# WeChat vs WA Messenger Plus

The clearest difference is ads: WA Messenger Plus at none against WeChat's shown. WA Messenger Plus also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.9). WeChat's advantage is ratings volume (81K vs 2.4K) and chart position (#16 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. WeChat sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and WA Messenger Plus sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

WA Messenger Plus holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WeChat has 81K ratings behind it against 2.4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 24% and 24% positive.

WeChat ships an update every 3 weeks, WA Messenger Plus every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WeChat | WA Messenger Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (81K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wechat/id414478124/reviews) | **[4.4 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wa-messenger-plus/id6467555424/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **81K** | 2.4K |
| Positive reviews | **24.0% of reviews** | 23.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#16** | — |
| Size | 887 MB | 74 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [WeChat](https://appshunter.io/developer/614694882) | [Irem Bilge Gungor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1708796984) |

## What reviewers say

### WeChat

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

**Currently charting:** #16 Top Free · Social Networking, #26 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


### WA Messenger Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wa-messenger-plus/id6467555424)

Consolidate WhatsApp, Telegram, and Line chats into one app. Features AI-powered translation, note-taking, chat analysis, and response generation for enhanced communication.

**Highlights:** Integrates WhatsApp, Telegram, and Line Web, Multiple accounts on one device, Real-time AI translation (50+ languages), AI-powered note capture and editing, WhatsApp chat analysis and insights, AI response generator, Create shareable document links

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Membership - Free Trial | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Membership | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Membership - Free Trial | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Membership | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Membership | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Membership | $14.99 | per month |
| We Have Gift For You! | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly Membership | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly Membership | $29.99 | per year |
| Christmas Offer | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly Membership | $149.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient to use
- 🔒 No ads
- 💡 Innovative features
- 👍 Helpful support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🔍 Difficult to set up
- 🚫 Not free to use

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent disconnections
- Locked on certain screens
- Subscription issues

**Requested features**

- Video/audio calling
- Dedicated iPad app
- Easier cancellation process


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WeChat free?

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

### Is WA Messenger Plus free?

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

### Which has better reviews, WeChat or WA Messenger Plus?

WA Messenger Plus is rated higher. WeChat averages 3.9 out of 5 from 81K ratings, while WA Messenger Plus averages 4.4 from 2.4K ratings.

### Do WeChat or WA Messenger Plus have ads?

WeChat shows ads; WA Messenger Plus does not.

### Which is updated more often, WeChat or WA Messenger Plus?

WeChat ships an update every 3 weeks, and WA Messenger Plus every 6 weeks. Most recently, WeChat was updated on September 24, 2026 and WA Messenger Plus on September 23, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*