mIRC for Windows

mIRC gives you access to chat rooms centered around tons of different topics in which you can converse with users from all over the world. With this program, you can connect and disconnect with ease and enjoy hours of group or private conversations about whatever interests you. Additionally, mIRC has continued to evolve, offering enhanced compatibility with modern systems, making it a more reliable and stable choice for chat enthusiasts in 2024.

Pros

Favorites list: When you first install this app, there is a preloaded Favorites List that contains suggestions for you to try. Of course, you can always edit this list and add your own favorite channels as you find them, but it's nice to have somewhere to start, just because there are so many different options.

Stacked windows: Since it's likely you'll be involved in more than one conversation at a time, this app stacks windows in a tight, overlapping layout, so that you'll have no problem locating a specific page when you need it. Each window has its name across the top, and that's clearly visible whether they're stacked or not. Of course, you can always rearrange the windows if you'd like to see more of each of them at the same time.

Custom scripting: It has surely one of the first things people notice about mIRC, which is its own scripting language, allowing the end user to automate tasks, customize the interface and add cool features. This gives it a competitive advantage as a power user or developer tool, or someone looking for more control in your chat experience.

Enhanced security: Over recent years, mIRC has introduced updates to improve its security protocols, including SSL encryption for safer communication. This ensures user data is better protected, especially when connecting to servers that handle sensitive information.

Cons

Average interface: mIRC has a functional interface, but it's not very visually appealing or streamlined for beginners. Once you get the hang of it, though, it's no trouble to navigate. And there is a thorough Help document that you can browse through if you'd like.

Limited multimedia support: While mIRC excels at text-based communication, its support for multimedia elements such as images, videos, or voice chat is minimal compared to other modern messaging platforms. This limitation might deter users seeking a more versatile communication tool.

Comparison with Discord

Discord has emerged as a popular alternative to mIRC, particularly among users looking for a modern and multimedia-rich communication platform. Unlike mIRC, Discord offers seamless integration of voice, video, and text channels, making it ideal for collaborative environments such as gaming, remote work, and study groups.

While mIRC’s scripting capabilities are a strength for advanced users, Discord compensates by offering robust bot support, allowing users to add features like music playback, moderation, or custom commands. Additionally, Discord's intuitive interface and support for large community servers provide a more user-friendly experience for beginners.

However, mIRC remains a preferred choice for those who value simplicity, extensive channel options, and complete control through scripting. Its lightweight design also ensures lower resource usage compared to Discord, which can be demanding on system resources during heavy multimedia use.

If you like chat rooms and want to play around with chat, this is a good app to try. It's free to try for 30 days, so you have plenty of time to test it out. It gives you access to pretty much every channel you can imagine. The trial period is also 30 days, but if you choose to continue with mIRC after that, you will need to purchase a license for $20.

• Fixed /onotice and related commands not working correctly in some contexts.
• Fixed Clear History log files option not deleting empty nested folders in logs folder.
• Fixed $sha1()/$hmac() bug that caused &binvar data to be overwritten.
• Added $zip() identifier that adds support for AES encrypted ZIP files.
• Extended $rand() to allow negative number values and changed RNG algorithm.
• Added $rands() identifier that returns a cryptographically secure random number.
• Fixed $hfind() not reporting an error when the called alias returns an error.
• Fixed $asctime() 'z' bug to work with non-standard offset timezones.
• Extended IRCv3 support for CAP NEW to request supported tokens automatically.
• Fixed RCE vulnerability affecting all versions of mIRC (CVE-2019-6453).
• Added $notify().sound2 property to return offline sound.
• Updated CA root certificates cacert.pem file.
• Fixed "Show nicks on join" option not working correctly.