Comparison
Slack vs Discord Custom Emoji: Limits, Slots and Who Can Use Them
Both apps let a community upload its own emoji, and both show them at about the same size in chat. The differences are in the caps, in who is allowed to use an animated one, and in how many a space can hold. If you are making one set of emoji for a team that lives in both, the Slack rules are the ones to design for, because they are the stricter of the two.
Still emoji size and cap
- Slack
- 128×128 px, under 128 KB (PNG or GIF)
- Discord
- 128×128 px, under 256 KB (PNG or GIF)
Animated emoji
- Slack
- GIF (PNG or JPG for stills), 128x128 px, under 128 KB
- Discord
- GIF (PNG, JPEG, WebP or AVIF for stills), 128x128 px, under 256 KB
How many custom emoji
- Slack
- No practical limit per workspace
- Discord
- 50 static and 50 animated unboosted, up to 250 each at boost level 3
Who can add
- Slack
- Any member unless an admin restricts it
- Discord
- Anyone with the Manage Expressions permission
Who can use an animated one
- Slack
- Everyone in the workspace
- Discord
- Nitro members can type it; everyone can see and react with it
Where it works
- Slack
- That workspace only
- Discord
- That server, or any server with Nitro
Aliases
- Slack
- Yes, one image can answer to several names
- Discord
- No, one name per emoji
| Slack | Discord | |
|---|---|---|
| Still emoji size and cap | 128×128 px, under 128 KB (PNG or GIF) | 128×128 px, under 256 KB (PNG or GIF) |
| Animated emoji | GIF (PNG or JPG for stills), 128x128 px, under 128 KB | GIF (PNG, JPEG, WebP or AVIF for stills), 128x128 px, under 256 KB |
| How many custom emoji | No practical limit per workspace | 50 static and 50 animated unboosted, up to 250 each at boost level 3 |
| Who can add | Any member unless an admin restricts it | Anyone with the Manage Expressions permission |
| Who can use an animated one | Everyone in the workspace | Nitro members can type it; everyone can see and react with it |
| Where it works | That workspace only | That server, or any server with Nitro |
| Aliases | Yes, one image can answer to several names | No, one name per emoji |
Pick Slack if
Slack, if your emoji are workplace shorthand: reactions, statuses, in-jokes that the whole team should be able to use without a paid tier. Design under 128 KB and you are done.
Make a Slack emojiPick Discord if
Discord, if the emoji are part of a community's identity and you want animated ones widely seen. Just know that non-Nitro members will react with them rather than type them.
Make a Discord emojiQuestions people ask
Can I use the same emoji file on Slack and Discord?
Yes, if it is under Slack's 128 KB cap it is under Discord's 256 KB too, and both display at 128 pixels. Make one file to the Slack rules and upload it to both.
Why do animated emoji work for everyone on Slack but not on Discord?
Slack treats a GIF emoji like any other emoji. Discord makes typing animated custom emoji a Nitro perk, though every member can still see them and react with them.
Which app has more room for custom emoji?
Slack, in practice: workspaces upload thousands. Discord caps a server at 50 static and 50 animated without boosts, rising to 250 each at boost level 3.