Discord for Android

Discord lets gamers chat with other players, as well quickly set up a voice and chat server with channels.

Pros

Easy to join: All you need to join a server is an invite. Once you join, you can set up a nickname, and Discord gives you the option of claiming the account, which takes a few more steps.

Straightforward replacement for Skype, TeamSpeak, and Ventrilo: Discord provides many of the tools found on other VoIP and chat services. You can assign roles to users, create channels, and set up role-specific channels that only designated users can see and communicate in.

Voice and chat: Users can chat in the various channels on the server as well participate in voice channels. Chats are persistent, so you can catch up on channel discussions if you log off. The service handles private and direct messages as well as individual and role-specific @-mentions.

Bots: Server admins can extend the capability of Discord with bots, apps that add specific capabilities to a server, including game-specific information, music streaming via YouTube or SoundCloud, Twitter and Reddit feeds, server information, and moderator tools.

It's free and works across platforms: The Discord team says the basic app and server will always be free, with paid add-ons, such as voice packs and themes, a possibility. Discord apps are available for Windows, OS X, iOS, and Android. It's also accessible via Chrome, Firefox, and Opera browsers.

Broadcast integration: Twitch and YouTube broadcasters can hook up Discord with their channels to create a dedicated Discord service.

Cons

Lacks depth of other voice and chat services: Discord's service covers the basics but lacks features found in other services, including screen-sharing. Its channel structure also lacks the depth of other services and doesn't handle nested channels.

Bottom line

Those looking for a straightforward chat and voice service should check out Discord. While it lacks some of the depth of established services such as Skype, TeamSpeak, or Mumble, Discord offers a free and easy way to set up a communications service for a gaming community.