Everything You Need to Know about Discord Server Boosts

What Is a Discord Server Boost?

A Discord server boost is essentially an upgrade subscription that unlocks premium features across an entire server, unlike Discord Nitro which only gives individual accounts benefits. By providing everyone in your community access to premium features that enhance their experience on Discord, server boosts create an improved community atmosphere for everyone involved.

By contributing to a server boost, you are contributing towards an ambitious collective goal and unlocking features like improved audio quality, expanded emoji slots and advanced customization options for everyone involved in your community experience. Consider it crowdfunding a server in terms of how many benefits everyone enjoys as more boosts accrue.

How Discord Server Boosting Works

Server boosting operates using a tiered system of three levels; each level requires an increasing number of active boosts for optimal functioning: Level 1 requires 2 boosts; 7 for level two and 14 for level three.

No matter who purchases them, boosts accumulate. Though an individual could theoretically reach Level 3 by purchasing all 14 boosts themselves, most communities reach higher levels through collective contributions from multiple members.

Server boosts are monthly subscriptions; when one expires, its benefits must be renewed in order to retain them on your server. As this requires ongoing commitment from your community to keep levels at an acceptable level, renewing boosts requires continuing commitment on everyone's part.

The Evolution of Server Boosting

Discord first introduced server boosting in June 2019, and since then the system has experienced considerable evolution. Level requirements have changed three times to make boosting more accessible.

Discord has recently unveiled new perks that work independently from server levels, such as enhanced Role Styles and Server Tags which require 3 boosts to enable and can be unlocked even without reaching specific server levels. This flexibility gives communities more options for customization even if they have not amassed enough boosts for the next tier.

Discord Server Boost Levels and Perks Explained

Let's dive deeper into each boost level's benefits: Level 2 builds on its predecessor, so Level 3 servers benefit from all the perks from Levels 1-2 as well as exclusive features only found at that tier. Likewise, with unboosted servers starting out on Level 0 we gain all these same features at once!

Level 0 (Unboosted Server)

Every Discord server begins here with these standard features:

While these features work effectively for small communities, as they expand, these limits become quickly exhausted.

Level 1 (2 Boosts Required)

At Level 1, two boosters are necessary to unlock significant improvements including 100 emoji slots, 15 sticker slots, 24 soundboard slots and audio quality of 128kbps with upload limit increases from 20MB to 50MB.

Level 2 (7 Boosts Required)

This upgrade delivers significant upgrades, with 256kbps audio quality, 100MB uploads, and a server banner displayed across the top of your server. Your emoji slots expand from 75 to 150, sticker slots grow to 30 and soundboard slots to 36.

Level 2 features 1080p 60fps screen sharing, which will transform how your community experiences gaming streams, tutorials and collaborative work sessions. Furthermore, its improved audio quality becomes particularly apparent during voice chats and music sessions.

Level 3 (14 Boosts Required)

This server feature represents the peak of Discord server features with 384kbps audio quality, 500MB upload limits, 250 emoji slots and 60 sticker and 48 soundboard slots unlocked.

New Additional Perks (3 Boosts Each)

Discord recently introduced two additional perks that don't require specific server levels: Enhanced Role Styles and Server Tags; each require three boosts to unlock.

Enhance Role Styles allow you to add animated gradient and holographic effects to member roles, helping make moderators, contributors, and VIPs stand out visually. Server Tags provide members with their own four-character identifier that they can display across Discord profiles - helping your community represent itself everywhere it goes!

What Are the Real Advantages of Boosting a Discord Server?

Beyond technical specifications, server boosting provides tangible enhancements for your community experience:

Enhanced Communication Quality

At Level 3, audio quality increases from 96 kbps to 384 kbps dramatically, which results in reduced background noise, clearer music notes and natural voice conversations that feel less forced and intrusive. For communities hosting podcasts, music sessions or professional meetings alike, this upgrade alone justifies their investment.

Improved Content Sharing

With higher upload limits, members can share high-resolution images, gameplay recordings, and creative works without compression artifacts. At Level 3, with its 500 MB limit, members can directly upload short video clips instead of having to rely on external hosting providers.

Stronger Community Identity

Custom emojis and stickers become part of your server's culture, while inside jokes, reaction images, and community mascots transform everyday conversations into memorable experiences. A vanity URL makes your server easier to share.

Better Streaming Experiences

Switching from 720p to 1080p screen sharing at 60fps creates more professional-looking streams - whether hosting game nights, educational content or collaborative design sessions, your members will notice the difference!

Professional Appearance

An animated icon, custom banners and splash pages communicate to new members that your community has been established and is actively managed, increasing confidence of joining, as well as existing member pride of belonging.

What Does Discord Server Boosting Cost?

Individual boosts cost $4.99 each month without Discord Nitro; however, their economics depend heavily on your subscription status to Discord Nitro.

Pricing Breakdown

With Discord Nitro ($9.99/month)

Nitro subscribers receive two complimentary boosts and can pay $3.49 for additional boosts.

As more boosts are purchased, the Nitro discount becomes ever more valuable. Subscribing to Nitro first may make financial sense for any plans to boost multiple servers or community needs that require multiple boosts at the same time.

Cost-Sharing Strategies

Smart communities don't rely on one individual to shoulder all of the costs associated with expansion. Here are some practical approaches:

Rotation Systems: Some communities utilize quarterly rotation systems for community responsibilities, with different members taking turns shouldering their share so no single individual bears all of it all the time.

Reward Programs: Provide special roles, channels or recognition to members who go above and beyond their collective benefits to create added incentives that go beyond what would normally be gained collectively.

Hybrid Approach: Combine several Nitro subscribers who get free boosts with purchased individual boosts to reach your target level efficiently.

How to Boost a Discord Server: Step-by-Step Guide

Want to know exactly how to expand your favorite community? Here is a step-by-step guide that shows exactly how it should be done:

How to Transfer Your Server Boost

Should you ever need to transfer it elsewhere:

Simply go into User Settings (gear icon), select the Server Boost tab and click the three-dot menu near your current active boost to select Transfer Boost and your destination server.

Is Discord Server Boosting Worth It?

Again, server boosting depends entirely on your situation - for instance:

When Boosting Makes Perfect Sense

Boosting makes sense in any community where enhanced features matter, be it gaming clan, creative group or professional organization - providing enhanced audio quality justifies its cost for communities who utilize voice channels frequently.

Communities involved with content production--streaming, podcasts and music production--benefit enormously from increased bitrates and upload limits. Being able to share larger files while streaming in 1080p transforms collaborative work processes.

Server owners and administrators recognize the investment boosting signifies in their community. A professional appearance helps with recruitment efforts while the unique features add competitive advantages over similar unboosted servers in their niche.

If You Should Skip Upgrades

If you use Discord only casually with a small group of friends for gaming, upgrading may not make enough of an impactful difference to justify its monthly expense. Small private servers that rarely hit their 50 emoji limit or 25 MB upload cap won't benefit greatly from upgrades.

The Middle Ground

Starting on Level 1: When starting out, consider beginning on Level 1. Two upgrades cost less than $10 monthly and provide noticeable results without major financial commitment. If your community appreciates them, rally members to contribute toward reaching higher levels.

Building Momentum for Your Discord Community

Building a thriving Discord community requires collaboration and strategic growth initiatives

While server upgrades offer technical features, building an engaged community requires more than technical upgrades alone. Members who actively contribute content and invite others must be actively participating and active contributors if you hope for your Discord server to flourish.

Strategic growth initiatives provide the ideal complement to server boosting. While server upgrades provide infrastructure to facilitate better experiences, building initial engagement momentum helps new communities overcome their initial cold start problems.

Overcoming the Empty Server Challenge

New Discord servers face an awkward dilemma: people don't like joining empty communities, yet communities cannot flourish without people joining them. Even with all Level 3 perks enabled, a server with three members feels lifeless.

When combined with genuine community building efforts--quality content, clear purposes, active moderation--these growth tools help your server reach critical mass where organic growth takes over.

GTR Socials' Discord Growth Services

At GTR Socials, our Discord community development experts specialize in helping communities to find initial momentum. Our Discord member services deliver authentic engagement that enhances your boosting strategy.

Consider it this way: server boosts give you the tools (better audio quality, additional emojis and professional appearance), while member growth services give you an audience to use those tools with. Together, they form a sustainable ecosystem.

Combine your server boost investment with this approach to develop a comprehensive growth strategy that addresses both technical features and community vibrancy.

Maximizing Your Boosted Server

Once you've made an investment in server boosts, make sure you maximize their value:

Show Off Your Perks

Use announcements to highlight what boosts enable. Many members don't realize that better audio quality and higher upload limits come from community contributions.

Recognize Contributors

Reward contributors with special roles, colored names or access to exclusive channels; this public recognition encourages others to contribute.

Use Custom Emojis Strategically

Instead of randomly filling your emoji slots with generic images, consider designing customized ones that represent your community culture, inside jokes and common responses - quality over quantity!

Optimize Your Banner and Icon

For higher levels, spend some time and money investing in professional graphics that showcase your banner as the first impression for new members - it should make an impressionful first impression!

Leverage Higher Upload Limits

Benefit from increased upload limits by sharing high-quality resources, media and content that were unimaginable before. This shows the tangible advantages of raising them.

Create a Vanity URL

At Level 3, your custom invite link becomes a powerful branding tool. Choose something memorable that embodies the character and culture of your community.

Host Boost-Exclusive Events

Consider hosting exclusive events, channels or perks specifically for server boosters to thank them while incentivizing other supporters of your server boosting initiative.

Common Discord Boosting Questions

Can server boosts be permanent?

No. Server boosts are offered as monthly subscriptions with no permanent option available to them. However, you can set auto-renewal to ensure uninterrupted boosts each month.

What Happens if my Boosts Expire?

When your server loses boosts and drops below its level threshold, there is a 72-hour grace period before any perks are removed - giving time for payments to arrive or renewal payments to take place, should needed. This buffer gives them time to be reinstated should someone's payment fail or forget.

Custom invite links (vanity URLs) become public after 30 days if not maintained with ongoing boosting efforts.

Can I boost multiple servers at once?

Yes, if you have access to multiple boosts (whether from Nitro or separate purchases), these boosts may be distributed among various servers independently and each boost is independent.

Do I Need Nitro to Boost?

No subscription is necessary in order to purchase individual server boosts at $4.99 each; however, Nitro subscribers benefit from two complimentary boosts and 30% discounts off additional boosts, making their subscription more cost effective for frequent boosters.

Can server owners see who boosted?

Yes, server administrators can view a list of active boosters as well as when each boost expires for greater transparency when managing recognition programs or renewal dates.

Discord Boosts vs. Nitro: Which Should You Choose?

Discord users face an often difficult decision between Nitro and Enterprise for server boosting needs. Here's how they should decide:

Choose Nitro If:

• You would like personal benefits (animated avatar and global custom emojis that follow you everywhere)
• You're planning to boost at least one server (you receive two free boosts with Nitro)
• You regularly upload large files across various servers and require the 30% discount
• You're an active Discord user, looking forward to experiencing its premium experience daily

Select Individual Boosts If:

• Only upgrading one server is the main goal and none of the other member perks matter
• Boost costs are shared among members in a coordinated effort
• You already own Nitro and require more boosts beyond the two included

Advanced Boosting Strategies for Community Leaders

If you manage a Discord server and wish to maximize its boosting ROI:

Create Boost Campaigns

Set specific goals (such as "Let's reach Level 2 within one month!") with milestone rewards attached as milestones; this shared objective motivates collective action.

Transparent Progress Tracking

Use bot commands or regular announcements to clearly display boost status. When members see "We need three more boosts for Level 3," specific individuals often step forward.

Boost Matching Programs

Consider matching member boosts with one from you in order to reach Level 2, while showing leadership commitment while relieving individual burden. This shows commitment while decreasing individual strain.

Monthly Boost Challenges

Create friendly competition among members who contribute the most, offering recognition or privileges for that month to those whose contributions rank highest.

Educational Content

Many members don't understand how boosts work - create clear visual explanations to demonstrate what benefits each level offers.

Budget Planning

Communities that treat Discord as infrastructure (such as businesses, professional groups and creator collectives) should budget for boosts as an operating expense rather than depending on donations from individuals to cover boost costs.

The Future of Discord Server Boosting

Discord continues to refine their server boosting system based on community input, with new perks such as Server Tags and Extended Role Styles becoming available this past year to give servers more flexibility.

At its core, this principle remains: communities that invest in their infrastructure create better experiences for everyone involved.

Final Thoughts: Investing in Your Community

Discord server boosts are more than technical upgrades; they represent investments in your community's experience and growth. With better audio quality, customizable options, and professional appearance signaling that this community is established and worthwhile joining, server upgrades represent investments worth making for any community's experience and growth.

Server boosts and member engagement can create a potent synergy for growing communities, turning ordinary Discord servers into vibrant digital communities. Together they transform ordinary servers into flourishing ones.

Server boosting provides your organization with the infrastructure it needs to compete against established communities while offering memorable experiences that keep members coming back.

Are you ready to elevate your Discord server to the next level? Start with the boost level that best meets your current needs and budget, then adjust accordingly as your community expands. And if you want to accelerate that growth with technical upgrades as well, then explore GTR Socials' Discord growth services for assistance in building momentum around boosted servers.