Pick YAGPDB if you want deep automod and a custom command engine for free, and you are willing to learn some scripting. Pick MEE6 if you want a guided dashboard and plan to pay, because MEE6's own comparison lists XP and Levels, welcome messages, reaction roles and moderation among its Premium features. If what you really want is free leveling plus automod without writing code, a third bot may suit you better than either.
Checked on each bot's own site or docs on 3 November 2026. We make PeakBot. Nobody paid to be in this post.
How we chose
This covers both "MEE6 vs YAGPDB" and "YAGPDB vs MEE6". We compared the two bots on six things server owners ask about:
- Leveling without paying: what the free plan gives you.
- Automod depth: how many rules you get and how much control you have.
- Reaction roles: letting members pick their own roles.
- Custom commands: making the bot do things it does not do out of the box.
- Setup for non-coders: whether you can do everything from a dashboard.
- Price: what the paid tier changes.
Every rival number below comes from that bot's own site. Where a bot does not publish a number, we link to its site so you can check for yourself.
MEE6
MEE6 (mee6.xyz) is set up from a web dashboard where you switch modules on and fill in forms, so you do not need to write anything.
The catch is the paywall. MEE6's free-vs-Premium comparison (help.mee6.xyz, 16 June 2026) lists XP and Levels, Welcome & Goodbye messages, Reaction Roles (up to 40 on Premium), Temporary channels and Moderation as Premium. Ticket transcripts of deleted tickets are also Premium. MEE6 does not show Premium prices on a readable public page, so check mee6.xyz/premium for the current price.
Pick MEE6 if: you want a form-based setup, you are happy to pay for Premium, and leveling and welcome messages are the main reason you want a bot.
YAGPDB
YAGPDB (yagpdb.xyz) is aimed at server owners who want control. On the free plan you get 25 automod rules (150 on Premium) and a custom-command scripting engine that can build a wide range of behaviour, if you can write it.
That engine is both its strength and the place people get stuck. The built-in modules are set up in its web control panel, but anything beyond them means writing scripts. If leveling matters to you, check yagpdb.xyz for what its current modules include before you commit.
Pick YAGPDB if: moderation is your priority, you want many automod rules without paying, or you (or a mod on your team) are comfortable writing custom commands.
PeakBot (where it fits)
PeakBot (peakbot.pro) sits between the two. It is not scriptable like YAGPDB: it has no custom-command engine, and no music or economy features. What it does offer is free leveling and free automod, both set up on a web dashboard.
- Leveling (free): message XP with a cooldown, a session cap, level roles and a level-up message. Voice XP, per-channel and per-role multipliers, XP decay, and leaderboard import and export need a paid plan (Starter is $5.75/month per server).
- Automod (free): anti-spam, invite filter, link filter with an allow list, word filter and mention spam. Each one gets its own action, threshold and time window, with exempt roles and channels. A sixth filter, the caps filter, needs a paid plan. AI moderation, which reads what a message means rather than matching words, is Pro ($8.25/month per server).
- Roles: auto roles on join, self-assign roles and if/then rules on one page.
- Tickets: free, with transcripts. Auto-close needs a paid plan.
Pick PeakBot if: you want leveling and automod on a free plan, you do not want to write code, and you do not need custom commands. For a closer look at the MEE6 side, see PeakBot vs MEE6.
Leveling: free vs paid
This is the reason a lot of people search this comparison. MEE6's own comparison puts XP and Levels on its Premium list, so read its Premium page to see which parts your server gets for free. YAGPDB's free highlights are automod and custom commands, so check its site for leveling.
If free leveling matters most, you have options beyond these two. Arcane's free plan includes message XP and 15 role rewards (1 per level), and Lurkr gives free leveling with up to 3 role rewards per level (50 total). Our MEE6 vs Arcane post goes deeper on leveling bots.
Automod: start with Discord's own
Before you pick a bot for moderation, look at Discord's built-in AutoMod. It lives under Server Settings > AutoMod, and Discord says Community must be enabled first (Server Settings > Community). Check your own Server Settings to confirm.
According to Discord's developer docs, each server gets 6 custom keyword rules, plus one spam rule, one commonly flagged words rule, one mention spam rule and one member profile rule. Each keyword rule takes up to 1,000 keywords of 60 characters each, plus up to 10 regex patterns. Actions are block message, send alert, time out (up to 4 weeks) and block member interaction.
One thing to know: members with Manage Server or Administrator are always exempt from Discord's AutoMod, and so are bots and webhooks (Discord's moderation guide). That is how it works for everyone, so test rules with an account that has neither permission.
Where bots add value is depth. YAGPDB's 25 free rules give you more room than Discord's built-in set. MEE6 lists Moderation on its Premium list. PeakBot adds per-filter thresholds and time windows, plus anti-nuke and anti-raid on its Security page.
Reaction roles: you may not need a bot
MEE6 offers Reaction Roles, with up to 40 on Premium. For YAGPDB's role tools, see its site.
Discord's Onboarding can handle a lot of this now. Under Server Settings > Onboarding (you need Manage Server and Manage Roles, or Administrator), you can ask members questions and give them roles and channels based on their answers. If you uncheck "Ask members before join", the question moves to the "Channels & Roles" tab, where members can change their picks later. For many "pick your games" or "pick your pronouns" menus, that is enough.
Custom commands
YAGPDB wins this one. Its scripting engine is its headline feature on the free plan. MEE6 also lists custom commands; see mee6.xyz for what they can do and which plan they need. PeakBot does not have custom commands.
Setup for non-coders
Adding either bot works the same way in Discord:
- Make sure you have the Manage Server permission on the server.
- On desktop, open Server Settings > App Directory and search for the bot, or open the bot's profile and click Add to Server.
- Pick your server from the dropdown. It only lists servers where you have permission.
- Accept the permissions the bot asks for.
- Confirm it was added under Server Settings > Integrations > Bots and Apps.
Discord explains this in How to use Discord apps.
After that, MEE6 is configured through toggles and forms on its dashboard. YAGPDB's control panel covers its built-in modules, but expect a learning curve once you reach custom commands. On PeakBot, you sign in at peakbot.pro, choose your server, and open XP & Leveling, Auto Moderation or Roles from the dashboard sidebar. The getting started guide walks through it.
Comparison table
| MEE6 | YAGPDB | PeakBot | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leveling | XP and Levels on MEE6's Premium list | See yagpdb.xyz | Message XP free; voice XP on Starter |
| Automod | Moderation on MEE6's Premium list | 25 rules free, 150 on Premium | Five filters free, caps filter paid; AI moderation on Pro |
| Reaction / self roles | Up to 40 on Premium | See site | Self-assign and auto roles |
| Custom commands | See site | Full scripting engine | None |
| Tickets | Deleted-ticket transcripts are Premium | See site | Free, transcripts included |
| Non-coder setup | Dashboard toggles and forms | Panel for modules, scripts for custom commands | Dashboard |
| Paid price | mee6.xyz/premium | See yagpdb.xyz | Starter $5.75/mo, Pro $8.25/mo per server |
For more side-by-sides, see our bot comparison page.
Verdict for each type of server
- Small friend server that wants levels: MEE6 if you will pay for it. If you want it free, use a leveling-focused bot or PeakBot instead.
- Large public or gaming community: YAGPDB for automod depth, alongside Discord's AutoMod. Add a leveling bot if your members want XP.
- Server with a technical admin: YAGPDB. Its custom commands can do things a dashboard toggle cannot.
- Non-coder who wants one bot for levels, automod and tickets: PeakBot, as long as you do not need custom commands or music.
- Server that just needs role menus: try Discord's Onboarding before adding any bot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MEE6 leveling free or do I need Premium?
MEE6's free-vs-Premium comparison (16 June 2026) lists XP and Levels among its Premium features. Check mee6.xyz/premium to see which leveling parts your server can use without paying.
Does YAGPDB have leveling?
YAGPDB's free plan is built around automod (25 rules) and custom commands. Check yagpdb.xyz for its current modules, or run a separate leveling bot next to it.
Can I use MEE6 and YAGPDB together in the same server?
Yes. Discord lets you add several bots. Just do not switch on the same job in both, such as two automod setups or two welcome messages, or members will get punished or greeted twice.
Is YAGPDB hard to set up if I can't code?
Its built-in modules are set up in a web control panel, which is manageable. The custom-command engine is where non-coders struggle, because it means writing scripts.
Which is better for reaction roles, MEE6 or YAGPDB?
MEE6 lists Reaction Roles with up to 40 on Premium. For YAGPDB's role options, see its site. For basic role picking, Discord's Onboarding may be enough on its own.
Do I still need a bot for automod now that Discord has AutoMod?
For small servers, often not. Discord's AutoMod gives you 6 custom keyword rules plus spam, mention spam and member profile rules. Bots add more rules, per-filter thresholds and things like anti-raid protection.
