Comparison

WA Backup Reader vs WhatsBackup

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

WA Backup Reader

Features
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You exported your chat history and want to actually read it again? WA Backup Reader has you covered – cleanly, searchably, and entirely offline. ------------------------------ A FAMILIAR CHAT VIEW ------------------------------ Your exported chat files are displayed exactly the way you expect: your messages on the right, incoming on the left, timestamps, system notices, and media references – everything in the right place. No more digging through raw text files. ------------------------------ FULL-TEXT SEARCH ACROSS ALL CHATS ------------------------------ Remember a message but not which chat it was in? The built-in search scans every conversation at once and jumps straight to the result – in a fraction of a second. ------------------------------ MEDIA GALLERY ------------------------------ Photos, videos, and voice messages from your chats are gathered in a clean, browsable gallery. Stop scrolling through lines of text to find that one photo – it's right there, sorted and easy to browse. ------------------------------ ONE-ON-ONE & GROUP CHATS ------------------------------ Whether it's a private conversation or a busy group chat with many participants – WA Backup Reader renders everything correctly. Sender names, system notices, and shared content are fully preserved. ------------------------------ FULLY OFFLINE & PRIVACY-FIRST ------------------------------ Your data never leaves your device. The app works 100 % offline – no sign-up, no account, no connection to any external server. No tracking, no analytics, no sharing. Your chat history stays yours. ------------------------------ EASY IMPORT ------------------------------ Import chat exports directly as ZIP or TXT files – via the Files app, AirDrop, or the Share sheet. No computer needed, no complicated setup. ------------------------------ GERMAN & ENGLISH ------------------------------ WA Backup Reader is fully available in both German and English. ------------------------------ WA Backup Reader is an independent third-party app with no affiliation to WhatsApp LLC or Meta Platforms, Inc. The app reads the standardised chat export format provided by common messaging apps.

About

WhatsBackup

Features
Read full description

WhatsBackup: Lets you securely save, lock, and access your WhatsApp chats anytime. Backup your important chats, photos, videos, audio files, documents, and links in a secure WhatsApp-style interface. Even if chats are deleted from WhatsApp, you can still access them inside ChatVault. Designed for privacy and convenience, ChatVault supports passcode lock, Face ID, multi-language support, chat export, and easy import from multiple sources. KEY FEATURES: • Backup WhatsApp chats securely • Access deleted chats anytime • Save photos, videos, documents & links • WhatsApp-style chat interface • Chat Search • Face ID / Touch ID / Passcode protection • Import chats from WhatsApp & WhatsApp Business • Export chats to Drive or external storage • Chat with unknown numbers without saving contacts • Multi-language support • One-tap navigation to first & last messages • Share chats easily • Manage multiple WhatsApp accounts • Fast & lightweight app experience • No ads experience HOW TO BACKUP: 1. Open WhatsApp 2. Select the chat 3. Tap Export Chat 4. Choose ChatVault 5. Your backup is ready Your private chats deserve a secure home. Download ChatVault today and keep your memories safe forever.

Screenshots

WA Backup Reader4 screens
WhatsBackup4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: WhatsBackup at none against WA Backup Reader's 1. WhatsBackup also leads on ads (none vs shown). WA Backup Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. WA Backup Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. WhatsBackup asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

WA Backup Reader ships an update every 4 days, WhatsBackup every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences Ā· 2 level
WA Backup Reader versus WhatsBackup: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWA Backup ReaderWhatsBackup
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperInnervateVarun Kumar

In-app purchases

1 purchases

WA Backup Reader

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$0.99
None

WhatsBackup

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WA Backup Reader free?
WA Backup Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is WhatsBackup free?
WhatsBackup is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do WA Backup Reader or WhatsBackup have ads?
WA Backup Reader shows ads; WhatsBackup does not.
Which is updated more often, WA Backup Reader or WhatsBackup?
WA Backup Reader ships an update every 4 days, and WhatsBackup every 3 months. Most recently, WA Backup Reader was updated on September 23, 2026 and WhatsBackup on September 17, 2026.

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