Last updated: August 12, 2026

Free Discord bot for moderation, giveaways and welcome messages

Q: How do I add a free Discord bot to my server?

Click the Add to Discord button. Discord will ask you to authorize the bot and choose which server to add it to. You need the Manage Server permission in that server. Once added, Nova Bot's slash commands are available immediately. Open the web dashboard to configure everything visually. A basic setup takes about 10 minutes.

A free Discord bot is an automated application you add to your Discord server at no cost. It handles repetitive server management tasks like moderating chat, greeting new members, running giveaways, assigning roles, and tracking activity so your staff can focus on building community instead of clicking through menus. A good free Discord bot covers the essentials your server needs from day one without forcing you into a paid plan before you have seen the value.

Nova Bot is a free Discord bot built to replace several single-purpose bots in one package. It is free to add to your server and includes the core features most communities need. Premium starts at $5/month per server when you are ready to unlock the full feature set, but the free tier covers everything listed below.

Quick answer: Nova Bot is a free Discord bot that gives you auto-moderation, welcome messages, reaction roles, custom commands, leveling, tickets, and more in one package. Add it to your server, configure everything from the web dashboard in minutes, and upgrade to premium only when you need giveaways, starboard, and social alerts. Most server owners start free and upgrade later as their community grows.

What can Nova Bot do for your Discord server?

Here is what Nova Bot brings to your Discord server. Set up takes minutes from the web dashboard with no command memorization required. Most features are free; a few premium upgrades unlock as your community grows.

🛡️ Auto-moderation

Block spam, invite links, banned words, and mass mentions automatically. Built-in anti-raid and scam detection catch threats before your mod team sees them.

🎉 Giveaways

Run giveaways with one-click entry, automatic winner draws, and rerolls. Keeps your community active and gives members a reason to come back.

👋 Welcome messages

Greet every new member with a custom join message and auto-assign roles. Set the tone from the first second they arrive.

🎯 Reaction roles

Let members self-select channels and roles with button-based or reaction-based role menus. No more manual role assignment by staff.

⚡ Custom commands

Create custom text and embed responses for common questions. Automate FAQs, server rules, and social links without writing code.

📈 Leveling

Reward active members with XP for chatting. Leaderboards, level-up announcements, and rank cards turn engagement into friendly competition.

🎫 Tickets

Let members open private support channels with one click. Staff responds in-thread and tickets close cleanly when resolved.

Why choose a free Discord bot over a paid one?

Most Discord bots offer a free tier, but the difference is how much you get before hitting a paywall. Some bots advertise features that turn out to be paid-only. Nova Bot takes the opposite approach: the free tier covers auto-moderation, welcome messages, reaction roles, custom commands, leveling, and tickets with no time limit. You only pay when you want premium features like giveaways, starboard, and social alerts.

This matters because your server's needs change as it grows. Starting with a bot that covers the essentials for free means you are not locked into a subscription before you know what your community actually needs. When you are ready to upgrade, premium is $5/month per server with no hidden fees.

Set up Nova Bot in 3 steps

Once Nova Bot is in your server, this three-step path gets moderation and welcomes running in about five minutes.

Run the setup command. Type /help in Discord to see every setup command. You can finish the steps below with slash commands or from the web dashboard at novadiscordbot.com/dashboard.
Set the welcome channel and message. Run /config welcome, pick the channel where greetings appear, and write the message new members see when they join.
Turn on auto moderation. Run /config automod to block spam and /config antiraid to enable raid protection.

Need help? Join the Nova Bot support server: https://discord.gg/rWey9pFa53

Go further with Nova Bot Premium

Nova Bot Premium is $5/month. After you add the bot, run /premium in Discord to see premium features and subscribe.

Add Nova Bot to your Discord server free.

Auto-moderation, welcome messages, reaction roles, custom commands, leveling, tickets, and more. Set up in minutes from the web dashboard. Free to start, premium when you are ready to grow.

Add to Discord

Free forever. Premium starts at $5/month per server.

Frequently asked questions

Is Nova Bot really free?

Yes. Nova Bot's free tier includes auto-moderation, welcome messages, reaction roles, custom commands, leveling, tickets, polls, reminders, temp voice channels, birthdays, and an analytics dashboard. There is no time limit and no credit card required. Premium at $5/month per server adds giveaways, starboard, social alerts, scheduled announcements, level-role rewards, and unlimited custom commands and reaction roles.

What makes a Discord bot free vs paid?

A free Discord bot lets you add it to your server and use its core features at no cost. A paid bot charges a subscription or one-time fee for access. Most Discord bots, including Nova Bot, use a freemium model: the essentials are free so you can try the bot and see the value, and premium features are available for a monthly fee when your server needs more. This is the most common model because it lets you evaluate the bot before committing.

How do I add a free Discord bot to my server?

Click the "Add to Discord" button above. Discord will ask you to authorize the bot and choose which server to add it to. You need the Manage Server permission in that server. Once added, Nova Bot appears in your member list and its slash commands are available immediately. Open the web dashboard at novadiscordbot.com/dashboard to configure everything visually. A basic setup takes about 10 minutes.

Can I trust a free Discord bot with my server?

Stick to bots with transparent privacy policies, active support servers, and a history of regular updates. Nova Bot has been trusted in over 500 servers, is actively maintained, and publishes a clear privacy policy. Review the permissions a bot requests before authorizing it. Nova Bot requests the permissions it needs to run its features; you can review and adjust them before clicking authorize.

How does Nova Bot compare to other free Discord bots?

See our detailed comparison of the best Discord bots for a feature-by-feature breakdown of Nova Bot vs MEE6, Carl-bot, and Dyno. The short version: Nova Bot covers more features in its free tier than MEE6, has an easier dashboard than Carl-bot, and includes engagement tools like leveling and tickets that Dyno does not offer.

Start today: Add Nova Bot to your Discord server free, configure auto-moderation and welcome messages in minutes, and upgrade to premium when your community is ready for giveaways, starboard, and more. Add Nova Bot to your server and see why over 500 servers trust it for moderation and engagement.

Guide by The Nova Bot Team. Updated August 12, 2026.