# Instagram vs Meipai

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Meipai at 74% against Instagram's 31%. Meipai also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.3). Instagram's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Instagram sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month and Meipai sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Instagram holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Instagram has 30M ratings behind it against 565, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 31% of Instagram's written reviews are positive against 74% of Meipai's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Instagram ships an update weekly, Meipai every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Instagram | Meipai |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (30M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instagram/id389801252/reviews)** | [4.3 (565 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meipai/id847334708/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **30M** | 565 |
| Positive reviews | 31.3% of reviews | **73.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#3** | — |
| Size | 583 MB | 335 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.3 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Instagram, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/389801255) | [Meitu Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/416048308) |

## What reviewers say

### Instagram

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instagram/id389801252)

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Grossing · Photo & Video, #4 Top Free · Photo & Video, #7 Top Grossing, #24 Top Free (US App Store)

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:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Meta Verified Standard | $14.99 | per month |
| Instagram Badge | $0.99 | one-time |
| Instagram Badge | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💕 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Meipai

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meipai/id847334708)

A safe and friendly video community for women to share their lives, connect with friends, and explore shared interests. Offers video editing tools with beautification effects and templates for creative content creation. A space for open communication and mutual support.

**Highlights:** Video sharing community, Connect with girlfriends, Share interests and opinions, Video editing tools, Natural beautification effects, Video templates

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 美拍VIP-连续包月 | $1.99 | per month |
| 美拍VIP-连续包季 | $3.99 | per 3 months |
| 美拍VIP-连续包年 | $14.99 | per year |
| 42金币 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 美拍VIP-1个月 | $2.99 | one-time |
| 210金币 | $4.99 | one-time |
| 476金币 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 896金币 | $19.99 | one-time |
| 2296金币 | $49.99 | one-time |
| 4536金币 | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Instagram free?

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

### Is Meipai free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Instagram or Meipai?

Instagram is rated higher. Instagram averages 4.7 out of 5 from 30M ratings, while Meipai averages 4.3 from 565 ratings.

### Do Instagram or Meipai have ads?

Instagram shows ads; Meipai does not.

### Which is updated more often, Instagram or Meipai?

Instagram ships an update weekly, and Meipai every 2 months. Most recently, Instagram was updated on September 25, 2026 and Meipai on September 24, 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.*