Gitter vs HipChat: What are the differences?

## Introduction
Gitter and HipChat are both communication platforms, but they have key differences that cater to different needs.

1. **Target Audience**: Gitter is primarily designed for software developers and is commonly used by open-source communities, while HipChat caters to a wider range of industries and businesses, making it more versatile for various team collaborations.
2. **Integrations**: HipChat offers a wide range of integrations with popular tools like Jira, Trello, and Confluence, enhancing productivity and workflow efficiency, while Gitter's integration options are limited mainly to GitHub, making it convenient for developers using this platform.
3. **Pricing**: Gitter is free to use for public repositories and open-source projects, which is beneficial for communities with budget constraints, whereas HipChat offers different pricing tiers with more features and capabilities, suitable for larger teams and enterprises with specific needs.
4. **User Interface**: HipChat is known for its user-friendly interface with advanced features like file sharing, screen sharing, and video calls, making it a comprehensive solution for team communication, while Gitter has a simpler interface focused on real-time messaging and minimal distractions, ideal for quick collaborations among developers.
5. **Customization**: HipChat allows users to customize their notifications, rooms, and themes to suit their preferences, providing a personalized experience, whereas Gitter has limited customization options and mostly focuses on the core messaging functionality without many additional features.
6. **Security**: HipChat offers advanced security features like data encryption and compliance certifications, ensuring data protection and privacy, while Gitter provides basic security measures but may not be as robust in terms of security protocols.

In Summary, Gitter and HipChat offer distinct features tailored to specific user needs, with Gitter being more developer-centric and open-source friendly, while HipChat provides a versatile and robust communication solution for various industries and enterprises.