# Snapchat vs YouTube

The clearest difference is review sentiment: YouTube at 48% against Snapchat's 30%. YouTube also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (49M vs 5.9M). Snapchat's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Snapchat sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 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.

YouTube holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: YouTube has 49M ratings behind it against 5.9M, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Snapchat's written reviews are positive against 48% of YouTube's.

Snapchat ships an update every 6 days, YouTube weekly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Snapchat | YouTube |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (5.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/snapchat/id447188370/reviews) | **[4.7 (49M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/youtube/id544007664/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5.9M | **49M** |
| Positive reviews | 30.3% of reviews | **48.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #2 | **#1** |
| Size | 399 MB | 375 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Snap, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/446889612) | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) |

## What reviewers say

### Snapchat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/snapchat/id447188370)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Grossing · Photo & Video, #6 Top Free · Photo & Video, #6 Top Grossing, #56 Top Free (US App Store)

Instantly share photos and videos with friends and family. Express yourself with creative tools, connect through live messaging and video calls, and discover content from the community. Save your favorite moments and explore shared memories.

**Highlights:** Camera with Lenses and Filters, Live Messaging and Video Chat, Friend and Group Stories, Spotlight for user-created content, Location Sharing Map, Memories for saving photos/videos, Friendship Profiles

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

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Memories Storage | $1.99 | per month |
| Snapchat+ Monthly Plan | $3.99 | per month |
| Snapchat+ Monthly Plan | $3.99 | per month |
| Snapchat+ (Monthly Plan) | $3.99 | per month |
| Snapchat+ (Monthly Plan) | $4.99 | per month |
| Snapchat+ (Monthly Plan) | $4.99 | per month |
| Snapchat+ Monthly Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Snapchat+ (Annual Plan) | $29.99 | per year |
| Snapchat+ (12-Month Plan) | $39.99 | per year |
| Snapstreak Restore | $0.49 | one-time |
| Snapstreak Restore | $0.99 | one-time |
| Snapstreak Restore | $1.49 | one-time |
| Snapstreak Restore | $2.99 | one-time |
| Snapstreak Restore | $3.99 | one-time |
| Snapstreak Restore | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💬 Great way to communicate with friends
- 📷 Convenient for sharing photos and videos
- 🤳 Fun filters and customization options
- 🔒 Secure messaging with disappearing content
- 🗺️ Useful location-based features like Snap Map

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Forced AI assistant that can't be removed
- 🤢 Dislike for new 3D bitmoji design
- 🕰️ Frustration over Snapchat+ paywall for basic features
- 🔇 Inability to disable shutter sound
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Accounts being permanently locked for unclear reasons
- Inability to create new accounts on banned devices
- Disappearing Memories and lack of data retrieval
- Inconsistent video upload and playback issues
- Notifications and chat features not working properly

**Requested features**

- Allow permanent deletion of Memories
- Add multi-video upload to Stories
- Improve customer support and account recovery
- Provide option to disable AI assistant
- Bring back 2D bitmoji customization


### YouTube

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/youtube/id544007664)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Grossing · Photo & Video, #2 Top Grossing, #5 Top Free · Photo & Video, #31 Top Free (US App Store)

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:** Siri integration, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Lite | $11.99 | per month |
| FOX One | $19.99 | per month |
| YouTube Premium | $20.99 | per month |
| YouTube Premium | $20.99 | per month |
| Youtube Premium Family | $34.99 | per month |
| YouTube Premium Family | $34.99 | per month |
| Super Chat | $1.99 | one-time |
| Movies & Shows | $2.99 | one-time |
| Movies & Shows | $3.99 | one-time |
| Super Chat | $4.99 | one-time |
| Movies & Shows | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Snapchat free?

Snapchat 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, Snapchat or YouTube?

YouTube is rated higher. Snapchat averages 4.5 out of 5 from 5.9M ratings, while YouTube averages 4.7 from 49M ratings.

### Do Snapchat or YouTube have ads?

Both Snapchat and YouTube show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Snapchat or YouTube?

Snapchat ships an update every 6 days, and YouTube weekly. Most recently, Snapchat was updated on September 24, 2026 and YouTube on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Snapchat or YouTube?

Snapchat currently peaks at #2 in the App Store charts, and YouTube at #1. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

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