List of multi-protocol messengers

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This list includes instant messengers that support multiple network protocols . Protocols are for example ICQ , AIM , Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger .

Since most of the protocols were not disclosed by the respective network operators and the programs did not specialize in one protocol, the functions available there ( voice chat , avatars , chat rooms , file transfers, etc.) are not always fully supported. There is also the possibility that if one of the supported proprietary protocols is changed - until the program is updated - no connection to the instant messaging network is possible.

Network support

Information about the networks to which the client can connect. Telwell and pure XMPP clients are not listed here because they have not implemented any direct support for other protocols, but can communicate with them via XMPP transports .

OSCAR (ICQ / AIM) Windows Live Messenger (MSN) Y! M IRC XMPP Bonjour Novell GroupWise Lotus Sametime Gadu-Gadu OS Others
Adium Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Mac Facebook , Twitter . Myspace ; SIMPLE; via plugins: Skype (if installed), QQ , Steam, Xfire, OkCupid, Netnexus, Tlen.pl,
Ayttm Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No Windows, Linux Email ( SMTP ), NetMeeting (via GnomeMeeting )
BitlBee Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Linux runs within any IRC client
CenterIM Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes Linux, BSD, Solaris
Digsby Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No No Yes Windows, Linux, Mac Social networks
Empathy Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Linux all supported by libpurple (Pidgin)
Fire Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Mac
Gizmo5 Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Windows, Linux, Mac, Palm, Symbian SIMPLE
Goober Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Windows, Linux, Mac, iPhone, Android, Java Mobile Flash client for embedding in websites / social networks , online hard drive, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
news Yes No Yes No Yes Yes No No No Mac OS X
Instantbird Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Windows, Linux, Mac OS X Facebook via XMPP, Myspace , Netsoul , QQ , SIMPLE , Twitter ; via plugins: Omegle , meinVZ / studiVZ / SchülerVZ, ..
Irssi Plugin No No Yes No No No No No Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Solaris SILC
Jitsi Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Browser integration with WebRTC, iPhone, Android Cross-platform with WebRTC, audio / video chats encrypted using ZRTP / SRTP, jingle / SIP , text messages using OTR , data transfer, remote screen control
XMPP clients Yes (via transport) Yes (via transport) Yes (via transport) Yes (via transport) Yes No No No Yes (via transport) temporary
placeholder 		SMS , jingle , Xfire
Kopete Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Windows, Linux, Unix SMS ; Skype , Facebook (plugins)
Licq Yes Yes No No No No No No No UNIX
climm Yes No No No Yes No No No No Linux, BSD, AIX, HPUX, Windows, AmigaOS, (with restrictions BeOS)
Miranda IM Plugin Plugin Plugin Plugin Plugin Plugin Plugin Plugin, only up to Miranda v0.8 Plugin Windows further plugins: Tlen.pl , Walla, QQ , Skype (if installed or alternatively via imo.im gateway plugin), MySpaceIM , Xfire , Twitter , Facebook
Miranda NG Plugin Plugin Plugin Plugin Plugin No No Plugin Plugin Windows other plugins: Tleń , Skype , Xfire , Twitter , Facebook
Palringo Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Windows, Mac OS X, Android, iPhone
Pidgin (formerly Gaim) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Windows, Linux, Mac OS X Myspace , SILC , SIMPLE , QQ , Zephyr , OpenNap , with plug-in: DirectNet , IMPS , RVP , Tlen.pl , Xfire , Steam , Facebook , Skype (if installed) , NateOn , Microsoft LCS / OCS , Twitter , MXit , Netsoul , Rediffbol , CyanChat
Proteus Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Mac OS X
QIP Yes Yes (via transport) Yes (via transport) yes (only with QIP Infium via plugin) partially (only QIP Infium) No No No No Windows
Qnext Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No Windows, Linux, Mac, iPhone, Android Qnext
QuteCom Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Windows, Linux, Mac SIMPLE
QutIM Yes No No Yes Yes No No No No Linux Vkontakte.ru , Mail.ru
Sim-IM Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Windows, Linux, FreeBSD
Trillian Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Plugin Plugin No Windows, Mac, Android, Blackberry, Android Myspace , QQ , Facebook , Twitter , Xfire , plus own protocol Astra from version 4.0, studiVZ / meinVZ / schülerVZ , LinkedIn , Foursquare from version 5.0
Trillian Pro Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Plugin Plugin No Windows, Mac, Android, Blackberry, Android Myspace , QQ , Facebook , Twitter , Xfire , plus own protocol Astra from version 4.0, studiVZ / meinVZ / schülerVZ , LinkedIn , Foursquare from version 5.0

Operating system support and license

Operating systems on which the clients run (without emulation).

Windows macOS Unix , Linux , BSD AmigaOS License
Adium No Yes No No GPL
Ayttm Yes previously unknown Yes previously unknown GPL
BitlBee Yes Yes Yes Yes GPL
Centericq Yes Yes Yes No GPL
Digsby Yes planned planned No Freeware
Empathy previously unknown previously unknown Yes previously unknown GPL
Fire No Yes No No GPL
Gizmo5 Yes Yes Yes No Proprietary
news No Yes No No Proprietary
Instantbird Yes Yes Yes No GPL
Irssi Yes Yes Yes No GPL
Jitsi Yes Yes Yes No LGPL
XMPP clients Client dependent Client dependent Client dependent Client dependent Client dependent
Kopete Yes Yes Yes No GPL
Licq No No Yes No GPL
climm Yes Yes Yes Yes GPL
Miranda IM Yes No Only with wine No GPL
Miranda NG Yes No No No GPL
Pidgin

(formerly Gaim)

Yes Yes Yes No GPL
Proteus No Yes No No GPL
Qnext Yes Yes Yes No Proprietary
QuteCom Yes Yes Yes No GPL
QutIM Yes Yes Yes No GPL
Sim-IM Yes Yes Yes No GPL
Trillian Yes Yes Beta version No Proprietary EULA
Trillian Pro Yes Yes Beta version No Proprietary EULA
Goober Yes Yes Yes No Proprietary EULA

Functions

Information about which functions the individual programs support.

Encryption File transfer graphic smileys Games changeable appearance Plug-in system external additional programs
Adium Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Ayttm Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes
BitlBee No No No No No No No
Centericq Yes part No No Yes No ?
Digsby No Yes Yes No Yes No No
Fire No ? Yes No ? ? Yes
Gizmo5 ? Yes Yes No No No ?
news via add-on Yes Yes No No No Yes
Irssi Yes part No No Yes Yes Yes
Jitsi yes (audio / video chats via ZRTP / SRTP , text messages via OTR ) Yes Yes No No Yes (but no plugins so far) No
XMPP clients Client dependent Transport-dependent Client dependent No Client dependent Client dependent No
Kopete yes, via plugin part Yes Yes part Yes Yes
Licq Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
climm Yes Yes No No Yes No No
Miranda IM Plugin Yes Plugin Plugin Plugin Yes Plugin
Miranda NG Plugin Yes Plugin Plugin Plugin Yes Plugin
Pidgin

(formerly Gaim)

via plugin part Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Proteus ? part Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Qnext No Yes Yes ? ? ? ?
QuteCom No Yes Yes ? ? ? ?
QutIM No Yes Yes No Yes Yes No
Sim-IM Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Trillian Yes part Yes via plugin Yes Yes Yes
Trillian Pro Yes part Yes via plugin Yes Yes Yes
Goober Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
  1. ↑ Plug-in system to extend the standard features or to add new ones (client or protocol).
  2. ↑ Add-ons are usually not intended by the author and are independent program parts.
  3. ^ Off-the-Record Messaging
  4. ↑ a b c d SSL-encrypted direct connection; licq , climm and Sim-IM are compatible .
  5. ↑ GnuPG
  6. ↑ a b c proprietary; only compatible with itself.

Further conference possibilities

Information about which other communication options the clients support.

Multi-user chat Audio chat Multi-person audio chat Video chat Multi-person video chat SMS (mobile) messaging
Adium part No No No No No
BitlBee Yes ( MSN , XMPP ) No No No No No
Centericq ? No No No No Yes
Digsby partly note Yes ? Yes ? No
Empathy ? Yes ? Yes ? ?
Fire ? No No No No ?
Gizmo5 Yes Yes Yes No No No
news Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Irssi yes ( IRC ) No No No No No
Jitsi Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes via XMPP service
XMPP clients Client dependent Transport & client dependent No Transport & client dependent No Transport & client dependent
Kopete part yes ( jingle ) No Yes No Yes
Miranda IM Plugin Plugin No Plugin No Plugin
Miranda NG Plugin Plugin No Plugin No Plugin
Pidgin

(formerly Gaim)

part partly (jingle, only under Linux) No partly (jingle, only under Linux) No No
Proteus ? No No No No ?
Qnext Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
QuteCom ? Yes ? Yes ? Yes
QutIM Yes No No No No No
Sim-IM ? No No No No Yes
Trillian Yes Yes No No No No
Trillian Pro Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
Goober Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Note With MSN, joining is only possible in existing multi-user chats.

Multi-protocol messenger for mobile devices

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b No more plug-in restrictions from version 4.
  2. ↑ The Mac OS X version must be compiled by yourself or installed via fink and requires Qt and KDElibs installed
  3. ↑ The Mac OS X version has to be compiled by yourself and requires an installed X server and GTK2 + .