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WeeChat vs Pidgin: catalog facts
WeeChat	Pidgin
Free Free software; the project accepts donations.	Free Free and open source under the GPL. The project states it is free and contains no ads.
Linux, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux
Full-featured IRC support including SASL and DCC Scripting in eight languages with a script manager	Signs in to several chat networks at once from one window XMPP, IRC, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, GroupWise, Sametime, SILC, SIMPLE and Zephyr built in
Terminal only, with a learning curve for new users IRC is the main built-in protocol	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-3.0	License: GPL-2.0
No account needed	Account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Needs internet
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026

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