Discord Boost Levels in 2026: What Each Tier Actually Unlocks
Boosting is the most confusing part of running a Discord server, because the perks are announced as a long list and experienced as a slow drip. Most community owners only care about a handful of them — the ones that change how the server looks to a newcomer in the first five seconds.
The visual perks, by level
| Level | Boosts needed | What you unlock visually | Sticker slots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | 0 | Server icon and emoji only | 5 |
| Level 1 | 2 | Invite background, higher audio quality | 15 |
| Level 2 | 7 | Server banner and 1080p60 streaming | 30 |
| Level 3 | 14 | Animated banner, vanity URL | 60 |
The jump that matters most for how your server presents itself is Level 2. That is where the banner appears above your channel list — the single largest piece of branding real estate Discord gives you.
Have the assets ready before you hit the tier
A pattern worth avoiding: a server hits Level 2, everyone gets excited, and then the banner slot sits empty for three weeks because nobody made one. The specs are fixed and public, so there is no reason not to have the file waiting.
Server banner
16:9 · under 10 MB · unlocks at Level 2
Sticker
1:1 APNG · under 512 KB · slots scale with level
Build the banner at 960×540 and your stickers at 320×320 ahead of time. If an export lands over a file cap, the Image Compressor can target a specific size rather than making you guess at quality settings.
One change that caught bot developers out
As of February 23, 2026, bots need the CREATE_GUILD_EXPRESSIONS permission to add custom emoji and stickers — MANAGE_GUILD_EXPRESSIONS on its own is no longer enough. If a sticker-uploading bot in your server quietly stopped working this year, that permission change is the first thing to check. Discord's developer change log is the authoritative record for this kind of thing.
Getting boosts without begging
- ✦Show the goal. People boost servers that visibly need two more, not servers that vaguely want support.
- ✦Make the reward communal. Announce what the banner or new stickers will be, so boosting buys something everyone sees.
- ✦Time it with an event. Boost drives attached to a launch, tournament, or giveaway convert far better than standing requests.
- ✦Give boosters something small and permanent — a role colour, a sticker they designed, a name in the channel topic.
If you run the drive as an event, a QR code pointing at your invite makes it shareable from a stream overlay or a printed flyer.
What Boost Level do I need for a Discord server banner?
Level 2, which requires 7 boosts. An animated banner requires Level 3, at 14 boosts. The banner image itself should be 960×540 pixels at a 16:9 ratio, under 10 MB.
How many stickers can my server have?
Five slots at base, rising to 15 at Boost Level 1, 30 at Level 2, and 60 at Level 3. Stickers must be exactly 320×320 and under 512 KB.
Why did my sticker bot stop working in 2026?
Since February 23, 2026, bots require the CREATE_GUILD_EXPRESSIONS permission to create emoji and stickers. The older MANAGE_GUILD_EXPRESSIONS permission alone no longer authorizes it, so the bot needs its permissions updated.
Do boosts expire if people stop boosting?
Yes. Levels are held only while the boost count stays at or above the threshold, so a server can drop back down and lose banner access. Plan branding around a level you can sustain.
Tools in this guide
Try the tools ✦
Free browser tools that never upload your files.