Discord lowers free upload limit to 10MB: “Storage management is expensive”

Discord has lowered the upload limit for free users to 10MB per file, citing financial and operational reasons.

Discord isn’t exactly known for generous file-sharing limits, still, the messaging app offered a 25MB limit to free users. The company has now updated its support page to reflect the upload limit for free users has been lowered to 10MB.

“Every day, millions of files are uploaded to Discord and stored securely for your future access. Storage management is expensive, so we regularly review how people use Discord and their storage needs. In fact, our data shows that 99% of users stick to files smaller than 10MB,” the company wrote in the updated support page.

Discord

Discord increased its file-sharing limit to 25MB in April last year. Before that, the limit was set at 8MB for free users.

While the new 10MB limit isn’t terrible by comparison, it can still be frustrating for those who frequently share high-quality photos and videos. The messaging app is recommending those who want higher sharing limits use Nitro. 

“Unlike other platforms, we store your files for as long as you need them, so it is crucial that we manage our storage sustainably. If you need more upload capacity, Nitro Basic offers a 50MB limit, and Nitro gives you up to 500 MB, so you have options that fit your needs,” the company said on its official support page.

For those who aren’t aware, a Nitro Basic subscription costs $3 a month. Nitro users, who pay $10 a month, get to stream videos in 4K and use emojis in channels. In comparison, messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram offer a 2 GB file limit.

Discord has made significant changes to the platform this year, including updates to the user interface and the introduction of in-app ads.