack is usually work messaging with occasional huddles and calls.

Discord

Social

35g

CO2 / HOUR

Higher emissions

Slack

Work

30g

CO2 / HOUR

Community chat versus work chat

Summary

When comparing Discord and Slack, Discord generates significantly more CO2 emissions per hour (35g) than Slack (30g). Both applications rely on devices, networks, and server infrastructure, which all contribute to their environmental impact.

Why the gap happens

Discord is modeled higher because long voice rooms, screen sharing, and media-rich communities can raise the active-session footprint.
Slack is modeled as a work chat tool that stays synced across devices but usually spends more time in text, notifications, and file previews than in continuous media.
Both estimates include device, network, and server-side overhead, and both use the same yearly formula: grams per hour x daily hours x 365 / 1000.

What to act on first

For both tools, reduce the high-intensity sessions first: unnecessary screen sharing, long idle voice rooms, and always-on video.

Discord is currently modeled at 5g CO2 more per unit of use than Slack.

Deep dive into their footprints

Read the full Discord report Read the full Slack report

Comparison takeaways

Discord is modeled higher because long voice rooms, screen sharing, and media-rich communities can raise the active-session footprint.

Slack is modeled as a work chat tool that stays synced across devices but usually spends more time in text, notifications, and file previews than in continuous media.

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