Pidgin Alternatives

Alternatives list

1. 

   

   Messenger

    232 likes

   Provides comprehensive communication features including group video calls, voice calls, fast messaging, photo sharing, and location mapping. Access through mobile and web platforms with real-time notifications, ensuring seamless interactions using multimedia tools.

   208 Messenger alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Proprietary

   Application typeApplication types

   • Instant Messenger
   • Video Calling

   Origin

   • United States

   Platforms

   • Online
   • Android
   • iPhone
   • Android Tablet
   • iPad
   • Android Auto
   • Meta Quest
   • Kindle Fire
   • Chrome OS

   • United States

   

   

   

   More about Messenger  

   

   Good alternative?Is Messenger a good alternative to Pidgin?

    
2. 

   

   Dino

    23 likes

   Dino is a modern open-source chat client for the desktop. It focuses on providing a clean and reliable Jabber/XMPP experience while having your privacy in mind. Using GTK+/Vala.

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

   Application typeApplication types

   • Instant Messenger
   • Group Chat

   Origin

   • Germany
   • EU

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Linux
   • BSD
   • Flathub

   • Germany
   • EU

   

   

   

   More about Dino  

   

   Good alternative?Is Dino a good alternative to Pidgin?

    

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   1comment

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   Dino vs Pidgin Comments

   Positive comment by riveravaldez · Jan 28, 2025

   Simple and modern interface, secure protocols be default (OMEMO, OpenPGP), available in many distros and through Flatpak/Flathub, audio and video call.

   1 of 1 comments

   

   

   • Dino is Free and Open SourcePidgin is also Free and Open Source
   • Dino is Privacy focused, Decentralized and LightweightPidgin is not according to our users
4. 

   

   Empathy

    156 likes

   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.

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Application typeApplication types

   • Instant Messenger
   • Video Calling

   Origin

   • United States

   Alerts

   • Discontinued

   Platforms

   • Linux
   • BSD

   • United States

   

   

   

   More about Empathy  

   

   Good alternative?Is Empathy a good alternative to Pidgin?

    

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   1comment

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   Discontinued

   Empathy is currently unmaintained. Last version, 3.25, released in August 2017, can be still downloaded from the official website.

   Empathy vs Pidgin Comments

   Positive comment by Guest · Nov 3, 2017

   Both free and open source and works in Linux Support many protocols

   1 of 1 comments

   

   

   • Empathy is Free and Open SourcePidgin is also Free and Open Source
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6. 

   

   WeeChat

    37 likes

   WeeChat is a free chat client, fast and light, designed for many operating systems. It is highly customizable and extensible with scripts.

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

   Application typeApplication types

   • IRC Client
   • Instant Messenger

   Origin

   • France
   • EU

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Linux
   • BSD
   • Haiku
   • Xfce

   • France
   • EU

   

   

   More about WeeChat  

   

   Good alternative?Is WeeChat a good alternative to Pidgin?

    
7. 

   

   Gajim

    68 likes

   The goal of Gajim is to provide a full featured and easy to use XMPP client. Gajim works nicely with GNOME, but does not require it to run. It is released under the GNU General Public License.

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Application typeApplication types

   • Instant Messenger
   • Encrypted Chat

   Origin

   • Germany
   • EU

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • BSD
   • Flathub
   • Xfce

   • Germany
   • EU

   

   

   

   +1

   

   More about Gajim  

   

   Good alternative?Is Gajim a good alternative to Pidgin?

    

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   2comments

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   Gajim vs Pidgin Comments

   Negative comment by Guest · Nov 4, 2018

   It's a Jabber client only, not a multi-protocol / multi-channel chat client. Similar to Pidgin on it's root purpose can only by another multi-protocol client. Gajim is not.

   Positive comment by Guest · Mar 23, 2017

   Supports more XMPP features and has it already integrated in the base.

   Pidgin needs a lot of plugin to have a similar support for features.

   2 of 2 comments

   

   

   • Gajim is Free and Open SourcePidgin is also Free and Open Source
   • Gajim is Decentralized and Privacy focusedPidgin is not according to our users
9. 

   

   Miranda NG

    49 likes

   Miranda New Generation is a successor of a popular multi-protocol instant messaging client for Windows - Miranda IM . Very light on system resources and extremely fast.

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source

   Application type

   • Instant Messenger

   Origin

   • International

   Platforms

   • Windows
   • PortableApps.com

   • Global

   

   

   More about Miranda NG  

   

   Good alternative?Is Miranda NG a good alternative to Pidgin?

    

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   1comment

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   Miranda NG vs Pidgin Comments

   Positive comment by Mister Hutchinson · Jul 28, 2021

   One of few Windows chat clients supporting multiple protocols and plugins, while also being open-source.

   1 of 1 comments

   

   

   • Miranda NG is Free and Open SourcePidgin is also Free and Open Source
   • Miranda NG is CustomizablePidgin is not according to our users
10. 

    

    nheko

     7 likes

    Matrix-focused desktop chat client supporting secure end-to-end encrypted messaging, voice and video calling, file sharing, emoji, room and community management, multi-theme interface, presence/status, notifications, profiles, and plugin integration for Unix.

    28 nheko alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

    Application typeApplication types

    • Instant Messenger
    • Group Chat

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub

    

    

    

    +3

    

    More about nheko  

    

    Good alternative?Is nheko a good alternative to Pidgin?

     
11. 

    

    Cheogram

     5 likes

    Chat on the Jabber network (XMPP protocol); focus on features for gateway users The Cheogram Android app allows you to join a worldwide communication network.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (AGPL-3.0)

    Application typeApplication types

    • Instant Messenger
    • Encrypted Chat

    Platforms

    • Android
    • F-Droid

    

    

    

    More about Cheogram  

    

    Good alternative?Is Cheogram a good alternative to Pidgin?

     
12. 

    

    Kopete

     71 likes

    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.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (GPL-2.0)

    Application type

    • Instant Messenger

    Origin

    • Germany
    • EU

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD

    • Germany
    • EU

    

    More about Kopete  

    

    Good alternative?Is Kopete a good alternative to Pidgin?

     
13. 

    

    Finch

     20 likes

    Finch is a console-based IM program that lets you sign on to AIM, Jabber, MSN, IRC, Yahoo!, and other IM networks. It runs on Unixes. It uses GLib and ncurses.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    • Instant Messenger

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Xfce

    

    More about Finch  

    

    Good alternative?Is Finch a good alternative to Pidgin?

     
14. 

    

    Snikket

     9 likes

    Snikket is an ambitious project to build a new kind of XMPP-based messaging platform.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (Apache-2.0)

    Application typeApplication types

    • Instant Messenger
    • Video Calling

    Origin

    • United Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    • Docker

    • United Kingdom

    

    

    

    More about Snikket  

    

    Good alternative?Is Snikket a good alternative to Pidgin?

     
15. 

    

    Halloy

     4 likes

    Halloy is an open-source IRC client written in Rust, with the Iced GUI library. It aims to provide a simple and fast client for Mac, Windows, and Linux platforms.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Mac
    • Flathub
    • Snapcraft

    

    More about Halloy  

    

    Good alternative?Is Halloy a good alternative to Pidgin?