Best self-hosted Communication - IRC software in 2026

IRC communication software.

We track 11 open-source, self-hosted Communication - IRC apps. 7 of them had commits in the last 90 days, 4 can run with Docker, and the most common licenses are GPL-2.0 (4), MIT (2), GPL-3.0 (2). The most-used languages are Nodejs, C, C++. Below are the top picks by GitHub stars, followed by every app ranked by stars weighted by maintenance health.

Top 5 by GitHub stars

#AppStarsHealthLast activityLicenseLanguageDocker
1The Lounge6.4kActive2026-10-17MITNodejs, Docker✓
2Weechat3.4kActive2026-11-09GPL-3.0C, Docker✓
3Ergo3.4kActive2026-11-09MITGo, Docker✓
4ZNC2.1kActive2026-11-08Apache-2.0C++, deb–
5InspIRCd1.4kActive2026-11-09GPL-2.0C++, Docker✓
  1. The Lounge — Web IRC client.
  2. Weechat — Fast, light and extensible chat client.
  3. Ergo — Modern IRCv3 server written in Go, combining the features of an ircd, a services framework, and a bouncer.
  4. ZNC — Advanced IRC bouncer.
  5. InspIRCd — Modular IRC server written in C++ for Linux, BSD, Windows, and macOS.

Head-to-head comparisons

Ergo vs WeechatWeechat vs ZNCErgo vs ZNCInspIRCd vs WeechatErgo vs InspIRCdInspIRCd vs ZNC

All 11 self-hosted Communication - IRC apps

Ranked by GitHub stars weighted by maintenance health.

The Lounge

Web IRC client.

Active ★ 6.4k MIT 🐳 Docker~$5/mo

Weechat

Fast, light and extensible chat client.

Active ★ 3.4k GPL-3.0 🐳 Docker~$3.5/mo

Ergo

Modern IRCv3 server written in Go, combining the features of an ircd, a services framework, and a bouncer.

Active ★ 3.4k MIT 🐳 Docker~$3.5/mo

ZNC

Advanced IRC bouncer.

Active ★ 2.1k Apache-2.0 ~$3.5/mo

InspIRCd

Modular IRC server written in C++ for Linux, BSD, Windows, and macOS.

Active ★ 1.4k GPL-2.0 🐳 Docker~$3.5/mo

ngircd

Portable and lightweight Internet Relay Chat server for small or private networks.

Active ★ 584 GPL-2.0 ~$3.5/mo

UnrealIRCd

Modular, advanced and highly configurable IRC server written in C for Linux, BSD, Windows, and macOS.

Active ★ 528 GPL-2.0 ~$3.5/mo

Kiwi IRC

Responsive web IRC client with theming support.

Maintained ★ 990 Apache-2.0 ~$5/mo

Glowing Bear

Web frontend for WeeChat.

Maintained ★ 982 GPL-3.0 ~$5/mo

Quassel IRC

Distributed IRC client, meaning that one (or multiple) client(s) can attach to and detach from a central core.

Maintained ★ 793 GPL-2.0 ~$3.5/mo

Robust IRC

IRC without netsplits. Distributed IRC server, based on RobustSession protocol.

Maintained ★ 194 BSD-3-Clause ~$3.5/mo

Frequently asked questions

What is the best self-hosted Communication - IRC software in 2026?

By GitHub stars, the most popular self-hosted Communication - IRC apps are The Lounge (6,370 stars), Weechat (3,421 stars), Ergo (3,359 stars). Popularity is only one signal: also check maintenance health, license and whether it fits your setup.

How many self-hosted Communication - IRC apps are actively maintained?

7 of the 11 apps listed had commits in the last 90 days and 4 more in the last 12 months.

Which self-hosted Communication - IRC apps can I run with Docker?

4 of the 11 apps can run with Docker; 1 publish an image on Docker Hub, including Ergo.

Which licenses do self-hosted Communication - IRC apps use?

The most common licenses in this category are GPL-2.0 (4 apps), MIT (2 apps), GPL-3.0 (2 apps).

How much does it cost to self-host Communication - IRC software?

The software itself is free to download. Based on our rough hardware estimates, the cheapest suitable VPS plan starts at about $3.5/month (median $3.5/month across apps in this category). Several light apps can share one server.

Figures from GitHub and Docker Hub as of 2026-11-15; hosting costs are rough estimates.