Miranda NG review
A customizable Windows chat client for connecting multiple messaging protocols.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Miranda NG is an open-source instant messaging client for Windows that brings multiple communication protocols into one desktop application. It is intended for people who need one contact list and messaging interface across services such as IRC, Jabber/XMPP, Discord, Microsoft Teams, Telegram, Tox, Steam, DeltaChat, Sametime, and VKontakte. Group chats, messaging dialogs, contact list management, and message history storage and viewing give it a broader scope than a single-protocol messenger. The client is distributed through Windows installers or archives in 32-bit and 64-bit builds, with plugins and language packs available through its updater and download resources.
Its main strength is protocol breadth and extensibility. Protocol plugins provide connections to many services, while the plugin updater helps install components. File transfer support is available through plugins, and contact lists and messaging interfaces can be customized. This makes Miranda NG a practical fit for Windows users who coordinate conversations across several networks or prefer an open-source desktop client. The trade-off is that its value depends on the protocols and plugins a user needs, rather than on a single integrated team-workspace experience.
Miranda NG is narrower than hosted team-chat products built around channels, managed membership, or guest collaboration. It supports group chats, but its published feature set does not describe channels, hosted workspace administration, or searchable-history limits. Teams that want a Windows desktop client for multi-protocol messaging should consider it; teams seeking a centralized, browser-based collaboration workspace should choose a product designed around those functions instead. Its Windows-only coverage also rules it out for organizations needing native support across multiple operating systems.
Miranda NG pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Connects to protocols including IRC, XMPP, Discord, Teams, and Telegram
- Supports group chats, message history, contact lists, and messaging dialogs
- Open-source Windows client with plugins, file transfers, and interface customization
- Where it doesn't
- Windows-only platform coverage
- No channel-based team workspace model
- Not a hosted collaboration service with guest access or member management
Miranda NG fact sheet, pricing and score →
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