BitlBee Alternatives
BitlBee is described as 'brings IM (instant messaging) to IRC clients. It's a great solution for people who have an IRC client running all the time and don't want to run an additional MSN/AIM/whatever client' and is a instant messenger in the social & communications category. There are more than 10 alternatives to BitlBee for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Mac, Windows, BSD and Android. The best alternative is Pidgin, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like BitlBee are Trillian, ICQ, Kopete and Berty.
BitlBee is mainly a Instant Messenger but alternatives to it may also be Video Calling Apps or Video Chat Apps. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of BitlBee.- 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.
- Free • Open Source
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
- PortableApps.com
- Xfce
- Trillian is an instant messaging app that works on phones, tablets, and desktops while keeping your chats neatly synchronized between all of them! We think conversation should be easily shared between all of your devices, not trapped as text messages on your phone.
- Freemium • Proprietary
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Android
- iPhone
- Blackberry
- iPad
- ICQ is one of the oldest instant messengers. First developed by the Israeli company Mirabilis, sold to AOL, sold again and currenly owned by the Russian "mail.ru" group (known for one of the largest social networks).
- Free • Proprietary
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Windows Mobile
- Android
- iPhone
- Java Mobile
- Symbian S60
- Blackberry
- Android Tablet
- Windows Phone
- iPad
- Kindle Fire
- Kopete is an instant messenger supporting AIM, ICQ, Jabber, Gadu-Gadu, Novell GroupWise Messenger, and more. It is designed to be a flexible and extensible multi-protocol system suitable for personal and enterprise use.
- The privacy-first messaging app that works with or without internet access, cellular data or trust in the network.No screenshots yet
- BeagleIM is a lightweight and powerful XMPP client developed by Tigase, Inc. It provides an easy way to start using the XMPP Protocol (formerly known as Jabber) if you've never used it before. Veterans of the protocol will find many features here they are familiar.
- Free • Open Source
- Mac
- Sim-IM, Simple Instant Messenger, is a multiple protocol instant messenger for MS Windows, GNU/Linux, FreeBSD. Sim-IM supports Jabber/XMPP, Google Talk, ICQ and AIM (Oscar), Yahoo! Messenger and Microsoft Messenger (MSN)
Discontinued
The project is no longer developed. Last versions for Windows and Linux date back to 2008, but they can be still downloaded from the official website.
- Minbif aims to use the libpurple library from the Pidgin project to provide an IRC-friendly instant messaging client.No screenshots yet
- Centericq is a text mode menu- and window-driven IM interface that supports the ICQ2000, Yahoo!, AIM, IRC, MSN, Gadu-Gadu and Jabber protocols.
- Free • Open Source
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
Discontinued
The program is no longer updated. Last version, 4.21.0, released in September 2005, can be still downloaded from the official website.