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Source-backed analysis9

Review basis

Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.

9 reference sources

Information updated Nov 11, 2026

How we review
Fluxer logo

Fluxer Review

Open-source, Discord-style community chat you can self-host

Editorial Team7.1/10Write the first review

By Official AppDuo editorial team · Fact-checked

  • Web
  • Android
  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Linux
Freemium · $4.99/mo
Visit Fluxer
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Decide at a glance

Our verdict

Fluxer suits people who want an open-source, ad-free community chat app they can self-host, with Plutonium at just $4.99 a month. The trade-offs are a very young platform (open to everyone since 2 Jan 2026), no end-to-end encryption yet and no iOS app on the App Store.

Best for: Groups and communities looking for an open-source alternative to Discord

Skip it if: Anyone who needs end-to-end encrypted messages and calls today

Pros

  • Open source under AGPL-3.0; the self-hosted software has no feature paywalls or license keys
  • The free tier covers chat, voice, video and screen sharing; Plutonium is only $4.99 a month
  • No ads, no data selling and no third-party analytics or trackers, per the privacy policy

Cons

  • No end-to-end encryption: the policy says Fluxer's systems can access message content and call media
  • A young platform: open to everyone since 2 Jan 2026, first stable Android release on 8 Nov 2026, no iOS app on the App Store yet and forum channels still in early beta
All pros and cons · Who is it for?

More pros

  • Interface in 44 languages (English, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, …)
  • Apps for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android plus a web version; threads, forum channels, bots, webhooks and a moderation audit log

More cons

  • Thin outside evidence: 21 Google Play reviews, 16 AlternativeTo ratings (4.1/5) and no independent security audit found

Best for

  • People who want to self-host a chat server without feature paywalls

Skip it if

  • Very large communities that need a mature bot and integration ecosystem, or groups mostly on iPhone

Experience & key features

What is Fluxer?

Fluxer is a free, open-source chat app for friends, groups and communities, run by Fluxer Platform AB in Sweden and created by Hampus Kraft. According to the developer's own post, the first private beta started on 25 October 2025, fluxer.com opened to everyone on 2 January 2026 and passed 500,000 accounts by 19 October 2026. These figures are Fluxer's own.

Key features

The homepage lists roles and permissions, a moderation audit log, threads, forum channels, message search with filters, bots, webhooks, custom emoji and stickers, and voice and video calls across 16 regions. The interface comes in 44 languages. Apps exist for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, plus a web version; the Android app reached its first stable release on Google Play on 8 November 2026. The code is on GitHub (about 10,800 stars) under AGPL-3.0 and anyone can self-host it.

Pricing and value

Free allows 100 communities, 2,000-character messages and 25 MB uploads. Plutonium costs $4.99/month or $49.99/year and raises this to 200 communities, 4,000 characters, 500 MB files and 4K/60 FPS screen share. There is also a one-time Operator Pass ($199 until 1 Jan 2027, then $249) that supports the project and unlocks no features. The developer's post says the $299 lifetime Visionary plan sold all 1,000 copies in February 2026.

More analysis

Who it's for and how it compares

Fluxer targets Discord users who want an open, ad-free platform; the developer says sign-ups jumped after Discord announced age verification on 9 February 2026. It is much smaller and newer than Discord, and Stoat is another open-source option in the same space. Teams that need an established work tool should still look at Slack or Microsoft Teams.

Screenshots

Chat interface image on the Fluxer homepage
Chat interface image on the Fluxer homepage
Community interface image on the Fluxer homepage
Community interface image on the Fluxer homepage
Official Fluxer promotional image
Official Fluxer promotional image

Plans & pricing

Prices last verified Nov 11, 2026

Free

Personal

Free

Join up to 100 communities, 2,000 characters per message, 25 MB uploads, 50 bookmarked messages, 50 saved media items, 1 saved video-call background, screen share up to 720p at 30 FPS.

Plutonium

Personal

$4.99/mo

$4.17/mo billed yearly

$4.99/month or $49.99/year. Join up to 200 communities, 4,000 characters per message, uploads up to 500 MB, 300 bookmarks, 500 saved media items, 15 video-call backgrounds, screen share up to 4K at 60 FPS. Adds an animated avatar and banner, a subscriber badge, a custom four-digit tag, custom emoji and stickers across communities, and early access to new features.

Operator Pass

Personal

Contact sales

One-time $199 until 1 Jan 2027, then $249; nothing renews. Includes an Operator badge, a numbered certificate and access to the #operators channel. It unlocks no software features and does not include Plutonium.

Free plan limits
Free covers chat, voice and video calls and screen sharing; the caps are on communities joined, file size and screen-share quality. The self-hosted software is free with no feature paywalls.
Free trial
No free trial
Cancellation & refunds

Under the terms, Plutonium can be refunded self-service in settings within 3 days of payment (once per rolling 30 days). EU, EEA and UK consumers may withdraw within 14 days (paying for the days used); in Brazil the window is 7 days. App Store and Google Play purchases are refunded by Apple or Google. The Operator Pass is final once the certificate is delivered, unless local law grants a refund.

Privacy

The privacy policy (updated 7 Nov 2026) states "nothing on Fluxer is currently end-to-end encrypted". Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, but Fluxer's systems can access message content and call media while handling them; end-to-end encryption for calls, DMs and notes is on the roadmap. Fluxer says it does not sell or rent data, shows no ads and uses no third-party analytics or advertising services. Most stored data is hosted with Vultr in New Jersey, US; the controller is Fluxer Platform AB in Sweden, supervised by the Swedish privacy authority IMY. Users can export their data (a ZIP of JSON files) and delete their account. Accounts inactive for 2 years may be scheduled for deletion after an email notice. The app asks for a date of birth right after sign-up.

Official pricing page

Fluxer alternatives

Microsoft Teams logo7.5/10

Microsoft Teams

Chat, meetings and collaboration inside the Microsoft 365 ecosystem

Freemium
Slack logo7.3/10

Slack

Channel-based team messaging with a large app ecosystem, priced per user

Freemium
All alternatives

Controversies & incidents

Issues documented by the press, regulators, courts or the vendor itself. Every item is sourced; unproven claims are labelled as allegations. Last researched: Nov 11, 2026

No significant controversies or incidents found in the sources we checked.

Frequently asked questions

Is Fluxer free?

Yes. The free tier covers chat, voice and video with limits such as 25 MB uploads and 100 communities. The optional Plutonium plan costs $4.99/month or $49.99/year, and the self-hosted software is free.

Is Fluxer end-to-end encrypted?

Not yet. The privacy policy says "nothing on Fluxer is currently end-to-end encrypted". The developer plans end-to-end encrypted calls in 2026, and an experimental version for DMs, group DMs and notes in 2026 with a stable release in 2027.

Can I self-host Fluxer?

Yes. The code is AGPL-3.0 on GitHub, and the developer says the self-hosted software has no feature paywalls or license keys. The official apps can sign in to self-hosted instances too.

Is there a Fluxer app for iPhone and Android?

Android yes: the Google Play app had its first stable release on 8 November 2026. iPhone not yet: the developer's post says the TestFlight beta is on hold with an App Store release expected in early November 2026, but AppDuo found no official App Store listing as of 11 November 2026. iPhone users can use the web version meanwhile.

Review evidence & sources9

Scores

Ease of use
7.4
Why this score

A Discord-style layout that Discord users will recognise, an interface in 44 languages, and desktop, Android and web apps. Marked down because the iOS app is not on the App Store yet, features such as forum channels are still in beta, and the app asks for a date of birth right after sign-up.

Features
7.4
Why this score

Granular roles and permissions, a moderation audit log, threads, forum channels, filtered message search, bots, webhooks, custom emoji and stickers, custom CSS themes, passkeys, and voice and video across 16 regions. End-to-end encryption is missing and the integration ecosystem is small.

Value for money
8.2
Why this score

Free is roomy. Plutonium at $4.99/month or $49.99/year (about $4.17/month) lifts uploads from 25 MB to 500 MB and comes with a 3-day self-service refund, while the self-hosted software is free with no paywalls. The $199 Operator Pass only supports the project and unlocks nothing.

Performance
6.5
Why this score

The developer describes an Erlang, Rust and Cassandra stack, but also reports fighting spam waves and DDoS attacks, and running on a single server while 100,000+ accounts signed up in 16 days. No independent performance measurements were found.

Support
6.3
Why this score

There is a help center, documentation, a support email ([email protected], handled in a helpdesk Fluxer hosts itself), a feedback site at feedback.fluxer.com and a status page. GitHub Issues and Discussions are turned off, no live chat or phone support was found, and the Operator Pass page states it is not a support contract.

Privacy & security
7.0
Why this score

Commits to no ads, no data selling and no third-party tracking, offers data export and is supervised by IMY. Marked down for no end-to-end encryption, mainly US hosting, and the policy's note that the US CLOUD Act can still compel lawful access.

What users say

Sources

Specs & compatibility
Developer
Fluxer Platform AB (Hampus Kraft)
Headquarters
Sweden
Launched
2026
Category
Community

Capabilities

  • Open source
  • Self-hostable
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Integrations
  • Mobile app

Platforms

  • Web
  • Android
  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Linux

Interface languages

  • English
  • Vietnamese
  • Japanese
  • Chinese
  • Korean
  • Spanish
  • French
  • German
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Thai
  • Indonesian

Integrations

  • Bots
  • Webhooks
  • LiveKit (voice and video)

Support

  • Help center
  • Email
  • Community forum

Change history

  1. Launch.The Android app gets its first stable release on Google Play.
  2. Update.The privacy policy is last updated.
  3. Feature.Forum channels enter early beta for everyone; accounts pass 500,000 by 19 October.
Full change history (8)
  1. Company.Discord announces age verification; per the developer, fluxer.com gains 100,000+ accounts over the next 16 days while running on a single server.
  2. Price.The $299 lifetime Visionary plan sells out all 1,000 copies.
  3. Launch.fluxer.com opens to everyone.
  4. Launch.First private beta with around 30 testers, who could invite people they knew.
  5. Update.The first private alpha of Fluxer launches with a few dozen testers, per the developer's post.
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