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The Lounge vs WeeChat: catalog facts
The Lounge	WeeChat
Free Free and open source under the MIT licence.	Free Free software; the project accepts donations.
Web, Self-hosted	Linux, Command line
Always connected, no separate bouncer needed Responsive interface for phones and desktops	Full-featured IRC support including SASL and DCC Scripting in eight languages with a script manager
Requires running your own Node.js server IRC only	Terminal only, with a learning curve for new users IRC is the main built-in protocol
Self-hosted	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: MIT	License: GPL-3.0
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

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