17 open-source apps
Best self-hosted IRC & XMPP apps
IRC and XMPP servers, bouncers and web clients. Open, federated chat protocols you can host for a community or company.
The most popular self-hosted apps for IRC & XMPP on GitHub are ejabberd, The Lounge and Weechat, ranked by stars below.
Ranked by GitHub stars
All 17 IRC & XMPP apps
ejabberd
processone/ejabberd
XMPP instant messaging server.
IRC & XMPPErlangDockerThe Lounge
thelounge/thelounge
Self-hosted web IRC client.
IRC & XMPPTypeScriptDockerWeechat
weechat/weechat
Fast, light and extensible chat client.
IRC & XMPPCDockerErgo
ergochat/ergo
Modern IRCv3 server written in Go, combining the features of an ircd, a services framework, and a bouncer.
IRC & XMPPGoDockerConverse.js
conversejs/converse.js
XMPP chat client in your browser.
IRC & XMPPJavaScriptOpenfire
igniterealtime/Openfire
Real time collaboration (RTC) server.
IRC & XMPPJavaZNC
znc/znc
Advanced IRC bouncer.
IRC & XMPPC++MongooseIM
esl/MongooseIM
Mobile messaging platform with a focus on performance and scalability.
IRC & XMPPErlangDockerInspIRCd
inspircd/inspircd
Modular IRC server written in C++ for Linux, BSD, Windows, and macOS.
IRC & XMPPC++DockerKiwi IRC
kiwiirc/kiwiirc
Responsive web IRC client with theming support.
IRC & XMPPVueGlowing Bear
glowing-bear/glowing-bear
A web frontend for WeeChat.
IRC & XMPPJavaScriptQuassel IRC
quassel/quassel
Distributed IRC client, meaning that one (or multiple) client(s) can attach to and detach from a central core.
IRC & XMPPC++ngircd
ngircd/ngircd
Portable and lightweight Internet Relay Chat server for small or private networks.
IRC & XMPPCUnrealIRCd
unrealircd/unrealircd
Modular, advanced and highly configurable IRC server written in C for Linux, BSD, Windows, and macOS.
IRC & XMPPCSnikket
snikket-im/snikket-server
All-in-one Dockerized easy XMPP solution, including web admin and clients.
IRC & XMPPLuaDockerTigase
tigase/tigase-server
XMPP server implementation in Java.
IRC & XMPPJavaRobust IRC
robustirc/robustirc
IRC without netsplits. Distributed IRC server, based on RobustSession protocol.
IRC & XMPPGo
What is the best self-hosted app for IRC & XMPP?
By GitHub stars, ejabberd is the most popular self-hosted app for IRC & XMPP with 6,736 stars, followed by The Lounge and Weechat. The best fit depends on your needs, so compare Docker support, license and recent activity on each app page.
Are these IRC & XMPP apps free?
Yes. All 17 apps in this category are open source and free to run on your own server. A few also offer a paid hosted plan or enterprise add-ons, but self-hosting the open-source edition costs nothing beyond your hardware.
How do I install a self-hosted IRC & XMPP app?
7 of the 17 apps here ship a Docker image, which is the easiest route: rent a small VPS or use a home server, install Docker, and start the app with its Docker Compose file. Apps without an image list their native install steps in the README.
Which IRC & XMPP apps are most actively developed?
Measured by commits in the last twelve months, the most active projects are Openfire (1,026 commits), MongooseIM (966 commits) and Weechat (639 commits). Active development usually means faster bug fixes and security patches.