Discord spam bots: How they work + 5 best anti-spam tools

Discord’s rise as a leading communication platform has also made it a prime target for disruptive automated activity: Discord spam bots. These bots can severely degrade user experience, compromise server security, and undermine community integrity. 

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of Discord spam bots, explaining what they are, how they operate, and how you can effectively protect your server.

What is a Discord spam bot?

A Discord spam bot is an automated program designed to send a high volume of unsolicited and disruptive content across Discord servers and direct messages (DMs). Unlike legitimate bots that add value, spam bots are deployed with malicious intent or to exploit platform features for personal gain. Their primary goal is to overwhelm, annoy, or deceive users.

How do Discord spam bots typically work (messages, pings, DMs, invites, joins)?

Spam bots use various tactics to achieve their goals:

• Messages: Rapidly sending repetitive messages, links, or advertisements in channels to drown out conversation.
• Pings: Abusing @everyone, @here, or role mentions to generate disruptive notifications and draw attention to malicious content.
• DMs: Sending unsolicited direct messages containing scams, phishing links, or invites to malicious servers.
• Invites: Programmatically spamming invites to lure users into other servers.
• Joins: Automatically joining servers to expand their reach.

Why do people create or use spam bots

Understanding why people create spam bots can help in anticipating and countering them:

• Financial Gain: Promoting scams, phishing sites, or affiliate links.
• Data Harvesting: Scraping user information for resale or targeted attacks.
• Server Disruption: Harassing communities or sabotaging rival servers.
• Artificial Growth: Inflating server member counts for a false sense of popularity.

Want to see how automation affects social media engagement? Check out our detailed TikTok comment generator guide.

Are spam bots allowed on Discord?

No. Discord’s ToS and Community Guidelines explicitly prohibit unsolicited bulk messages and any activities that disrupt the user experience.

Consequences of using spam bots on Discord

• For users: Face temporary or permanent account deletion.
• For bots: Banned from the platform.
• For servers: Can be sanctioned, removed from Discovery, or permanently deleted.

Self-bots and Discord’s terms of service

A self-bot is the automation of a normal user account, which is strictly forbidden by Discord. This is because it bypasses the official bot API, creates security risks by exposing user tokens, and provides an unfair advantage.

Can I get banned for “testing” spam on my own server?

Yes. Using a self-bot, even for “testing” on your own server, can result in a ban. Discord’s systems are designed to detect spamming behavior regardless of the server it occurs on.

How can I tell if my server is being targeted by a spam raid?

A spam raid is a coordinated attack by multiple bots. Signs include:

• A sudden influx of new members with generic names.
• Massive message flooding and excessive pings.
• Widespread DM spam reported by members.

What does ping spam look like and how do I stop it?

Ping spam involves the excessive use of mentions to draw attention. To stop it, restrict @everyone and @here permissions to trusted roles and use AutoMod to block excessive mentions.

How do DM spam and friend-request spam work, and how can I block them?

DM spam involves unsolicited direct messages, while friend-request spam is a flood of unwanted friend requests. Users can adjust their Privacy & Safety settings to limit who can send them DMs and friend requests. Block and report any unsolicited contact.

Can spam bots auto-join servers or spam invites? 

Yes, spam bots can auto-join servers and spam invites. Watch for unusual server activity, a surge in new members, and suspicious links. Also, audit webhooks, as they can be compromised to post spam invites.

Are “free spam bot” tools safe to download or use?

No. Tools advertised as “free spam bots” are almost always unsafe. They are often bundled with malware, designed to steal your Discord token and hijack your account, and will lead to a ban for violating Discord’s ToS. Never download or use such software.

What are the best ways to prevent spam on my server?

1. Strong Verification: Set a high Verification Level in your server settings.
2. Auto-Moderation: Use Discord’s built-in AutoMod and reputable third-party anti-spam bots.
3. Permission Hygiene: Apply the principle of least privilege to all roles and bots.
4. Member Screening: Guide new members through an onboarding process before granting full access.
5. Regular Audits: Periodically review bot permissions and delete unused webhooks.

Which built-in Discord settings (verification level, slowmode, permissions) help most against spam?

• Verification Level: Set to High or Highest to deter bots.
• Slowmode: Apply to public channels to limit message frequency.
• Permissions: Restrict @everyone and @here mentions and other sensitive permissions.
• AutoMod: Configure keyword filters and spam content filters to automatically block unwanted content.

What are anti-spam bots

Anti-spam bots provide advanced protection beyond Discord’s built-in features. Look for bots with features like:

• Customizable filters and raid detection.
• User verification systems (e.g., CAPTCHA).
• Detailed logging and reporting.

Configuring roles and channel permissions to minimize spam

• Disable dangerous permissions (e.g., Administrator, Manage Server) for general roles.
• Create a restricted role for new members with limited permissions.
• Grant bots only the permissions they need to function.

How do I audit existing bots and webhooks to reduce spam risk?

Regularly review all bots and webhooks in your server settings. Remove any unused or untrustworthy bots, and ensure that webhooks are only created by trusted staff. Revoke any unnecessary permissions.

How do I report a spam bot or spam raid to Discord?

For severe incidents like raids, collect evidence (screenshots, user IDs) and submit a detailed report to Discord’s Trust & Safety team via their support portal. For individual messages or users, use the in-app reporting feature.

Quick checklist for a spam attack on Discord

1. Activate Raid Mode: Use your anti-spam bot’s lockdown feature.
2. Increase Verification Level: Set it to Highest.
3. Enable Slowmode: Apply it to all affected channels.
4. Lock Channels: Temporarily disable Send Messages permissions for general roles.
5. Kick/Ban Spammers: Use moderation tools to remove the offending accounts.

Is it legal or safe to create a spam bot “for testing”?

Creating a spam bot for personal, ethical testing on a server you own is generally not illegal, but it is unsafe due to the risk of account compromise and platform bans. Deploying it on other servers without permission can have legal consequences.

Testing anti-spam measures

• Use a private, dedicated test server.
• Employ legitimate bot accounts created through the Discord Developer Portal, not self-bots.
• Simulate spam patterns manually with trusted staff members.
• Ensure all tests are controlled, rate-limited, and easily reversible

Pixelscan bot checker lets you safely simulate spam-like behavior in a private test environment to evaluate your server’s anti-spam defenses without breaking Discord’s rules.

How to avoid looking automated on Discord

One of the biggest red flags for spam detection systems is behavior that feels unnatural or bot-like. If you want to keep your server and accounts safe, you need to interact in ways that resemble authentic human activity.

Tips to not look automated:

• Mix content types instead of posting the same format repeatedly
• Limit mentions and avoid mass-tagging roles or @everyone
• Complete your profile with a picture, bio, and verified email
• Keep your activity steady rather than spiking unnaturally
• Engage in genuine conversations, not just links or commands

💡 Pro Tip: Use Pixelscan Bot Checker to simulate activity and test whether your server setup might accidentally trigger spam detection. This allows you to fine-tune permissions and moderation rules before issues arise.

5 best anti-spam bots for Discord in 2025

While Discord offers built-in moderation tools, dedicated anti-spam bots provide advanced features and automation crucial for protecting larger or more active servers. Here are five highly-regarded anti-spam bots:

1. MEE6: A popular all-in-one moderation bot, MEE6 offers comprehensive auto-moderation features. It can detect and delete spam, excessive mentions, bad words, and suspicious links. Its customizable rules allow server owners to tailor spam filters to their community’s specific needs, automatically muting, kicking, or banning users who violate rules.
2. Dyno: Known for its robust and user-friendly auto-moderation system, Dyno provides extensive spam prevention capabilities. It can filter out spam messages, detect mass mentions, prevent raid attacks, and manage user roles based on verification. Dyno’s dashboard makes it easy to configure various anti-spam modules.
3. Wick: This bot specializes in raid protection and anti-spam measures. Wick is designed to detect and mitigate various forms of malicious activity, including spam, raids, and bot attacks. It offers advanced logging, customizable security levels, and automated actions to quarantine or remove threats, making it a strong defense against coordinated attacks.
4. RaidProtect: As its name suggests, RaidProtect is primarily focused on preventing and managing server raids, which often involve significant spam. It features automatic detection systems that can identify suspicious join patterns and message floods, allowing for quick intervention to protect the server from spam and other disruptive behaviors.
5. Security Bot: Offering comprehensive server protection, Security Bot includes advanced anti-spam, anti-raid, and verification features. It helps maintain server integrity by identifying and neutralizing threats, providing tools for moderation, and ensuring that only legitimate users can access certain parts of the server through its verification systems.