ICQ vs Instantbird

Struggling to choose between ICQ and Instantbird? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

ICQ is a Social & Communications solution with tags like messaging, chat, video-call, voice-call, file-transfer.

It boasts features such as Instant messaging, Voice and video calls, Group chats, File transfers, Offline messaging and pros including Cross-platform availability, Easy to use interface, Large user base, Free basic version available.

On the other hand, Instantbird is a Social & Communications product tagged with opensource, multiprotocol, lightweight, customizable.

Its standout features include Multi-protocol support (XMPP/Jabber, IRC, Twitter, Facebook Chat), Lightweight and customizable UI, Tabbed conversations, Message logging, Notification sounds and icons, Spell checking, Add-ons and themes support, and it shines with pros like Open source and free, Low resource usage, Supports many popular chat protocols, Highly customizable.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

ICQ

ICQ

ICQ is an instant messaging client and software that was first released in 1996. It became popular in the late 1990s as one of the first multi-platform instant messaging clients. Key features of ICQ include one-on-one and group text chats, voice and video calls, offline messaging, and file transfers.

Categories:
Social & Communications Instant Messaging
messaging chat video-call voice-call file-transfer

ICQ Features

  1. Instant messaging
  2. Voice and video calls
  3. Group chats
  4. File transfers
  5. Offline messaging

Pricing

  • Freemium
  • Subscription-Based

Pros

Cross-platform availability

Easy to use interface

Large user base

Free basic version available

Cons

Limited features in free version

Privacy concerns

Ads in free version

Instantbird

Instantbird

Instantbird is an open-source instant messaging client that supports popular chat protocols like XMPP/Jabber, IRC, Twitter and Facebook Chat. It is based on Mozilla technology and aims to be a lightweight and customizable alternative to larger IM clients.

Categories:
Social & Communications Instant Messaging
opensource multiprotocol lightweight customizable

Instantbird Features

  1. Multi-protocol support (XMPP/Jabber, IRC, Twitter, Facebook Chat)
  2. Lightweight and customizable UI
  3. Tabbed conversations
  4. Message logging
  5. Notification sounds and icons
  6. Spell checking
  7. Add-ons and themes support

Pricing

  • Open Source
  • Free

Pros

Open source and free

Low resource usage

Supports many popular chat protocols

Highly customizable

Cons

Smaller user base than larger IM clients

Limited native mobile app support

Development seems stalled recently