bIRC Alternatives

bIRC is described as 'simple, lightweight and flexible IRC-Client written in Bash. bIRC doesn't require an installation and can be launched by executing a single script file. bIRC has plugin support and can be easily modified' and is a IRC Client in the social & communications category. There are more than 50 alternatives to bIRC for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, BSD and PortableApps.com. The best alternative is Thunderbird, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like bIRC are Pidgin, SeaMonkey, HexChat and irssi.

bIRC alternatives are mainly IRC Clients but may also be Instant Messengers or Email Clients. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of bIRC.

This page was last updated

bIRC

Free • Open Source
IRC Client

Mac
Linux

bIRC is a simple, lightweight and flexible IRC-Client written in Bash. bIRC doesn't require an installation and can be...

Learn more about bIRC

Thunderbird
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Email Client
Calendar App
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
AppImageHub
Snapcraft
Flathub
PortableApps.com
Haiku
Homebrew
Chocolatey
93 alternatives to Thunderbird
Thunderbird is a free, open source, cross-platform e-mail, news and instant messaging client. The project strategy is modeled after Mozilla Firefox.
Suggest and vote on features
Thunderbird Features
1. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsThunderbird can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
2. Multiple Account supportThunderbird support multiple accounts without the need to logout and login
3. Calendar IntegrationThunderbird lets you sync your tasks and events with your calendar application.
4. Email OrganizerThunderbird allows you to take control of your inbox by filtering and control tools.
5. Dark ModeThunderbird supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
6. Import/Export OPML FeedsImport and export your feed subscriptions into OPML format with Thunderbird.
7. PortableThunderbird can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
8. Support for ThemesYou can use themes and templates to change the look and feel of Thunderbird.
9. Integrated Password ManagerThunderbird lets you access all the passwords you’ve saved across your different devices.
IMAP Support
SMTP Support
FOSS
Built-in RSS reader
POP3 Support
Add-ons
Intuitive
Graphical User Interface
Customizable
Built-in Calendar
Pidgin
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Instant Messenger
Video Calling App
IRC Client
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
PortableApps.com
Xfce
117 alternatives to Pidgin
Pidgin is an easy to use, multi-protocol chat client client used by millions. Connect to AIM, MSN, Yahoo, XMPP, and more chat networks all at once. It has built-in support for NSS, offering client-to-server message encryption for protocols that support it.
Suggest and vote on features
Pidgin Features
1. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsPidgin can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
2. Multiple Account supportPidgin support multiple accounts without the need to logout and login
3. VoiP CallsPidgin allows you to make voice calls over Internet using the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
4. PortablePidgin can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Support for Multiple protocols
Supports XMPP
IRC
Multiple languages
Multiple chat protocols
Messages
Xmpp
SeaMonkey
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Web Browser
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
PortableApps.com
251 alternatives to SeaMonkey
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.
Suggest and vote on features
SeaMonkey Features
1. WYSIWYG SupportSeaMonkey integrates a WYSIWYG editor to edit the look and content of a document, page, or file.
2. Privacy focusedSeaMonkey is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
3. LightweightSeaMonkey consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
4. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsSeaMonkey can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
5. PortableSeaMonkey can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
6. Ad-freeSeaMonkey doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
Integrated Email Client
Built-in RSS reader
Add-ons
Built-in Download Manager
Customizable
Support for Firefox extensions
Modular System
HexChat
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
IRC Client
Windows
Linux
BSD
PortableApps.com
Xfce
MacPorts
XQuartz
65 alternatives to HexChat
HexChat is an IRC client based on XChat for Linux , but unlike XChat it’s completely free for both Windows and Unix-like systems.
Suggest and vote on features
HexChat Features
1. PortableHexChat can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
IRC
irssi
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
IRC Client
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Cygwin
61 alternatives to irssi
Irssi is a terminal based IRC client for UNIX systems. It also supports SILC and ICB protocols via plugins.

irssi has no features, suggest some!
mIRC
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Proprietary
IRC Client
Windows
63 alternatives to mIRC
mIRC is a popular Internet Relay Chat client used by millions of people, and thousands of organizations, to communicate, share, play and work with each other on IRC networks around the world. Serving the Internet community for over a decade, mIRC has evolved into a powerful...
Suggest and vote on features
mIRC Features
IRC
Colored Text
KVIrc
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
PortableApps.com
55 alternatives to KVIrc
KVIrc is a free portable IRC client based on the excellent Qt GUI toolkit. KVirc is being written by Szymon Stefanek and the KVIrc Development Team with the contribution of many IRC addicted developers around the world.
Suggest and vote on features
KVIrc Features
1. PortableKVIrc can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Logging
IRC
Avatar
KDE
Custom notifications
Themes
Support for IPv6
Quassel IRC
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
IRC Client
Mac
Windows
Linux
58 alternatives to Quassel IRC
Quassel IRC is a modern, cross-platform, distributed IRC client based on the Qt5 framework. Distributed means that one (or multiple) client(s) can attach to and detach from a central core that stays permanently online -- much like the popular combination of screen and a...
Suggest and vote on features
Quassel IRC Features
QT Based
Standalone
IRC
Kiwi IRC
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
IRC Client
Online
Self-Hosted
Google Chrome
66 alternatives to Kiwi IRC
A hand-crafted IRC client that you can enjoy. Designed to be used easily and freely. More friendly than other webirc clients giving the general public an easy option to connect to any IRC network.
Suggest and vote on features
Kiwi IRC Features
Preconfigurable auto-connect
IRC
XChat for Linux
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
IRC Client
Windows
Linux
62 alternatives to XChat for Linux
XChat is an IRC chat program for both Linux and Windows. It allows you to join multiple IRC channels (chat rooms) at the same time, talk publicly, private one-on-one conversations etc. Even file transfers are possible.
Suggest and vote on features
XChat for Linux Features
IRC
Discontinued
The program is no longer updated. Last version, 2.8.8, released in May 2010, can be still downloaded from the official website.

Showing 10 of 53 alternatives

Thunderbird Features

Pidgin Features

SeaMonkey Features

HexChat Features

mIRC Features

KVIrc Features

Quassel IRC Features

Kiwi IRC Features

XChat for Linux Features