# Telegram Messenger vs Direct Message for WhatsApp

The clearest difference is update cadence: Telegram Messenger at every 2 weeks against Direct Message for WhatsApp's every 3 months. Telegram Messenger also leads on ratings volume (285K vs 896) and chart position (#4 vs unranked). Direct Message for WhatsApp's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.0) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Telegram Messenger sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Direct Message for WhatsApp sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Direct Message for WhatsApp holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Telegram Messenger has 285K ratings behind it against 896, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of Telegram Messenger's written reviews are positive against 37% of Direct Message for WhatsApp's.

Telegram Messenger ships an update every 2 weeks, Direct Message for WhatsApp every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Telegram Messenger | Direct Message for WhatsApp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (285K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/telegram-messenger/id686449807/reviews) | **[4.4 (896 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/direct-message-for-whatsapp/id1411992307/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **285K** | 896 |
| Positive reviews | 34.1% of reviews | **37.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#4** | — |
| Size | 232 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Telegram FZ-LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/686450210) | [Metromedya Digital Ad Agency](https://appshunter.io/developer/444159679) |

## What reviewers say

### Telegram Messenger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/telegram-messenger/id686449807)

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Free · Social Networking, #4 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #33 Top Free, #39 Top Grossing (US App Store)

A fast, secure, and feature-rich instant messaging application that syncs across all your devices. It offers unlimited media and file sharing, robust security features, and tools for managing large communities.

**Highlights:** Fast and secure instant messaging, Cross-device synchronization, Unlimited media and file sharing, Large group chats (up to 200,000 members), Customizable themes and animated stickers, Secret chats with self-destructing messages, Bots for task automation

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Telegram Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Telegram Premium Annual | $35.99 | per year |
| 50 Telegram Stars | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1x Telegram Premium (One Week) | $1.19 | one-time |
| 100 Telegram Stars | $1.99 | one-time |
| 250 Telegram Stars | $5.09 | one-time |
| 500 Telegram Stars | $9.99 | one-time |
| Telegram Premium (3 Months) | $14.99 | one-time |
| 750 Telegram Stars | $14.99 | one-time |
| Telegram Premium (6 Months) | $19.99 | one-time |
| 1x Premium (6 Months) | $19.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Telegram Stars | $19.99 | one-time |
| 1500 Telegram Stars | $29.99 | one-time |
| Telegram Premium (1 Year) | $35.99 | one-time |
| 1x Premium (1 Year) | $35.99 | one-time |
| 2500 Telegram Stars | $50.90 | one-time |
| 5x Premium (3 Months Each) | $74.99 | one-time |
| 10x Premium (3 Months Each) | $149.99 | one-time |
| 5x Premium (1 Year Each) | $179.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Customizable and user-friendly
- 💡 Innovative features like channels and bots
- 🌟 Great overall messaging experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable at times
- 🔋 Battery life issues
- 🚫 Lack of video calling feature
- 📂 Issues with media uploads and downloads
- 🔍 Inadequate search functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard issues and cursor placement problems
- Frequent app crashes, especially in large group chats
- Inaccurate 'last seen' timestamps
- Notification issues and duplicate messages
- Problems with media auto-save and download

**Requested features**

- Add video calling feature
- Improve search capabilities
- Implement a story/status feature
- Allow more customization options
- Segregate channels, bots, and individual chats


### Direct Message for WhatsApp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/direct-message-for-whatsapp/id1411992307)

Send messages on various platforms without saving contacts. Quickly send messages, auto-detect numbers, and use message templates. Keep your phonebook clean and conversations private across multiple messaging apps.

**Highlights:** Send messages without saving contacts, Auto-detect numbers from clipboard, Support for multiple messaging platforms, Quick message templates, Message history and recent contacts, Font formatting (bold, italic, strikethrough), Check WhatsApp profiles of unknown callers

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Plan | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Plan | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Direct Message | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $59.99 | per year |
| Yearly Plan | $59.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🔒 Secure messaging
- 💡 Convenient for temporary contacts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with 9-digit numbers
- 💰 Expensive monthly subscription
- 🔑 Restricted functionality without paid version

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to input phone numbers
- App crashes on launch
- Keyboard not working properly

**Requested features**

- Copy-paste support for phone numbers
- Contact list integration
- Multilingual support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Telegram Messenger free?

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

### Is Direct Message for WhatsApp free?

Direct Message for WhatsApp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Telegram Messenger or Direct Message for WhatsApp?

Direct Message for WhatsApp is rated higher. Telegram Messenger averages 4.0 out of 5 from 285K ratings, while Direct Message for WhatsApp averages 4.4 from 896 ratings.

### Do Telegram Messenger or Direct Message for WhatsApp have ads?

Neither Telegram Messenger nor Direct Message for WhatsApp shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Telegram Messenger or Direct Message for WhatsApp?

Telegram Messenger ships an update every 2 weeks, and Direct Message for WhatsApp every 3 months. Most recently, Telegram Messenger was updated on October 31, 2026 and Direct Message for WhatsApp on October 20, 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.*