Does Discord Leveling Actually Matter? What Users Think
A survey of 201 Discord users on level numbers, permission gates, unlockable rewards, personalized level-up cards, and how Tiko compares with other leveling bots.
Abstract
Background
Leveling bots are a common utility in Discord communities. Many community owners integrate a leveling bot or application to give members something to progress toward through participation.
Objective
This study examined how members respond to the common approach to leveling, which aspects of a leveling system matter most to them, and whether they would prefer an alternative approach.
Methods
We analyzed 201 voluntary responses collected through a Google Form shared in public Discord communities and an in-server survey conducted in a community with Tiko installed.
Results
Among the 200 respondents who answered the level-number question, 58.0% cared about seeing their level increase, while 42.0% either did not care or did not notice level-ups. Opinions on level-gated permissions were divided. Of 194 respondents, 34.0% said the requirement gave them a goal, 22.7% cared only until they unlocked the permission, 24.2% found it annoying, and 19.1% did not notice the requirement.
Preferences were clearer when progression offered more than permission access. Of 156 respondents, 81.4% said they would definitely or probably prefer levels to unlock rewards, features, or activities. Of 188 respondents, 79.3% preferred a personalized avatar card over a plain text notification or neither option. Among 89 respondents who had tried both Tiko and other leveling bots, 65.2% rated Tiko's leveling system better, 29.2% rated it about the same, and 5.6% rated it worse.
Conclusion
The results indicate that level numbers matter to many users, but unlockable content and personalized presentation received broader support. Permission requirements produced a more divided response.
Introduction
Leveling bots allow Discord members to earn experience and progress by participating in a community. In a common leveling system, members receive a higher level number and may unlock permissions or roles after reaching a specific requirement.
These systems contain several separate elements. A member may care about the number itself, the permission attached to it, what else the level unlocks, or how the achievement is presented.
This study examined four areas: whether users care about seeing their level increase, how they feel about level-gated permissions, whether they prefer progression that unlocks rewards or activities, and which type of level-up notification they prefer.
Respondents familiar with Tiko were also asked to compare its leveling system with other bots they had tried.
Methodology
Recruitment
Responses were collected from September 11 to September 14, 2026, using two recruitment methods.
First, the authors distributed a Google Form in public Discord communities. A community was eligible for inclusion only if it already used at least one leveling system and if the community was related to socialization rather than a utility primary server. Server owners and staff helped share the survey with their members. Several larger Discord communities agreed to promote the survey, including Skittle Lounge, Discord server ID 1301391396950773772. This method collected 65 responses.
Second, the same core questions were presented through an in-server survey in a Discord server with the Tiko app installed, Discord server ID 1167768820467904572. The community is primarily centered on socialization and mental health. This method collected 136 responses. Respondents in this server were also asked whether they preferred Tiko's leveling system to other leveling bots they had used.
Data preparation
The two methods produced 201 response records. Equivalent answer labels were standardized during analysis, while the original responses were retained.
The wording of the permission question differed slightly between the two methods. The Google Form referred specifically to image permissions, while the in-server survey referred to permissions generally. The questions measured the same general attitude toward level-gated access, but this difference should be considered when interpreting the combined result.
Not every respondent answered every question. Percentages were calculated using the number of valid responses to each individual question rather than the total sample.
Limitations
Participation was voluntary and self-selected. All participating communities already used at least one leveling system, and all communities are socialization primary, so the findings describe users with experience or exposure to Discord leveling within a specific type of servers. They should not be treated as representative of all Discord users.
The two data-collection methods did not share identifiers, so it was not possible to determine whether any individuals participated through both methods. The Tiko comparison was presented only within a server where Tiko was installed. It should therefore be interpreted as feedback from users in communities using Tiko, rather than as an independent comparison between Tiko and other Discord leveling bots.
Results
- Favorable
- Neutral or mixed
- Unfavorable
Interest in level numbers
A total of 200 respondents answered whether they cared about seeing their level increase. 116 respondents, or 58.0%, cared about seeing the number increase. 54 respondents, or 27.0%, did not notice level-ups. 30 respondents, or 15.0%, did not care about the increase.
Combined, 84 respondents, or 42.0%, either did not care about the level number or did not notice when it increased.
Level-gated permissions
A total of 194 respondents answered the question about reaching a certain level to unlock permissions. 66 respondents, or 34.0%, said the requirement gave them a goal. 44 respondents, or 22.7%, cared only until they unlocked the permission. 47 respondents, or 24.2%, found the requirement annoying. 37 respondents, or 19.1%, did not notice level requirements.
The answers were distributed across all four options, with no single response receiving a majority.
Unlockable rewards, features, and activities
A total of 156 respondents answered whether they would prefer a leveling system in which higher levels unlocked rewards, features, or activities. 72 respondents, or 46.2%, answered “Definitely.” 55 respondents, or 35.3%, answered “Probably.” 29 respondents, or 18.6%, did not care either way.
Together, 127 respondents, or 81.4%, said they would definitely or probably prefer this type of progression.
Level-up notification preference
A total of 188 respondents compared a personalized avatar card with a plain text level-up notification. 149 respondents, or 79.3%, preferred the personalized avatar card. 24 respondents, or 12.8%, preferred the plain text notification. 15 respondents, or 8.0%, preferred neither option.
Comparison with Tiko
The Tiko comparison received 122 responses. Of these, 33 respondents said they had not tried Tiko and were excluded from the comparison percentages.
Among the remaining 89 respondents who had tried Tiko and other leveling bots, 38 respondents, or 42.7%, rated Tiko “way better.” 20 respondents, or 22.5%, rated Tiko “a bit better.” 26 respondents, or 29.2%, rated it about the same. 5 respondents, or 5.6%, rated it worse.
Combined, 58 of the 89 eligible respondents, or 65.2%, rated Tiko's leveling system better than other bots they had tried.
Themes from open-ended responses
The 35 written responses did not describe leveling as universally useful or useless. Four recurring views appeared. Some treated leveling as an optional extra, others valued it as a measure of activity or status, and several felt it only became meaningful when levels unlocked something. Permission restrictions received the strongest criticism.
Leveling as an optional extra
Several respondents enjoyed leveling but did not consider it important. They described it as a harmless background feature that could add some fun without affecting their overall experience.
“It's not important, but it does not hurt to have. I don't really mind it.”
“I mean, it's fun to tease new members about this stuff, but at the end of the day it doesn't really matter.”
“They're an interesting idea, but I feel they're mostly irrelevant, especially if you need levels to unlock server features.”
Permission requirements and friction
Respondents distinguished between reasonable requirements and excessive grinding. Some understood level gates as a way to limit abuse from new accounts, but others felt that restricting basic features such as images and GIFs could discourage participation.
“As long as it doesn't require you to send an absurd number of messages or spend too much time gaining one level, it's alright. In most servers, the only meaningful permissions are image and GIF permissions. After that, every other permission is pretty much useless. You can still make high-level roles special by giving them an eye-catching gradient color or a cool role icon.”
“They're annoying fluff that stops people from using features they may pay for unless they no-life a particular server. Many people who use custom emojis and GIF reactions simply won't engage with a server at all if those permissions are restricted.”
One respondent offered a more balanced view:
“It's not too important for me since I use basic functions such as texting. Generally, I think they're useful for reducing opportunities for abuse. Overall, they're not too important or too unimportant.”
Meaningful rewards and activities
Several respondents said leveling became more meaningful when progress produced a reward beyond XP or permission access. Suggested improvements included items, games, embedded activities, and other features that members could use after leveling.
“It's only important if it makes you earn something, not just image permissions. It motivates people to be more active and chat more if they get something in return other than XP, maybe newly added items and such.”
“If you made a game or something like a Discord embedded app where people could do something with their levels, that would be amazing.”
Activity and status
Some respondents valued levels as a visible record of participation. Ranks, role names, gradient colors, and role icons were mentioned as ways to make that status more noticeable.
“I think they are pretty neat and a good way to know if someone is active in a server or not.”
“Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, like I think levels give me some sort of meter to see how far I have come across (thinking back maybe it is measurement of me yapping), but yeah I think I talk more than I would have, because leveling exists... And maybe more if leveling has some advantages (even though fake, those seem to work).”
“It's pretty fun and something to show how active you are, but instead of levels, having a rank or name would be kind of cool.”
“They're okay. They have their use and help people have a goal to interact, level up, and so on.”
Quotes were lightly edited for spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Their meaning was not changed.
Conclusion
Discord leveling matters to many users, but the level number is not sufficient on its own. Although 58.0% of respondents cared about seeing their level increase, 42.0% either did not care or did not notice level-ups. This shows that basic numerical progression has value, but its appeal is not universal.
Users showed clearer preferences when leveling produced a meaningful outcome. A total of 81.4% preferred systems that unlocked rewards, features, or activities, while 79.3% preferred personalized level-up cards. Permission requirements were more divisive. Some respondents saw them as a goal, while others cared only until gaining access, found them annoying, or ignored them. Written responses also suggested that long grinds for basic permissions can create frustration, while games, rewards, ranks, and distinctive roles give progression a clearer purpose.
Among respondents who had tried Tiko and other leveling bots, 65.2% rated Tiko better. Overall, the findings suggest that users value leveling most when progress leads to useful or enjoyable outcomes and is presented in a personal way. The study measured preferences, so it does not establish that these features directly increase activity or retention.
Participant credits
The following respondents selected “Yes, credit my username” when asked whether they wanted credit if their answer was published on tiko.lol. Usernames are shown as provided in the survey export.
- danievax
- sunincident
- ren.mp1
- ._youki_.
- olivertheminion
- redmtion
- gpkboy5
- da_mountain
- lord_saryn
- ayaf1366
- bluurzv
- lisayaa_ketchup
- mr.bread1302
- lovelyv10_
- livlaughlurv
- zack2k.e
- ashelove990
- tabris3202
- lame_eso
- xy3czz
- 1ns1xkur3
- xkaitren
- yam_time65
- lisa_20100164
- canonwife_ofgojo
- yousef34j
- hanaasp7_47858
- kereii
- neen0684
- aussieh.
- angel_cakeyy
- coffemoffe
- teissecondacc
- turltelord131
- dirtdeerboi
- lxxey_.
- d0lliette_
- letelspetels.14x143
- harrypugger
- haleyy8008
- olive_hossain
- scarycat82
- destiny_878
- tbh_gold
- merrilletta
- gemmathesylveon
- gambo_0925
- xkplays67
- moonafterrain20
- ourlastdecade.
- rayn_in_g
- dinonuggetsv
- ninjasubs
- _grachevskaya
- u1146fictionkin
- leonidas_unchained
- duckland1243
- rynicismss
- cosetteluvyll
- cyxiertwt
- star_superstar.
- haevvrr
- imsoslayyy
- galaxy005758
- taurusisthegoat
- jellybeanqueen0494
- lwky.dazaix