# Messenger vs FaceTime

The clearest difference is rating: Messenger at 4.7 against FaceTime's 4.2. Messenger also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 6 months) and review sentiment (66% vs 40%). FaceTime's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Messenger sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. FaceTime asks for nothing beyond the download.

Messenger holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Messenger has 14M ratings behind it against 27K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of Messenger's written reviews are positive against 40% of FaceTime's.

Messenger ships an update weekly, FaceTime every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Messenger | FaceTime |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messenger/id454638411/reviews)** | [4.2 (27K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/facetime/id1110145091/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14M** | 27K |
| Positive reviews | **65.9% of reviews** | 40.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#8** | — |
| Size | 261 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meta Platforms, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284882218) | [Apple Distribution International](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) |

## What reviewers say

### Messenger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messenger/id454638411)

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Free · Social Networking, #93 Top Free (US App Store)

Connect with friends and family through text, audio, and video calls. Share photos, videos, and large files, and express yourself with custom themes and animated content. Features an AI assistant for help and support.

**Highlights:** Text, audio, and video calls, High-definition photo sharing, Shared photo albums, QR code connections, Large file sharing (up to 100MB), Edit and unsend messages, Disappearing messages, AI assistant

**Features:** Siri integration

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Avatar Item | $0.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $1.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $2.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $3.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $4.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $6.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $7.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $8.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $9.99 | one-time |
| Avatar Item | $10.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📱 Useful for staying connected with friends and family
- 🗣️ Enables easy communication through text, voice, and video
- 💬 Convenient group chat features
- 🌐 Works across multiple devices and platforms

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Privacy and security concerns
- 🔄 Unnecessary updates that remove useful features
- 📤 Issues with message delivery and notifications
- 🗂️ Cluttered interface and poor organization of chats

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to log in or access account
- Messages failing to send or receive
- Unexpected app crashes and freezes
- Syncing issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Add option to delete or unsend messages
- Improve search functionality for chat history
- Introduce customizable notification settings
- Bring back old features like emoji reactions and location sharing


### FaceTime

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/facetime/id1110145091)

Connect with loved ones through high-quality audio and video calls. Share experiences like watching videos or listening to music together, collaborate on projects, and enhance your calls with fun effects and improved audio quality. Easily invite anyone to join, regardless of their device.

**Highlights:** Video and audio messaging, SharePlay for synced media, Screen sharing with remote control, Real-time document collaboration, Web link invitations for non-Apple users, Advanced mic modes and video effects, Seamless call handoff between devices

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💕 Seamless and reliable video calling
- 🔍 Excellent audio and video quality
- 🤝 Great for staying connected with friends and family
- 🎨 Fun features like Animoji and Memoji
- 🌐 Compatibility with non-Apple devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent call drops and connection issues
- 🔇 Audio cutting out or not working
- 🔍 Blurry or low-quality video
- 🤯 Confusing UI changes and button placements
- 🔋 Phone overheating during calls

**Reported bugs**

- Calls not connecting or dropping unexpectedly
- Inability to mute or unmute during calls
- Duplicate participants in group calls
- Screen sharing not working as expected
- Automatic call receiving with speaker on

**Requested features**

- Add filters and fun effects
- Improve screen sharing functionality
- Implement a video voicemail feature
- Allow mirroring of asymmetric faces
- Provide an option to permanently display the camera button


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Messenger free?

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

### Is FaceTime free?

FaceTime is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Messenger or FaceTime?

Messenger is rated higher. Messenger averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14M ratings, while FaceTime averages 4.2 from 27K ratings.

### Do Messenger or FaceTime have ads?

Messenger shows ads; FaceTime does not.

### Which is updated more often, Messenger or FaceTime?

Messenger ships an update weekly, and FaceTime every 6 months. Most recently, Messenger was updated on October 13, 2026 and FaceTime on October 14, 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.*