# Messenger vs Weibo intl.

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Messenger at 66% against Weibo intl.'s 14%. Messenger also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.2) and ratings volume (14M vs 4.8K). Weibo intl.'s advantage is iOS requirement (13 vs 15.1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Messenger sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Weibo intl. sells 21 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Messenger holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Messenger has 14M ratings behind it against 4.8K, 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 14% of Weibo intl.'s.

Messenger ships an update weekly, Weibo intl. every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Messenger | Weibo intl. |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messenger/id454638411/reviews)** | [3.2 (4.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weibo-intl/id1215210046/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14M** | 4.8K |
| Positive reviews | **66.0% of reviews** | 13.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 277 MB | 149 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Meta Platforms, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284882218) | [Beijing Weimeng Internet Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1358216519) |

## What reviewers say

### Messenger

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

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Free · Social Networking, #86 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


### Weibo intl.

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weibo-intl/id1215210046)

Explore trending topics, connect with idols, and share your interests. Discover new content, find people with similar tastes, and express yourself through posts and chats. Offers exclusive VIP memberships for enhanced privileges.

**Highlights:** Discover trending topics, Follow favorite idols, Share posts and express yourself, Connect with new people, In-app VIP memberships, Real-time news and updates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 连续包月会员 | $1.99 | per month |
| 按月订阅尊享会员 | $2.99 | per month |
| 连续季度会员 | $3.99 | per 3 months |
| 按月订阅微博社交会员 | $3.99 | per month |
| 连续包季尊享会员 | $7.99 | per 3 months |
| 按季订阅微博社交会员 | $9.99 | per 3 months |
| 连续包年会员 | $17.99 | per year |
| 按年订阅尊享会员 | $29.99 | per year |
| VIP($1.99) | $1.99 | one-time |
| 升级一个月尊享会员 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3个月微博会员 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 一个月尊享VIP | $3.99 | one-time |
| 升级三个月尊享会员 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 社交会员1个月 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 升级6个月尊享会员 | $7.99 | one-time |
| 三个月尊享会员 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 社交会员3个月 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1年微博会员 | $17.99 | one-time |
| 半年尊享会员 | $17.99 | one-time |
| 一年尊享会员 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 社交会员12个月 | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and clean interface
- 🚀 Faster than the original Weibo app
- 💡 Useful for following Chinese celebrities and content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔑 Difficult to create/log in to accounts
- 🔍 Lack of translation and localization options
- 📢 Intrusive and excessive advertisements
- 🤖 Forced account linking and following

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to view trending topics
- Disappearing likes and comments
- Inability to share content
- Inconsistent behavior across devices and OS versions

**Requested features**

- Easier account registration and recovery
- Full translation to English and other languages
- Option to disable advertisements
- Improved stability and performance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Messenger free?

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

### Is Weibo intl. free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Messenger or Weibo intl.?

Messenger is rated higher. Messenger averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14M ratings, while Weibo intl. averages 3.2 from 4.8K ratings.

### Do Messenger or Weibo intl. have ads?

Both Messenger and Weibo intl. show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Messenger or Weibo intl.?

Messenger ships an update weekly, and Weibo intl. every 2 weeks. Most recently, Messenger was updated on October 30, 2026 and Weibo intl. on October 29, 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.*