# Facebook vs Direct Message for WhatsApp

The clearest difference is ads: Direct Message for WhatsApp at none against Facebook's shown. Direct Message for WhatsApp also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). Facebook's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (28M vs 898). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Facebook sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and Direct Message for WhatsApp sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Facebook against 4.4 for Direct Message for WhatsApp. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Facebook has 28M ratings behind it against 898, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 40% of Facebook's written reviews are positive against 36% of Direct Message for WhatsApp's.

Facebook ships an update weekly, Direct Message for WhatsApp every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Facebook | Direct Message for WhatsApp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (28M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/facebook/id284882215/reviews)** | [4.4 (898 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/direct-message-for-whatsapp/id1411992307/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **28M** | 898 |
| Positive reviews | **40.2% of reviews** | 36.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#2** | — |
| Size | 484 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meta Platforms, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284882218) | [Metromedya Digital Ad Agency](https://appshunter.io/developer/444159679) |

## What reviewers say

### Facebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/facebook/id284882215)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #3 Top Free · Social Networking, #24 Top Grossing, #26 Top Free (US App Store)

Connect with friends and discover communities based on your interests. Share moments, explore content, and use AI tools to express yourself creatively. Find unique items and engage with creators.

**Highlights:** Personalized feed, Marketplace shopping, AI-powered content creation, Reels and stories, Community groups, Direct messaging

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter | $2.49 | per month |
| Supporter | $4.99 | per month |
| 99 Stars | $0.99 | one-time |
| 45 Stars | $0.99 | one-time |
| 95 Stars | $1.99 | one-time |
| 145 Stars | $2.99 | one-time |
| 250 Stars | $4.99 | one-time |
| 310 Stars | $5.99 | one-time |
| 530 Stars | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1200 Stars | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Helpful for staying connected with family and friends
- 👍 Useful for business and advertising
- 👍 Great for sharing photos and memories
- 👍 Convenient marketplace for buying and selling items

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy and buggy app with frequent issues
- 🤖 Overly aggressive content moderation and censorship
- 🤖 Biased and inconsistent enforcement of community guidelines
- 🤖 Lack of effective customer support
- 💸 Overrun with scams and fraudulent activity

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and login issues
- Inability to edit or delete old posts and comments
- Marketplace listings getting incorrectly flagged or removed
- Inconsistent behavior between mobile app and web version

**Requested features**

- Improved customer support and appeal process
- More transparency and consistency in content moderation
- Better tools for managing and organizing content
- Customizable feed and notification settings


### Direct Message for WhatsApp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/direct-message-for-whatsapp/id1411992307)

Send messages on various platforms without saving contacts. Quickly send messages, auto-detect numbers, and use message templates. Keep your phonebook clean and conversations private across multiple messaging apps.

**Highlights:** Send messages without saving contacts, Auto-detect numbers from clipboard, Support for multiple messaging platforms, Quick message templates, Message history and recent contacts, Font formatting (bold, italic, strikethrough), Check WhatsApp profiles of unknown callers

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Plan | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Plan | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Direct Message | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $59.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $59.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🔒 Secure messaging
- 💡 Convenient for temporary contacts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with 9-digit numbers
- 💰 Expensive monthly subscription
- 🔑 Restricted functionality without paid version

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to input phone numbers
- App crashes on launch
- Keyboard not working properly

**Requested features**

- Copy-paste support for phone numbers
- Contact list integration
- Multilingual support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Facebook free?

Facebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Direct Message for WhatsApp free?

Direct Message for WhatsApp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Facebook or Direct Message for WhatsApp?

Facebook is rated higher. Facebook averages 4.5 out of 5 from 28M ratings, while Direct Message for WhatsApp averages 4.4 from 898 ratings.

### Do Facebook or Direct Message for WhatsApp have ads?

Facebook shows ads; Direct Message for WhatsApp does not.

### Which is updated more often, Facebook or Direct Message for WhatsApp?

Facebook ships an update weekly, and Direct Message for WhatsApp every 3 months. Most recently, Facebook was updated on September 25, 2026 and Direct Message for WhatsApp on September 23, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*