How do you Comment? (WordPress vs. DISQUS)

by Matt Cheuvront on January 11, 2010

Wordpress versus DISQUS

Last week I asked some folks on Twitter about their thoughts on using WordPress comments versus a third party application such as DISQUS. The questions sparked some interesting discussion and debate, but 140 characters can only do so much so today I’m opening the floor to discussion. Some thoughts…

WordPress: Is there value in simplicity?

There are pros and cons to both – and as you can see here, I opt for the old school WordPress based comments. I have used DISQUS in the past, and there is something about relying on a third party application to store ALL of your blog comments that just doesn’t sit well with me – couple it with the fact that there is little you can do to customize the aesthetic’s of DISQUS and there are reoccurring issues with their servers being down and people temporarily “losing” their comments – it doesn’t spell out to something I’ve wanted to throw onto my own blog.

DISQUS: More options for the win?

That’s not to say there isn’t an argument for using DISQUS or some other similar application. It does allow for threaded/nested commenting which all WordPress themes do not support. It gives you the ability (after logging into DISQUS.com to view, moderate, and edit all of the comments you have left around the web (on all blogs, not just your own). And – probably the most desirable feature in my mind is the fact that you receive automatic email notifications when someone replies to your comment. With WordPress – you need a plugin and your commenter’s must “opt in” to receive email notification of a reply.

What do you think?

I’m seeing more and more people go the DISQUS route – I’m not sure that one is better than the other, but I’m interested to hear (and I think a lot of others are as wel) your opinion(s) on what you use, which you prefer, and why.

WordPress or DISQUS? Speak your mind below…

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  • Matt - I referred back to this post just today and it's been really helpful in forming an agency POV on blog commenting. Much appreciated, as always.

    So your opinion's still the same, I take it? :)
  • Hey Sara.

    I'm not sure. I really sway back and forth. The primary "pro" I see for DISQUS is that it encourages conversation. It's automatic notification and Social Media integration is focused on enriching back and forth discussion.

    But, it IS a third party service - it IS another plug in to install - I HAVE been seeing a lot of spam passing through their filters lately - And it DOES go down from time to time, which essentially closes down comments completely during downtime. Also, it's not as customizable from a design standpoint.

    I think it ultimately depends on your goals. Pushing for conversation? DISQUS' pros outweigh the cons. Looking for simplicity and customization options? Go with standard Wordpress.

    Let me know if I can answer any questions for you, Sara. :)
  • Thanks, Matt!!
  • Kinda like Disqus for commenting but not sure just yet what to use on my upcoming blogs. I dont like the idea of building up a following with a lot of comments and having them totally hostage to a 3rd party, or am I not understanding something? If Disqus goes busto for any reason, will all the comments still be available to me via my WP database? Thanks

    ps. thanks for starting this discussion
  • Nick
    Prefer the Wordpress plugin http://www.wordpress.com
  • Hi Matt,

    My first time on your blog - came here by way of a search on Disqus. I recently began using it again (used it briefly last year) and I am enjoying it more now. It seems to be a hot topic lately!

    I have a post scheduled to come out on Friday this week as to why I'm using it on my blog but the main reason is that I actually have several blogs so its just so much easier for me to keep on top of comments when I only have ONE place to go.

    Anyway, I'm all for disqus. ;-) I hope you decide to use it. There are so many great features, it really does outweigh any negatives.

    Be blessed!
  • Hi Annie - thanks for coming by and WELCOME! Hope you'll come back again and again. I look forward to reading your post - There are clearly pros and cons to both - I'm content with what I have going on for now, but am not opposed to making the switch at some point. Cheers!
  • I don't have a Wordpress blog but I do a lot of commenting. I think I would use Disqus on my next blog too which is going to be a Wordpress blog. I like being able to see when other people tweet about my post.
  • i'm so glad you posted this! i was having a little back and forth with disqus/wordpress on my blog and wasn't sure what to settle with! i used disqus for a good part of two weeks on my blog and then switched back to wp because a reader said he was having trouble commenting on his blackberry (with disqus). i figured wordpress was simpler/easier and i knew that some people think the logging in functions of disqus are annoying. plus i like their little monster gravatar :D

    i have noticed the trend of more disqus blogs and i was starting to really like it on my blog! but all in all, i felt it was better not to rely on a 3rd party also, because to me, it made me feel like i was more and more reliable to that party and it would be harder to switch back the longer i used it!
  • If it's one thing I need to do it's enable my blog to be more mobile friendly - I haven't really focused on that and I'm probably missing the buck - but I have heard about issues with blackberry commenting and DISQUS.
  • I've attempted a number of times to import my existing comments after installing Disqus and have not been successful. Ended up opting for the intensedebate plug-in which is hassle free.
  • I don't use WordPress although I used to and I do use Disqus. I must say it's rather tiresome having to enter my Name/email/URL credentials instead of automatically being logged into Disqus to leave this comment :-)

    Seriously, I am puzzled why WordPress acquired a competitor of Disqus - IntenseDebate - and appeared to have done precisely nothing in integrating this service with WP.

    I'm not suggesting they include it in core but what was the point of buying the technology ?

    How come not one person has even mentioned it as a possible alternative commenting method when you all run WP ?
  • I'm a little confused because a LOT of people here are using DISQUS and have advocated for it. As for logging in here - I agree it's an extra "step" but I don't believe it to be all that tiresome (I do it all the time on blogs everywhere). There are clearly pros and cons to both.
  • We talked about this briefly on twitter.
    I use IntenseDebate and love it.

    You can view comments under a post on my homepage simply by clicking there a small box appears and you can read and reply to all the comments without having to click through and scroll down. I find this is helpful for readers who come to my homepage, which is fairly common for my blog.

    I also like that people can sign in via twitter or create a login which allows them to comment easier.

    I also like that it nests comments, and commenters can choose to receive email updates on all comments on that post, their replies, or none.

    But the real question isn't what I like, but what my readers like, and I've seen an uptick in comments since installing it by about 70%.
  • If someone can tell me how to STOP getting responses I would be greatly appreciated and I can return to being sane.
  • Haha, wait, what? Are you being serious? You should be able to unsubscribe at any time (should be an option in the email you receive...
  • I prefer Wordpress. I see no flexibility on Disqus like threaded comment. Also, I don't know if it supports Commentluv. :-)
  • @commentluv is still working on an integration with Disqus. You can tweet him about the status.

    What are we lacking in your eyes?

    -G
  • Just to jump in, DISQUS does offer threaded comments...so I'm not sure what you mean about the lack of flexibility. The only "flexibility" issues I see at the moment are the lack of styling options, which Giannii has expressed will be addressed in a future update.
  • I prefer the old school wordpress comment boxes but I've also grown used to having to use discus as well so really, its a wash for me. Either one doesnt hurt my feelings.
  • Hey Matt,

    We're still updating the classic themes but they're coming back with a few minor updates.
  • The big advantage I admire of DISQUS is the ability to update my website/profile information across ALL blogs I've commented on (that use DISQUS) with a simple click. In this sense, using DISQUS helps unify blogs/comments across the web.

    I agree with Norcross though - you should keep all third-party scripts on your site to a minimum. Not only do they disappear when they're down, but they slow down the loading of your site (and can keep your site hanging while it waits for the third-party script to load).
  • Yeah Andrew has been a big help to me in helping me clean things up around her ein my back end by limiting the number of Plugins. Today, the site is running smooth and fast, the less plugins, the better...
  • Another great advantage of DISQUS is email notifications when someone has responded to your comments. Unfortunately, I had to remember (randomly) to come back here to check out the continuing conversation.
  • Yep if you read through the post and comments that is the main selling point. But you don't have to "remember" - you can subscribe to comments by clicking the check box below - but you do have to go the extra step and "opt in"...
  • Yeah, but the Wordpress way of subscribing has you subscribing to ALL comments, whereas DISQUS allows you to subscribe to replies to YOUR comments only. Much more efficient, in my opinion.
  • You clearly know something about Disqus settings that I lack, for I receive notifications of every comment, not just those in reply to mine. What's your secret, Tim?
  • You can set it in your DISQUS account nofitications. You can ask to be notified of replies to your comments and/or entire threads you comment on.
  • So then, in your opinion Tim, do I make the switch to DISQUS?
  • It's a tough call. I really wasn't big on DISQUS a few months ago, but more and more lately I find myself loving how I have a consistent identity across all these DISQUS-enabled blogs. VERY convenient for the commenter.
  • How many of your readers access your blog from a mobile device, Matt? Because Disqus comments may be read from a mobile, but comments can't be added. At least from a BlackBerry.
  • From a personal standpoint, I keep any sort of plugin on my WP site to the minimum. Adding Disqus (or anything else) adds another function / call to a 3rd party service that I have no direct control over. So if their server goes down, so does my comments.

    As to Jackie's comment about automatic email response, I personally DON'T want that, as I get entirely too many emails as it is. If it's an interesting topic, I'll check back. If it's one that I really want to get involved with, I'll subscribe (which most blogs offer).
  • Andrew, I'm thinking you should just develop a a plugin that notifies the commenter of any follow-ups or replies to their comment. That seems to be the big selling point in favor of DISQUS.

    But, there's also a lot to be said for this being OPTIONAL. As you put, you may not want to receive any follow up e-mails. If people really want to keep track, they'll click the checkbox to subscribe.
  • Norcross,

    If our service was to go down whilst using WP, your comments will revert to your native WP comments. When Disqus comes back online, we'll re-sync your comments.

    -G
  • This is biased, but I love other startups in the same space as the one I work in. So Disqus, is not only a friend of Lijit's, but we've met their team in person and worked with them. Plus, look at Giannii, all on point right in your comments.

    With that being said, I use Disqus on my blog (Blogger and now on WordPress). I have been a longtime user and many friends have asked me before they made the leap. I love the support Disqus offers. I've had so many questions and their support team has even e-mailed me on Saturday mornings. Can't beat that, it's personal.

    It's also really hard for me to track comments (people who reply to me) or threaded discussions because I visit probably 200 blogs a day. Disqus brings you back. I also think they've helped with the aesthetics of the commenting system. There are different options and you can track all the comments in one place.

    In the end, functionality, support and e-mail notifications trump the sleek and simplicity of WP comments. I've been a happy Disqus over for a year now.
  • Sounds like a pretty glowing recommendation - and it's testimonials like this that are making me consider taking the plunge. Customer service is HUGE for me - which is why, for example, I chose EMMA for my Email Marketing service. And it sounds like (and clearly is based on Giannii's presence here), a priority of the company to please the people.

    The "gets people coming back" thing is what has me interested the most...
  • I know you and I have discussed this on Twitter before, and I stand by the automatic emails for replies as the sole thing that's keeping me with Disqus. However, now that I've made the move to Thesis, the possibility of changing the way the comments section looks may outweigh this little advantage that Thesis has. It's all a matter of priorities on the part of the blogger, if ya ask me :)
  • I hear you man - it's a nice feature, no doubt. I'm actually shocked someone hasn't developed this already for Wordpress. Seems like a no-brainer...
  • I love Disqus! I think it is visually more appealing, easy to use and great for tracking/monitoring comments on blogs all over the net. I'm all for it!
  • What are you saying Lindsey - you don't like my fancy comments here on LWP? ;)

    I hear you, DISQUS used to look somewhat crappy - but it's since enhanced it's aesthetics and overall interface - pretty sleek, I agree.
  • Hey Matt,

    Later this year customizing Disqus will be much easier.

    -G
  • Awesome - I'm looking forward to it. And thanks for stopping by and representing DISQUS. Please know that this is in no way a knock on the service, but rather an open discussions on the pros and cons.
  • I tried adding Disqus, because I use it elsewhere and it has good features. But with my limited technical skills, could only add it in place of WordPress comments, not as an additional login option. So I would have lost old WP comments, people would have HAD to sign up for Disqus. IME nothing stymies action more than forcing someone to register; I've not commented on many a blog and magazine article for that reason. With threaded comments and the BackType plugin, WordPress comments are simple to use and get the job done. FWIW.
  • Darvina,

    You can import your comments (with Disqus active) by going to your WP Admin > Comments > Adv Options > Import

    In our next release we'll make that option a better part of the flow.

    -G
  • Thanks for the help you guys - I wasn't sure about this myself...
  • Check out the DISQUS wiki in regards to importing existing comments http://wiki.disqus.net/WordPressHelp

    As for signing up / logging in, it does allow for posting without logging in if the blog owner allows it. My personal opinion is that the built-in WP comments work great, but to each his / her own.
  • Hmm - I haven't tried DISQUS in a while but you should be able to integrate your old comments with DISQUS (if it's something you're still interested in doing).

    Can anyone help Davina out here? Anyone with experience integrating your old Wordpress comments into DISQUS?
  • In some cases the basic WP comments do not suffice. In our instance for certain pages I needed to be able to have multiple sets of comments that aren't tied to the WP posts/pages in case I need to change architecture for those pages.

    In this case I had to go with JS-Kit instead of DISQUS or WP native. it has its issues but pulling in things from various social sites like twitter and FB automatically is nice. Also giving users the option to login with their profiles from FB or twitter or as a guest gives some flexibility.

    In the end the multiple comment streams on one page trumped the other issues I had with it.
  • I remember you mentioning JS-Kit before Dave. Do you have some examples of this in action? (I'm assuming you use this on the Zacuto site somewhere).

    P.S. We've got to get together and grab lunch soon - hope you've been doing well over in your neck of the woods.
  • Just let me know next time your around, we can definitely grab a bite.

    You can see JS-Kit working on this page http://www.zacuto.com/critics-season-one
    I am using a PHP tab in the template to seperate out each set of comments based on video. Some of the tabs hold 100+ comments. The other nice thing was that our main page for critics is http://www.zacuto.com/critics so when season one ended and I migrated the videos and comments to a different page it was pretty simple.

    Also they have a plugin that will keep the WP database comments in sync so if you turn it off your comments are still yours (plus export/import ability to their DB). Another nice feature is the ability to pull comment streams to different pages easily
  • Simply from a reader standpoint, I prefer the simplicity of Wordpress.
  • Agreed - less is more, right? I personally am not, but I can see a lot of people being "intimidated" to comment with all the options DISQUS throws at you.
  • I could see this argument going either way. I ultimately chose DISQUS because of the added features -- for all the reasons you stated above. That said, I did have a little problem with it last week (the service was down for about an hour), and my comments all became unsorted when it automatically reverted back to the Wordpress version. I think it ultimately comes down to what you're looking for and either could work -- If you want simplicity, go with Wordpress. If you like features, go with DISQUS : )
  • I hear you - I know you had that minor glitch in the system last week - I've seen more and more people have these (minor) problems - which I guess has made me weary to hand all of this discussion over to a third party host. To each his own, but I guess for right now I'm not seeing any huge advantages to make the switch.
  • I'm more of a Disqus practitioner on my blog and I've seen it used on more blogs as well. I like the interface and it encourages those who read blogs to be active and comment instead of simply reading/lurking. As you bring more readers to your site, it's important to teach them not only to comment on your site, but on others as well.

    Here is quick link to 25 reasons why I use Disqus: http://ow.ly/V7tA

    Best wishes in 2010!

    @EdCabellon
    F/EdCabellon
  • Good list - and I do see the real benefit of it promoting some additional discussion by automatically notifying you of follow-up comments. That's the one real selling point that's making me wonder which way to go.

    That being said - Wordpress has worked out well for me - and customization of this area is important (at least to me). Not to mention, having all of the comments ON MY DATABASE rather than hosted elsewhere is an advantage in my eyes.
  • Another FYI - even when using Disqus, all of your comments still end up in your WP database. On the couple of occasions (hasn't happened in a few months) that Disqus was down, I could disable Disqus, and then all my comments existed from their WP version. When someone comments on my blog via Disqus, the comment is also stored in the WP database.
  • As a commenter and a moderator, I like the ability to reply. I like being able to simply type a response without getting all Twitter-y and typing @ before the person's name. Also, with this, by replying to each person separately, it does (shameful admission of one reason I like it) double your comments count. Also, as a commenter, I like the ability to only subscribe to replies (Disqus does this right?) because while I enjoy convos online, there's nothing more annoying than 15 daily emails for a post I commented on 10 days ago. Yes, I do unsubscribe, but since I'm a procrastinator and super busy saving the world and such (plus, you need thimble fingers to hit the "unsubscribe" option on an email viewed through an iPhone, unless you expand it, and that's way too much work), it generally takes me between 7-10 days to remember to do so.
  • I had to go and check your blog again to see if you were talking about DISQUS or Wordpress - Wordpress does do most of what you mentioned - especially with Thesis (which is what we're both using). You can style your comments - set up "threaded comments" - and reply to individual comments instead of doing the "@ reply" thing - which is what I'm doing as I type this to you right now.

    I do agree though, that I may be annoying my readers who subscribe to a post and then get 50+ emails from Life Without Pants of replies to that post. I can see that being pretty obnoxious. Hmm...something to think about for sure.
  • I'm new enough to the blogging world I haven't really gotten to involved with the comments area. However, I would like to style my comments area to be a bit more unique, you know, something that doesn't look like everybody else. Perhaps that's my next little venture I can explore.

    For now I'm using wp thesis and haven't had any complaints. Most of the time I like the Disqus comment options I deal with when leaving comments, but I know I would like the most styling control I can get.

    If you know where I can start looking for styling information, let me know. It would be much appreciated.
  • The THESIS support forums are a GREAT place to start - I learned how to do all of what you see here in the comments area through searching those forums and a little bit of trial and error. The reason I recommend THESIS to everyone is 1) for it's simplicity and 2) because literally anything you can imagine that you'd want to customize can be learned through browsing and discussing in their forums. Generally, most folks are very willing to help or at least point you in the right direction. If you need any help, let me know.
  • I've used Disqus in the past (twice, actually), as well as IntenseDebate. I do like the extra options that each system gives you (social media reactions, cross-profiling, bulk moderation, etc). Yet I also dislike the hoops that they can put you through (as mentioned in the comments already).

    Additionally, I find the servers to be temperamental (reactions not showing, comment database disappearing then reappearing minus comments). And although I'm unsure about IntenseDebate, it would seem that Disqus isn't too mobile-friendly when it comes to actually leaving comments via its system.

    I love the simplicity that WordPress comments offers. I also love the way it integrates into your chosen theme (customization of third-party options don't offer too much in the way of this). And there are various options via plug-ins that allow the features that Disqus and IntenseDebate offer.

    I do like Disqus, but for now I'll remain on the old faithful WordPress options. :)
  • Heh, it's ironic seeing you reply to Matt for I was about to email you an FYI about his post...and then I saw your name! LOL

    The thing I also dislike about Disqus (note: I haven't seen every comment here) is it seems I can't unsubscribe to comments. I've emailed the Disqus help support people for, uhh, help, but there comes a time when the Disqus system continues to email me new comments on a page and there's no way to stop it without stopping notification to all blogger pages.

    What's wrong with a plugin, Matt?
  • Hey Ari,

    I saw your email from this weekend and I'm a tad bit back logged but you're on my radar. We'll talk tomorrow via email.
  • I think that's the main reason why I've stuck it out with Wordpress - I really do like the customization you can do (as I've done here) to give the comment area a little extra pop. There's not much you can do with any of the third party apps - at least not that I've seen.

    Being that you've used DISQUS a couple times, did you notice any spike in your traffic and # of comments while using it? The ONE feature that keeps me wondering if I should make the switch is the fact that it does notify you of all replies to your comment. Wondering if this really makes much of a difference...thoughts?
  • Jen
    I'm with Emily-Jane - it always seems more of a faff when you're leaving a comment via DISQUS, although the feature to amend your own comments on other blog does sound good too. I've always been happy with WP all in all.
  • Agreed - it's sort of those "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" kind of things, you know? I'm just wondering if DISQUS is a valuable tool to build community - as it automatically notifies you of any folllow-up comments or replies, encouraging you to come back and continue discussion...
  • I've seen DISQUS used more commonly, and I like it because as a regular commenter, I can review where/when/what I've commented. I like that I can choose which profile I log 0nto to comment (although I pretty much always use Twitter). On my own blog, which I don't heavily promote, the Wordpress comment system works just fine, yet I also don't have many comments. I think if I had a high volume of traffic/comments, I'd want to use DISQUS. It's familiar to a lot of people, and it makes it really easy to share the content you read across the web. Having those options provided by DISQUS are a good thing.
  • What does logging in via different profiles do? I have a DISQUS account so I just log into that (rather than Twitter, Facebook, etc). Does it update your Twitter status when you leave a comment? Do you find any value in that with other people clicking through from Twitter to see what you said?

    I agree that DISQUS is becoming more and more familiar and "standard" across the board - I wonder if WordPress will do something with a future release to "compete" with some of the features DISQUS offers...
  • Wordpress.com is already doing something to "compete" with Disqus, since they bought Intense Debate, so WP.com hosted blogs get that juice. I wouldn't be surprised if future versions of WP.org don't include out-of-the-box support for ID.
  • I like that DISQUS encourages people to be active with comments, rather than sort of lurking and just reading. I've noticed since I've been commenting more frequently with DISQUS lately, I've had some quality people find me on Twitter, and I've discovered some brilliant minds through DISQUS too. It will be interesting to see if WordPress will release any upgrades to compete. I totally get the simplicity aspect, though. It clearly works! And based on some of the comments below, you're definitely not the only one who uses it.

    Matt you're a pro at starting discussions! You have a talent for encouraging people to put on their thinking caps on Monday mornings. :)
  • Thanks Catherine - I'm glad we are all getting our thoughts out - the goal of this post was really just to create a platform for discussion and to weigh the pros and cons. I can def. see the benefit DISQUS brings of capturing the essence of discussion and getting people to come back and respond (as you have here) - I do generally get a pretty decent # of subscribers for each post (maybe around 30-40%) - I'm interested to see if there would be even MORE discussion if I integrated DISQUS and it's automatic notifications into the mix...
  • I love WP commenting. I'm not a big fan of disqus - maybe I'm just a noob but I hate how it asks for name, e-mail and website every time before logging in "as a guest" and then asking "Wait, Emily Jane, is that YOU?" It just seems more of a pain in the arse than anything and I don't see anything wrong with WP commenting at all!
  • But for me disqus is best and I really love this site
  • I hear you Emily - I'm a very "simplistic" person when it comes to design and what I do on my blog - I think it's easy to overwhelm people with options and again, I've seen nothing wrong with the standard out-of-the box Wordpress comments (although I've customized this area - as you can see - quite a bit).
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