Comparison of LAN messengers

The following tables compare general and technical information for a number of LAN messengers.

General information

Basic general information about the LAN messengers: creator/company, license/price, among others.

	Protocol	Author, creator	First public release date	Latest stable version	Cost (USD)	Software license	Programming language
AChat	?	Michal Hruby	2005	beta 7 (v0.150) (January 24, 2007 (2007-01-24))	Free	GNU GPL	Delphi, C# version begun
Akeni LAN Messenger	Akeni Network Protocol	Akeni	2002	1.2.118 (May 22, 2014 (2014-05-22))	Non-free, shareware $16.95	Proprietary	C++
BigAnt Messenger	?	BigAnt	2001	2.97 (February 4, 2013 (2013-02-04))	Non-free, shareware $20.00 + server	Proprietary	?
Bopup Messenger	Bopup IM protocol	B Labs	2001	6.3.2 (October 21, 2013 (2013-10-21))	Non-free, shareware $12.90 + server (volume licensing available)	Proprietary	C++
BORGChat	?	Ionut Cioflan	2002	v1.0.0 b438 (March 31, 2007 (2007-03-31)) [±]	Free	Freeware	?
DeskAlerts	?	Softomate	2007	4.0	Non-free, commercial $1.00 + server	Proprietary	?
dMessage	?	MGI Consultants	2007	6.20 (June 20, 2010 (2010-06-20))	Non-free, shareware (6 to 20 depending on number of stations)	Proprietary	?
iChat	Bonjour IM Protocol	Apple Inc.	2003	5.0.3 (745), (April 26, 2010 (2010-04-26))	Non-free, bundled with OS	Proprietary	Likely Objective-C
iptux	Windows Messenger service	Jally, ManPT, others	2008	0.51 (November 20, 2009 (2009-11-20))	Free	GNU GPL	?
LAN Chat Enterprise	?	KGY Soft	2001	3.3, (May 29, 2007 (2007-05-29))	Non-free, shareware $12.00	Proprietary	?
LinPopUp	Windows Messenger service	Jean-Marc Jacquet	2000	1.2.0 (Debian, April 7, 2008 (2008-04-07))	Free	GNU GPL	C
Miranda IM	Windows Messenger service	Roland Rabien	2000	0.9.3	Free	GNU GPL	C/C++
Net-C	?	DGtalize	2008	0.2.0 (May 15, 2010 (2010-05-15))	Free	GNU GPL	Java
OMessenger	?	Srimax Software System	2002	6.0.43 (March 25, 2010 (2010-03-25))	Non-free, shareware $9.80	Proprietary	?
Output Messenger	XMPP	Srimax Software System	2015	1.0.64 (April 14, 2015 (2015-04-14))	Non-free, shareware $14	Proprietary	.NET
Pichat	?	Piratson Technologies	2002	0.4.2 b74 (March 31, 2011 (2011-03-31))	Free	Freeware	C++
Pidgin	?	Mark Spencer, others	1998	2.10.9 (February 2, 2014 (2014-02-02))	Free	GNU GPL	C
PopNote	?	K5HUM	2003	3.6 (July 1, 2009 (2009-07-01))	Free	Freeware	HotBasic
Qualia LAN Messenger	LAN Messenger protocol	Qualia Technologies	2010	1.2.35 (July 25, 2012 (2012-07-25))	Free	GNU GPL	C++
Softros LAN Messenger	?	Softros Systems, Inc.	2000	6.4.1 (March 23, 2015 (2015-03-23))	Non-free, shareware $12.95	Proprietary	?
Squiggle LAN Messenger	?	Overroot	2010	3.3 (March 16, 2013 (2013-03-16))	Free	Freeware	C#
TSR LAN Messenger	?	TSR Software	2012	1.1.5.124 (November 16, 2012 (2012-11-16))	Free	Proprietary	C#
Vypress Chat	Vypress Chat network protocol	VyPRESS Research, LLC	2000	2.1.8 (December 11, 2009 (2009-12-11))	Non-free, shareware $19.00	Proprietary	C/C++
Vypress Messenger	Vypress instant messaging protocol	VyPRESS Research, LLC	2000	4.0 (October 19, 2004 (2004-10-19))	Non-free, shareware $19.90	Proprietary	C/C++
WinMessenger	Windows Messenger service	VyPRESS Research, LLC	2001	2.8.04 (March 19, 2010 (2010-03-19))	Non-free, shareware $14.00	Proprietary	C/C++
Winpopup LAN Messenger	?	Fomine Software	2002	5.3 (June 18, 2008 (2008-06-18))	Non-free, shareware $14.95	Proprietary	?
LAN Messenger v3	?	Ken Ballentine (updated by Steven Cole)	2006	3.4 (May 21, 2011 (2011-05-21))	Free	Freeware	Visual Basic .NET
BeeBEEP	BeeBEEP Protocol	Marco Mastroddi	2010	2.0.3 (August 22, 2015 (2015-08-22))	Free	Freeware	C++ and Qt

Operating system support

The operating systems the messengers can run on without emulators or compatibility layers.

	Windows	OS X	Linux	BSD	Unix
AChat	Yes	No	No	No	No
Akeni LAN Messenger	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
BigAnt Messenger	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Bopup Messenger	Yes	No	No	No	No
BORGChat	Yes	No	No	No	No
DeskAlerts	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
dMessage	Yes	No	No	No	No
iChat	No	Yes	No	No	No
iptux	No	No	Yes	No	No
LAN Chat Enterprise	Yes	No	No	No	No
LinPopUp	No	No	Yes	No	No
Miranda IM	Yes	No	No	No	No
Net-C	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
OMessenger	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Output Messenger	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Pichat	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
PopNote	Yes	No	No	No	No
Qualia LAN Messenger	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Softros LAN Messenger	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Squiggle LAN Messenger	Yes	No	No	No	No
TSR LAN Messenger	Yes	No	No	No	No
Vypress Chat	Yes	No	No	No	No
Vypress Messenger	Yes	No	No	No	No
WinMessenger	Yes	No	No	No	No
Winpopup LAN Messenger	Yes	No	No	No	No
LAN Messenger v3	Yes	No	No	No	No
BeeBEEP	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Features

Information on what features each of the clients support.

	Toolkits or SDKs	Private messages	Private chat	Public chat	Message board	Encryption	File transfer	Unicode (UTF-8)	Message filtration	Graphical smileys	Message logging	Whiteboard	Terminal Service Compatibility	User base in Active Directory	Serverless (No server required)
AChat	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Akeni LAN Messenger	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
BigAnt Messenger	W32	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Bopup Messenger	W32	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
BORGChat	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
dMessage	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
iChat 1	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
iptux	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
LAN Chat Enterprise	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
LinPopUp	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
Miranda IM	?	Yes	?	?	?	?	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	Yes	?	?	?	Yes
Net-C	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes
Overroot Squiggle LAN Messenger	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	?	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
OMessenger	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Output Messenger	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Pichat	W32 + Linux	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
PopNote	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Qualia LAN Messenger	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Softros LAN Messenger	W32	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
TSR LAN Messenger	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Vypress Chat	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Vypress Messenger	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
WinMessenger	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Winpopup LAN Messenger	W32	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lan Messenger V3	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
BeeBEEP	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes

Note 1: Using Apple's Bonjour protocol

See also

• Comparison of instant messaging clients
• Comparison of instant messaging protocols
• Comparison of Internet Relay Chat clients
• LAN messenger
• Windows Messenger service
• Desktop alert