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Free Textual alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

5 of the 5 Textual alternatives we track can be used for free (free, open source, or with a free plan). Element, Discord and Halloy rank highest, with facts last verified Nov 8, 2026.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Element logoElementOpen source—YesWeb, Windows, macOS +44 of 463.2
2Discord logoDiscordFree plan + paid$2.99 a month (Nitro Basic)NoWeb, Windows, macOS +36 of 659.4
3Halloy logoHalloyOpen source—YesmacOS, Windows, Linux5 of 550.0
4Zulip logoZulipOpen source—YesWeb, Windows, macOS +42 of 349.9
5KVIrc logoKVIrcOpen source—YesWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 449.0
  1. Element logo

    1. ElementTop pick

    Best for: Communities and organisations that want open, federated, encrypted chat they can run themselves

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    63.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Textual

    Matrix client with open, federated rooms, where many open-source communities moved from IRC channels.

    Pros

    • Federated: talk across servers, or host your own
    • Encrypted by default for private chats
    • Open source, with bridges to other networks

    Cons

    • More complex than mainstream messengers
    • Key backup and device verification confuse newcomers
    • Self-hosting a homeserver takes real admin work
    Visit Element Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.332
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Element a good Textual alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Free community edition
    Checked Nov 8, 2026element.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise pricing
    Per seat/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026element.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Certification
    ISO/IEC 27001:2022
    Checked Nov 8, 2026element.io(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Discord logo

    2. Discord

    Best for: Communities that want free voice and text chat

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    59.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from Textual

    Where many communities that left IRC now gather, with voice, video and free cross-platform apps.

    Pros

    • Free with unlimited history
    • Excellent voice channels
    • Rich roles, bots and moderation

    Cons

    • Not built for enterprise compliance
    • Consumer-style interface for work
    Visit Discord Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Discord a good Textual alternative?

    Verified facts

    6 of 6 verified
    Price
    Free; optional Nitro subscription
    Checked Nov 8, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Voice channels
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Web, desktop, mobile
    Checked Nov 8, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $2.99 a month (Nitro Basic)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Nitro plan
    $9.99 a month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Nitro Basic plan
    $2.99/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Halloy logo

    3. Halloy

    Best for: People who want a fast, modern graphical IRC client with strong IRCv3 support on any desktop

    Open sourcemacOS, Windows, Linux

    50.0

    score / 100

    Why switch from Textual

    Free, open-source IRC client for macOS, Windows and Linux with a modern interface and IRCv3 support.

    Pros

    • Native app on macOS, Windows and Linux
    • Wide IRCv3 support, including chat history and read markers
    • Works with soju and ZNC bouncers
    • Free and open source

    Cons

    • Configuration is done by editing a TOML file
    • No scripting language like mIRC or WeeChat
    • No mobile app
    Visit Halloy Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.338
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Halloy a good Textual alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Platforms
    macOS, Windows, Linux
    Checked Nov 8, 2026halloy.chat(opens source in a new tab)
    Built with
    Rust and iced
    Checked Nov 8, 2026halloy.chat(opens source in a new tab)
    Configuration
    config.toml file
    Checked Nov 8, 2026halloy.chat(opens source in a new tab)
    IRCv3
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026halloy.chat(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    GPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 30, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Zulip logo

    4. Zulip

    Best for: Distributed teams that work asynchronously across time zones

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    49.9

    score / 100

    Why switch from Textual

    Open-source chat with topic-based threads, adopted by a number of projects that used to coordinate on IRC.

    Pros

    • Topic threads keep chat organized
    • Open source and self-hostable
    • Great for async work

    Cons

    • Topic model takes getting used to
    • Fewer third-party integrations
    Visit Zulip Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.349
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1577
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Zulip a good Textual alternative?

    Verified facts

    2 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026zulip.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Yes
    Not checked yetzulip.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. KVIrc logo

    5. KVIrc

    Best for: People who want a free graphical IRC client with scripting on Windows, Mac or Linux

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    49.0

    score / 100

    Why switch from Textual

    Free, open-source IRC client that runs on macOS as well as Windows and Linux, with scripting and themes.

    Pros

    • Graphical client on Windows, macOS and Linux
    • Own scripting language and community addons
    • Free and open source

    Cons

    • Busy interface with a very large number of settings
    • Slow release pace with a small volunteer team
    • macOS builds are less polished than Windows and Linux ones
    Visit KVIrc Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.334
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is KVIrc a good Textual alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL-2.0 (with exception)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Toolkit
    Qt
    Checked Nov 8, 2026kvirc.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Latest release
    5.2.10 (Dec 2025)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026kvirc.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Licence exception
    Extended GPL
    Checked Nov 8, 2026kvirc.net(opens source in a new tab)