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Irssi vs mIRC: catalog facts
Irssi	mIRC
Free Free and open source.	Paid Shareware that can be tried, with a paid registration from the official site.
macOS, Linux, Command line	Windows
Runs in any terminal, including over SSH Scriptable and highly configurable	Mature client with over thirty years of development Still receiving releases
Keyboard and command driven, with a learning curve IRC only, no other chat protocols	Windows only Proprietary shareware requiring registration
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Closed source
License: GPL-2.0	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Needs internet	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 24, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 24, 2026

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