Frequently Asked Questions

AThe basics

What is Lurker?

A modern, always-on IRC client and bouncer. It stays connected to your IRC networks so your channels keep running and your history is waiting for you the next time you look — from any web browser.

Self-host or hosted?

Both. Lurker is open source — run it yourself, for free, forever. Or use the hosted service at lurker.chat and we run it for you. It's the same software either way.

Which IRC networks can I use?

Any standard IRC network — Libera.Chat, OFTC, and others. Lurker is your seat; the networks are independent and operated by other people.

Is it really always connected?

Yes. Lurker holds your connection open and reconnects automatically from outages (if you want), so you stay present in your channels even with every client instance closed.

Do I get history?

Yes. Everything in your channels is recorded and available across all of your devices, with proper search and filtering.

Does it work on mobile?

Yes — it's a fast web app, installable as a PWA, with support for web push notifications.

Will there be native mobile apps?

Yes — we're planning native mobile apps for iOS and Android in the future.

BAccount & privacy

How are my network passwords stored?

Your Lurker account password is a one-way scrypt hash — we can't read it. Network credentials are different: any server, NickServ, or SASL password you save has to be replayed to the network to reconnect you, so it can't be one-way hashed. Those are encrypted at rest (AES-256-GCM), with the key kept separate from the database backups — so a stolen backup holds only ciphertext. But the service has to decrypt them to reconnect you, so this isn't zero-knowledge: treat them as recoverable by the service, and only save network credentials you're comfortable having stored that way. See the Privacy Policy.

Is my conversation private?

Your connection to Lurker is encrypted, but IRC itself is a public medium — the networks and the other users in your channels receive what you send. Don't send anything sensitive over a network you don't trust.

Your conversation history stored in lurker is private and logically isolated from other users and the operator. There is no infrastructure allowing anyone to spy on your chats.

Can the operator see my uploads?

Files you upload (images, or a long message posted as a text file) are stored on our infrastructure and served from our domain, so yes — an operator can review them, and will remove anything that breaks the Acceptable Use Policy or the law. We don't browse uploads without cause, and removals are logged. See the Privacy Policy.

How do I delete my account?

Please contact support at support@lurker.chat to delete your account.

CAccess & pricing

How do I sign up?

Create an account at app.lurker.chat/signup — it takes a couple of minutes, and you're talking right away. Already have an account? Sign in. Prefer to run it yourself? Self-hosting the open-source edition is free and available immediately.

What does it cost?

The hosted service is $5/month per user, with a 14-day money-back guarantee — if it's not for you, ask within 14 days of your first payment and we'll fully refund it, no hard feelings. It renews automatically each month until you cancel, and cancelling is one click. See the Refund & Cancellation Policy. Self-hosting the open-source edition is free, forever.

DFor network operators

I run an IRC network — how do I identify or ban a Lurker user?

Lurker users carry a verified, per-account ident (lu<id>) via a working identd, so you can ban one account cleanly. See For Network Operators and Report Abuse.