Most advice about moderation bots is written for servers with fifty mods. If yours has two, the question is different: what is the least I need to set up so a bad day doesn't turn into a bad week?
What a small server needs
- Scam and lookalike link blocking, because it's the problem that finds every server.
- A log of what the bot did and why, so a mod can undo a mistake in one click.
- Raid warnings, so a flood of new accounts doesn't surprise you.
- A way for members to report something in private.
- Strikes and a way to appeal, so decisions look fair when someone asks.
What you can skip at first
Levelling, music, reaction roles and custom command builders are fine bots to run next to a moderation bot, but they don't need to be the same one. A moderation bot that does less usually has fewer permissions, which also means less to go wrong if its token ever leaks.
Questions to ask before adding any bot
- What permissions does it ask for, and does each one match something it does?
- Does it tell members when it acts, or does a message just vanish?
- Can a mod undo its decisions, and does the bot learn from that?
- What happens when the free limit is reached? Do the basics keep running?
Where Sift fits
Sift's free plan covers link blocking, raid alerts, case cards, strikes, appeals and reports. It scores messages in context rather than matching a word list, and the 1,000 smart checks a month apply only to that deeper scoring. Link blocking, spam limits and raid protection keep working after they run out.