# WhatsApp Messenger vs WeChat

The clearest difference is rating: WhatsApp Messenger at 4.7 against WeChat's 3.9. WhatsApp Messenger also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks) and review sentiment (51% vs 24%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

WhatsApp Messenger holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WhatsApp Messenger has 19M ratings behind it against 81K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of WhatsApp Messenger's written reviews are positive against 24% of WeChat's.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | WhatsApp Messenger | WeChat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (19M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whatsapp-messenger/id310633997/reviews)** | [3.9 (81K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wechat/id414478124/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **19M** | 81K |
| Positive reviews | **50.5% of reviews** | 24.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | #22 |
| Size | 361 MB | 887 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [WhatsApp Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/310634000) | [WeChat](https://appshunter.io/developer/614694882) |

## What reviewers say

### WhatsApp Messenger

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

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · Social Networking, #17 Top Free, #36 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


### WeChat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wechat/id414478124)

**Currently charting:** #22 Top Free · Social Networking, #28 Top Grossing · Social Networking (US App Store)

Connect with friends and family through messaging, voice, and video calls. Discover news, local services, and games within the app. Features mobile payment and health tracking capabilities.

**Highlights:** Text, photo, voice, and video messaging, Group chats up to 500 members, High-quality voice and video calls, Real-time location sharing, Moments for sharing photos and videos, Official Accounts for news and content, Mini Programs for third-party services, Mobile payment with Weixin Pay

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| WeChat Out Top-Up Card | $0.99 | one-time |
| 42 WeBeans | $0.99 | one-time |
| WeChat Out Top-Up Card | $1.99 | one-time |
| 126 WeBeans | $2.99 | one-time |
| WeChat Out Top-Up Card | $3.99 | one-time |
| 350 WeBeans | $6.99 | one-time |
| WeChat Out Top-Up Card | $9.99 | one-time |
| WeChat Out Top-Up Card | $14.99 | one-time |
| 896 WeBeans | $19.99 | one-time |
| 9086 WeBeans | $199.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great all-in-one app
- 👍 Convenient features like payments and mini-programs
- 💡 Useful translation and sharing functions
- 🔒 Secure and private

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Accounts getting blocked for no reason
- 🔒 Strict security measures and verification requirements
- 👎 Poor customer support and unresponsive to user issues
- 🔋 High storage and battery consumption
- 🤔 Censorship and monitoring concerns

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and connectivity issues
- Syncing problems between devices
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
- Unreliable voice/video call quality

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Improve chat organization with folders and pinning
- Allow editing of posted content
- Provide better translation and language support
- Simplify account recovery and unblocking process


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WhatsApp Messenger free?

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

### Is WeChat free?

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

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

WhatsApp Messenger is rated higher. WhatsApp Messenger averages 4.7 out of 5 from 19M ratings, while WeChat averages 3.9 from 81K ratings.

### Do WhatsApp Messenger or WeChat have ads?

Both WhatsApp Messenger and WeChat show ads.

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

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

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

WhatsApp Messenger currently peaks at #1 in the App Store charts, and WeChat at #22. 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.*