Discord server levels, explained.

Discord servers level up through boosts: 2 boosts unlocks Level 1, 7 unlocks Level 2, and 14 unlocks Level 3. Each level stacks perks on top of the last — more emoji slots, better voice quality, bigger uploads, and at Level 3 the two things most communities actually chase: a custom invite URL and an animated server banner.

How boost levels work

Members (or a boost service) apply boosts to a server; the server's level is determined purely by the live count. Levels are not purchased directly and there is no time requirement — the moment the 14th boost lands, the server is Level 3. The count is also live in the other direction: if boosts expire or drop, the level drops with them.

What each level unlocks

• Level 1 — 2 boosts: 100 emoji slots, 128 kbps audio quality, custom server invite background, and a static server banner.
• Level 2 — 7 boosts: 150 emoji slots, 256 kbps audio, 50 MB upload limit for every member, and 1080p 60fps streaming.
• Level 3 — 14 boosts: 250 emoji slots, 384 kbps audio, 100 MB uploads, an animated banner, and a custom invite URL (discord.gg/yourname).

Is Level 3 worth it?

For small friend servers, usually not. For communities that recruit — gaming clans, creator servers, project communities — the custom invite link alone tends to justify it: discord.gg/yourname converts better everywhere it's posted, and the animated banner plus crisp voice quality read as an established server. The honest blocker has always been price: at retail, Level 3 is a ~$70/month habit.

The cheapest path to Level 3

You have three options: convince 14 members to each pay $4.99/month (fragile), carry it yourself at retail or with the Nitro discount (expensive — see the full price breakdown), or use a pooled service. Through CheapBoosts, cheap Discord server boosts from $4.99 cover every level — Level 3 is $14.99 for one month or $19.99 for three, warrantied for the full term. The boost calculator shows exactly what any boost count unlocks and costs.

Every perk, level by level

The headline perks are above; this is the complete list, since the smaller ones decide whether a level is worth it for a particular community. Values are Discord's published tiers; emoji counts are totals including the base 50.

• Level 1: 100 emoji slots, 15 sticker slots, 128 kbps voice, animated server icon, custom invite splash background, 720p 60fps Go Live streaming.
• Level 2: 150 emoji slots, 30 sticker slots, 256 kbps voice, static server banner, 50 MB upload limit for every member, 1080p 60fps Go Live, custom role icons.
• Level 3: 250 emoji slots, 60 sticker slots, 384 kbps voice, animated server banner, 100 MB upload limit for every member, and the vanity invite URL.

Notice what is missing: member count. Levels are boost count only. A ten-person server can be Level 3 and a ten-thousand-person server can be Level 0. The Level 3 guide goes deeper on the top tier.

How levels drop, and how to stop that

Because the level is recalculated from live boosts, it is only as stable as its last boost. A Level 3 server with exactly 14 boosts becomes Level 2 the moment one member cancels Nitro or a subscription payment fails. Three things make a level stable:

• Headroom. Sitting a few boosts above the threshold means one lapse changes nothing. It is why the 30-boost package exists for Level 3.
• Coverage. A provider that replaces a dropped boost during the term turns a lost level into a support message rather than a repurchase.
• Term length. A 3-month package removes the monthly gap where a repurchase can be forgotten.

Level 2 versus Level 3: the practical difference

Level 2 gets most of the quality-of-life perks: 50 MB uploads, a banner, 1080p streaming, 256 kbps voice. If your community is mostly text and voice among people who already know each other, Level 2 at 7 boosts ($9.99 a month pooled) is often enough. Level 3 is about identity and recruitment: the vanity URL, the animated banner, the extra emoji. Communities that grow through invites and public listings get real value from it. See the boost-count thresholds mapped to packages on cheap Discord server boosts.

Common questions