Comparison

Instagram vs YouTube

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

Head to head
About

Instagram

Connect with friends and discover new content through photos, videos, and short-form entertainment. Share your daily moments and life's highlights, or dive into personalized feeds based on your interests.

Highlights
  • Short-form video creation and discovery (Reels)
  • Ephemeral content sharing (Stories & Notes)
  • Private group chats (Close Friends)
  • Personalized content feeds (Explore)
  • Customizable posts with templates and filters
  • Discover brands and shop products
Features
Read full description

Little moments lead to big friendships. Share yours on Instagram. — From Meta Connect with friends, find other fans, and see what people around you are up to and into. Explore your interests and post what's going on, from your daily moments to life's highlights. Share what you’re up to and into: - Turn your life into a movie and discover short, entertaining videos on Instagram with Reels. - Keep up with friends on the fly with Stories and Notes that disappear after 24 hours. - Start group chats and share unfiltered moments with your Close Friends. - Share memories from recent events or trips in Feed. - Customize your posts with exclusive templates, music, stickers and filters. Dive into your interests. - Watch videos from your favorite creators and discover new content that’s personalized to your interests. - Get inspired by photos and videos from new accounts in Explore. - Discover brands and small businesses, and shop products that are relevant to your personal style. Some Instagram features may not be available in your country or region. Terms and Policies: https://help.instagram.com/581066165581870 Consumer Health Privacy Policy: https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policies/health Learn how we're working to help keep our communities safe across Meta technologies at the Instagram Safety Center: https://about.instagram.com/safety

About

YouTube

Watch and subscribe to a vast array of videos, from music and gaming to news and learning. Discover trending content, connect with creators, and even upload your own videos. Offers options for ad-free viewing and exclusive perks.

Highlights
  • Personalized video recommendations
  • Subscribe to favorite channels
  • Explore trending and popular content
  • Connect with creators via comments and posts
  • Create and upload videos
  • Ad-free viewing with Premium
  • Save videos for offline playback
Features
Read full description

Get the official YouTube app on iPhones and iPads. See what the world is watching -- from the hottest music videos to what’s popular in gaming, fashion, beauty, news, learning and more. Subscribe to channels you love, create content of your own, share with friends, and watch on any device. Watch and subscribe ● Browse personal recommendations on Home ● See the latest from your favorite channels in Subscriptions ● Look up videos you’ve watched, liked, and saved for later in Library Explore different topics, what’s popular, and on the rise (available in select countries) ● Stay up to date on what’s popular in music, gaming, beauty, news, learning and more ● See what’s trending on YouTube and around the world on Explore ● Learn about the coolest Creators, Gamers, and Artists on the Rise (available in select countries) Connect with the YouTube community ● Keep up with your favorites creators with Posts, Stories, Premieres, and Live streams ● Join the conversation with comments and interact with creators and other community members Create content from your mobile device ● Create or upload your own videos directly in the app ● Engage with your audience in real time with live streaming right from the app Find the experience that fits you and your family (available in select countries) ● Every family has their own approach to online video. Learn about your options: the YouTube Kids app or a new parent supervised experience on YouTube at youtube.com/myfamily Support creators you love with channel memberships (available in select countries) ● Join channels that offer paid monthly memberships and support their work ● Get access to exclusive perks from the channel & become part of their members community ● Stand out in comments and live chats with a loyalty badge next to your username Upgrade to YouTube Premium (available in select countries) ● Watch videos uninterrupted by ads, while using other apps, or when the screen is locked ● Save videos for when you really need them – like when you’re on a plane or commuting ● Get access to YouTube Music Premium as part of your benefits Note: If you subscribe via Apple, payment will be charged to App Store Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period at the rate of the selected plan. Subscriptions and auto-renewal may be managed by going to Account Settings after purchase. YouTube paid service terms: https://www.youtube.com/t/terms_paidservice. Privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy

Screenshots

Instagram4 screens
YouTube4 screens

Verdict

The call

Instagram and YouTube both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 48% of YouTube's written reviews are positive against 31% of Instagram's. YouTube also leads on chart position (#1 vs #3). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Instagram sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month and YouTube sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Instagram against 4.7 for YouTube. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 30M and 49M respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 31% of Instagram's written reviews are positive against 48% of YouTube's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
Instagram versus YouTube: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInstagramYouTube
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (30M ratings)4.7 (49M ratings)
Positive reviews31.2% of reviews48.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings30M49M — better
Update frequencyWeeklyWeekly
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#3#1 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS16.3 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size583 MB375 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperInstagram, Inc.Google

Customer experience

Instagram

All ratings29,507,938 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral2.4%
Negative5.1%
Written reviews20,079 reviews
Positive31.2%
Neutral7.0%
Negative61.7%

YouTube

All ratings49,072,318 ratings
Positive91.9%
Neutral3.1%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews20,111 reviews
Positive48.2%
Neutral9.3%
Negative42.5%

User reviews

Instagram

From 30M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💕 Excellent way to connect with friends and family
  • 🌍 Ability to discover new content and accounts
  • 🎨 Great platform for artists and creators to showcase their work
  • 🤝 Helps small businesses promote their products

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent bugs and glitches
  • 🤖 Overly aggressive AI moderation leading to unfair account suspensions
  • 🔒 Poor customer support and lack of transparency around account issues
  • 📊 Declining organic reach and push towards paid advertising
  • 🔀 Confusing layout changes that make the app less user-friendly

YouTube

From 49M App Store ratings

What we love

  • ⭐ Great app
  • 🎨 Diverse content
  • 🎓 Educational videos
  • 🎶 Excellent music selection
  • 🌐 Vast library of videos

Room to improve

  • 💰 Too many ads
  • 🤖 Biased algorithm recommendations
  • 🔇 Inability to listen with screen off
  • 🔍 Difficult to find relevant content
  • 🔒 Censorship concerns

Bugs and requests

Instagram

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Unable to post or view videos due to app crashing
  • Saved posts and drafts randomly disappearing
  • Notifications not working or showing outdated information
  • Inability to log in or switch between multiple accounts

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to edit/delete individual photos from a multi-photo post
  • Option to view posts in chronological order instead of algorithmic feed
  • Better tools for small businesses to manage and grow their presence
  • Improved accessibility features for users with disabilities

YouTube

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Video playback issues
  • Subscription tab bugs
  • Inconsistent UI changes
  • Syncing problems across devices
  • Unreliable video recommendations

Requested features

5 requests
  • Bring back dislike button
  • Improve playlist management
  • Add option to customize video quality
  • Enhance background playback
  • Improve comment section functionality

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Instagram

Subscriptions1
  • Meta Verified Standard9 variants$14.991 Month
One-time2
  • Instagram Badge$0.99
  • Instagram Badge$4.99
11 purchases

YouTube

Subscriptions6
  • Premium Lite1 Month trial$11.991 Month
  • FOX One3 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • YouTube Premium1 Month trial2 variants$20.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • YouTube Premium2 variants$20.991 Month
  • Youtube Premium Family1 Month trial$34.991 Month
  • YouTube Premium Family$34.991 Month
One-time5
  • Super Chat$1.99
  • Movies & Shows$2.99
  • Movies & Shows$3.99
Show 2 more
  • Super Chat$4.99
  • Movies & Shows$5.99

Questions

Is Instagram free?
Instagram is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is YouTube free?
YouTube is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Instagram or YouTube?
Instagram and YouTube are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 30M and 49M ratings respectively.
Do Instagram or YouTube have ads?
Both Instagram and YouTube show ads.
Which is updated more often, Instagram or YouTube?
Instagram ships an update weekly, and YouTube weekly. Most recently, Instagram was updated on September 24, 2026 and YouTube on September 24, 2026.
Which is more popular, Instagram or YouTube?
Instagram currently peaks at #3 in the App Store charts, and YouTube at #1. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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