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.

ICQ alternatives ➤

What is ICQ?

ICQ is an instant messaging client and software application first developed in 1996 by the Israeli company Mirabilis. The name ICQ derives from the English phrase "I seek you." It was one of the first stand-alone instant messenger clients for personal computers that had a significant user base.

In the late 1990s, ICQ became extremely popular, particularly among young internet users. Its multi-platform compatibility and feature set including offline messaging, file transfers, chat rooms, customization options, message history, and support for sending SMS from PC to mobile phone distinguished it from competing services at the time.

Key features of ICQ over its history have included one-on-one chat, group chats, the ability to see if contacts are online and exchange offline messages, audio and video calling, stickers and custom emoticons, bots, SMS messaging from PC client, file sending up to 2GB, message push notifications, user profile and search, third-party app integration, and secure encrypted messaging.

Over its more than 25 years of operation, ICQ has gone through several owners. It is currently owned by the Russian tech company Mail.Ru Group. It has clients available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and the web. As of 2022, it remains popular particularly in Russia and many Eastern European countries.

Official Links

Official Website
www.icq.com

The Best ICQ Alternatives

Top Apps like ICQ

WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Plus Messenger, Pidgin, Viber, Tox, Zulip, XendApp, Meebo, MyChat, Palxup, Miranda NG, Escargot, Conversations, Libon, Digsby, Instantbird, SimpleX Chat, Yoono, STAGE by vr-on, BitlBee, OpenWhatsapp, Hiboo, OctroTalk, qutIM, LiveProfile are some alternatives to ICQ.

Sugggest an alternative ❐

WhatsApp is a freeware, cross-platform centralized instant messaging (IM) and voice over IP (VoIP) service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to send text messages, voice messages, video calls, images, documents, and user location for free over an internet data connection.Originally launched in 2009, WhatsApp was acquired by Facebook...

Telegram is a popular cloud-based instant messaging and voice over IP service launched in 2013 by Pavel Durov and Nikolai Durov. It emphasizes security and speed over other messaging applications. Some key features of Telegram include:End-to-end encrypted messaging, video calls, group chats, file sharing etc.Sync across multiple devices like...

Signal

Signal is a free, open source software application for iOS, Android, and Desktop that employs end-to-end encryption, allowing users to send end-to-end encrypted group, text, picture, and audio & video messages, and have encrypted phone conversations between Signal users.First released in July 2014, Signal is developed by the Signal Foundation...

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger is a messaging app and platform developed by Facebook. It was originally built into the Facebook app but was spun off into its own separate app in 2014.Messenger allows Facebook users to send messages, photos, videos, make voice and video calls, and more to contacts. Some key features...

Skype

Skype is a telecommunications software application that specializes in providing video chat and voice calls between computers, tablets, mobile devices, the Xbox One console, and smartwatches via the Internet. Skype also provides instant messaging services. Users may transmit text, video, audio and images.Skype was first released in August 2003. eBay...

Plus Messenger

Plus Messenger is an open-source ad-free messaging app for Android. It was created as an alternative option that emphasizes privacy and security in messaging.Some of the key features of Plus Messenger include:End-to-end encryption for secure messaging. Messages can only be read by the sender and recipient.No monetization...

Pidgin

Pidgin is a popular open source chat application used primarily for instant messaging. It supports multiple mainstream chat protocols and accounts including AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, XMPP/Jabber, IRC, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, Novell GroupWise, Lotus Sametime, Zephyr, and more. This allows users to manage all of their instant messaging accounts and...

Viber

Viber is a popular cross-platform voice over IP and instant messaging app. It allows users to send free text messages, photos, videos and make free calls to other Viber users on various platforms including Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Mac OS, Linux and Microsoft Windows.Some key features of Viber include...

Tox

Tox is an open-source, peer-to-peer instant messaging and video calling platform that focuses on privacy and security. It provides end-to-end encryption for chats and calls to ensure user data remains private.Unlike many other messaging apps, Tox does not rely on central servers - it uses a distributed network where...

Zulip

Zulip is an open-source team chat application developed by Zulip, Inc. It brings conversations from different channels into one easy-to-follow flow, allowing you to keep up with multiple ongoing discussions simultaneously via threads.Some key features of Zulip include:Public and private streams for organizing conversationsThreaded messaging to trace conversations...

XendApp

XendApp is a low-code application platform that enables rapid development of cloud-native business apps. It features a intuitive drag-and-drop interface to assemble applications using pre-built components, integrations, and templates.Key capabilities and benefits of XendApp include:Visual app builder with drag-and-drop interface to quickly build apps without codingExtensive library of...

Meebo

Meebo was a popular web-based instant messaging platform launched in 2005. It enabled users to access multiple instant messaging accounts and networks through a single, unified web interface. Meebo supported major IM services and communities such as AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), Yahoo! Messenger, MSN Messenger (later Windows Live Messenger), Google Talk...

MyChat

MyChat is a free, open-source, and secure messaging app available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. It provides end-to-end encryption for messages, voice calls and video calls between users.Some key features of MyChat include:End-to-end encryption - Messages, voice calls and video calls are secured with industry standard...

Palxup

Palxup is a free cloud storage platform that allows individuals and teams to store, access, manage, and share files online. It provides secure and convenient file storage along with collaboration features to help teams work together effectively.Some of the key features of Palxup include:Store any type of file...

Miranda NG

Miranda NG is a free, open source multi-protocol instant messaging client for the Microsoft Windows operating system. It is designed to be very light-weight and customizable, while still offering a rich feature set out of the box. Miranda NG is a continuation and revival of the original Miranda IM project...

Escargot

Escargot is an open-source JavaScript engine written in C++. It is developed by Samsung as part of their Tizen project and aimed at embedding into resource-constrained devices.Key features of Escargot include:Lightweight and optimized for low memory usageHigh performance through just-in-time compilationFull ECMA-262 ECMAScript language supportWritten in C++ and...

Conversations

Conversations is an open source, encrypted instant messaging client for Android. It enables secure communication by implementing the Off-the-Record encryption protocol and the Tor anonymity network to prevent eavesdropping and surveillance.Some key features of Conversations include:End-to-end encryption using OMEMO to keep chats, group chats, calls and file transfers...

Libon

Libon is a free voice over IP (VoIP) and instant messaging application developed by Orange. It allows users to make free phone calls, send instant message chats, and share photos and locations with other Libon users.Some key features of Libon include:Free calls and messaging between Libon app usersLow-cost...

Digsby

Digsby is a feature-rich multiprotocol instant messaging client developed by DotSyntax Media that allows users to connect and chat with friends across various popular chat networks and communities including AIM, Facebook, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber, MSN, MySpaceIM, QQ, Yahoo and more.It comes with an easy-to-use and customizable interface that...

Instantbird

Instantbird is a free, open source instant messaging client developed by the Mozilla community. It allows you to connect to various chat networks and services such as XMPP/Jabber, IRC, Twitter and Facebook Chat in one interface.Some of the key features of Instantbird include:Support for all major chat...

SimpleX Chat

SimpleX Chat is a free, open source instant messaging application allowing users to have secure text, voice and video chats without disclosing their personal phone numbers or any other sensitive contact information.With SimpleX, users can register with just a username and password. Their phone numbers or other personal details...

Yoono

Yoono is a browser extension available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera that aims to enhance the web browsing and research experience. It works by augmenting web pages with additional contextual information, recommendations, and functionality.Some of the key features Yoono offers include:Article Recommendations - Yoono will recommend related...

STAGE by vr-on

STAGE by vr-on is a powerful virtual reality creation tool designed for easily building immersive 3D environments and experiences. With an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, creators can rapidly construct detailed VR scenes without needing to know how to code.Key features of STAGE include:Import 3D models from popular formats like...

BitlBee

BitlBee is an open source instant messaging gateway and server designed to bridge chat networks and standard IRC clients. Rather than connecting directly to chat services like AIM, ICQ, XMPP/Jabber, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, and others, BitlBee opens a local IRC server that handles the chat traffic.This allows...

OpenWhatsapp

OpenWhatsapp is an open-source alternative to WhatsApp messenger that focuses on privacy and security. It provides end-to-end encryption for messages and calls to keep user data safe.Some key features of OpenWhatsapp include:Ad-free messaging with no user trackingEncrypted group chats with up to 256 participantsMake free, high-quality voice and video...

Hiboo

Hiboo is a versatile web annotation and collaboration platform designed for teams who need to discuss web pages, documents, images, and other content. With Hiboo, users can highlight, annotate, comment on, and assign tasks related to content they view in the browser.Some key features of Hiboo include:Real-time collaboration...

OctroTalk

OctroTalk is a business communication and collaboration platform that enables teams to connect through voice, video and text chat. It provides a secure and unified solution for team messaging, video conferencing, calling, screen sharing, file sharing and more.Key features of OctroTalk include:1-on-1 and group chat rooms for effective...

QutIM

qutIM is a free and open-source instant messaging client originally developed for Linux operating systems. It supports multiple popular IM protocols and services including ICQ, XMPP (Jabber), Mail.Ru Agent, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, VKontakte (VK) and others.Some key features of qutIM include:Support for many different IM networks and...

LiveProfile

LiveProfile is a user research platform designed to help product teams conduct effective remote user research. It provides an end-to-end solution for activities like user interviews, usability testing, card sorting, and surveys.With LiveProfile, you can:Recruit participants that match your target user profiles from their integrated panel of over...