# IRC for Android ™

> IRC for Android ™ - Internet Relay Chat

Canonical page: [https://chrome-stats.com/d/com.countercultured.irc4android](https://chrome-stats.com/d/com.countercultured.irc4android)

## Overview

- **ID:** `com.countercultured.irc4android`
- **Platform:** Android
- **Type:** Android app
- **Status:** Available
- **Publisher:** CounterCultured
- **Category:** COMMUNICATION
- **Downloads:** 21,131
- **Rating:** 4.26 / 5 (674 ratings)
- **Version:** 2.1.60
- **Last updated:** 2022-04-16
- **First published:** 2014-06-02
- **Publisher country:** US
- **Data as of:** 2026-09-15
- **Store listing:** [Google Play Store](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.countercultured.irc4android)
- **Website:** [http://www.countercultured.net/android](http://www.countercultured.net/android)
- **Privacy policy:** [https://countercultured.net/privacy.txt](https://countercultured.net/privacy.txt)

## Description

**IRC for Android™** is the premier Internet Relay Chat client designed specifically for Android devices. Formerly known as Android IRC, this app offers a vast range of features to enhance your chat experience, making it superior to other IRC clients available.

Key features include support for multiple servers, staying connected in the background, SSL and SASL for secure connections, nickname completion, and real-time notifications. It also supports Blowfish encryption and displays IRC/mIRC/ANSI colors, enhancing readability and security. The app provides user and channel lists along with individual windows for each message or channel to keep chats organized. Timestamps and logging to the SD card help with message tracking and history. Additional functionalities include ignore system, quiet time mode, codepage support, and support for DCC send/receive with UPNP. Samsung users benefit from multi-window support.

Compatible with BNCs like ZNC and PsyBNC, IRC for Android™ delivers a robust and user-friendly IRC experience on your mobile device.

## Rankings

- #424,986 — Overall

## Review summary

Users appreciate the app's stability, feature richness, and responsive developer support, particularly valuing its ZNC compatibility and file transfer capability. However, many report frustrating disconnections when the app is idle or in the background. The user interface receives criticism for being unintuitive, with issues like confusing navigation, poor customization, and problematic user lists. Additional usability concerns include auto-scrolling chatlogs that hinder reading, lack of friend list management, and crashes during text copying. Overall, it's a robust IRC client with room for improvements in UI and background connection stability.

### Pros

- Stable and reliable connection compared to other IRC clients, especially with ZNC support.
- Developer is highly responsive and supportive to user queries and issues.
- App provides more functionality than many free alternatives, making it worth the price paid.
- Supports file transfers over IRC, a feature rare among Android IRC clients.
- Clean, minimal design with all necessary IRC features, improving user experience over other apps.

### Cons

- Frequent disconnections when app runs in background or device is locked, impacting usability.
- User interface is confusing or outdated, with missing customization options like color themes and poorly designed user lists.
- Lack of persistent alias or friends list and limited notification options for specific users.
- Auto-scroll behavior makes it difficult to read offscreen messages in busy channels.
- Crashes occur when copying text or links, leading to loss of chat history. Also lacks some usability features like double-click to start conversation or easy hiding of user list.

## Similar extensions and apps

- [AndroidIRCx](https://chrome-stats.com/d/com.androidircx) — 2,926 users
- [Core IRC](https://chrome-stats.com/d/co.aureolin.coreirc) — 2,977 users, 3.67 / 5
- [Core IRC Go](https://chrome-stats.com/d/co.aureolin.coreirc.lite) — 26,034 users, 2.58 / 5
- [HexDroid IRC](https://chrome-stats.com/d/com.boxlabs.hexdroid) — 7,977 users, 4.94 / 5
- [iRelayChat](https://chrome-stats.com/d/com.pymblesoftware.irelaychat) — 2 users
- [Andro-Q IRC](https://chrome-stats.com/d/io.omerati.irc) — 5,401 users
- [Igloo • IRC Client](https://chrome-stats.com/d/software.eskimo.igloo.irc) — 3,926 users, 2.25 / 5
- [Blackice IRC](https://chrome-stats.com/d/net.g33kworld.blackice) — 323 users
- [HoloIRC](https://chrome-stats.com/d/app.holoirc) — 10,114 users
- [IrssiRelay](https://chrome-stats.com/d/org.ck.irssirelay) — 29 users
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- [IRC Chat - Client & Channels](https://chrome-stats.com/d/com.wovex.mono_irc_talk) — 1,576 users

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Source: [Chrome-Stats](https://chrome-stats.com/d/com.countercultured.irc4android)
