Empathy Alternatives for Linux

There are many alternatives to Empathy for Linux and since it's discontinued a lot of people are looking for a replacement. The best Linux alternative is Element. It's not free, so if you're looking for a free alternative, you could try Element or Matrix. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Empathy and loads of them are available for Linux so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Linux alternatives to Empathy are Tox, Jami, Wire and Jitsi Desktop.

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Alternatives list

  1. Element icon
     817 likes

    Provides secure collaboration with end-to-end encryption, supporting chat, voice, and video calls. Available on all major platforms, it enables digital sovereignty with a decentralized design and interoperability through bridges to systems like Slack and Teams. Includes enterprise-grade SaaS.

    328 Element alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
     
  2. Matrix icon
     409 likes

    Open standard protocol enabling decentralized, encrypted instant messaging, VoIP signaling, IoT device connectivity, and persistent data management across federated servers without central control or single points of failure, bridging communication platforms.

    180 Matrix alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • WebRTC
    • Python
    • JavaScript
    • Go (Programming Language)
    • Cloudron
    • Java
    • Perl
     
  3. Pidgin icon
     1531 likes

    Pidgin is a chat program which lets you log into accounts on multiple chat networks simultaneously. This means that you can be chatting with friends on XMPP and sitting in an IRC channel at the same time.

    121 Pidgin alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
     
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  4. Tox icon
     569 likes

    With the rise of widespread government monitoring programs, Tox is an easy to use application that allows you to connect with friends and loved ones without anyone else listening in.

    220 Tox alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • F-Droid
     
  5. Jami icon
     250 likes

    Open source decentralized communication platform supporting secure end-to-end encrypted calls, messaging, group conferencing, file and media sharing, SIP compatibility, multi-device sync, and strong privacy, available across desktop and mobile systems.

    170 Jami alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
     
  6. Wire icon
     329 likes

    Secure communication platform featuring encrypted chats and calls, file and media sharing, self-deleting messages, device verification, group collaboration, and customizable settings. Supports use across multiple devices with no phone number required for access.

    290 Wire alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
     
  7. Proton Meet icon
     32 likes

    Provides secure end-to-end encrypted video calls with privacy features such as background blur, noise reduction, and meeting locks, supports up to 50 free participants, guest links, ad-free use, seamless calendar integration, and multi-device access.

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
     
  8. Zulip icon
     271 likes

    Threaded group conversations combine live and asynchronous messaging, separating topics for organized collaboration, supporting open-source, cloud, and self-hosted deployments, secure communication with encryption, and multi-platform access for diverse teams.

    235 Zulip alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
     
  9. SeaMonkey icon
     246 likes

    Web-browser, advanced e-mail, newsgroup and feed client, IRC chat, and HTML editing in one application. Itis built on the open source Mozilla Gecko engine, the same code which underlies Thunderbird and is the base for the Firefox browser.

    188 SeaMonkey alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com
     
  10. Rambox icon
     142 likes

    A digital workspace organizer that allows you to unify as many applications as you want, all in one place. It is perfect for those who care about productivity while working with many business and personal apps.

    37 Rambox alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Snapcraft
     
  11. Linphone icon
     144 likes

    Linphone is one of the most famous open source softphones in the world. It is fully SIP-based, for all calling, presence and IM features.

    83 Linphone alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
     
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