Ergo is a free, open-source IRC server written in Go with built-in services, history playback, and IRCv3 support. See features, pricing, and alternatives.
Category
Team Chat
Pricing
Open Source, from Free
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 18, 2026
Founded
2016
Open SourceSelf-Hosted
Overview
Ergo is a free, open-source IRC server (ircd) written in Go that bundles together an ircd, account and channel services (NickServ, ChanServ, HostServ), and bouncer-style history and multi-client sync into a single binary and configuration file.
Formerly known as Oragono, and before that a fork of the Ergonomadic IRC daemon, Ergo has been developed continuously since 2016 with a focus on modern IRCv3 compliance, ease of deployment, and reducing the number of separate services an operator has to run to stand up a full-featured IRC network.
Key Features
Ergo ships with integrated services so registered accounts, channel registration, and vanity hosts work out of the box, without installing separate services software. It also functions as a bouncer, storing chat history server-side and letting multiple client sessions share one nickname and see the same conversation history.
On the protocol side, Ergo supports SASL authentication, native TLS/SSL with client certificate support, WEBIRC for web-based gateway clients, UTF-8 nicknames and channel names, and tracks IRCv3 specifications closely enough that it is used as a reference implementation. Security features include bcrypt password hashing, IP cloaking, Tor hidden service support, and a unified ban system covering KLINE, DLINE, and UBAN.
Pricing
Ergo is completely free and open source under the MIT license. There are no paid tiers, license fees, or hosted commercial offering; the only cost to run it is the server infrastructure an operator provides for self-hosting.
Because the project is maintained by a small volunteer team rather than a company, support comes through the project's public GitHub issue tracker and its own IRC community rather than a paid support contract.
Key Features
Integrated Services (NickServ, ChanServ, HostServ) — Account registration, channel registration, and vanity hosts are built directly into Ergo, removing the need to run separate services software such as Anope or Atheme.
Built-in Bouncer and Multi-Client Sync — Multiple client connections can share a single logged-in nickname and stay in sync on the same conversation, similar to standalone bouncer software like ZNC, without any extra component.
Server-Side History and Chat Playback — Ergo stores message history and can replay it to clients that reconnect or join late, using IRCv3 history mechanisms such as CHATHISTORY.
SASL Authentication — Clients can authenticate to a registered account as part of the connection handshake using SASL, rather than sending a separate login command after connecting.
Native TLS/SSL with Client Certificates — Encrypted connections are handled natively by Ergo, including support for authenticating users via TLS client certificates without an external reverse proxy.
WEBIRC Support for Web Gateways — Trusted web-based IRC clients such as Kiwi IRC or The Lounge can pass along a user's real originating address and connection security state using the WEBIRC specification.
IRCv3 Reference Implementation — Ergo tracks IRCv3 and Modern IRC specifications closely, including capability negotiation, message tags, and UTF-8 nicknames and channels per RFC 8265.
Security Hardening (IP Cloaking, Tor, Unified Bans) — Operators can enable IP cloaking, run Ergo as a Tor hidden service, and manage abuse through a unified ban system covering KLINE, DLINE, and UBAN, alongside bcrypt password hashing and ident lookups.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Combines an ircd, account services, and a bouncer into one binary, cutting down the number of separate daemons an operator has to install and maintain.
Actively maintained with frequent releases and close tracking of IRCv3 and Modern IRC specifications.
Free and open source under the permissive MIT license, with no paid tiers or license fees.
Simple YAML configuration that can be rehashed and reloaded without restarting the server or dropping client connections.
Cons
Smaller community and ecosystem compared to long-established C-language ircds such as UnrealIRCd and InspIRCd.
Not designed for large, federated multi-server networks the way Solanum or Charybdis-derived daemons are used on networks like Libera.Chat.
Maintained by a small volunteer team rather than a company, so there is no commercial support contract or hosted SaaS option.
Niche roleplay commands such as NPC and SCENE are deprecated and disabled by default, reflecting a narrowing feature scope over time.
Pricing
Open Source Free N/A
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ergo?
Ergo is a free, open-source IRC server written in Go that combines an ircd, account services, and bouncer-style history and multi-client sync into a single binary.
Is Ergo free to use?
Yes. Ergo is released under the MIT license and is free to download, self-host, and modify, with no paid tiers or license fees.
What was Ergo previously called?
Ergo was previously named Oragono, which was itself a 2016 fork of an earlier Go-based IRC daemon called Ergonomadic. The project renamed itself to Ergo in June 2021.
Does Ergo support IRCv3?
Yes. Ergo closely tracks IRCv3 and Modern IRC specifications, including SASL, message tags, and history playback, and is used as a reference implementation of these specifications.
Can Ergo replace separate services software like Anope or Atheme?
Yes. Ergo includes built-in NickServ, ChanServ, and HostServ services, so operators typically do not need to run separate services software alongside it.
What are the main alternatives to Ergo?
Common alternatives include UnrealIRCd, InspIRCd, ircd-seven, Solanum, and Charybdis, which are established IRC daemons often used for larger, federated networks.