ejabberd vs Pidgin (2026): which should you pick?

Pick ejabberd if

• Fits if you run a large messaging service and know Erlang or XMPP
• Works for companies that want to start free and add paid support later

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you want a chat app, as it is a server and users need a separate client
• Pricey if you want managed hosting, at €200 a month and rising with traffic
• Pricey if you want Business Edition, at €16,000 a year for a 2-node cluster
• Watch out: TURN, ICE and push for iOS and Android are not in the Community Server
• Skip it if you need paid support on the free edition, since it is community forums only

Pick Pidgin if

• Fits if you keep accounts on XMPP and IRC and want them in one window
• Works for Windows or Linux users who would rather have a small program than a browser tab

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want a phone app, as none is listed
• Not for you if you are on a Mac, since the vendor points you to Adium
• Too light for team use, with no workspace, channels structure or admin tools of its own
• Watch out: Linux builds come from your distribution's package manager, not from the project

ejabberd

• It is a server, not a chat app: users need a separate XMPP client, and you run it yourself unless you pay for Fluux.
• Fluux is priced in euros and by traffic (Jabs) rather than per user; the first step is €200 a month, and the Growing and Established networks start at €1,400 and €6,000 a month.
• The Business Edition price of €16,000 a year is for a 2-node cluster, and its TURN/ICE relay and push features are not in the Community Server.
• Support on the Community Server is community forums and documentation only.

Pidgin

• It is a desktop client only: no hosted workspace, mobile app or browser version is listed.
• The vendor says it runs on Windows, Linux, BSD and other UNIX-like systems; for macOS it points to Adium instead.
• Linux builds are not provided by the project; it recommends installing from the distribution's package manager.

ejabberd

Four protocols in one server

XMPP, an MQTT broker, a SIP service and Matrix bridging run in the same process.

Clustering

The Community Server has standard active-active clustering; the Business Edition and Fluux add consistent-hash clustering.

Mobile and web support

Push notifications, message archive management, multi-device sync, WebSocket and BOSH are built into the server.

REST API and CLI

A REST API and the ejabberdctl command line cover user and room management.

Database backends

The site lists PostgreSQL, MySQL, LDAP and ODBC backends.

Business and managed options

Long-term support releases, FIPS compliance and direct engineer support come with the Business Edition, and Fluux runs it as a managed service.

Pidgin

Several networks in one window

Out of the box it works with Jabber/XMPP, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, IRC, GroupWise Messenger, Sametime, SILC, SIMPLE and Zephyr.

Plugins for more protocols

Plugins add support for further chat networks and extend what the client can do.

Chat network features

Supports file transfers, away messages, buddy icons, custom smileys and typing notifications where the network offers them.

Open source, no ads

The code is licensed under the GNU General Public License and the program contains no advertising.

ejabberd

• Community Server$0

  Open source under GPLv2; you host it yourself. Supports XMPP, MQTT, SIP and Matrix, with community forums and documentation.

• Fluux Emerging€200

  per month, managed cloud, 1 node on shared servers

  Managed by ProcessOne, with a shared-server domain and standard support. Price rises with traffic measured in Jabs: 9,000,000 Jabs at €200, 45,000,000 at €500.

• Business Edition€16,000

  per year for a 2-node cluster

  Commercial license with long-term support releases, push for iOS, Android and Firebase, and direct support from ProcessOne. Sold through sales.

Pidgin

• Free$0

  Free, open source under the GNU General Public License, with no ads. Donations are accepted.