What's the difference between a Direct Message, a Group and a Room?
Updated October 2026
GSN has three kinds of conversations. All are private and end-to-end encrypted. The difference is how many people are in them and who runs them.
Direct Message
A private conversation between you and one other person. You're equals. Best for one-on-one conversations. To include more people, start a Group.
Group
A private chat for a handful of people — a team, a family, a circle of friends. Anyone can add people and start or join a call. The person who created the Group (the Creator) runs it.
Room
A larger, structured space where people have roles: Admins, Moderators and Members. Best for communities and organizations. See What can each Room role do?
At a glance
| Direct Message | Group | Room | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How many people | Exactly 2 | A small group | A larger community |
| Roles | None (equals) | The Creator runs it | Admin, Moderator, Member |
| Best for | One-on-one | Teams, family, friends | Communities, organizations |
For who can add people, remove people and delete messages, see Who can do what in a conversation?