# Messenger vs WatchsApp

The clearest difference is ads: WatchsApp at none against Messenger's shown. Messenger's advantage is ratings volume (14M vs 35K) and review sentiment (66% vs 43%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Messenger sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and WatchsApp sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 6 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Messenger against 4.6 for WatchsApp. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Messenger has 14M ratings behind it against 35K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 66% of Messenger's written reviews are positive against 43% of WatchsApp's.

Messenger ships an update weekly, WatchsApp every 9 days. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Messenger | WatchsApp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messenger/id454638411/reviews)** | [4.6 (35K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watchsapp-chat-for-watch/id1551010739/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14M** | 35K |
| Positive reviews | **66.0% of reviews** | 43.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#10** | — |
| Size | 283 MB | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meta Platforms, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284882218) | [BEYLER Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551010741) |

## What reviewers say

### Messenger

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

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Free · Social Networking, #148 Top Free, #192 Top Grossing · Social Networking (US App Store)

Connect with friends and family through text, audio, and video calls. Share photos in high definition, create shared albums, and send large files directly in chat. Features an AI assistant for instant answers and creative image generation.

**Highlights:** Text, audio, and video calls, High-definition photo sharing, Shared photo albums, Large file sharing up to 100MB, AI assistant for questions and creative tasks, Disappearing messages, Customizable chat themes

**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


### WatchsApp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watchsapp-chat-for-watch/id1551010739)

This app allows you to use WhatsApp directly on your Apple Watch. Send and receive messages, view photos and videos in HD, and access all your chats and voice messages instantly. Stay connected without needing your phone.

**Highlights:** Access all chats, Send messages, View Full HD pictures and videos, Send and play voice messages, Start new chats, Send location messages, View Memoji Stickers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $6.99 | per 6 months |
| Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium | $9.99 | per 6 months |
| Premium | $12.99 | per year |
| Premium | $17.99 | per 6 months |
| Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium | $19.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient for using WhatsApp on Apple Watch
- 🚀 Works well when connected
- 💡 Lifetime premium option available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnections and sync issues
- 💰 Expensive premium subscription
- 🔒 Requires phone to be nearby to function properly
- 🔍 Limited functionality in free version

**Reported bugs**

- App gets stuck on loading screen
- Unable to connect after WhatsApp beta update
- Premium features not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add support for FlickType keyboard
- Improve notification reliability
- Allow standalone use without phone nearby


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Messenger free?

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

### Is WatchsApp free?

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

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

Messenger is rated higher. Messenger averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14M ratings, while WatchsApp averages 4.6 from 35K ratings.

### Do Messenger or WatchsApp have ads?

Messenger shows ads; WatchsApp does not.

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

Messenger ships an update weekly, and WatchsApp every 9 days. Most recently, Messenger was updated on November 6, 2026 and WatchsApp on November 6, 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.*