# Messenger vs Threads

Messenger and Threads both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 66% of Messenger's written reviews are positive against 52% of Threads's. Messenger also leads on ratings volume (14M vs 2.2M) and device support (3 vs 1). Threads's advantage is chart position (#2 vs #7). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Messenger sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Threads sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. 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 Threads. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Messenger has 14M ratings behind it against 2.2M, 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 52% of Threads's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on September 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Messenger | Threads |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messenger/id454638411/reviews)** | [4.6 (2.2M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/threads/id6446901002/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14M** | 2.2M |
| Positive reviews | **66.2% of reviews** | 51.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #7 | **#2** |
| Size | 255 MB | 221 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.3 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Meta Platforms, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284882218) | [Instagram, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/389801255) |

## What reviewers say

### Messenger

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

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Free · Social Networking, #91 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


### Threads

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/threads/id6446901002)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Free · Social Networking, #22 Top Free (US App Store)

Connect and share your thoughts on a platform designed for conversation. Discover trending topics, join communities based on your interests, and engage in discussions through text, images, and polls. You can also control your experience with privacy settings and direct messaging.

**Highlights:** Start conversations with text, images, polls, and more, Join discussions through replies, Stay updated on trending topics, Control content visibility and replies, Discover communities and creators, Private 1:1 and group direct messaging

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No Ads Multi Tier | $0.99 | per month |
| No Ads Multi Tier | $1.99 | per month |
| No Ads Multi Tier | $2.99 | per month |
| No Ads Multi Tier | $3.99 | per month |
| No ads (1 account) | $7.99 | per month |
| No ads (2 accounts) | $12.99 | per month |
| No ads (3 accounts) | $17.99 | per month |
| No ads (4 accounts) | $21.99 | per month |
| No ads (4 accounts) | $22.99 | per month |
| No ads (5 accounts) | $26.99 | per month |
| No ads (7 accounts) | $37.99 | per month |
| No ads (8 accounts) | $42.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Clean and simple interface
- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 💡 Integrated with Instagram
- 🤝 Sense of community
- 😊 Positive and friendly environment

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🤖 Too many suggested/random posts
- 🔍 Lacking search and discovery features
- 🔀 Difficulty switching between accounts
- 📱 No iPad app

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to post or comment
- Disappearing posts and replies
- Inconsistent account linking with Instagram

**Requested features**

- Chronological feed option
- Hashtag and keyword search
- Trending topics section
- Bookmarking/saving posts
- Direct messaging functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Messenger free?

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

### Is Threads free?

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

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

Messenger is rated higher. Messenger averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14M ratings, while Threads averages 4.6 from 2.2M ratings.

### Do Messenger or Threads have ads?

Both Messenger and Threads show ads.

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

Messenger ships an update weekly, and Threads weekly. Most recently, Messenger was updated on September 27, 2026 and Threads on September 27, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Messenger or Threads?

Messenger currently peaks at #7 in the App Store charts, and Threads at #2. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*