Black Friday see store specials
Windows Live Messenger (WLM), still commonly referred to by the previous name of MSN Messenger (MSN for short), is an instant messaging client for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Mobile, first released on December 13, 2005 by Microsoft. It is part of Microsoft's Windows Live set of online services. The current version is Windows Live Messenger 9.0, which was released on December 15, 2008.
MSRP $0.00
Release date --
love it
want it
have it
tag it
Pros & Cons16
Reviews13
Details
Buy It
Competitors11
Related2
Gallery2
Pros & Cons
6 positive
1 mixed
6 negative
![[i]](/images/info.png)
How is the ProSCORE calculated?
show me!
The ProSCORE is calculated based on the ratio of Pros & Cons about this product as voted by
approved reviewers from the ProductWiki community.
ProSCORE = 100 x (Pro votes) / [(Pro votes) + (Con votes)]
Numbers used for this ProSCORE:
Pro votes = 20
Con votes = 43
Total votes = 63
If you want to help improve the accuracy of the results, register and start voting!
» see the top ranked reviewers
[close]
Details
Submit a link
This report was started
November 16, 2007 at 10:02 am by
Erik
with the last edit occurring
October 23, 2009 at 11:01 am by
Cheezer
This page has been viewed
3350 times,
with
158 edits by
30 contributors.
See the
full report history »
Buy It
Competitors
Windows Live Messenger is ranked 6th among it's competitors.
See the
top picks in
Chat, VoIP »
MSRP $0.00
Released --
Pros
- Tons of supported chat clients
- Tons of styling and modification options
Windows Live Messenger
0%
vs.
Adium
100%
Windows Live Messenger
0%
vs.
iChat
100%
MSRP $0.00
Released August, 2003
Pros
- easy to use
- clear audio quality
- Available on Mac, Linux and Windows
Cons
- can be a resource hog
- High Quality Video requires a fairly powerful computer
- causes MS Outlook 2003 to freeze occasionally
Windows Live Messenger
20%
vs.
Skype
80%
MSRP $0.00
Released --
Pros
- Integrates with Gmail
- Unlimited file transfers
- Uses XMPP protocol so it compatible with many Third-Party applications
Cons
- Currently NO message encryption
- Official stand alone application does not support Group chat
- Lackluster interface and design.
Windows Live Messenger
42%
vs.
Google Talk
58%
MSRP $0.00
Released --
Pros
- Free
- Supports a lot of protocols
- Doesn't take a lot of resources
Cons
- No video/audio chat
- Rough interface. Not as slick as more commercial programs
- Can't easily launch IRC chat
Windows Live Messenger
50%
vs.
Pidgin
50%
MSRP --
Released --
Pros
- Allows the use of multiple chat protocols with ONE universal app
- Shared buddy lists from all contacts in one easily accesible space
- Contact message history very useful (chat logs)
Cons
- you are allways asked to go pro and pay
- No Google talk (yet?)
- No Skype compatibility
Windows Live Messenger
57%
vs.
Trillian
43%
Windows Live Messenger
67%
vs.
Miranda IM
33%
MSRP --
Released --
Pros
- Clean design, tends to use less visual space than other IMs
- Freeware
- Very popular, almost everyone have account on Yahoo!
Cons
- Crashes a lot on the Mac platform
- Ads included, more data
- Google Talk not supported
Windows Live Messenger
70%
vs.
Yahoo! Messenger
30%
MSRP --
Released --
AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) is a free, advertisement-supported proprietary instant messaging and presence computer program which uses the OSCAR instant messaging protocol and the TOC protocol. It was released by AOL in May of 1997. It is one of the most popular instant message programs in the United States. Stand-alone official AIM client software...
Windows Live Messenger
80%
vs.
AOL Instant Messenger
20%
MSRP --
Released --
Pros
- The first widely used Internet instant messaging program
Cons
- ICQ is often used for distribution of unwanted advertisement and spam.
- It is not possible to cancel or delete an ICQ account.
- Pressure on alternative clients.
Windows Live Messenger
80%
vs.
ICQ
20%
MSRP --
Released --
Pros
- has relatively many features
- aPatch can customize messenger heavily, remove ads
- Minimal Interface, no clutter, low memory usage
Cons
- not many features
- slow file transfers (aren't peer-to-peer)
- ads
Windows Live Messenger
83%
vs.
Windows Messenger
17%
Reviews
March 6, 2009
approved
reviewer
have it
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Pros
- customizable through third party tools such as apatch and Messenger Plus!
- lots of features
Cons
- Mac version slow, buggy and outdated.
- no spellchecker on Windows version
- annoying installer attempts to change computer settings and have you install a plethora of useless Microsoft software
- not modular - a lot of bloat that cannot be removed
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
/
No
July 13, 2009
approved
reviewer
Pros
- Free
- compatible with yahoo messenger
Cons
- Not compatible with ICQ.
- Mac version slow, buggy and outdated.
- Requires registration with MSN.
- Not compatible with Google chat.
- no spellchecker on Windows version
- Not compatible with AOL chat.
- Not compatible with Jabber.
- annoying installer attempts to change computer settings and have you install a plethora of useless Microsoft software
- not modular - a lot of bloat that cannot be removed
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
/
No
December 10, 2008
approved
reviewer
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Pros
Did not agree with any pros
Cons
- Not compatible with ICQ.
- Mac version slow, buggy and outdated.
- Requires registration with MSN.
- Not compatible with Google chat.
- No IRC support
- Not compatible with AOL chat.
- Not compatible with Jabber.
- Not compatible with yahoo messenger.
Competitors
brendonsled prefers
Adium over
Windows Live Messenger
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
/
No
November 25, 2008
approved
reviewer
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Pros
Did not agree with any pros
Cons
- Not compatible with ICQ.
- Mac version slow, buggy and outdated.
- Requires registration with MSN.
- Not compatible with Google chat.
- No IRC support
- Not compatible with AOL chat.
- Not compatible with Jabber.
- Not compatible with yahoo messenger.
Comments
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
/
No
January 4, 2009
approved
reviewer
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Pros
Did not agree with any pros
Cons
- Not compatible with ICQ.
- Mac version slow, buggy and outdated.
- Requires registration with MSN.
- Not compatible with Google chat.
- No IRC support
- Not compatible with AOL chat.
- Not compatible with yahoo messenger.
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
/
No
October 23, 2009
approved
reviewer
have it
Pros
- customizable through third party tools such as apatch and Messenger Plus!
- Free
- lots of features
- compatible with yahoo messenger
- Tells you when you have a unread email
Cons
Did not agree with any cons
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
/
No
June 30, 2009
approved
reviewer
Pros
- customizable through third party tools such as apatch and Messenger Plus!
- Free
- lots of features
- compatible with yahoo messenger
Cons
- no spellchecker on Windows version
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
/
No
May 31, 2009
approved
reviewer
have it
Cons
- Not compatible with ICQ.
- Requires registration with MSN.
- No IRC support
- no spellchecker on Windows version
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
/
No
April 8, 2009
approved
reviewer
have it
love it
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Pros
- customizable through third party tools such as apatch and Messenger Plus!
- lots of features
Cons
- Requires registration with MSN.
- annoying installer attempts to change computer settings and have you install a plethora of useless Microsoft software
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
/
No
October 21, 2009
approved
reviewer
Cons
Did not agree with any cons
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
/
No
Price comparison information by:
