Disqus was easy to set up. That was the whole appeal.
One script tag and you had comments. The catch is the free plan. Disqus Basic costs nothing, but it shows ads on your site, and you can't turn them off. Removing ads starts at the Plus plan, $12 a month for up to 100,000 pageviews.
The business model sits behind that. Disqus has been owned by Zeta Global, a marketing data company, since 2017. Its privacy policy describes using personal data collected on partner sites for marketing and personalized ads. Your readers came to read your writing, and the comment box is where that data gets collected.
If you're looking for a replacement, here is what's worth considering in 2026, checked against each tool's own pricing and docs.
The short version
| Tool | Hosting | Free option | Paid from | Reader login | Ads | Import from Disqus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remark42 | Self-host | Free software | None | Optional, anonymous allowed | No | Yes |
| Isso | Self-host | Free software | None | Not required | No | Yes |
| Comentario | Self-host | Free software | None | Optional, anonymous allowed | No | Yes |
| giscus | Hosted app or self-host, comments in GitHub | Free | None | GitHub account | No | Third-party scripts only |
| Hyvor Talk | Hosted | 14-day trial | €50/year | Guests allowed (name required) | No | Yes |
| FastComments | Hosted | 30-day trial | Usage-based, $0.99/mo minimum | Anonymous allowed | No | Yes |
| Remarkbox | Hosted or self-host | Pay what you want, from $0 | None fixed | Email link, or anonymous if enabled | No | Manual, on request |
| Joey | Hosted | Free plan | Pro plan | Not required | No | No |
"Free software" means the code is free. You still pay for the server it runs on.
Self-hosted: free, if you run the server
Remark42
A feature-rich self-hosted option that is actively maintained (v1.18.0 shipped in October 2026). It supports anonymous comments, social logins, moderation tools, Telegram and Slack notifications, and imports from Disqus and WordPress. You can deploy it with Docker or a standalone binary, and the server configuration and upkeep are yours. A good fit if you already run your own server.
Isso
A lightweight Python server that stores comments in SQLite. Readers don't need an account, and you decide whether name and email are required. It imports Disqus and WordPress comments. Still maintained, with version 0.14.0 released in March 2026. Simple to understand, but you are the one keeping it running.
Comentario
An actively maintained fork of Commento. The original Commento hasn't had a release since 2020, so Comentario is the one to pick if Commento was on your list. It allows anonymous comments when you enable them, exports to JSON, and imports from Disqus. An official hosted version is announced but not available yet.
Hosted on someone else's platform
giscus
Comments are stored as GitHub Discussions in a public repository. It's free, ad-free, and popular on developer blogs. The catch: every commenter has to sign in with GitHub. That's no extra step for readers who already use GitHub, and a real one for readers who don't, so consider who your audience is. Utterances, which inspired giscus, stores comments in GitHub Issues instead.
Hosted services
Hyvor Talk
A privacy-focused hosted comment system with no ads. Guest commenting is on by default: readers enter a name, and email is optional. It imports from Disqus and exports to JSON. There's no permanent free plan, only a 14-day trial. The Personal plan is €50 a year, about €4 a month.
FastComments
Hosted and ad-free. You can allow anonymous comments, import from Disqus, and export to CSV. There's no permanent free plan, only a 30-day trial. The Flex plan bills by usage with a $0.99 monthly minimum, and the Creators plan is $5.99 a month.
Remarkbox
A small hosted service with pay-what-you-want pricing, starting at $0. There are no passwords: by default readers enter an email and confirm a verification link, and you can also allow anonymous comments with just a display name. No ads, JSON export, and you can self-host it. Moving from Disqus is a manual migration you request from the operator.
Joey
A hosted comment box with nothing to install. Readers leave a comment without an account, a password, or an email address.
You can embed it on pages that allow iframes, such as Ghost, Notion, or your own site. On Substack, which doesn't allow iframes in posts, you share it as a link at the end of the newsletter. Comments are collected in one dashboard, with email notifications and replies, and you can export them to CSV. No ads.
The free plan includes unlimited comment boxes, shows the 3 most recent comments publicly, and includes a small Joey link. Pro shows all comments without the link. Joey doesn't import Disqus comments, so it fits best when you're starting fresh or adding feedback to newsletters and pages that never had comments.
Two you'll still see on older lists
Cusdis was a popular lightweight option. Its maintainer announced the project is being retired, and the repository was archived in July 2026. Don't start a new site on it.
Commento (the original) hasn't had a release since April 2020. Use Comentario instead.
How to choose
Three questions narrow it down quickly.
- Will you run a server? If yes, Remark42 or Isso give you full control for free. If not, pick a hosted service.
- Who are your readers? If most of them already use GitHub, giscus is an easy fit. If not, look for guest or anonymous commenting.
- Do you need your old Disqus comments? If yes, check the import column. Also request your Disqus export early: Disqus's own documentation notes that export may not be available for some sites.
The two things that matter most are whether readers can comment without logging in, and whether the comment data belongs to you. Any tool that clears both bars is a better deal than ads you didn't choose.