Discord File Size Limit Explained: Free vs Nitro vs Nitro Basic

Understanding Discord File Size Limits

Discord is a popular chat platform where people share videos, clips, and media files. However, there's a catch: each account type has different upload limits. Let's break down what you can actually send.

Free Discord Accounts

If you're using a free Discord account, your file upload limit is 8MB. Think of this as a small box—you can't fit much inside. This limit works for small clips and screenshots, but most videos won't fit.

Discord Nitro Basic

Nitro Basic is Discord's cheaper subscription ($2.99/month). It doubles your limit to 50MB. This helps, but many videos are still too large.

Discord Nitro (Full Version)

The full Nitro subscription ($9.99/month) gives you 500MB—a huge increase. This lets you upload most videos without compression.

Why Videos Are So Large

Videos take up lots of space because they contain thousands of images played quickly, plus sound. This combination creates large file sizes. The technical term is "bitrate"—basically how much data the video uses per second.

How to Compress Videos for Discord

If you're on a free account, don't worry. You can compress videos to fit Discord's limits. SaveClip offers a free compression tool with presets made exactly for this:

Step 1: Visit SaveClip.com/compress
Step 2: Upload your video (up to 500MB)
Step 3: Select the "Discord/Email" preset (25MB)
Step 4: Download your compressed video
Step 5: Upload to Discord

This preset automatically adjusts resolution (image quality) and bitrate to fit Discord's requirements while keeping your video looking decent.

Alternative Solutions

You can also convert your video to MP4 format, which sometimes creates smaller files. SaveClip's conversion tool handles all popular formats like WebM, MOV, and AVI—all free, no signup needed.

Quick Comparison Table

Free Account: 8MB limit
Nitro Basic: 50MB limit
Nitro Full: 500MB limit

Final Tips

Before uploading, always check your file size. Right-click the file and select "Properties" (Windows) or "Get Info" (Mac) to see the size. If it's too large, use SaveClip's compression with the Discord preset. It's completely free and takes just seconds.