# Whatool vs Chat Archive

The clearest difference is rating: Chat Archive at 5.0 against Whatool's 4.3. Chat Archive also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). Whatool's advantage is ratings volume (70 vs 2) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Whatool sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Chat Archive sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chat Archive holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Whatool has 70 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Whatool ships an update every 3 months, Chat Archive weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Whatool | Chat Archive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whatool-saved-chat-search/id818579485/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chat-archive-export-and-backup/id6743768869/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **70** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 24.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Luca Rubin](https://appshunter.io/developer/388435989) | [Danilo Souza](https://appshunter.io/developer/680249353) |

## What reviewers say

### Whatool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whatool-saved-chat-search/id818579485)

Search your WhatsApp, Line, and Viber chats with advanced filters for date, sender, and message content. Keep your messages safe with on-device processing and create backup copies. Merge multiple conversations for a unified search experience.

**Highlights:** Advanced chat search, Filter by date, sender, content, On-device data processing, Merge multiple conversations, Create message backups, Compatible with WhatsApp, Line, Viber

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited conversations | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove adverts | $1.99 | one-time |
| Merge up to 5 conversations | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited merging | $3.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all features | $5.99 | one-time |


### Chat Archive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chat-archive-export-and-backup/id6743768869)

Easily import and search your WhatsApp chat exports offline on your device. View messages, media, and voice notes, transcribe audio, and export conversations to PDF for long-term storage or sharing. Take control of your chat history without needing an account.

**Highlights:** Import WhatsApp chat exports, Offline chat viewing, Searchable messages, Media and voice note support, Voice note transcription, Export to PDF, No account required

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Access (1 Month) | $5.99 | per month |
| Premium Access (1 Year) | $44.99 | per year |
| Premium Lifetime | $20.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Whatool free?

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

### Is Chat Archive free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Whatool or Chat Archive?

Chat Archive is rated higher. Whatool averages 4.3 out of 5 from 70 ratings, while Chat Archive averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Whatool or Chat Archive have ads?

Whatool shows ads; Chat Archive does not.

### Which is updated more often, Whatool or Chat Archive?

Whatool ships an update every 3 months, and Chat Archive weekly. Most recently, Whatool was updated on November 1, 2026 and Chat Archive on October 30, 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.*