How to create a Discord bot without coding (step by step)
Last updated: October 2026.
Short answer: create an application in the Discord Developer Portal, turn on two intents, copy the bot token, invite the bot with an OAuth2 link and paste the token in Mavibot (Channels, then Discord). Then set up your server in Chat management, starting with a command. The setup takes about 10 minutes, and the free plan is enough.
A Discord bot is an app account that members of your server can talk to. It replies in channels and threads, sends direct messages, gives roles, moderates chat and reacts to commands. You create the bot account on the Discord side, and Mavibot runs what the bot does, with no code. In Mavibot the same bot can run your whole server: commands, roles, greetings, moderation, levels and XP.
This guide builds a bot for a test server that answers a /price command. The server and the command text in the examples are made up for the demo. If you want to sell on Discord, read the guide to Discord bots for sales and lead generation after you finish here.
What you need
You need a Discord account and a server where you are the owner or have the Manage Server permission, because only they can add a bot. You also need a Mavibot account. If you don't have one yet, sign up. On the project creation screen there is a field for a promo code at the bottom. Enter MAVI10 there to get 10 days of the top plan free.
The free plan covers this guide. It includes Chat management for Discord and 50 bot messages per day. Every plan, the free one too, includes one Discord bot, and each additional bot costs $9.90 per month. The AI assistant is not part of the setup, and it works on paid plans and during the trial.
Step 1. Create an application
Open the Discord Developer Portal and click New Application. Enter a name, because your server members will see it.
Then open the Installation section and set Install Link to None. You will make the invite link yourself in Step 4, with exactly the permissions the bot needs. The Developer Portal changes from time to time, and this guide was checked in October 2026.
Step 2. Configure the bot
Open the Bot section. Turn off Public Bot, otherwise anyone can add your bot to their server. In some interface languages this switch is labeled General bot.
Scroll down to Privileged Gateway Intents and turn on two of them. Discord explains these intents in its gateway documentation.
| Intent | What it does | Turn it on? |
|---|---|---|
| Message Content Intent | Lets the bot read message text, so text triggers work | Yes |
| Server Members Intent | Lets the bot see joins, leaves and role changes, so greetings and automatic roles work | Yes |
| Presence Intent | Shows online status | No, the bot doesn't need it |
Click Save Changes.
Step 3. Get the bot token
In the same Bot section click Reset Token, confirm with Yes, I want to! and copy the token. Discord shows it only once, so paste it into a safe place right away.
The token gives full control of your bot. Don't post it in a chat, a screenshot or a public document. If it leaks, click Reset Token again. The old token stops working immediately, and you will need to connect the bot in Mavibot again with the new one.
Step 4. Create the invite link
Open OAuth2 and scroll to the URL Generator. Choose Guild Install as the integration type. Under Scopes tick bot and applications.commands. This guide uses a slash command, and without the second scope commands can't be registered on your server.
Under Bot Permissions tick only what the bot needs. You can change permissions later in the role settings on the server.
| Permission | What it lets the bot do |
|---|---|
| View Channels | See the channels at all |
| Send Messages | Reply |
| Read Message History | Reply to messages and quote them |
| Embed Links, Attach Files | Send links with previews and files |
| Add Reactions | Add reactions |
| Manage Roles | Give and remove roles |
| Manage Messages | Delete other members' messages |
| Moderate Members | Mute members with timeouts |
| Kick Members, Ban Members | Remove and ban members |
| Manage Channels | Create and delete channels, for example ticket channels |
The first five rows are the minimum for messages. Add the others only when the bot needs them.
Copy the Generated URL at the bottom of the page. It contains a permissions number. If the number is 0, no permissions are selected.
Step 5. Add the bot to your server
Open the link in your browser, choose your server and confirm. The bot appears in the member list, offline until you connect the token in Step 7.
Then check the role order. Open Server Settings, then Roles, and drag the bot's role above every role it will give and above the members it will moderate. Discord doesn't let a bot assign a role that sits at the same level or higher than its own role, and it can't mute or ban a member whose role is higher. Discord describes how roles and permissions interact in its permissions documentation.
Step 6. Leave Interactions Endpoint URL empty
Go back to the Developer Portal, open General Information and scroll down to Interactions Endpoint URL. The field must be empty. The grey text inside it is only an example.
If a URL is filled in, Discord sends button clicks and slash commands to that address instead of the bot. Buttons then look dead, and slash commands answer "Application did not respond".
Step 7. Connect the bot to Mavibot
In Mavibot open Channels, click Discord and paste the token into the Token field. A valid token has three parts separated by dots. Click Connect a bot. The window on the right repeats the steps of this guide, so you can follow it while you work.
After a few seconds the bot shows Connected in the list of Discord bots, and it appears online on your server. If it stays offline, check that the token is complete and has no extra spaces. Your plan includes this first bot, and the price tag next to Discord is for an additional bot, which costs $9.90 per month.
Step 8. Add your first command
Open Builder, then Chat management, then Discord, and click Add automation. Choose your bot and paste the server ID. To copy an ID, turn on Developer Mode in Discord's advanced settings and use Copy ID in the context menu of the server.
Open the Commands page. It lists two built-in commands, /xp and /top, which belong to the levels feature. Click Add command, enter the command, for example /price, and write the reply, for example "The course costs $49 and includes six lessons." Tick Administrators only if the command is not for everyone, and click Add. Discord registers slash commands on your server automatically when you save.
Step 9. Test the bot
Open any channel the bot can see and type /price. The bot replies with your text. You can also try the built-in /xp, which shows your points and level, and /top, which shows the leaderboard.
For a deeper check, ask a friend to join the server and see whether a greeting appears if you turned it on, and click a button in a bot message if you added one. If something doesn't work, find the symptom in the table below.
What to do when the bot doesn't work
| What you see | The usual cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The bot is online but doesn't answer text | Message Content Intent is off | Turn it on in the Bot section and save |
| Greetings and automatic roles don't fire | Server Members Intent is off | Turn it on in the Bot section and save |
| Buttons do nothing, a slash command says Application did not respond | Interactions Endpoint URL is filled in | Clear the field in General Information |
| The slash command doesn't appear in Discord | The applications.commands scope is missing | Create a new link with that scope and add the bot again |
| The bot can't give a role or mute a member | The bot's role is too low in the list | Drag the bot's role higher in Server Settings, Roles |
| The bot never goes online | The token is incomplete or has spaces | Copy the token again and reconnect |
| A direct message is not delivered | The member shares no server with the bot or has direct messages turned off | Nothing, this is a Discord limit |
What to build next
A command is the smallest automation. The same Chat management area has pages for greetings, automatic roles, reaction roles, moderation, logs and levels, and the guide to Discord bots for sales and lead generation walks through them one by one.
The documentation lists every function you can call from a block, in Discord API Functions, and the official How to create a chatbot in Discord page covers the same setup.
If you want to see the builder first, open the Discord bot builder page.
Create your Discord bot
Create a Mavibot account, connect your bot token in Channels and add your first command. Use the code MAVI10 on the project creation screen to get 10 days of the top plan, or stay on the free plan. Open the Discord bot builder to start.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to code to create a Discord bot?
No. You create the bot account in the Discord Developer Portal, and Mavibot runs its behavior from settings such as commands, greetings, roles and moderation, so you don't write code.
Is it free to create a Discord bot with Mavibot?
Yes. The free plan includes one Discord bot, Chat management for Discord and 50 bot messages per day. Each additional Discord bot costs $9.90 per month. The AI assistant works on paid plans and during the trial, and the promo code MAVI10 gives 10 days of the top plan.
How long does the setup take?
About 10 minutes. Creating the bot in the Developer Portal and connecting the token in Mavibot take most of that time.
How do I get a Discord bot token?
Open your application in the Discord Developer Portal, go to the Bot section, click Reset Token, confirm and copy the token. Discord shows it only once, so save it right away and keep it private.
How do I add a bot to my Discord server?
Open OAuth2, URL Generator in the Developer Portal, tick the bot scope and the permissions the bot needs, copy the generated URL and open it in your browser. Choose your server and confirm. Only the server owner or a member with the Manage Server permission can add a bot.
What permissions does a Discord bot need?
For messages a bot needs View Channels, Send Messages, Read Message History, Embed Links, Attach Files and Add Reactions. Add Manage Roles to give roles, Manage Messages to delete messages, Moderate Members for timeouts, and Kick Members and Ban Members to remove members. Tick only what the bot uses.
What are Discord intents and which do I need?
Intents are permissions to receive certain data from Discord. Turn on Message Content Intent so the bot can read message text, and Server Members Intent so it can see joins and role changes. Presence Intent is not needed.
Why does my Discord bot show as offline?
The token is most likely incomplete or has extra spaces. Copy it again with Reset Token in the Bot section and paste it into Channels, Discord. The bot should appear online a few seconds after you connect it.
Why does the bot not answer my messages?
The usual reason is that Message Content Intent is off. Turn it on in the Bot section of the Developer Portal and save the changes.
Where is the Interactions Endpoint URL?
In the Developer Portal, open your application, go to General Information and scroll down past the Install Count. Keep the field empty, otherwise buttons and slash commands stop reaching the bot.
Can a Discord bot send direct messages?
Yes, but only to a member who shares a server with the bot and has not turned off direct messages from server members. Discord sets this limit and it can't be bypassed.
Why can't the bot give roles?
Discord doesn't let a bot assign a role that is at the same level or higher than its own role. Open Server Settings, Roles and drag the bot's role above the roles it should give.
Is it safe to share the bot token?
No. The token gives full control of the bot. Don't publish it or send it to anyone. If it leaks, click Reset Token in the Developer Portal, and connect the bot in Mavibot again with the new token.