# 微博 vs WeChat

The clearest difference is rating: WeChat at 3.9 against 微博's 2.3. WeChat also leads on ratings volume (81K vs 7.7K) and chart position (#17 vs #138). 微博's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 微博 sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and WeChat sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

WeChat holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WeChat has 81K ratings behind it against 7.7K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 27% of 微博's written reviews are positive against 24% of WeChat's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

微博 ships an update weekly, WeChat every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | 微博 | WeChat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.3 (7.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id350962117/reviews) | **[3.9 (81K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wechat/id414478124/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7.7K | **81K** |
| Positive reviews | **27.0% of reviews** | 24.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #138 | **#17** |
| Size | 407 MB | 887 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [SINA Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/291478092) | [WeChat](https://appshunter.io/developer/614694882) |

## What reviewers say

### 微博

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id350962117)

**Currently charting:** #138 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

Discover the world with our app, where you can stay updated on news, trends, and share your thoughts through text, photos, and videos. Join now to connect with people, explore various channels, and enjoy exclusive privileges!

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 连续包月会员 | $1.99 | per month |
| 按月订阅微博高级会员 | $3.99 | per month |
| 按月订阅微博高级会员 | $3.99 | per month |
| 连续季度会员 | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| 半年微博会员 | $8.99 | per 6 months |
| 连续包年会员 | $17.99 | per year |
| 微博问答一元围观 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1个月微博会员 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 升级1个月微博会员 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 稀缺装扮1个 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3个月微博会员 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 高级会员1个月 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 1年微博会员 | $17.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Entertaining and educational content
- 👍 User-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and inconsistent
- 💩 Excessive ads and monetization
- 🤫 Censorship and lack of transparency
- 🤬 Poor customer service and account management

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Unreliable login and verification process
- Inconsistent behavior across devices and platforms

**Requested features**

- Improved translation and language support
- Better content moderation and user control
- Enhanced privacy and data protection


### WeChat

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

**Currently charting:** #17 Top Free · Social Networking, #27 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 微博 free?

微博 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, 微博 or WeChat?

WeChat is rated higher. 微博 averages 2.3 out of 5 from 7.7K ratings, while WeChat averages 3.9 from 81K ratings.

### Do 微博 or WeChat have ads?

Both 微博 and WeChat show ads.

### Which is updated more often, 微博 or WeChat?

微博 ships an update weekly, and WeChat every 3 weeks. Most recently, 微博 was updated on September 25, 2026 and WeChat on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, 微博 or WeChat?

微博 currently peaks at #138 in the App Store charts, and WeChat at #17. 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.*