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Irssi vs Pidgin: catalog facts
Irssi	Pidgin
Free Free and open source.	Free Free and open source under the GPL. The project states it is free and contains no ads.
macOS, Linux, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux
Runs in any terminal, including over SSH Scriptable and highly configurable	Signs in to several chat networks at once from one window XMPP, IRC, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, GroupWise, Sametime, SILC, SIMPLE and Zephyr built in
Keyboard and command driven, with a learning curve IRC only, no other chat protocols	The interface is unmistakably from another era Support for modern commercial networks depends on plugins that break when APIs change
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0	License: GPL-2.0
No account needed	Account needed
Needs internet	Needs internet
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 24, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026

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