mIRC Alternatives for Linux

mIRC is not available for Linux but there are plenty of alternatives that runs on Linux with similar functionality. The best Linux alternative is Pidgin, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to mIRC and many of them are available for Linux so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Linux alternatives to mIRC are HexChat, Empathy, irssi and XChat for Linux.

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

mIRC

Paid • Proprietary
IRC Client

mIRC is a popular Internet Relay Chat client used by millions of people, and thousands of organizations, to communicate,...

More about mIRC

mIRC alternatives page was last updated

Pidgin
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Instant Messenger
Group Chat App
Video Calling App
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Flathub
PortableApps.com
122 Pidgin alternatives
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.
- - Pidgin is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to mIRC.
- - Pidgin is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to mIRC.
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. PortablePidgin can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
4. No TrackingPidgin will not track you or use your personal data.
5. Ad-freePidgin doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
6. VoiP CallsPidgin allows you to make voice calls over Internet using the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
Support for Multiple protocols
Supports XMPP
IRC
Multiple languages
Xmpp
Multiple chat protocols
Messages
Opinions about Pidgin as a Alternative to mIRC
Most users think Pidgin is a great mIRC alternative.
HexChat
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
IRC Client
Windows
Linux
BSD
PortableApps.com
Xfce
MacPorts
XQuartz
65 HexChat alternatives
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
Comments about HexChat as a Alternative to mIRC
Almost everyone thinks HexChat is a great mIRC alternative.
Guest
Open source, light and customizable, i recommend it
Positive comment •
3

Guest
Similar to Mirc but less complex
Positive comment •
0
Empathy
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Instant Messenger
Video Calling App
IRC Client
Linux
BSD
142 Empathy alternatives
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 application.
Suggest and vote on features
Empathy Features
Unified messaging
Support for Multiple protocols
Xmpp
SIP
Integrated File Sharing
Voice Chat
Discontinued
Empathy is currently unmaintained. Last version, 3.25, released in August 2017, can be still downloaded from the official website.
irssi
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
IRC Client
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Cygwin
61 irssi alternatives
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!
XChat for Linux
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
IRC Client
Windows
Linux
62 XChat for Linux alternatives
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.
KVIrc
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
IRC Client
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
PortableApps.com
55 KVIrc alternatives
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.
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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
Comments about KVIrc as a Alternative to mIRC
Almost everyone thinks KVIrc is a great mIRC alternative.
Guest
Good features, very stable and free, aside from mIRC there's nothing better out there.
Positive comment •
0

Guest
It's free, has certain nice extra features and a better scripting language.
Positive comment •
1
Quassel IRC
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
IRC Client
Mac
Windows
Linux
58 Quassel IRC alternatives
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
WeeChat
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Instant Messenger
Mac
Linux
BSD
Haiku
Xfce
52 WeeChat alternatives
WeeChat is a free chat client, fast and light, designed for many operating systems. It is highly customizable and extensible with scripts.
Suggest and vote on features
WeeChat Features
1. Command line interfaceWeeChat either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
2. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsWeeChat can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
IRC
Modular System
Xmpp
Support for Multiple protocols
Konversation
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Linux
56 Konversation alternatives
Konversation is an IRC client which gives you speedy access to Freenode network's channels, where you will find support for most distributions.
Suggest and vote on features
Konversation Features
IRC
KDE
Chatzilla
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Mac
Windows
Linux
SeaMonkey
Firefox
55 Chatzilla alternatives
ChatZilla is a clean, easy to use and highly extensible Internet Relay Chat (IRC) client, built on the Mozilla platform, which provides all the usual features: multiple servers, a built-in list of standard networks, easy searching and sorting of available channels, logging, and...
Suggest and vote on features
Chatzilla Features
Web-Based
IRC
Discontinued
Discontinued since 2017. From their website: “With the release of Firefox 57 (Firefox Quantum), it is no longer possible for ChatZilla to work as an extension in Firefox.”
Polari
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
IRC Client
Linux
GNOME
49 Polari alternatives
Polari is an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) client designed for GNOME 3.
Suggest and vote on features
Polari Features
1. No TrackingPolari will not track you or use your personal data.
2. Privacy focusedPolari is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
IRC
Security focused
ZeroChat
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Self-Hosted
Python
JavaScript
ZeroNet
90 ZeroChat alternatives
An IRC-like internet chatroom hosted on ZeroNet, a distributed network. 0rc is a fully distributed website, and messages are shared through peers using the ZeroNet stack. In addition, making a new chatroom website is a simple as downloading the files and cloning the site.
Suggest and vote on features
ZeroChat Features
1. DecentralizedZeroChat is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
Distributed
Discontinued
Last update on github made over 5 years (March 13, 2016).