# WhatsApp Messenger vs Nearly

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nearly at none against WhatsApp Messenger's 10. Nearly also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). WhatsApp Messenger's advantage is ratings volume (19M vs 1) and chart position (#4 vs unranked). On price, update cadence and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Nearly holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WhatsApp Messenger has 19M ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

WhatsApp Messenger ships an update every 4 days, Nearly weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WhatsApp Messenger | Nearly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (19M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whatsapp-messenger/id310633997/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nearly/id1664964484/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **19M** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 50.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#4** | — |
| Size | 397 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [WhatsApp Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/310634000) | [Harry Moy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1650074636) |

## What reviewers say

### WhatsApp Messenger

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

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Free · Social Networking, #16 Top Free, #36 Top Grossing · Social Networking (US App Store)

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:** 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


### Nearly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nearly/id1664964484)

Connect with people in your immediate vicinity through group chats organized by location. Discover and join conversations happening around you to foster local community engagement.

**Highlights:** Create group threads for specific locations, Chat with people nearby, Discover local conversations, Foster community engagement, Real-time location-based chat

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WhatsApp Messenger free?

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

### Is Nearly free?

Nearly is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Nearly is rated higher. WhatsApp Messenger averages 4.7 out of 5 from 19M ratings, while Nearly averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do WhatsApp Messenger or Nearly have ads?

WhatsApp Messenger shows ads; Nearly does not.

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

WhatsApp Messenger ships an update every 4 days, and Nearly weekly. Most recently, WhatsApp Messenger was updated on November 6, 2026 and Nearly on November 3, 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.*