Written by Krisztián StarkKey takeaways
- Discord requires app verification, with an ID check of the team owner through Stripe, before a bot can grow past 100 servers, and verification is also the entry ticket to the App Directory.
- A bot that asks only for the permissions its commands need, explains itself in the first minute and never spams channels or DMs gets added more often and removed less often.
- Fake servers, rewards for votes on other bots, automated voting and mass DMs break Discord's or the bot lists' rules and can cost you the listing or the whole app.
How do you get a Discord bot into more servers?
To get your Discord bot into more servers, make it easy to trust and easy to find. Ask only for the permissions your commands need, give new servers a clear first step, get verified before you reach 100 servers, then list the bot in Discord’s App Directory and on bot lists such as top.gg and discord.bots.gg. After that, growth comes from a support server, a docs site that ranks in search, short demo videos, partnerships with server owners, and fixing the reasons servers remove your bot.
This guide follows that order. If you are choosing bots for your own server instead, see the best Discord bots to grow your server.
Verification and the 100-server limit
Discord’s developer help article How Do I Get My App Verified? says it plainly: “Verification is required for your app to scale past 100 servers.” Your app has an App Verification tab in the Developer Portal with a checklist. When every item is green, you click Verify App. The most important item is that the owner of the developer team that owns the app verifies their identity through Stripe, and Discord’s Stripe FAQ says owners are asked to reverify once every three years.
Two details catch people out:
- Age. Discord’s article An Update on Verifications for Users Under 16 says IDs of people under 16 no longer qualify. A younger developer needs a co-developer, parent or guardian aged 16 or over to own the team and verify, and team ownership cannot be transferred after verification.
- Timing. An unverified bot stops at 100 servers. Start the checklist well before that, so a good week of growth does not hit a wall.
Privileged intents now depend on users, not servers
Discord changed the rules for the Guild Members, Presence and Message Content intents in 2026. Its article Changes to Privileged Intent Access for Discord Apps says apps accessible to fewer than 10,000 users can still switch these intents on in the Developer Portal. Once an app reaches 10,000 unique users across its servers, the owner is notified and has 90 days to apply. Access granted after a review must be renewed once a year. Verification and intent review are now separate, and new server installs are not blocked while a review is pending (checked on October 22, 2026).
Every privileged intent you rely on is a review you will face later. Discord’s own example: moving from prefix commands to slash commands removes the need for Message Content.
Build an install flow people trust
The install dialog is your bot’s first impression. A server owner sees every permission you ask for before they click Authorize, and a long list with Administrator at the top is the most common reason careful admins close the window.
Pick the right install link
Discord’s Application resource documentation lists three install link options: Discord Provided Link, Custom URL, and None. The install link powers the “Add App” button on your app profile and App Directory page; with None, the button disappears and your app is not eligible for the App Directory. A Discord Provided Link carries no scopes or permissions in the URL. Instead, it uses the Default Install Settings you set on the Installation page. A Custom URL is usually an OAuth2 authorize link where you set scopes, permissions and the installation context yourself.
The same page says new apps only support server installation by default. You can also turn on user installation, where the app is visible only to the person who installed it and follows their permissions wherever they use it. If your commands make sense for one person (lookups, image tools, small games), user installs let people try the bot without an admin. Every time they use it in a server, other members see it work.
Ask for the least privilege
Top.gg’s Discord Bot Guidelines turn this into a listing rule: commands must only require the permissions the command needs, and bots cannot require Administrator to work. Even outside top.gg, it is the right default. Map each feature to the permissions it needs:
| Bot feature | Permissions it needs | Do not ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Slash commands that reply with text or embeds | View Channels, Send Messages, Embed Links | Administrator, Manage Server |
| Moderation (timeouts, kicks, bans) | Moderate Members, Kick Members, Ban Members, Manage Messages | Administrator, Manage Webhooks |
| Reaction or button roles | Manage Roles (and a bot role placed above the roles it hands out) | Administrator, Manage Channels |
| Music or voice | Connect, Speak, View Channels | Move Members unless a command uses it |
| Logging | View Channels, Read Message History, View Audit Log | Manage Messages, Administrator |
If a feature needs a strong permission, ask for it when the admin turns that feature on, with a one-line reason, not in the first install link.
The first five minutes in a new server
Many removals happen right after install, when an admin cannot work out what the bot does. Plan the first run:
- A clear entry point. A working
/helpor/setupcommand that lists the three things most servers use. Top.gg requires “a clear and obvious point of entry”, and admins expect one too. - One welcome message, in the right place. If the bot has permission, post a short message in the channel where the admin will see it: what the bot does, the one command to run first, and a link to the docs and support server. Then stay quiet until someone uses a command.
- Safe defaults. Nothing loud by default: no level-up messages in #general, no auto-posting feeds, no member DMs. Let the admin switch those on.
- Setup that finishes in one go. A guided
/setupwith buttons beats a page of config commands. End with a visible test.
Do not DM the server owner or members to welcome them or ask for votes. Rule 5 of the Discord Developer Policy says not to contact users without their explicit permission, including direct messages not directly related to maintaining or improving the app’s functionality. Rule 6 bans targeting users with advertising or marketing.
Get listed in Discord’s App Directory
The App Directory is inside Discord, so people find your bot without leaving the app. Discord’s App Discovery Content Requirements Policy says discovery covers several surfaces, such as the App Directory and the App Launcher. According to Discord’s App Directory: App profile pages article, the Discovery section only appears in the Developer Portal once your app is verified. To enable discovery you need (checked on October 22, 2026):
- A verified app.
- A support server link. The support server must be a Community server.
- An application description.
- At least one tag (up to five), set in General Information.
- An install URL.
- A public privacy policy and terms of service.
When the Discovery Status checklist is complete, you click Enable Discovery. That is an opt-in, not a guarantee: Discord can remove apps at any time, and its App Directory Inclusion Guidelines say discoverable apps should suit audiences aged 13 and up. The content policy also rules out adult content, including gambling-adjacent or addictive behavior and regulated goods.
Make the profile page sell the bot
The profile page takes up to five images or YouTube videos in a media carousel, up to five external links, supported languages and a description. Put a short clip of the bot solving a real problem first, and lead the description with the job the bot does (“Schedules raids and pings the right roles”), not its name.
Top.gg, discord.bots.gg and other bot lists
Bot lists are websites where server owners browse and search for bots. They matter most before you are verified, and they keep sending installs after. Each list has its own review and rules, so read them before you submit.
| Where | Before you can list | What helps visibility | Rules to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discord App Directory | Verified app, Community support server, description, tag, install URL, privacy policy and terms | Tags, media carousel, clear description | Developer Policy, content requirements, 13+ audience |
| Top.gg | Public, invitable bot that is online during review; working main feature and help command | Short description under 140 characters, up to 12 categories, votes, paid Auctions slots | No Administrator requirement, no rewards for voting on another bot, do not vote-lock most commands |
| discord.bots.gg | Queue review; stay in their server after listing | Accurate description and stats | No fake information, at least 75% uptime per week, no public versions of self-host bots run by a third party |
Top.gg’s How to Add Your Bot guide says the short description “contributes heavily” to search results, that you should give the exact prefix (or “/” for slash commands) because a wrong one gets you declined, and that if you leave the invite URL empty, a link with no permissions is generated for you.
Votes push bots up top.gg’s lists, and users can vote every 12 hours. The Voting Guidelines allow rewarding users for voting for your own bot and locking a minority of commands; the bot guidelines suggest three to five vote-locked commands at most. Vote reminders must say how to unsubscribe. The discord.bots.gg rules are in its terms (all checked on October 22, 2026).
Other lists come and go. Check that one is active and has written rules before you submit.
Support server, docs, video and partnerships
A support server that answers
The App Directory needs a support server anyway, and the Developer Policy expects you to give users a way to report problems and to review those reports. Keep it small and useful: a #start-here channel, a #support forum, a changelog, and a status channel for outages. Fast answers in the first weeks turn early users into the people who recommend your bot. How to get more Discord members covers growing the server itself within Discord’s rules.
A docs site that ranks
Server owners search Google for problems, not bot names: “discord bot for raid schedules”, “how to auto-assign roles on join”. A small website with one page per use case, the exact commands, screenshots and an Add to Discord button can rank for those searches for years.
Short demo videos
A bot is easy to show in 15 to 30 seconds: run the command, show the result. Post short clips on YouTube Shorts or TikTok, aimed at the community the bot serves (a game, a hobby, a study group), and put the clearest one first in your App Directory carousel.
Partnerships with server owners
One active server in your niche is worth more than ten random installs. Offer a few server owners early access, set the bot up with them, and ask for honest feedback. Build what they ask for, then ask if they would mention it to other owners. Never pay or reward anyone for installing the bot or for joining your support server; that is the kind of induced engagement Discord rules out. See how to get your first 100 users for more early-stage ideas.
Why servers remove bots, and how to keep them
When a server removes your bot, the gateway sends a Guild Delete event; Discord’s Gateway Events documentation says that if the unavailable field is not set, the bot was removed from the guild (otherwise it is an outage). Log both joins and removals with a timestamp, so you can see how long servers keep you.
Illustrative example: reading early removals
Say your bot joins 400 servers in a month and 140 of them remove it within seven days. That is a 35% early removal rate. If most of those removals happen within an hour of install, the problem is setup or permissions, not the features. Sample figures only. The glossary entries on retention rate and churn rate explain the measures.
Common reasons a server removes a bot, and the fix:
- It asked for too much. Admins review permissions later, see Administrator, and remove it. Fix: the least-privilege table above.
- It is noisy. Level-up spam, auto-posts, or replies to every message. Fix: quiet defaults, per-channel settings.
- Setup was unclear. Fix: a
/setupthat ends with a visible success. - It went down. Fix: monitoring, a status channel, and sharding planned before you need it.
- The basics were paywalled. Keep the core job free; sell extras.
- Another bot already does it. Fix: one clear thing your bot does better, stated in the description.
Add a /feedback command that admins can run before they remove the bot, and read every answer.
What not to do
Growth shortcuts that cost you the listing or the app
Adding the bot to empty or alt-account servers to inflate the server count (rule 13 of the Developer Policy bans inflating server membership with bot or user accounts, and discord.bots.gg bans fake information), rewarding users for voting for a different bot, using scripts or programs to vote automatically, vote-locking most commands, mass DMs about the bot or about votes, requiring Administrator, and automating messages to keep a server looking active. Paying for an ad slot is different: people see the bot and decide for themselves.
When the bot is big enough to pay for its hosting
Sharklio is a pay-per-result affiliate network. A bot with its own website accounts can add an /earn command that opens the Sharklio offerwall, so members earn your bot’s currency by completing offers and you earn per completed offer. You set the currency name, icon and rate, and coins are credited from a signed server-to-server postback for every credit and reversal, with only your own account ID in the link, never a Discord ID. End users must be 16 or over, and every publisher application is reviewed by hand. How to add an offerwall to a Discord bot has the code, and how to monetize a Discord bot covers the business side. See how the wall works, or get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
How many servers can an unverified Discord bot join?
Up to 100. Discord says verification is required for an app to grow past 100 servers, and verification includes an ID check of the developer team owner through Stripe.
How do I get my bot into the Discord App Directory?
Get the app verified, then complete the Discovery Status checklist in the Developer Portal: a Community support server, a description, at least one tag, an install URL, a privacy policy and terms of service. Then click Enable Discovery. Inclusion is not guaranteed, and Discord can remove apps at any time.
Is it allowed to reward users for voting on top.gg?
Yes, for your own bot. Top.gg’s Voting Guidelines allow vote rewards and locking a minority of commands, but ban rewards for voting on a different bot, automatic voting programs and punishing users who do not vote.
Can a Discord bot require Administrator permission?
Discord does not forbid asking for it, but top.gg will not list a bot that requires Administrator to work, and many admins refuse it. Ask only for the permissions each command needs.
Does my bot need the Message Content intent?
Usually not. Slash commands, buttons and select menus work without it, and Discord recommends them as the alternative. Apps with 10,000 or more users must apply for privileged intents and reapply every year.
Can I DM server owners to promote my bot?
No. The Discord Developer Policy bans contacting users without their explicit permission and targeting them with marketing. Promote the bot through listings, your website, videos and partnerships instead.
