Those trying to decide between WhatsApp and iMessage have several facets to consider, but interestingly enough the price isn’t really one of them. Most iPhones come preloaded with iMessage, and purchasing WhatsApp will only put users back 99 cents. This means that the programs can be judged based solely on their merits, and not on cost.
Five Biggest Differences between WhatsApp and iMessage
1) Availability is the area in which WhatsApp is truly dominant. As is to be expected of a native Apple program, the iMessage software works great on iPhone and iPad devices. WhatsApp works well on iPhone, but the versions for Android and Windows Phone work equally as well. There are even versions available for Blackberry, Nokia and Symbian devices. This doesn’t mean much for people who own an iPhone, but it does mean that they will be able to keep in touch with their friends regardless of what brand of phone that currently they own.
2) Many users consider the iMessage interface to be far cleaner than the one that WhatsApp uses. The default iMessage installation sports an extremely simple interface. It has nothing beyond a list of past and current conversations along with an included search tool. WhatsApp might look a bit more bloated to those who are just looking for something to keep in touch and chat with.
3) WhatsApp is superior when it comes to being able to share media with other people. Most media sharing options in iMessage are quite limited. Users can send images and short videos, but WhatsApp does this much better. Those who are going to make heavy use of these kinds of functions will certainly want to opt for WhatsApp.
4) Integrating iMessage with other native applications is much easier than integrating WhatsApp with them. iMessage can import media and especially images from the other native functions that iPhone and iPad devices come preloaded with. That being said, the fact that WhatsApp generally works better when it comes to sending images will keep the scale from tilting too far in iMessage’s favor.
5) WhatsApp comes with a number of default messages that can be sent with a single push of the touchscreen. Most of these are very simple and amount to warnings about being in a meeting or being asleep, but the feature is nice for those who have to warn a great deal of people that they won’t be available to talk to for a while. It’s not a big feature, but it’s an area where the developers of WhatsApp were a little more thoughtful than those of iMessage.
Which App Comes Out on Top
Individuals who are staying in touch with fellow iPhone users can’t go wrong with iMessage and it’s simple interface, but those who know many people who all have different devices will have to go with WhatsApp. The fact that it supports so many devices clearly tips the scales in its favor, though there’s nothing stopping users from having both apps on their phone simultaneously.