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−	ssl={{yes}}, [[SSL#Installation_for_Windows|after OpenSSL install]]||	+	ssl={{yes=, [[SSL#Installation_for_Windows|after OpenSSL install]]}}||
	platform_linux|		platform_linux|
	platform_bsd|		platform_bsd|

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Revision as of 01:31, 1 February 2011

What is an IRC Client

An IRC client is an application/program used to connect to an IRC server. It is used to communicate with other users on an IRC network. There are all sorts of IRC Clients, ranging from extensive standalone applications that run on your Windows, Mac or Linux computer, to minimalistic clients that use Java, Android or iOS on your mobile phone, or applets and widgets that run within your browser using just HTML, CSS and Javascript/AJAX or Flash or Java.

Windows Free to Use Clients

This list is in alphabetical order.

1. Are You Talking To Me?
2. Babbel
3. HydraIRC
4. Icechat
5. irssi (via CygWin)
6. Pidgin (formerly known as Gaim)
7. Quassel IRC
8. savIRC
9. Trillian Basic
10. Vortec IRC
11. weechat (via CygWin)
12. X-Chat Unofficial Silverex Windows Build

Windows users can also look at the Webbased Clients list

Windows ShareWare/Payware Clients

1. mIRC
2. Trillian Pro
3. X-Chat for Windows

Linux-Unix Clients

1. Are You Talking To Me?
2. BitchX
3. irssi
4. Konversation
5. Pidgin
6. Quassel IRC
7. weechat

Linux users can also look at the Webbased Clients list

Mac OS X Clients

1. Adium
2. BabbleIRC
3. Colloquy
4. LimeChat
5. Linkinus
6. Pidgin
7. weechat
8. X-Chat Aqua

Mac OS X users can also look at the Webbased Clients list

Mobile Devices Clients

Discussion on Mobile IRC'ing can be done at the Chat4All Forum in the Proud Mobile IRC Addicts Topic

Java

1. WireLess IRC v1.x
2. WireLess IRC v2.x
3. jmIrc
4. UtaIRC
5. Virca

Windows Mobile

1. PocketChat
2. PocketIRC
3. SmartIRC.Net
4. wmIRC
5. zsIRC

Android

iOS (iPhone/iPad)

Webbased Clients

Java Applets

#PJIRC

Flash

AJAX

All Listed IRC Clients

Overview

Desktop Clients Comparison

Client	Distribution model	SSL Support	User interface	Windows	Linux	Intel Mac	PPC Mac	Other (specify)
Are You Talking To Me?	Freeware (Open Source)	Yes	GUI	Yes	Yes	Yes
Adium	Freeware (Open Source)	Yes	GUI	No	No	Yes	Yes
Babbel	Freeware	Yes	GUI	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
BitchX	Freeware (Open Source)	Yes	TUI	Cygwin	Yes	Yes	Yes	SunOS, IRIX, HP-UX, OSF/1, Ultrix, AIX, OS/2, QNX
Colloquy	Freeware (Open Source)	Yes	GUI	No	No	Yes	Yes
HydraIRC	Freeware	Stunnel	GUI	Yes	No	No	No
Icechat	Freeware	Stunnel	GUI	Yes	No	No	No
irssi	Freeware (Open Source)	Yes	TUI	Cygwin	Yes	Yes	Yes
Konversation	Freeware (Open Source)	Yes	GUI	KDE-Installer	Yes	KDE 4 Mac	No
LimeChat	Freeware (Open Source)	Yes	GUI	No	No	Yes	No
Linkinus	Payware	Yes	GUI	No	No	Yes	No
mIRC	Shareware	Yes	GUI	Yes	No	No	No
Pidgin	Freeware (Open Source)	Yes	GUI	Yes	Yes	No	No
Quassel IRC	Freeware (Open Source)	Yes	GUI	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Trillian Basic	Freeware after registration	Stunnel	GUI	Yes	No	Yes	No
Trillian Pro	Payware	Stunnel	GUI	Yes	No	No	No
Vortec IRC	Freeware	Yes	GUI	Yes	No	No	No
weechat	Freeware (Open Source)	Yes	GUI	Cygwin	Yes	Yes	No
X-Chat	Freeware (Open Source)	Yes	GUI/TUI	No	Yes	No	No
X-Chat Aqua	Freeware (Open Source)	Yes	GUI	No	No	Yes	Yes
X-Chat Unofficial Silverex Windows Build	Freeware (Open Source)	Yes	GUI	Yes	No	No	No
X-Chat for Windows	Payware	Yes	GUI	Yes	No	No	No

Client support needs to be verified still. This is mostly a guesstimate.

Mobile Clients Comparison

Client	Distribution model	SSL Support	iOS	Android	Windows Mobile	J2ME	Other (specify)
jmIrc	Freeware	{{}}	No	No	No	Yes
PocketChat	Freeware	{{}}	No	No	Yes	No
PocketIRC	Freeware	{{}}	No	No	Yes	No
savIRC	Freeware	{{}}	No	No	No	Yes
SmartIRC.Net	Freeware	{{}}	No	No	Yes	No
UtaIRC	Freeware	{{}}	No	No	No	Yes
Virca	Freeware	{{}}	No	No	No	Yes
WireLess IRC v1.x	Freeware	No	No	No	No	Yes
WireLess IRC v2.x	Freeware	{{}}	No	No	No	Yes
wmIRC	Freeware	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
zsIRC	Freeware (Open Source)	Yes	No	No	Yes	No

Client support needs to be verified still. This is mostly a guesstimate.

Browser Clients Comparison

Client	Distribution model	SSL Support	Flash	AJAX	Java	Other (specify)
#PJIRC	Freeware	No	No	No	Yes

Adium

Download from:	Adium
Wikipedia	English Adium Wikipedia article
License	GNU General Public License (GPL)
Distribution Model	Freeware
SSL Support	Built-in
Platform	Available?
Windows	No
Linux	No
BSD	No
Intel Mac	Yes, latest release requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or newer
PPC Mac	From 10.2
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)	No
Android	No
Windows Mobile	No
Java J2ME	No
Browser	No
Other	No

System requirements taken from [1]

 Adium 1.4 or later 	Mac OS X 10.5.8 or newer, an Apple-branded Macintosh computer
 Adium 1.3.10 	        Mac OS X 10.4
 Adium 1.0.6 	        Mac OS X 10.3.9
 Adium X 0.89.1 	Mac OS X 10.2.x and older

It is based on the libpurple library.

AYTTM

Download from:	Are You Talking To Me?
Wikipedia	No
License	GNU General Public License (GPL)
Distribution Model	Freeware
SSL Support	Built-in
Platform	Available?
Windows	NT/2000 platforms
Linux	Source (RPM,bz2,gz) and .deb
BSD	No
Intel Mac	unofficial builds available
PPC Mac	No
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)	No
Android	No
Windows Mobile	No
Java J2ME	No
Browser	No
Other	No

Babbel

Download from:	Babbel
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model	Yes (at least during Alpha)
SSL Support	SSLv2, SSLv3, SSLv2/3 (auto-sensing) and TLSv1
Platform	Available?
Windows	XP/Vista/7
Linux	No
BSD	No
Intel Mac	10.4 and up
PPC Mac	10.2 and up
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)	No
Android	No
Windows Mobile	No
Java J2ME	No
Browser	No
Other	No

BitchX

Download from:	BitchX SourceForge Project Page Mirror
Wikipedia	English BitchX article
License	Revised BSD license
Distribution Model	Freeware
SSL Support	SSLv2, SSLv3, SSLv2/3 (auto-sensing) and TLSv1
Platform	Available?
Windows	9x/2000/NT (with Cygwin)
Linux	SVN and src tar.gz available
BSD	BSDI 2.0, 2.1, 3.1, 4.0, FreeBSD 2.x, 3.x, 4.0, NetBSD 3.x, 4.x
Intel Mac	Available in DarwinPorts and Universal Binary available from SoftPedia
PPC Mac	Maybe using the above SoftPedia Universal build
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)	No
Android	No
Windows Mobile	No
Java J2ME	No
Browser	No
Other	SunOS 4.1.4, 5.x and above, IRIX 5, 6, HP-UX 9.x, 10.x, OSF/1 (DEC Alpha), Ultrix, AIX, OS/2 (with EMX), QNX

Platform and SSL support taken from BitchX INSTALL doc in SVN trunk.

Its main website is rather outdated. The SourceForge project page looks more useful. Be aware that some distributions, such as Slackware, have removed BitchX from their repositories due to unresolved security issues.

---

I couldn't get connected to an SSL port though. It is possible though that I did something wrong or forgot to compile SSL support into it. --FiXato 05:56, 28 January 2011 (CET)

Colloquy

Download from:	Colloquy Mobile Colloquy for iOS
Wikipedia	English Colloquy article
License	GPL
Distribution Model	Freeware
SSL Support	yes
Platform	Available?
Windows	No
Linux	No
BSD	No
Intel Mac	10.4 or higher
PPC Mac	10.4 or higher (or the older Colloquy 2.1 for 10.3.9)
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)	Yes, as Mobile Colloquy
Android	No
Windows Mobile	No
Java J2ME	No
Browser	No
Other	No

Mobile Colloquy

Download from:	Mobile Colloquy for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch
Wikipedia	English Colloquy article
License	BSD Licenses
Distribution Model	Commercial (Payware in Apple App Store)
SSL Support	yes
Platform	Available?
Windows	No
Linux	No
BSD	No
Intel Mac	See Colloquy instead
PPC Mac	See Colloquy instead
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)	Available in App Store (and as source for jailbroken devices)
Android	No
Windows Mobile	No
Java J2ME	No
Browser	No
Other	No

HydraIRC

Download from:	HydraIRC
Wikipedia	Simple English HydraIRC article
License	Free for private use
Distribution Model	Freeware
SSL Support	Via Stunnel *
Platform	Available?
Windows	98 and newer
Linux	No
BSD	No
Intel Mac	No
PPC Mac	No
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)	No
Android	No
Windows Mobile	No
Java J2ME	No
Browser	No
Other	No

* Note: SSL support is not native yet; instructions for Stunnel are linked from their wiki above.

Icechat

Download from:	Icechat
Wikipedia	Simple English IceChat Wikipedia article
License	unknown
Distribution Model	Freeware
SSL Support	Via Stunnel
Platform	Available?
Windows	95 and up
Linux	No
BSD	No
Intel Mac	No
PPC Mac	No
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)	No
Android	No
Windows Mobile	No
Java J2ME	No
Browser	No
Other	No

irssi

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

jmIrc

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

Konversation

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

LimeChat

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

Linkinus

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

mIRC

Download from:	mIRC
Wikipedia	English mIRC Wikipedia article
License	Shareware
Distribution Model	Shareware
SSL Support	Yes, after OpenSSL install
Platform	Available?
Windows	2000 and up
Linux	no (though reportedly works well under Wine)
BSD	No
Intel Mac	No
PPC Mac	No
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)	No
Android	No
Windows Mobile	No
Java J2ME	No
Browser	No
Other	No

Pidgin

Download from:	Pidgin
Wikipedia	English Pidgin Wikipedia article
License	GNU GPL v2
Distribution Model	Open Source Freeware
SSL Support	Yes
Platform	Available?
Windows	Yes
Linux	Yes
BSD	Yes
Intel Mac	See Adium
PPC Mac	See Adium
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)	No
Android	No
Windows Mobile	No
Java J2ME	No
Browser	No
Other	No

PJIRC

Download from:	PJIRC http://freshmeat.net/projects/pjirc/
Wikipedia	English PJIRC Wikipedia article(User Page)
License	GNU GPL
Distribution Model	Freeware
SSL Support	No
Platform	Available?
Windows	Requires Java
Linux	Requires Java
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser	Java
Other

PJIRC reportedly can run in application mode in any Java Runtime Environment.

PocketChat

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

PocketIRC

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

Quassel IRC

Download from:	Quassel
Wikipedia	No
License	GNU GPL
Distribution Model	Open Source Freeware
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows	Yes
Linux	Yes
BSD
Intel Mac	Yes
PPC Mac	Yes
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

"Quassel IRC is a modern, cross-platform, distributed IRC client, meaning that one (or multiple) client(s) can attach to and detach from a central core -- much like the popular combination of screen and a text-based IRC client such as WeeChat, but graphical."

savIRC

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

SmartIRC

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

Trillian

Download from:	Trillian
Wikipedia	English Trillian Wikipedia article
License
Distribution Model	Freeware
SSL Support	With Stunnel
Platform	Available?
Windows	Yes
Linux	No
BSD	No
Intel Mac	Yes
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)	See the paid Pro version
Android	Yes
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser	Yes
Other

Trillian Pro

Download from:	Trillian Pro
Wikipedia	English Trillian Wikipedia article
License	unknown
Distribution Model	Payware
SSL Support	With Stunnel
Platform	Available?
Windows	Yes
Linux	No
BSD	No
Intel Mac
PPC Mac	No
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)	Yes, on iPhone
Android	No
Windows Mobile	No
Java J2ME	No
Browser	No
Other	No

The iOS version doesn't seem to offer all the Trillian Pro features, but it is listed here because it isn't free. At time of writing the App store page had several complaints of users that the App wasn't working properly though.

UtaIRC

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

Virca

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

Vortec IRC

Download from:	Vortec IRC
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model	Freeware
SSL Support	{{yes=, after OpenSSL install}}
Platform	Available?
Windows	yes
Linux	No
BSD	No
Intel Mac	No
PPC Mac	No
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)	No
Android	No
Windows Mobile	No
Java J2ME	No
Browser	No
Other	No

weechat

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

WireLess IRC 1

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

WireLess IRC 2

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

wmIRC

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

X-Chat

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

X-Chat Silverex

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

X-Chat Aqua

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

zsIRC

Download from:	[ ]
Wikipedia	No
License	unknown
Distribution Model
SSL Support
Platform	Available?
Windows
Linux
BSD
Intel Mac
PPC Mac
iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad)
Android
Windows Mobile
Java J2ME
Browser
Other

Old client info

This is client info from the old IRC-Clients page we used to have. It will slowly be merged into the current template. Freeware Win

1. AYTTM (Are You Talking To Me) Multi-platform and Multi-protocol Instant Messaging Client (also available for Linux/*BSD/Windows(NT/2000/XP))
2. BabbelIRC an IRC client developed in RealStudio with support for Windows XP/Vista/7 and MacOS X 10.2 and up (both PPC and Intel-based). (Alpha stage)
3. HydraIRC A freeware IRC client which is quite fully featured, even though there doesn't seem to be active development anymore.
4. Icechat (Screenshot)
5. irssi (OpenSource) (Can only be used on Windows through CygWin). Also available for Linux, *BSD, MacOSX)
6. Pidgin Multi-platform and Multi-protocol Instant Messaging Client (also available for Linux/*BSD/MacOS X/Windows/QTopia) (used to be called Gaim)
7. savIRC (also available for *NIX/Windows)
8. Trillian Multi-platform and Multi-protocol Instant Messaging Client (Basic Version is Freeware, Pro version is Payware)(Comparison between Basic and Pro)
9. Vortec IRC (Beta Client)
10. X-Chat Unofficial build for Windows by Silverex (Screenshot)

Payware Win

1. mIRC (Windows) (Shareware)
2. Trillian Multi-protocol Instant Messaging Client (Pro Version is Payware)
3. X-Chat Official Build The official build has become Payware as of August 23, 2004. For freeware builds (of which some are equally good or better), see above.

NIX

1. BitchX (Freeware Command Line IRC Client for *NIX)
2. Pidgin Multi-protocol Instant Messaging Client (also available for Linux/*BSD/MacOS X/Windows) (Formerly known as Gaim)
3. AYTTM (Are You Talking To Me) Multi-protocol Instant Messaging Client (also available for Linux/*BSD/Windows(NT/2000/XP))

http://quassel-irc.org/

Mac OS X

1. Colloquy Graphical IRC and SILC client (Screenshot)
2. LimeChat IRC client for Mac OS X written on RubyCocoa (Screenshot)
3. Linkinus (Payware)
4. Pidgin Multi-protocol Instant Messaging Client (also available for Linux/*BSD/MacOS X/Windows) (Formerly known as Gaim)
5. X-Chat Aqua Freeware X-Chat build for Mac OSX

J2ME

1. WLIrc 1.x WireLess IRC client 1.x branch
2. WLIrc 2.x WireLess IRC client 2.x branch (requires MIDP 2.0!)
3. jmIrc Rewrite of WLIrc.

http://www.getjar.com/mobile/17589/utairc/

1. Virca :> (not under active development; last update 2004)

Win Mobile

1. zsIRC Free-ware IRC Client. Highly recommendable! Logging, supports multi-windowtabs, wide command range, identd (limited). Automatic On-connect and On-Join commands. SmartPhone + PocketPC!!
2. wmIRC 2.x Pay-ware IRC Client. Highly recommendable! Logs, supports multi-windowtabs, wide command range, colours and SSL + identd (limited). SmartPhone + PocketPC!!
3. SmartIRC.Net a (Free!) dotNet client for Windows Mobile. Good compatibility, stable, single window, startup commands supported. SmartPhone + PocketPC!!
4. PocketIRC A (payware) PocketPC Only!!! Client
5. PocketChat A (Free!) PocketPC Only!!! Client

Java

1. PJIRC One of the most widely used Java IRC Applets.

External Links

1. More Clients for UNIX
2. More Clients for UNIX/X
3. More Clients for Windows
4. Index of IRC Client Reviews by IRCReviews.Org (Might be out of date some of the times..)
5. mIRCScripts.com Useful site for extending your mIRC with scripts and learn about mIRC Scripting
6. mIRCScripts.org Another mIRC Scripting resource site
7. TCL Plugin for X-Chat 2.x
8. TCL Developer Xchange Site More info about TCL Scripting
9. ScriptKitties Handy Site for Scripting in TCL for X-Chat.
10. LinuxQuestions.ORG - X-Chat Linux Documentation of X-Chat