# Facebook vs WhatsApp Messenger

The clearest difference is rating: WhatsApp Messenger at 4.7 against Facebook's 4.5. WhatsApp Messenger also leads on review sentiment (51% vs 40%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Facebook sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and WhatsApp Messenger sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

WhatsApp Messenger holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 28M and 19M respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Facebook's written reviews are positive against 51% of WhatsApp Messenger's.

Facebook ships an update weekly, WhatsApp Messenger every 3 days. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Facebook | WhatsApp Messenger |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (28M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/facebook/id284882215/reviews) | **[4.7 (19M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whatsapp-messenger/id310633997/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **28M** | 19M |
| Positive reviews | 40.2% of reviews | **50.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | #2 |
| Size | 484 MB | 361 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Meta Platforms, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284882218) | [WhatsApp Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/310634000) |

## What reviewers say

### Facebook

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

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #4 Top Free · Social Networking, #21 Top Grossing, #49 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


### WhatsApp Messenger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whatsapp-messenger/id310633997)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Free · Social Networking, #19 Top Free, #40 Top Grossing · Social Networking (US App Store)

Connect with friends and family globally through private messaging and high-quality calls. Share moments, documents, and stay in touch across devices, even on slow connections. Your conversations are secured with end-to-end encryption.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encrypted messaging, High-quality voice and video calls, Group chats and calls, Cross-device connectivity, Status updates, Location sharing

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No ads (1 account) | $4.00 | per month |
| No ads (4 accounts) | $21.99 | per month |
| No ads (5 accounts) | $26.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 💬 Great communication tool
- 🌍 Connects people globally
- 🔒 Secure and private messaging
- 📱 Versatile features (calls, video, groups)
- 🆓 Free to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches (freezing, crashing, notification issues)
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with data sharing
- 🙈 Lack of customization and control (status, groups)
- 📤 Backup and restore issues
- 🚫 Arbitrary account bans

**Reported bugs**

- App freezing and crashing issues
- Notification problems (missing, delayed)
- Backup and restore failures
- Arbitrary account bans with poor support

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Improve group management features
- Allow more customization of status and notifications
- Enhance backup and restore functionality
- Provide better customer support and appeal process


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Facebook free?

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

### Is WhatsApp Messenger free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Facebook or WhatsApp Messenger?

WhatsApp Messenger is rated higher. Facebook averages 4.5 out of 5 from 28M ratings, while WhatsApp Messenger averages 4.7 from 19M ratings.

### Do Facebook or WhatsApp Messenger have ads?

Both Facebook and WhatsApp Messenger show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Facebook or WhatsApp Messenger?

Facebook ships an update weekly, and WhatsApp Messenger every 3 days. Most recently, Facebook was updated on September 25, 2026 and WhatsApp Messenger on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Facebook or WhatsApp Messenger?

Facebook currently peaks at #1 in the App Store charts, and WhatsApp Messenger at #2. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*