Best Free Instant Messaging Client
If you're like me, then you probably have friends and family using a variety of IM networks. One way to talk with people on each one of these networks, is to open an account for each and then download and install each IM client on your computer.
However, running four different IM applications on your computer uses a lot of system resources, is difficult to manage, and broadens your attack surface. Therefore, I would recommend using a multi-protocol IM client. These applications not only allow you to connect to multiple IM networks, but they are also advertisement free, more secure, and have features that allow you to easily manage your various IM accounts.
For many Pidgin (formerly Gaim) would be the first choice. It supports AIM, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, IRC, Jabber, Gadu-Gadu, and Zephyr IM networks and is available for multiple platform as as well. It's a solid choice but it's not my cup of tea. I've found it resource heavy and the interface confusing though I must admit the customizability though Guifications is an attractive feature.
Trillian Basic is easier to use than Pidgin, is less resource greedy and easier on the eye as well . It supports the AIM, ICQ, IRC, MSN, and Yahoo networks.
If your looking to use multi-protocol IM networks without downloading any sofware clients, then you best choice would be Meebo. With Meebo you can log in to any of your IM networks, including: AIM, Yahoo, Google, MSN, ICQ, Jabber & Meebo, all available on one page. This is a great choice if your using another computer that is not yours and you don't wish to or can't download and install additonal IM software. With it's vast extra language support, it adds alot of flexiability. I've used it many times, and can't complain!
Now, if you're a power user and want support for more networks and the ability to add features via plug-ins, then definitely check out Miranda Instant Messenger. In addition to the networks supported by Trillian, it has native support for Gadu-Gadu and Jabber (it also will connect to the Google Talk network with a little plug-in tweaking). Its interface is minimalist, but the application is very extensible through the use of plug-ins.
Recently I discovered Digsby, a feature rich IM client released early in 2008. It has a very nice customizable interface. It may seem a bit humorous and juvenile in the beginning due to the icon that represents the Digsby client(Basically a little Egg with a cap and clothing). Once you get past that, you should start to enjoy the smooth look, extra options and extra social networks you can connect to, such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. The downside is the lack of connection to IRC and Gadu-Gadu, although that may change eventually.
It was a hard choice between Miranda and Digsby. With Miranda you have less memory resources being used and connection to the networks that were missing in Digsby. The plug-ins available are a nice extra for configuring. I see Miranda being used more in a corporate or business environment, or with older compuer systems, where memory may be an issue. Miranda seems best for those wanting just the basics of multi-network Instant Messaging. With Digsby you get a nice look, extra configuration options and social networks you can connect to as mentioned earlier. This client is really made for the casual/home user, who desires asthetics over simplicity. Digsby does have a bit more memory requirement compared to Miranda.
In in the end, Digsby has won me over for the time being. I was a big user of Trillian, Pidgin and Miranda before. Once I tried Digsby, I was strangely attracted to it. Maybe it was the little egg icon representative that did the trick, i'll never know. Digsby is currently my IM client of choice.
Website: http://www.pidgin.im/
Download link: http://pidgin.im/download/
Author: Various
Current version: 2.5.0
Version date: May 17, 2008
License: Free
Download File size: 10.8 MB
Operating Systems Supported: 95/98/NT/2000/ME/2003/XP/Vista/Linux/Mac OSX
Additional Software Required: Mac OSX use will need to install an X server and GTK+
64 Bit Capable: No
Portable Version Available: Yes - Avalible Here
Non-English languages supported: No
Other relevant information: Plugins available, see below.
Guifications
Website: http://plugins.guifications.org/trac
Download link: http://plugins.guifications.org/trac/downloads
Author: Various
Current version: Various
Version date: Various
License: Free
Download File size: Various
Operating Systems Supported: 95/98/NT/ME/2000/XP/Linux
Additional Software Required: Pidgin
64 Bit Capable: No
Portable Version Available: No
Non-English languages supported: No
Other relevant information: These are Plugins for the Pidgin application.
Website:http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/learn/
Download link: http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/downloads/
Author: Kevin Kurtz and Scott Werndorfer
Current version: 3.1.11.0
Version date: October 3, 2008
License: Free
Download File size: 8.73 MB
Operating Systems Supported: 95/98/NT/ME/2000/XP
Additional Software Required: No
64 Bit Capable: No
Portable Version Available: No
Non-English languages supported: No
Other relevant information: Plugins available for Trillian Pro version only, which is the paid version.
Website: http://www.meebo.com/
Download link: Web Based
Author: Various, See: http://www.meebo.com/team/
Current version: N/A
Version date: N/A
License: Free
Download File size: N/A
Operating Systems Supported: Browser Based
Additional Software Required: No
64 Bit Capable: Yes, Browser Based
Portable Version Available: Yes,Browser Based
Non-English languages supported: Yes-Many, Many languages available
Website: http://www.miranda-im.org/
Download link: http://www.miranda-im.org/download/
Author: http://www.miranda-im.org/about/
Current version: 0.7.8
Version date: June 2, 2008
License: Free
Download File size: 1.45 MB
Operating Systems Supported: 95/98/NT/ME/2000/XP/Vista
Additional Software Required: No
64 Bit Capable: No
Portable Version Available: Yes - Avalible Here
Non-English languages supported: No
Other relevant information: Plugins available.
Website: http://www.digsby.com/
Download link: http://www.digsby.com/
Author: Steven Shapiro
Current version: Build 14361
Version date: January 2008
License: Free
Download File size: 17.4 MB
Operating Systems Supported: 95/98/NT/ME/2000/XP/Vista/MacOSX/Linux
Additional Software Required: No
64 Bit Capable: No
Portable Version Available: No
Non-English languages supported: No
Other relevant information:
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After reading your latest round of IM reviews, I switched from Pidgin to Digsby. I like the client OK - my issue is simply reliability. It displays in the task bar as if it's loaded...then I come to discover that it's hosed and has to be closed as a process in Task Manager.
After two such problems, I'm switching back to Pidgin next time, and I'm sure there will be a next time. Pidgin is reliable. This client is not ready for prime time. Use it if you like to dabble, but don't depend on it.
I have been using Digsby from quite some time and never had the problems like u are having. I recommend u download the latest build of Digsby from filhippo.com. They keep updating Digsby continously. U can also post about the problems in their forum and they will resolve it soon, or give u an answer.
Anupam Shriwatri, India
Forgot to add that it's hosed as in:
- No right-click menu in tray
- Left-click on tray icon opens Digsby to show "Connecting" for all accts and then freezes
- Reboot didn't fix - had to manually download and install a new version (NOTE: I do install each new version when Digsby notes one is available but I do not use DEV versions.)
It's a client worth watching, but it's not very usable, IMHO.
I haven't noticed any crashing behavior such as what you are discribing. Pidgin is great also, with all the plugins......right now i'm with Digsby. Hope you give Digsby a try once it's stable for you.
Hi Edward,
Take a look at Meglobe, it is instant messaging with a twist. Along with the regular features you'd find in an instant messaging client it performs real time language translations to IM messages. It supports 15 different languages and also has chat rooms that also incorporate the translation feature. http://meglobe.com
Jose
That's a new one to me Jose, I'll check it out!
Thanks,
Try the QIP http://qip.ru/en/ - lightweight and very handy ICQ-client.
The QIP itself is ICQ-only, but QIP Infium (currently beta, but very stable) is multiprotocol.
Miranda IM has a plugin for Webcam support but I believe currently it only works if the other person also has the same plugin for Miranda. Digsby on the other hand has webcam that worked perfectly for me for both MSN/Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo with audio also working fine. With Pidgin not supporting webcam any time soon and aMSN only being a single protocol client Digsby gets my vote right there.
I tried many of these but always went back to Trillian. Now I'm hooked on Digsby, and their upcoming version (I'm using the dev builds) has vast improvements in GUI responsiveness and memory usage, with more improvements planned for the release after this one.
Another vote for meebo! Use it in Firefox with the Meebo add-on that gives you alerts.
Pidgin has many plugins available including built in support for what used to be the Meanwhile plugin which provides Lotus Notes Sametime connectivity. I tried Miranda for a while, but I found it way too unstable on my PC (Windows XP Pro). If Digsby has a Sametime capability I would take a look, otherwise it just has no value to me. One thing not immediately obvious to many people, I don't think Miranda did it and of course I don't know about anything else - Pidgin also allows you to have multiple accounts open simultaneously, more specifically, multiple accounts in the same place. I can have every one of my Google accounts logged in simultaneously. Don't ask why, I have a few. :-) And if I get bored and lonely, I can talk to myself from one account to another, but I have not yet found the need to do that, fortunately.
Amarillier,
With Digsby you can have multiple account of the same network. You can also do this with Miranda with some configurations. I like Samtime also for local network chat.
Thanks,
With Digsby, you can open multiple accounts of one protocol too. So try it out :). I have used it myself.
Have any of you guys used meebo? It's very good alternative for those who are between computers. It supports google talk, yahoo, AIM, ICQ, msn, & Jabber. If you get a (free) account with them, you can log history. For an online app this is rather good I'd say. I think it deserves honorable mention here at least.
I can't believe meebo was not mentioned in this article! It is by far the best IM client out there!
I will add meebo! I was focusing on "downloadable" IM clients. Meebo is great when you don't desire to download any software!
Thanks,
Meebo is definitely the way to go, if you're not fixed to one specific machine with admin rights.
Do any of these support webcam? Without me downloading each one and trying them? :)
Digsby supports audio chat, and also has webcam support. Although i still havent used them still, as my HDD crashed and i am using an old one from quite some while... but i can see the video chat icon on the chat window, and i am sure that audio chat and webcam will work.
I have been using Digsby for quite a while, and i love it. It looks good, and it has almost all the features a messenger should have.
You can open multiple accounts at same time. Even multiple accounts of same protocol. And it can also check mail.
Digsby is one multi-messenger program worth trying out. You just cant move away from it once u tried it.
I'm in the same boat. I hate having to keep Yahoo!IM loaded *just* for the webcam support. Do any of the alternative clients support webcam in Yahoo or MSN?
hy im meg. im new to this. whats your name?
I have to say I like Trillian Pro the best, for several reasons: I log into Yahoo, MSN, AIM, and Jabber, so I need those four. I need a good logging system that dumps them into individual files per contact (I save them at the end of each day so I have separate log files per day's convos). I also love the simple beautiful blue theme; I prefer simplicity with themes, and blue is a favorite color. Trillian just feels the best to me. I also like its Metacontact system, the ability to tab or not tab conversations as I like, and the history aspect, where it'll show the last so many lines of the conversation grayed out in a re-opened conversation window.
None of the others do the logging correctly, afaik, and I didn't like the looks of either Miranda or Pidgin (both of which I tried).
I love Digsby!
I've not tried Digsby yet. I was a long time Trillian Basic user, before switching to Pidgin. Pidgin rocks for me - can even do Skype with the help of a (free) plugin.
To the maintainer of this category : the link to Trillian Basic website is directing to guification sourceforge page instead.
I really like Digsby, after using Pidgin and Yahoo Messenger for some time, my favorite definitely is Digsby. Sure, it's rather heavy on resources, but if you got the spec for it and try it once, you'll never look back.
The trillian link has been fixed. Thanks
Thanks keroffs!
I know two messengers that work only for Yahoo!. I don't know if you've heard of them, but they are YahElite and Y!mLite. YahElite is supper light.
After reading about YahElite and Y!mlite , i searched for them and found two more clients while i was browsing. They are YaZak and Yahaven. I tried both of them, and liked both of them too. They are a nice alternative to yahoo messenger. And they present the yahoo chat in a irc-like style. Thanks for telling about them.
Thanks for the information. Those two look like a good alternative to the standard Yahoo client.
Thanks,
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