Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Textual VS Pidgin

Compare Textual VS Pidgin and see what are their differences

Textual logo Textual

Textual is the world's most popular application for interacting with Internet Relay Chat (IRC)...

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.
  • Textual Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-28
  • Pidgin Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-13

Textual features and specs

  • User Interface
    Textual offers a clean and modern user interface that is easy to navigate, making it user-friendly for both beginners and advanced users.
  • Customization
    The application is highly customizable, allowing users to adjust themes, plugins, and appearance settings to personalize their experience.
  • Performance
    Textual is optimized for performance, providing a smooth and responsive experience that handles large volumes of data efficiently.
  • Security
    Includes robust security features, including support for SSL, ensuring that communications are secure and private.
  • Scripting Support
    Textual supports scripting, which allows advanced users to automate tasks and customize functionality to suit their workflows.

Possible disadvantages of Textual

  • Platform Limitation
    Textual is only available for macOS, which limits its accessibility to users on other operating systems like Windows or Linux.
  • Learning Curve
    While Textual is user-friendly, some advanced features might require a learning curve for new users unfamiliar with IRC protocols.
  • Cost
    Textual is a paid application, which might be a downside for users seeking a free IRC client solution.
  • Limited Integration
    Compared to some other IRC clients, Textual may have limited integration options with third-party services and tools.

Pidgin features and specs

  • Multi-Protocol Support
    Pidgin supports a wide range of chat protocols like AIM, MSN, Google Talk, Jabber/XMPP, ICQ, and IRC, making it versatile for users who need to manage multiple accounts from different networks.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source software, Pidgin allows for transparency and extensive customization. Community contributions help in improving its features and security.
  • Cross-Platform
    Pidgin is available for multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, which makes it accessible to a broad user base.
  • Plugin Support
    Pidgin offers a plethora of plugins that extend its functionality, allowing users to add features like encryption, additional protocol support, and interface enhancements.
  • Lightweight
    Pidgin is relatively lightweight and does not consume a lot of system resources, making it ideal for users who need efficient performance.

Possible disadvantages of Pidgin

  • Outdated Interface
    The user interface of Pidgin is considered outdated by modern standards, which may not appeal to users looking for a sleek and contemporary design.
  • Limited Native Mobile Support
    Pidgin does not have robust support for mobile platforms natively, making it less convenient for users who want to synchronize their chats across mobile and desktop.
  • Security Concerns
    Because of its open-source nature, any vulnerabilities discovered are publicly available, which can be a double-edged sword regarding security.
  • Complexity in Setup
    Initial setup and configuration might be complex for non-technical users, especially those needing to set up multiple accounts and plugins.
  • Limited Support for Modern Protocols
    Pidgin may lack support for newer chat protocols and services, thus limiting users who rely on more modern communication platforms.

Textual videos

MUST HAVE TOOL for Textual Criticism or WASTE of money? Textual Commentary review! (2020 Review)

More videos:

  • Review - First Textual Experience with Aziz Ansari
  • Review - New Testament Textual Criticism

Pidgin videos

Pidgin IM Overview

More videos:

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

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Textual and Pidgin)
Group Chat & Notifications
Communication
9 9%
91% 91
Messaging
14 14%
86% 86
Social & Communications
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Textual and Pidgin. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

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

Textual Reviews

We have no reviews of Textual yet.
Be the first one to post

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.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Pidgin seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 17 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.

Textual mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Textual yet. Tracking of Textual recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Pidgin mentions (17)

  • Right to be Forgotten and Open Source
    When it comes to Right to be Forgotten we only have few places were we have user data as part of us running Pidgin. These are our mailing list archives which have been replaced by Discourse, our issue tracker, and our old developer WIKI. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • How can I forward Facebook messenger messages to email?
    I can't think of any way. There is a Facebook plugin for Pidgin, and you can get at your chats that way with a more versatile cross-platform messenger, if you are more normally on other chat services. https://pidgin.im/ https://github.com/dequis/purple-facebook/wiki If you want web-based clients, try a multi-app client such as Ferdium, RamBox or Station. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • 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 1 year 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 / over 1 year 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 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

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

mIRC - mIRC: Internet Relay Chat client

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

HexChat - HexChat is a fork of XChat with bug fixes and new features.

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.

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.