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