6 Best Free Open Source IRC Client Software For Windows

Here is a list of best free open source IRC client software for Windows. IRC or Internet Relay Chat is a protocol that facilitates communication in the form of text over the internet. You can find many free IRC client software over the internet easily. Although, if you are looking for open source IRC clients then check out this list. This list contains many open source IRC clients that are completely free. Plus, users can also download and edit their source codes without any restrictions.

Through these clients, users can easily connect to various IRC servers like Freenode, EsprNet, GameSurge, etc. The process to connect to a server is also quite simple as users just need to provide their username and password (optional) to connect to a server. After the successful connection, users can view all the channels of the connected server in most software. Now, users can select a channel and initiate the chat with channel members. Through some software, users can also conduct private chats. Unlike traditional IRC client software, some software also lets users use emojis in their chats. Apart from chat, users can also send and receive files over these clients.

Some IRC clients also facilitate users to connect with other chat services like Google Talk, GroupWise Messenger, Lotus Sametime, and more. Go through the list to know more about these open source IRC software,

My Favorite Open Source IRC Client Software For Windows:

HexChat is my favorite software because it offers all the essential IRC server connection, channel addition, and chat features. Plus, it also allows users to send and receive files over the IRC servers.

You can also check out lists of best free Open Source VPN Client, Open Source SIP Client, and Open Source FTP Client software for Windows.

HexChat

HexChat is a free open source IRC client software for Windows. This software is based on the XChat IRC client. Although, it is completely free, unlike XChat. Through this software users can join existing IRC servers and channels and start chatting with friends and family. It also helps users search channels and servers from thousands of available ones. Now, check out the main features of this IRC client.

Main Features:

• Network List: Using this section, users can browse all the available networks or servers with which they can join. After selecting a network, users just need to press the Add button to add a network to their HeXChat client. Similarly, users can search and add many other servers to HexChat.
• Channel List: This option shows all the channels present in a selected server with their description. After selecting a channel just press the Join Channel button to save it to your HexChat client.
• Chat Box: After joining a channel, users can start chatting with existing members of the channels.
• Server and Channel Switcher: This software shows all the added channels and servers on the left panel between which users can easily switch.
• File Transfer: This software also allows users to send and receive files.

Final Thoughts:

It is one of the best free open source IRC client software through which users can connect to various channels and servers and chat with multiple users.

IceChat

IceChat is another free open source IRC client software for Windows. Using this software, users can connect to various servers and channels. Although, by default, this software only connects with quakenet and freenode IRC servers. Let’s take a brief look at the main features of this software.

Main Features:

• Quick Connect: Using it, users can connect to a specific channel of an IRC server. To do that, users need to specify their username, server name, and channel name.
• Multi Tab Interface: The multi-tab interface of this software allows users to simultaneously chat on multiple channels of the same or different IRC servers.
• Emojis Support: Unlike most other similar software, it also supports and emojis and allows users to import more emoji packages.
• Color Settings: Using color settings, you can easily specify colors to different features and services like New Message, New Action, Channel Join, Server Quit, etc.
• Favorite Server and Channel Panels: Users can view all their favorite channels and servers on server and channel panels.
• Chat Area: This software offers a simple area in which you can view recently send and received messages.

Additional Features:

• IceChat Editor: This section offers various traditional chat aliases that users can edit such as /op /mode # +o $1, /j /join $1 $2, etc.

Final Thoughts:

It is another good open source IRC client software that offers all the essential features to chat over the IRC servers and channels.

Nettalk

Nettalk is another free open source IRC client software for Windows. Through this software, you can easily join IRC servers and start chatting with friends and members of the joined channel. By default, this software is connected to a Nettalk server. Users can later join other servers and their channels according to their requirements. Now, check out the main features of this software.

Main Features:

• Server: In this tab, you can view the names of all the saved servers. To add new servers, you need to right-click over the server tab and select the New option. After that, specify the server name and press Next to connect with the server. In some servers, you need to again specify your nickname.
• Server Tabs: This software creates a tab of added servers. By going to a server tab, you can select all the channels present on that server. By double-clicking over a channel name, you can use that channel and send messages through that channel.
• Rooms: In this section, you can view various existing chat rooms of added servers.
• Friends: Use it to view the names of all your friends.
• Send File Over DCC: It is another important feature through which users can send files, documents, data, etc., to their friends with ease.

Final Thoughts:

It is another capable open source IRC client software through which you can easily chat with your friends using IRC servers.

XChat

XChat is another free open source IRC client software for Windows and Linux. Through this software, you can join multiple channels at a time and also perform one on one private chats. Now, take a look at the main features of this open source IRC client.

Main Features:

• Servers: In this software, users can add all their favorite IRC servers with which they can connect to any time.
• Channels: After adding servers to this software, users can search from channels from the Channel list. After selecting a channel, just connect to it to start the chatting. Users can also connect to a specific channel by providing the channel name in the Join Channel section.
• Commands: This software provides various commands that users can use to quickly perform various actions like Leave, Serve Help, UP Mode, Up Time, etc.
• Multiple Tabs: This software displays all the added channels of selected servers in the form of tabs between which users can easily switch and chat with other users.
• Direct Chat: Use it to perform one on one private chats.
• File Transfers: As its name suggests, it is used to send and receive files and data.

Additional Features:

• Plugins and Scripts: In this software, users can also add plugins and scripts to add new features to this software.
• Save Text: Use it to save text chats locally in the form of TXT file format.

Limitation:

• This software is completely free for a limited period of time.

Final Thoughts:

It is another good open source IRC client software that offers a good set of IRC chat and file transfer features.

Smuxi

Smuxi is yet another free open source IRC client software for Windows, Linux, macOS, Fedora, FreeBSD, and more. It is a unified chat service through which users can chat over IRC servers, Google Talk, Jabber / XMPP, Campfire, etc., chatting platforms. Now, check out its main features.

Main Features:

• Server: It offers many chat servers through which users can instantly connect. However, it also lets you add additional servers by providing server names.
• Channels: After connecting to a server, users can view all its channels on the right-side panel with which they can easily connect and initiate the chat with channel members.
• Protocol: Using the protocol menu, you can connect to Facebook, Twitter, Google talk, etc., servers by providing the correct user name and password. After that, a separate tab of the added server will show n its interface through which you can communicate with your friends on Facebook, Google Talk, etc.
• GNOME Notification Support: Using it, users can enable notification so that you will get a desktop notification when you receive any message on Smuxi.

Final Thoughts:

It is another good open source IRC client software through which you can easily communicate with your friends over IRC, Google Talk, Facebook, etc., servers.

Pidgin

Pidgin is a free open source chat program that can also be used as an open-source IRC software. It works on Windows, macOS, Linux, and, FreeBSD. This software not only supports IRC network, but also supports Jabber/XMPP, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, GroupWise Messenger, Lotus Sametime, SILC, SIMPLE, and more. Let’s take a brief look at the primary features of this software.

Main Features:

• IRC Features: After launching this software, you need to select IRC from the Protocol menu and then specify your username to connect to the IRC network. Now, users can easily add multiple servers and add channels present on them to perform the chat. Besides this, it lets users change the chat text font and send smiley with IRC messages.
•  Other Protocols: Similar to IRC, users can also select and connect to AIM, Bonjour, ICQ, SILC, etc., networks. In the case of most other protocols, you need to enter the correct username and password of the selected protocol or service.
• Multi-Window interface: If users are connected with multiple protocols at a time, then they get multiple windows for each protocol or service. That means users can chat on multiple different chat services at a time.

Final Thoughts:

It is another good open source IRC software that can also be used to chat on other chat services.