Comparison

WhatsApp Messenger vs Ant Messenger

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

WhatsApp Messenger

Connect with friends, family, and groups through messaging, voice, and video calls. Share moments, make plans with events and polls, and keep organized with pinned messages. Enjoy end-to-end encrypted conversations and share files up to 2GB.

Highlights
  • Group messaging and calling
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Live location sharing
  • Event creation and polls
  • HD photo and video sharing
  • Disappearing messages
  • Status updates
Features
Read full description

Bring your group together on WhatsApp. WhatsApp from Meta is a free messaging and calling app for the people and groups in your life. Bring your best friends, parent group, study group, or neighborhood together to chat, make plans, and share moments. Get everyone into the conversation Invite people with a link or QR code. Names and profile photos help you know who's who, and shared message history helps new members catch up. Make plans together Create events and track RSVPs. Use polls to choose a date or make a decision. Share your live location to find each other, and send documents up to 2GB. Keep your group organized Pin important messages. Admins can approve requests to join, and set group permissions. Have several related groups? Bring their chats and announcements together in a Community. Share more than messages Send HD photos and videos, voice messages, and short video notes. Make conversations your own with custom stickers, reactions, GIFs, and chat colors and backgrounds. Share everyday moments through Status-updates that disappear after 24 hours. Get together on a call Make unlimited voice and video calls with up to 32 people, with screen sharing, effects, and reactions. Speak freely Your personal messages and calls—including group chats and calls—stay private with end-to-end encryption. Not even WhatsApp can read or listen to them. Turn on disappearing messages to choose when your messages disappear. WhatsApp works on your phone, computer, tablet, and supported watch, including on slower connections. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have any feedback or questions, please go to WhatsApp > Settings > Help > Contact Us Terms of Service: https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/terms-of-service Learn more about messaging privately: https://www.whatsapp.com/privacy Learn more about WhatsApp safety: https://www.whatsapp.com/security

About

Ant Messenger

This secure messaging app offers end-to-end encrypted chats and calls, prioritizing user privacy. It features self-destructing messages and robust security measures to protect your conversations from unauthorized access.

Highlights
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Encrypted voice and video calls
  • Burn after reading messages
  • Periodic document destruction
  • Bidirectional chat destruction
  • Anti-eavesdropping technology
Features
Read full description

Ant messenger is an instant messaging chat software protected by end-to-end encryption. It focuses on protecting the privacy and security of users' chat. The server does not save any information, and truly allows users to speak freely. With ant Messenger, you will get secure, fast and free encrypted messages and encrypted voice / video calls. No one can get your chat and call content! Privacy Ant messenger uses end-to-end and burn after reading methods for strict encryption. security Antmessenger protects your messages from hackers. Periodic destruction Regularly destroy the documents you send and easily control the expiration date of the documents. Bidirectional destruction Chat records can be destroyed in both directions at any time to prevent information from being stolen by hackers. Anti eavesdropping Use trunk call technology to encrypt communication and ensure the security of your IP information. Burn after reading Once the message is read, it will be destroyed and your information will be secure. As a secure communication software, ant messenger only provides secure communication services and does not guarantee that some users will not use ant for malicious acts. Please carefully identify the identity and intention of your friends to prevent being cheated and causing money losses. The platform will not bear any responsibility. If you encounter problems during use, please contact us through the service number. If you encounter malicious user behavior, you can report it through the report function.

Screenshots

WhatsApp Messenger4 screens
Ant Messenger4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: WhatsApp Messenger at 4.7 against Ant Messenger's 3.4. WhatsApp Messenger also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (19M vs 39). Ant Messenger's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On price there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. WhatsApp Messenger sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.00 per month. Ant Messenger asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

WhatsApp Messenger holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WhatsApp Messenger has 19M ratings behind it against 39, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of WhatsApp Messenger's written reviews are positive against 39% of Ant Messenger's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

WhatsApp Messenger ships an update every 4 days, Ant Messenger every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard10 real differences · 1 level
WhatsApp Messenger versus Ant Messenger: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWhatsApp MessengerAnt Messenger
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (19M ratings) — better3.4 (39 ratings)
Positive reviews50.4% of reviews — better38.8% of reviews
Number of ratings19M — better39
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#3 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.113.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size397 MB276 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperWhatsApp Inc.Ant Messenger

Customer experience

WhatsApp Messenger

All ratings18,897,914 ratings
Positive92.2%
Neutral3.0%
Negative4.8%
Written reviews17,534 reviews
Positive50.4%
Neutral8.2%
Negative41.4%

Ant Messenger

All ratings39 ratings
Positive51.3%
Neutral10.3%
Negative38.5%
Written reviews49 reviews
Positive38.8%
Neutral16.3%
Negative44.9%

Bugs and requests

WhatsApp Messenger

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

Ant Messenger

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

WhatsApp Messenger

Subscriptions3
  • No ads (1 account)$4.001 Month
  • No ads (4 accounts)5 variants$21.991 Month
  • No ads (5 accounts)4 variants$26.991 Month
None

Ant Messenger

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WhatsApp Messenger free?
WhatsApp Messenger is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Ant Messenger free?
Ant Messenger is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, WhatsApp Messenger or Ant Messenger?
WhatsApp Messenger is rated higher. WhatsApp Messenger averages 4.7 out of 5 from 19M ratings, while Ant Messenger averages 3.4 from 39 ratings.
Do WhatsApp Messenger or Ant Messenger have ads?
WhatsApp Messenger shows ads; Ant Messenger does not.
Which is updated more often, WhatsApp Messenger or Ant Messenger?
WhatsApp Messenger ships an update every 4 days, and Ant Messenger every 3 weeks. Most recently, WhatsApp Messenger was updated on November 8, 2026 and Ant Messenger on November 2, 2026.

Other comparisons