# Messenger vs DatChat

The clearest difference is ads: DatChat at none against Messenger's shown. DatChat also leads on review sentiment (91% vs 66%). Messenger's advantage is ratings volume (14M vs 944) and chart position (#8 vs unranked). 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 DatChat sells 4 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 4.8 for DatChat. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Messenger has 14M ratings behind it against 944, 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 91% of DatChat's.

Messenger ships an update weekly, DatChat every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Messenger | DatChat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (14M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messenger/id454638411/reviews) | **[4.8 (944 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/datchat-social-network-plus/id999516973/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14M** | 944 |
| Positive reviews | 66.2% of reviews | **90.7% 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 | **#8** | — |
| Size | 255 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Meta Platforms, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284882218) | [Myseum, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/999516972) |

## What reviewers say

### Messenger

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

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Free · Social Networking, #104 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


### DatChat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/datchat-social-network-plus/id999516973)

This app offers a private social network and messenger with self-destructing, screenshot-protected, and end-to-end encrypted posts and messages. Users can control messages even after sending, create private social groups, and secure photos with advanced encryption.

**Highlights:** Self-destructing messages and posts, Screenshot protection with notifications, End-to-end encrypted communication, Nuke conversations to erase both sides, Private social groups, Multiple accounts, Encrypted hidden photo storage

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro (Monthly) | $0.99 | per month |
| Pro (Yearly) | $9.99 | per year |
| Remain Anonymous | $1.99 | one-time |
| DatChat Pro Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Privacy and security
- 🚀 Innovative features
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Blockchain technology
- 🔒 Anti-screenshot protection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔧 Needs more feature development
- 👎 Dated UI design
- 🔍 Difficulty finding recent messages

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Inconsistent message delivery
- Notifications not always working as expected

**Requested features**

- Video chat functionality
- Ability to like/react to messages
- Improved message search and sorting
- Customizable notification settings
- Integration with other platforms


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Messenger free?

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

### Is DatChat free?

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

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

DatChat is rated higher. Messenger averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14M ratings, while DatChat averages 4.8 from 944 ratings.

### Do Messenger or DatChat have ads?

Messenger shows ads; DatChat does not.

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

Messenger ships an update weekly, and DatChat every 9 days. Most recently, Messenger was updated on September 24, 2026 and DatChat on September 21, 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.*