Comparison of instant messaging protocols


The following is a comparison of instant messaging protocols. It contains basic general information about the protocols.

Table of instant messaging protocols

ProtocolCreatorFirst public release dateLicenseIdentity Asynchronous message relayingTransport Layer SecurityEnd-to-end encryptionUnlimited number of contactsBulletins to all contactsOne-to-many routingSpam protectionGroup, channel or conference supportAudio/VoIP supportWebcam/VideoBatch file sharingMedia synchronizationServerlessProtocol
3GPP standardsFriedhelm Hillebrand1985Phone number About 250 contacts in SIM, unlimited from phone.serial messages3GPP standards
BitmessageJonathan Warren2012 NovAlphanumeric address Bitmessage
BonjourApple Inc.2002 August Freeware; portions under the Apache licenseUsernameBonjour
BriarBriarproject.org2018 May 9Public & Private key Briar
DiscordDiscord Inc.2015 May 13Discord IDDiscord
dm3corpus.io / dm3.network2022ENS dm3
Echospot-on.sf.net / goldbug.sf.net2013KeyEcho
Gadu-GaduGG Network2000 Jul 17UIN
e.g. 12345678		 Gadu-Gadu
IRCJarkko Oikarinen1988 AugNickname!Username@hostname

e.g. user!~usr@a.b.com		 IRC
Jami Savoir-faire Linux Inc.2002 August40-digit addressJami
MatrixMatrix.org2014 Sep@Username:Hostname Microsoft1999 JulEmail address Only for certified robotsMSNP
MTProto Telegram Messenger LLP2013 AugPhone number, nickname , contact blockingMTProto
MumbleThorvald Natvig1999 JulUsernameOnly for certified robotsMumble
LINELY Corporation2011 June 23LINE ID, Phone Number
OSCAR AOL1997 Username, Email Address or UIN
e.g. 12345678		 OSCAR
StoatStoat2021Username and discriminator Stoat
RVP Microsoft1997 Mar Windows Active Directory LoginneRVP
RicochetInvisible.im2014 MarTor onion addressRicochet
Serval ProjectServal Project2016Digit addressServal Project
Signal ProtocolSignal Foundation2014 FebPhone number, username with two added random trailing numbers , client-side contact blocking; server-side protectionsSignal Protocol
SIP/SIMPLEIETF1996user@hostname on implementationSIP/SIMPLE
SkypeSkype2003 Aug UsernameSkype
Steam FriendsValve2003 Sep 12SteamID/Username or Unique NumberSteam Friends
TeamSpeakTeamSpeak Systems GmbH2001 AugUnique ID in base64
TOC2AOL2005 Sep Username or UIN
e.g. 12345678		paying members onlyTOC2
ThreemaThreema GmbH2012 December
TOX irungentoo 2013 June version 3 or laterPublic & Private keyTOX
TuentiTuenti2006UsernameTuenti
WeChatTencent2011UsernameYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoNoNoWeChat
Windows Messenger serviceMicrosoft1990 NetBIOSWindows Messenger service
XMPPJeremie Miller, standardized via IETF1999 JanJabber ID
e.g. usr@a.b.c/home		XMPP
YMSG Yahoo!1998, March 9UsernameYMSG
Zephyr Notification ServiceMIT1987Kerberos principal
e.g. user@ATHENA.MIT.EDU		Zephyr Notification Service
ProtocolCreatorFirst public release dateLicenseIdentity Asynchronous message relayingTransport Layer SecurityEnd-to-end encryptionUnlimited number of contactsBulletins to all contactsOne-to-many routingSpam protectionGroup, channel or conference supportAudio/VoIP supportWebcam/VideoBatch file sharingMedia synchronizationServerless Protocol