Discord has evolved from a gamer’s paradise to an all-around social powerhouse, with around 196 million monthly active users. But it’s not just a place to hang out – it’s a goldmine for those who know how to make money on Discord. With annual revenues topping $445 million, the potential to monetize your passions and projects is huge.
The secret to success lies in leveraging your community and considering all the available money-making options. Whether you’re an artist, educator, gamer, or entrepreneur, Discord offers a direct channel to an engaged global audience.
If generating revenues sounds appealing, but you’re unsure where to start, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we’ll present some proven strategies to not just earn money, but pave the path to a thriving Discord presence.
17 Effective Strategies to Make Money on Discord
From paid server subscriptions to content moderation to selling your own unique products and services, these are the best ways to monetize your Discord presence right now:
1. Become an Affiliate
Jumping into affiliate marketing on Discord is a risk-free way to generate income. First, research the brands that align with your audience’s interests. These could be anything from gaming peripherals for gaming groups to software tools for tech communities.
Once you’ve joined a program, share your unique affiliate links on your Discord server in engaging and organic ways. Every click that leads to a sale earns you a commission, effectively turning your server into a space where you can profit 24/7.
2. Build a Robust Membership Community
By offering something unique – such as exclusive channels filled with content not found elsewhere – you can turn your server into a sought-after hub. Platforms like Patreon and Fourthwall make it easy to manage paid memberships and provide a structured way for your members to financially support you.
In order to truly capitalize on this strategy, you first need to get more Discord members. Grow your server by promoting it on social media, collaborating with other Discord communities, and actively engaging with your audience. More members mean more opportunities to make money.
3. Sell Digital Art
For creative types, Discord presents a fantastic stage to sell digital art, turning artistic talent into a profitable venture. Think about crafting custom emoji packs, digital stickers, and more. These digital goodies (especially when they’re unique or customized) can become hot commodities within your community.
The key lies in understanding what resonates with your audience – gaming-related art, pop culture references, or custom creations with a personal touch. Offering unique digital art not only sets you apart in your niche but can also establish a solid income stream.
4. Create Podcasts
Whether you’re diving into deep discussions, sharing expert insights in tech, or even live coaching on personal development, podcasting is bursting with money-making potential. If you consistently produce engaging and high-quality content, you’ll quickly build a dedicated listenership.
And where there are listeners, there are potential sponsors looking to tap into that audience. As the popularity of your podcast grows, you can tap into paid sponsorships, user donations, or exclusive access fees – all while turning your knowledge and passion into ongoing income.
5. Offer Webinars, Courses, or Game Training
Discord is not just a chat platform – it’s a major learning hub. Leverage its educational potential by offering webinars, courses, consultations, or even game training that are customized to your target audience.
Learning sessions can range from niche knowledge shares like Blockchain Basics to skill-focused tutorials like Photoshop for Beginners. Gamers can also benefit by offering walkthroughs, strategy sessions, or one-on-one coaching. You can charge directly for these specialized sessions or offer them as part of a paid membership package.
6. Sell Your Products or Services
From handcrafted goods to digital software to consulting services, promoting your products or services on Discord can enhance both sales and customer engagement. To make it work, showcase your offerings with detailed descriptions, inviting visuals, and testimonials within your server.
Clearly communicate the value of what you’re selling, tailoring your messages to inspire your audience. Engage with your community through Q&A sessions, exclusive discounts, and after-sales support to build trust and encourage repeat business. Your Discord channel can become a robust marketplace to sell just about anything if you approach it the right way.
7. Sell Memberships
This is where you set up structured tiered membership plans with exclusive benefits. You could have an entry-level tier with basic perks, while higher levels can include one-on-one chats or exclusive content. A paid monthly subscription model can include everything from behind-the-scenes insights to early access to videos to specialized community roles.
Think about the kinds of premium features that will grab the interest of your specific audience. It’s all about offering something they’ll actually want to pay for and keep paying for on an ongoing basis.
8. Become a Discord Moderator
As a moderator, you’re paid to make sure users uphold Discord’s terms, ensuring interactions remain positive and engagement stays high. Some server owners offer direct financial compensation, while others might provide perks such as access to exclusive content or membership features.
To become a moderator, you first need to become an active, helpful, and trustworthy member of the community. Then, you can express your interest to the server owner and show off your understanding of the server’s rules while offering support.
9. Run Paid Contests or Giveaways
This can be a great way to liven-up your Discord community and open up avenues for profit. You simply charge a small entry fee, for the chance for those taking part to pick up rewards like game keys, Discord Nitro subscriptions, or exclusive digital goodies.
A step further, this approach can be combined with other income-generating events, like specialized workshops or paid access events. Your job is to make sure the prize on offer is something they’ll really want, and the contest is as easy to take part in as possible.
10. Collaborate with Brands
Partnerships often come with financial perks, whether it’s through sponsored posts, affiliate sales, or direct brand sponsorship deals. These collaborations might range from gaming companies previewing new releases to tech brands conducting AMAs (Ask Me Anything sessions).
For instance, you could collaborate on branded events within your server, create co-sponsored content, or even offer select spaces for brand advertisements. If you can convince established brands you’re a trusted and respected name in your niche, they’ll be more than happy to pay you to work with them.
11. Organize eSports
eSports events aren’t just fun – they can be highly lucrative, too. To make it work, you’ll need to lay out clear tournament structures, decide on games, and set rules your community will be happy with. Charge an entry fee for players to create a prize pool and sell their own branded merchandise along the way.
A well-organized event can draw plenty of participants, and sponsorships are also a goldmine here. Brands are always keen to get their products in front of eSports audiences, so you can offer to promote them for direct payment or other benefits.
12. Collect Donations
When your community sees the value their donations bring, they’re more likely to contribute. It’s not a case of ‘begging’ for money, but instead expressing your genuine appreciation for their support and showing them how you put their donations to good use.
Start by setting up a dedicated donation channel on your server, and talk about the value of these contributions. Integrate bots to simplify tasks like accepting payments, tracking contributions, and even thanking donors. Encourage contributions by thanking supporters directly, or via public shout-outs.
13. Host Paid Voice Chat Events
There are so many options to explore where paid voice chat events are concerned. You can host game nights where members pay a small entry fee to join a fun-filled voice chat experience, building an active community and making new friends (and money) along the way.
Beyond games, why not offer your talents for a fee – i.e. a voice acting service for creators, voice-over projects, music performances, live comedy entertainment – these are all great ways to take advantage of Discord’s voice channels. Either way, you can charge per session or project, creating a reliable income stream.
14. Earn with Your Discord Server
Any Discord server can become an income-generating asset with the right approach. Think beyond basic interactions: your server can host paid events, exclusive membership sections, and advertising spaces for brand collaborations. Offer your skills as services – from graphic design to consultation – directly through your server.
You can even curate a marketplace for digital or physical goods, harnessing the power of your community to drive sales. Another angle is educational content, where you charge for workshops or courses. With a dash of creativity and knowledge of your community, there’s money to be made from what you do best.
15. Sell Your Discord Server
If you’ve nurtured and grown your server into a thriving hub, selling it outright can be a lucrative exit strategy. To max out its value, focus on boosting user engagement, maintaining an active moderation team, and proving consistent membership growth and interaction.
A well-managed community packed with active members and structured channels can sell for a high price. Clean up any inactive components, document your success in metrics (member count, engagement rates, income graphs), then, seek potential buyers within your niche. If it’s a lump sum you need rather than ongoing income, it’s an idea worth considering.
16. Make Use of Bots to Get Paid
Discord bots aren’t just time-savers – they’re potential moneymakers. One option is to set up bots like Tippr on your own server, which allows users to tip each other with cryptocurrencies for content they appreciate. You could even look into tailored bots that manage admin tasks, engage users with interactive games or trivia, and process payments/donations.
Approached from the opposite angle, you could also try offering bot development services to support other server owners. Bespoke bots improve server functionality and the user experience, so admins are often willing to pay high prices for them.
17. Sell Premium Perks
Lastly, try offering the full VIP treatment to members who want a little more from your server. You could grant them access to exclusive channels with paid memberships, provide priority support for questions and tech help, offer early access event tickets or merchandise, or even set up one-on-one coaching or consultancy sessions.
Premium perks could also include access to beta features of your service or product before they go public. These little extras create an air of exclusivity, and add the kind of value people are happy to pay for.
Conclusion
There are literally dozens of different ways you can make money on Discord. No matter where your passions and talents lie, they can be monetized with the right approach. The key to unlocking Discord’s full monetization potential is to really tune in to your audience.
Get to know them, listen to their chats, and catch their buzz – it’ll guide you in tailoring offerings they can’t resist. Give them something rare, something of genuine value to them, and something distinctly ‘you.’ It’s not about forcing them to hand over their money but motivating them in a way that makes them want to support you.
And remember you don’t have to commit yourself to just one money-making venture exclusively. Try your luck with as many of the above ideas as you can in order to create an ongoing, reliable, and multi-dimensional revenue stream that goes the distance.
