Software Alternatives & Reviews

Pidgin VS HexChat

Compare Pidgin VS HexChat and see what are their differences

Pidgin logo Pidgin

Pidgin is an easy to use and free chat client used by millions. Connect to AIM, MSN, Yahoo, and more chat networks all at once.

HexChat logo HexChat

HexChat is a fork of XChat with bug fixes and new features.
  • Pidgin Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-13
  • HexChat Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-30

Pidgin

Categories
  • Communication
  • Group Chat & Notifications
  • Messaging
  • Instant Messaging
Website pidgin.im
Details $-

HexChat

Categories
  • Group Chat & Notifications
  • Messaging
  • Communication
  • Instant Messaging
Website hexchat.github.io
Details $

Pidgin videos

Pidgin IM Overview

More videos:

  • Review - Pidgin Review
  • Review - Pidgin IM - Instant Messenger Review

HexChat videos

Opensource Spotlight: HexChat & IRC Chat - A Geek Underground

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Pidgin and HexChat)
Communication
73 73%
27% 27
Group Chat & Notifications
Messaging
69 69%
31% 31
Instant Messaging
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Pidgin and HexChat

Pidgin Reviews

Franz Not Working ? Try These Best Franz Alternatives! [2023]
Pidgin is a well-known multi-platform, cross-platform instant messaging client that had to alter its name at the time owing to legal concerns with AOL. You can talk with users of Skype, Yahoo, ICQ, AIM, and even those in an IRC chat room via its user interface.
Source: viraltalky.com
The 7 Best Chat Apps and Clients Better Than Official Messengers
Given its many years and open-source nature, Pidgin supports a wide variety of chat networks, along with third-party plugins to enable many more. For example, there isn’t an official WhatsApp plugin, but you can get WhatsApp on Pidgin using third-party plugins.

HexChat Reviews

We have no reviews of HexChat yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Pidgin should be more popular than HexChat. It has been mentiond 15 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Pidgin mentions (15)

  • Why so rude?
    As I mentioned earlier, this scenario happens to me all the time. This is precisely why I refuse to discuss why we don't use Git or GitHub for Pidgin. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Automattic is acquiring Texts and betting big on the future of messaging
    I did a find before posting my comment and found yours. >Cool I like Wordpress. But they bought a fancy Pidgin clone for 50mil...? https://pidgin.im/. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • YOUR OPSEC SUCKS | UHQ SCHIZOID OPSEC GUIDE | BECOME BULLETPROOF
    XMPP XMPP stands for Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol and is used for communications for message-oriented middleware based on the Extensible Markup Language (XML). Many more people are starting to use this as a main way of communication using programs such as Pidgin to accomplish this. Pidgin is an open-source multi-platform IM client which most people will recommend for XMPP. The main reason is... Source: about 1 year ago
  • Messaging is no longer Android’s mess, it’s an iPhone problem: Talking RCS with Hiroshi Lockheimer
    Pidgin is still a powerful messenger client for desktop once you get all the plugins needed for your particular use. Source: about 1 year ago
  • Discord, or the Death of Lore
    I note that if you are using one of the alternative clients (like Pidgin with purple-discord), they can store local logs that you can then index and search. There is also Harmony for managing your account without touching the Discord website. Note that using unofficial Discord clients can get you banned. https://pidgin.im/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
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HexChat mentions (7)

  • getting started with IRC. I have some questions.
    Start off using HexChat for a client. You can find channels here: https://netsplit.de/channels/. Source: 10 months ago
  • DPReview.com is shutting down
    First off, grab yourself an IRC client. On their connection info page Hackint has information for both WeeChat and Hexchat, but you could use any IRC client. Source: about 1 year ago
  • IRC Chat?
    Gajim is for XMPP. For IRC you need Hexchat or Weechat or something like that. Source: about 1 year ago
  • TIFU by showing my dad the possibilities of the Internet.
    Hexchat is one of the more popular ones. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Online in the 70s, 80s, and early 90s.
    IRC - Also still around and in some cases, the same as it ever was, albeit with a smaller user base. A list of networks can be found here, and while there are many actively developed IRC clients out there, if you don't know where to start, most people recommend HexChat. Reddit's affiliated network is called Snoonet. mIRC is still actively developed by Khaled Mardam-Bey, so by all means, feel free to give that a... Source: about 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Pidgin and HexChat, you can also consider the following products

Telegram - Telegram is a messaging app with a focus on speed and security. It’s superfast, simple and free.

mIRC - mIRC: Internet Relay Chat client

Trillian - Trillian is a decentralized and federated instant messaging platform that lets your whole company send private and group messages, keep tabs on what co-workers are doing, share files, and much more.

irssi - Irssi is a terminal based IRC client for UNIX systems.

Skype - Stay in touch with your family and friends for free on Skype. Download Skype today to chat and call on desktop and mobile.

Kiwi IRC - A hand-crafted IRC client that you can enjoy. Designed to be used easily and freely.