Empathy AlternativesInstant Messengers & Video Calling Apps like Empathy

Empathy is described as 'Messaging program which supports text, voice, video chat, and file transfers over many different protocols. You can tell it about your accounts on all those services and do all your chatting within one application' and is a very popular instant messenger in the social & communications category. There are more than 100 alternatives to Empathy for a variety of platforms, including Mac, Windows, Linux, Android and iPhone apps. The best Empathy alternative is Element, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Empathy are Skype, Matrix.org, Pidgin and Tox.

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Empathy alternatives are mainly Instant Messengers but may also be Video Calling Apps or Group Chat Apps. Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Empathy.

Empathy

156

Instant Messenger
Free • Open Source

Empathy is a messaging program which supports text, voice, video chat, and file transfers over many different protocols. You can tell it about your accounts on all those services and do all your chatting within one...

More about Empathy

Empathy alternatives page was last updated Sep 7, 2023

Element
Element is a secure collaboration and messaging app based on the Matrix protocol. It’s decentralised to deliver digital sovereignty, and based on an open standard for easy connections and interoperability. It is end-to-end encrypted by default.
282 Element alternatives
License model
- Freemium • Open Source
Application types
- Instant Messenger
- Video Calling App
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- iPad
- Self-Hosted
- Matrix.org
- Flathub
- F-Droid
- Cloudron
+1
Top Element Features
1. End-to-End Encryption
2. Decentralized
3. Federated
4. Team Collaboration
5. Privacy focused
6. Encrypted Chat
7. Video Calling
8. Instant Messaging
9. Matrix Protocol
10. Voice Chat
11. Federation
12. Direct Messaging
Show all NaN Element features ▾
Element VS Empathy
Is Element a good alternative to Empathy?
- Element is the most popular Web-based, Windows, Android & Mac alternative to Empathy.
- Element is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Empathy.
- Element is Freemium and Open SourceEmpathy is Free and Open Source
- Element is Decentralized and Privacy focusedEmpathy is not according to our users

Skype
Skype is the most popular free voice-over IP and instant messaging service globally. It allows users to text, video and voice call over the internet. Users can also call landlines and mobiles at competitive rates using Skype credit, premium accounts and subscriptions.
305 Skype alternatives
License model
- Freemium • Proprietary
Application types
- Group Chat App
- Instant Messenger
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Android
- iPhone
- Chrome OS
- Android Tablet
- BSD
- Windows Phone
- iPad
- Android Wear
- PortableApps.com
+9
Top Skype Features
1. Video Calling
2. Screen Sharing
3. VoiP Calls
4. Microsoft Office integration
5. Lightweight
6. Video Conferencing
7. Ad-free
8. Dark Mode
9. IFTTT Integration
10. Live Captions Translation
11. Voice messages
12. Multiple languages
Show all NaN Skype features ▾
Skype VS Empathy
Is Skype a good alternative to Empathy?
Comments about Skype as an Alternative to Empathy

Guest
Empathy is used for multiple accounts at a time. Skype is exclusive for their services.
Negative comment •Oct 29, 2016
2
Guest
Non Foss and not federated
Negative comment •Jan 4, 2018
0
Guest
No multi protocol chat client.
Negative comment •Feb 19, 2019
0
- This alternative is disputed. Skype is a legitimate Empathy alternative, but it might have issues that some users think are important.
- Skype is Freemium and ProprietaryEmpathy is Free and Open Source
- Skype is LightweightEmpathy is not according to our users

Matrix.org
Matrix defines a set of open APIs for decentralised communication, suitable for securely publishing, persisting and subscribing to data over a global open federation of servers with no single point of control.
149 Matrix.org alternatives
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
- Instant Messenger
- Group Chat App
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- iPad
- Self-Hosted
- WebRTC
- Python
- JavaScript
- Go (Programming Language)
- Cloudron
- Java
- Perl
Top Matrix.org Features
1. Decentralized
2. End-to-End Encryption
3. Federation
4. Team Collaboration
5. Random Video Chat
6. Privacy focused
7. Distributed
8. Ad-free
9. VoiP Calls
10. No Tracking
11. Multiple Account support
12. Real time collaboration
Show all NaN Matrix.org features ▾
Matrix.org VS Empathy
Is Matrix.org a good alternative to Empathy?

Pidgin
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.
123 Pidgin alternatives
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
- Instant Messenger
- Video Calling App
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
- Flathub
- PortableApps.com
+4
Top Pidgin Features
1. Support for Multiple protocols
2. Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
3. Supports XMPP
4. Multiple Account support
5. IRC
6. Portable
7. No Tracking
8. Ad-free
9. VoiP Calls
10. Multiple languages
11. Xmpp
12. Multiple chat protocols
Show all NaN Pidgin features ▾
Pidgin VS Empathy
Is Pidgin a good alternative to Empathy?
Comments about Pidgin as an Alternative to Empathy

Guest
can use a lot of the same protocols as empathy.. which allows you to consolidate needing multiple clients
Positive comment •Jun 16, 2015
0
- Almost everyone thinks Pidgin is a great Empathy alternative.
- Pidgin is Free and Open SourceEmpathy is also Free and Open Source

Tox
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.
202 Tox alternatives
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
- Instant Messenger
- Video Calling App
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Android
- Android Tablet
- BSD
- F-Droid
+5
Top Tox Features
1. Encrypted Chat
2. Decentralized
3. Privacy focused
4. Peer-To-Peer
5. End-to-End Encryption
6. Security focused
7. No registration required
8. Multiplatform
9. Screen Sharing
10. Lightweight
11. No Tracking
12. AES-256 Encryption
Show all NaN Tox features ▾
Tox VS Empathy
Is Tox a good alternative to Empathy?

Jitsi Meet
Go ahead, video chat with the whole team. In fact, invite everyone you know. Jitsi Meet is a fully encrypted, 100% open source video conferencing solution that you can use all day, every day, for free.
139 Jitsi Meet alternatives
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
- Video Calling App
- Group Chat App
Platforms
- Online
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- iPad
- Self-Hosted
- Apple Watch
- F-Droid
Top Jitsi Meet Features
1. Browser-based
2. Video Conferencing
3. End-to-End Encryption
4. Screen Sharing
5. Ad-free
6. Video Calling
7. Encrypted Chat
8. Remote Work
9. No Tracking
10. Stream audio
11. Privacy focused
12. Lightweight
Show all NaN Jitsi Meet features ▾
Jitsi Meet VS Empathy
Is Jitsi Meet a good alternative to Empathy?

Jitsi Desktop
Jitsi Desktop (previously SIP Communicator) is a legacy audio/video and chat communicator with full encryption, precedessor of Jitsi Meet .
78 Jitsi Desktop alternatives
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
- Video Calling App
- Group Chat App
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- BSD
- Self-Hosted
+9
Top Jitsi Desktop Features
1. Video Conferencing
2. Privacy focused
3. SIP
4. No registration required
5. Support for Multiple protocols
6. Live Meeting
7. WebRTC
8. Voice Chat
9. Web-Based
10. Multiple Account support
11. Desktop Sharing
12. Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
Show all NaN Jitsi Desktop features ▾
Discontinued
Jitsi Desktop is not actively developed anymore: last version, released in October 2017, can be still downloaded from GitHub. Its successor is Jitsi Meet
Jitsi Desktop VS Empathy
Is Jitsi Desktop a good alternative to Empathy?

Jami
Jami (formerly GNU Ring, SFLphone) positions itself as a potential free Skype replacement
157 Jami alternatives
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
- Video Calling App
- Instant Messenger
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- iPad
+9
Top Jami Features
1. Decentralized
2. Privacy focused
3. Ad-free
4. Video Conferencing
5. Peer-To-Peer
6. Multi Platform
7. Video Calling
8. SIP client
9. End-to-End Encryption
10. Dark Mode
11. No Tracking
12. Screen Sharing
Show all NaN Jami features ▾
Jami VS Empathy
Is Jami a good alternative to Empathy?

Wire
Wire is the most secure collaboration platform featuring messenger, voice, video, conference calls, file-sharing, and external collaboration –all protected by the most secure end-to-end-encryption.
273 Wire alternatives
+2
License model
- Free Personal • Open Source
Application types
- Video Calling App
- Instant Messenger
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- iPad
- Self-Hosted
- F-Droid
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
Top Wire Features
1. End-to-End Encryption
2. Security focused
3. Video Calling
4. Encrypted Chat
5. VoiP Calls
6. Encrypted calls
7. Screen Sharing
8. Privacy focused
9. Multiple Account support
10. WebRTC
11. File Sending
12. Voice Chat
Show all NaN Wire features ▾
Wire VS Empathy
Is Wire a good alternative to Empathy?
- Wire is the most popular SaaS alternative to Empathy.
- Wire is Free Personal and Open SourceEmpathy is Free and Open Source
- Wire is Security focused and Privacy focusedEmpathy is not according to our users

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.
244 SeaMonkey alternatives
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application type
- Web Browser
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
- PortableApps.com
+3
Top SeaMonkey Features
1. Integrated Email Client
2. Built-in RSS reader
3. Add-ons
4. Customizable
5. Built-in Download Manager
6. Lightweight
7. WYSIWYG Support
8. Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
9. Portable
10. Privacy focused
11. Ad-free
12. Support for Firefox extensions
Show all NaN SeaMonkey features ▾
SeaMonkey VS Empathy
Is SeaMonkey a good alternative to Empathy?

Zulip
Zulip is the only modern team chat app that is designed for both live and asynchronous conversations. Zulip topics create a separate space for each discussion, so different conversations will never get in each other's way.
224 Zulip alternatives
License model
- Free Personal • Open Source
Application types
- Instant Messenger
- Group Chat App
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- BSD
- iPad
- Self-Hosted
+4
Top Zulip Features
1. Threaded Conversations
2. Team Collaboration
3. Support for Hotkeys
4. Community-based
5. Support for MarkDown
6. Syntax Highlighting
7. Integrated File Sharing
8. Chat Bot
9. GitHub Integration
10. Secure Chat
11. Third party integrations
12. Chat organizer
Show all NaN Zulip features ▾
Zulip VS Empathy
Is Zulip a good alternative to Empathy?

Element X
It is the brand new, and fastest ever, Matrix client. It is for personal and community use, and will support enterprise functionality later this year.
72 Element X alternatives
+1
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
- Instant Messenger
- Video Calling App
Platforms
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- iPad
Element X Features
1. VoiP Calls
2. Privacy focused
3. End-to-End Encryption
4. Ad-free
5. Dark Mode
6. Voice Chat
7. Matrix Protocol
Show all NaN Element X features ▾
Element X VS Empathy
Is Element X a good alternative to Empathy?