If all you need is a robust tool to moderate the comment section on your website, these Disqus alternatives would deliver excellent work, for sure. Of course, Disqus already is a great tool. But it won’t hurt to take a look at other options, right? More than anything, Disqus itself had changed from its initial goal. Many users even think that that platform couldn’t provide the same services anymore. So, in case you need decent alternatives to Disqus that may deliver more features, you should read this article.
Best Disqus Alternatives
So, what is Disqus used for? This platform allows you to provide various options on the comment environment. Other than using texts, your visitors can put emojis, images, and many more. Disqus might be popular out there. However, it had various controversial moments that made users wonder whether they should keep using this platform or not. Other than that, privacy violations kept happening in the past. Thus, regardless of how good that platform turned out to be, you better find other alternatives that address security and privacy matters properly. Disqus, on the other hand, offers a list of great stuff, after all. Those include:
Free services for most websites but users can always upgrade to premium plans. Increasing engagement by embedding a link. Adding images to comments is effortless with the “drag and drop” feature. The effortless process to find direct comments. Users have control towards moderation and management.
All things mentioned above simply make you want to use this platform even more. However, you don’t want to sacrifice both privacy and security for such a comment tool. This platform also doesn’t provide any integration option to social media platforms. Judging from today’s marketing style, it is quite impossible to grow your digital business without social media, right? According to some research a few years ago, this platform recorded all user data. Thus, it also means that you have no privacy at all. More than anything, that reason is more than sufficient to find a better alternative to Disqus.
1. Native Comments
Talking about Disqus free alternative, this one might be the closest. Generally, it is not the name of a brand but more about the default feature you get when building a website. Everything is quite basic but functional in many ways – you will get this one if you use WordPress for sure. Since it is default and free, some limitations may apply too. For instance, the service can be painfully slow, especially if huge traffic is coming your way. Other than that, there will be no extra features, considering everything is basic. The best part of using native comments is that you don’t need to download or install anything in the first place.
2. Postmatic
When it comes to tools like Disqus, Postmatic is one of those names that stand out. Other than helping with moderation for your comment section, this plugin also creates an excellent framework. By that, both visitors and the website owner can communicate comfortably. Installing this plugin also allows you to get the commenter list updated automatically. Thus, you can generate email newspapers to subscribers more effortlessly. In case your audience posts a comment on your new posts through email, it will be posted on your website automatically – they don’t need to visit your page directly, after all. However, this tool is not a free lunch. You need to pay for a subscription, which starts at USD 20 for as many as 10,000 subscribers to your site.
3. Jetpack
If you are looking for a decent Disqus forum alternative then Jetpack will beat its competitors in almost any aspect. As long as you are using WordPress then this solution is obviously on your list. Jetpack is a suite that enhances all features and functions on your website. As a result, the display and interaction on your site will be optimized dramatically. By installing this plugin, your audience can use their social media accounts to comment on your site. Of course, it skips the process of filling forms like other tools would require. Other than that, this tool can also turn the comment section into a community – it sends reply comments to all commenters in the first place. And for the website owner, you can use its filter solutions to keep spam texts at bay. Jetpack also comes with a free account, with some limitations to deal with, of course. However, you can upgrade this suite to the premium version for USD 40 per year. All in all, Jetpack is a value-for-money choice for your comment section.
4. Muut
So, Disqus vs Muut: which one is better? Well, Muut is generally a good alternative for those who look for a decent yet powerful comment section moderator. Other than providing room for commenting and taking care of the section, you can create a web forum and boost instant messaging by using one tool. It is safe to say that this platform is an all-in-one commenting solution. All in all, Muut is a powerful tool to moderate your comment section, especially if your website has huge traffic. Keep in mind that this plan is not free. It costs USD 20 per month for such features.
5. Facebook Comments
Facebook, which has changed its name to Meta, has a powerful tool to manage your comment section. As you know, this social media platform is used by over 2 billion people around the world. Since this platform encourages the users to interact with each other, it uses a robust yet powerful tool to handle the comment section. It also means that the comment tool from Facebook can be a free Disqus alternative with exquisite work. You may need to download and install the software in the first place, but the process is effortless. Also, you can see the cross-posted comments if you link the tool to your Facebook account. Lots of great features are available on this platform. You just need to try it on your own.
6. Intense Debate
It seems like you will find several platforms similar to Disqus that come for free. Intense Debate happens to be one of those platforms. Despite the free services, many professional sites and top-tier companies prefer to use this tool instead of anything else. Other than providing a space for commenting, Intense Debate also enhances the engagement in your site. More than anything, it won’t hurt to give this tool a try. Its spam protection and email notification are two features worth trying, for sure.
7. CommentLuv
Owning a website or blog may require you to take care of the SEO as well. What if you have a Disqus open source alternative that also comes with SEO input? CommentLuv, on the other hand, delivers excellent work when it comes to moderating your comment section and boosting your SEO strategy. Your audiences later can post comments on various websites with one account only. Since this platform is an open-sourced type, you can customize everything in it depending on your needs. However, CommentLuv comes with a dated look. Still, there are tons of good things you can get by using this comment tool to moderate your website.
8. wpDiscuz
wpDiscuz is obviously one of the best sites similar to Disqus that provides lots of useful features. At least 20,000 users have used this tool to enhance their website’s comment section. As its name suggests, this platform is a plugin for WordPress websites. Thus, you can grab this feature on the plugin list and download it right away. As a popular plugin, wpDiscuz is constantly updated. Thus, you won’t miss any latest trends and technology when it comes to increasing engagement on your site.
9. Cackle Comments
The solution you pick to take care of the comment section is crucial to developing engagement. Many users prefer not to write anything due to the complicated signup process. On the other hand, Cackle Comments allow your audience to use their social media accounts for commenting. Thus, they don’t need to fill out any form in the first place. You can also utilize this tool on various platforms other than WordPress, such as Drupal, Joomla, and Bitrix. Cackle Comments is not a free solution, but it costs affordably – starts at USD 7 per month.
10. Isso
At some point, all you need is a Disqus alternative open-source, especially if you are familiar with Java. Other than being an open-sourced option to take care of your comment section, Isso is also a self-hosted platform. This platform is so lightweight that your website or blog won’t get overburdened with the presence of this third-party thing. Since this one is free, you should give it a try and see whether or not Isso suits you. One of the most exciting things about this product is that all comments will remain anonymous. By that, you don’t need to worry about your audience identities being sold over the virtual universe. Isso utilizes Javascript. It means that you can use this platform on various websites you own. What a practical solution!
11. Hyvor Talk
Hyvor Talk is also the most anticipated competitor of Disqus. This platform puts privacy on top of everything, which Disqus seemed to fail back then. The standard comes with a spam detector and moderation tools. If you are willing to pay for subscriptions, you will get a lot cooler features. Despite the top-notch features, Hyvor Talk keeps the UI design as clean and minimalist as possible, without leaving the aesthetic vibe away. Thus, if you are looking for an affordable comment solution, this platform is worth considering on many levels.
12. Utterances
Utterances is such an excellent choice for those who look for a decent Disqus alternative self-hosted platform. While providing free services, you don’t need to worry about unpleasant ads popping here and there. Other than that, this platform puts privacy issues on top of everything. It seems like you can integrate this tool into your websites effortlessly considering this tool is based on GitHub issues. Even though the traffic to your website is quite huge, there will be no change in its performance. Thus, using Utterances is many bloggers’ preference, especially when it comes to replacing Disqus. Moreover, this platform delivers excellent functions while showing up with eye-catchy yet simple UI design. Utterances is a worth-considering option to take care of your comment section solution.
13. Commento Platform
Utilizing a lightweight tool on your website is such a must. It helps the site load faster and performs the functions speedily, even though the traffic is currently huge. Moreover, if you are looking for a lightweight alternative to Disqus then you should check out Commento. As its name suggests, it takes care of the comment section moderation on your site. On the other hand, it comes in a pretty lightweight size. Not only does this platform provide a safe place for commenting, but it also offers various functions for website owners. By using Commento, you can handle moderation, voting system, threads, and third-party login. In case you don’t want to deal with spam messages, this platform provides a quality filter to make everything as effortless as possible. And of course, privacy is a priority. You can get all advantages offered by Commentor by purchasing its paid subscription – starts at USD 5 and the system will take care of the tasks.
Conclusion
After reading several alternatives you can try to replace Disqus, you might be wondering which one works best for your website. Today’s trend actually suggests every blogger and website owner remove the comment section in the first place. Other than keeping things as simple as possible, most webmasters consider moderating the comment section to be overburdening work. However, you will never know how your audience feels without their feedback, right? All you need to do is to know what you need the most from a comment moderator tool. After that, you can figure out which platforms could accommodate those requirements in the first place. Above everything, switching to Disqus alternatives is one of the best decisions you’ve ever made for your website and audience.
