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BitlBee vs Spectrum 2: catalog facts
BitlBee	Spectrum 2
Free Free and open source; public servers are also available.	Free Free and open source.
Linux, Self-hosted	Self-hosted
Use XMPP and other networks from any IRC client Plugins for Discord, Mastodon, Steam and more	Bridges users on different IM networks Runs on your own server
Last stable release dates from 2019 Requires comfort with IRC and a bot-driven setup	Server software that needs setup and an existing messaging server Little end-user documentation on the homepage
Downloadable app, Self-hosted	Self-hosted
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0	License: GPL-3.0
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Needs internet	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.