# Messenger vs Messages

The clearest difference is rating: Messenger at 4.7 against Messages's 4.1. Messenger also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (14M vs 38K). Messages's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On price there is nothing between them.

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

Messenger holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Messenger has 14M ratings behind it against 38K, 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 46% of Messages's.

Messenger ships an update weekly, Messages every 9 months. Both last shipped on October 18, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Messenger | Messages |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messenger/id454638411/reviews)** | [4.1 (38K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messages/id1146560473/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14M** | 38K |
| Positive reviews | **66.0% of reviews** | 45.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 281 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meta Platforms, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284882218) | [Apple Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) |

## What reviewers say

### Messenger

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

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Free · Social Networking, #143 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


### Messages

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messages/id1146560473)

Communicate with contacts through unlimited texts, photos, videos, and documents. Supports iMessage for Apple devices and RCS, SMS, and MMS for others. Features include message editing, unsending, and scheduling.

**Highlights:** Send unlimited texts, photos, videos, and documents, iMessage, RCS, SMS, and MMS support, Edit and unsend messages, Schedule messages, Message effects and stickers, Group chat features, Messages in iCloud

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and reliable messaging
- 🔒 End-to-end encryption
- 👍 Seamless integration with Apple devices
- 💡 Fun features like Memoji and stickers
- 🤝 Easy group chat management

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Limited search functionality
- 📤 Inability to delete messages for others
- 🔔 Lack of typing indicators in group chats
- 📱 Incompatibility with non-Apple devices

**Reported bugs**

- Messages not delivering consistently
- App crashing or freezing on launch
- Issues with iCloud sync and message history
- Problems with location sharing and privacy

**Requested features**

- Ability to schedule messages
- Option to lock specific conversations
- More customization options for Memoji
- Improved voice message functionality
- Expanded reaction/emoji options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Messenger free?

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

### Is Messages free?

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

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

Messenger is rated higher. Messenger averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14M ratings, while Messages averages 4.1 from 38K ratings.

### Do Messenger or Messages have ads?

Messenger shows ads; Messages does not.

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

Messenger ships an update weekly, and Messages every 9 months. Most recently, Messenger was updated on October 18, 2026 and Messages on October 18, 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.*