Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

WhatsApp VS Snapchat

Compare WhatsApp VS Snapchat and see what are their differences

WhatsApp logo WhatsApp

WhatsApp Messenger: More than 1 billion people in over 180 countries use WhatsApp to stay in touch with friends and family, anytime and anywhere.

Snapchat logo Snapchat

Real-time picture chatting
  • WhatsApp Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-18
  • Snapchat Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-10

WhatsApp

$ Details
free
Platforms
Mobile Desktop
Release Date
2009 January
Startup details
Country
United States
State
California
Founder(s)
Brian Acton
Employees
1,000 - 1,999

Snapchat

$ Details
-
Platforms
-
Release Date
1996 April

WhatsApp features and specs

  • End-to-End Encryption
    WhatsApp provides end-to-end encryption for all messages and calls, ensuring that only you and the person you're communicating with can read or listen to them.
  • Cross-Platform Availability
    WhatsApp is available on various platforms including iOS, Android, and Windows, allowing users to stay connected regardless of the device they are using.
  • Cost-Effective
    The app is free to download and use, with no subscription fees, making it a cost-effective solution for messaging and calls.
  • Wide Adoption
    With over 2 billion users, WhatsApp has a large user base, making it likely that your contacts are already using the app.
  • Multimedia Sharing
    Users can easily share photos, videos, documents, and location, enhancing the communication experience.
  • Voice and Video Calls
    WhatsApp supports high-quality voice and video calls, allowing users to communicate in various modes.
  • Group Chats
    The app supports group chats, enabling users to communicate with multiple people at once.

Possible disadvantages of WhatsApp

  • Privacy Concerns
    While WhatsApp offers end-to-end encryption, its ownership by Facebook has raised concerns over data privacy and usage.
  • Data Usage
    High data consumption during voice and video calls can be a concern, especially for users without an unlimited data plan.
  • Storage Space
    Multimedia and chat backups can consume significant storage space on devices, leading to potential issues with device performance.
  • Spam and Scams
    Users sometimes receive spam messages or become targets of scams, which can be a nuisance and a security risk.
  • Limited File Size
    The app has limitations on the size of files that can be shared, which might not be convenient for all users.
  • Dependency on Phone Number
    Users are required to have a phone number to register, which can be a barrier for some individuals.
  • Availability in Certain Countries
    WhatsApp is banned or restricted in some countries, limiting its accessibility for users in those regions.

Snapchat features and specs

  • Ephemeral Messaging
    Messages and photos disappear after being viewed, which enhances privacy by ensuring that content is not permanently stored.
  • Fun Filters and Lenses
    Snapchat offers a wide variety of filters and lenses that make communication more entertaining and engaging.
  • Private Sharing
    Allows users to share content directly with friends instead of broadcasting to a larger audience, offering a more intimate social experience.
  • Discover Section
    Features content from various publishers, celebrities, and creators, providing users with diverse and interesting material to explore.
  • Snap Map
    Lets users share their location with friends and see where their friends are, enhancing the social connectivity aspect of the app.
  • Streaks
    Encourages regular communication between friends by keeping track of the number of consecutive days users exchange snaps.

Possible disadvantages of Snapchat

  • Privacy Concerns
    Despite its ephemeral nature, there are risks associated with screenshots and third-party apps that can save content without notifying the user.
  • Addictive Nature
    The app’s design can be highly addictive, potentially leading to excessive use and negatively affecting productivity or mental health.
  • Age Inappropriate Content
    The Discover section may feature content that is not suitable for younger users, raising concerns for parents and guardians.
  • Limited Discoverability
    The private nature of Snapchat’s content sharing makes it difficult for new users to gain followers or for existing users to discover new friends without direct connections.
  • Complex Interface
    Some users may find the interface and navigation confusing or non-intuitive, especially those who are not tech-savvy.
  • Data Usage
    The app can consume a considerable amount of data, particularly when using filters, lenses, and Discover content, which may be a concern for users with limited data plans.

Analysis of Snapchat

Overall verdict

  • Snapchat is a good platform for those who value privacy and enjoy interactive and playful communication. However, it may not be ideal for those who prefer more permanent forms of social media interactions or are concerned about data privacy.

Why this product is good

  • Snapchat is popular for its unique features like disappearing messages, augmented reality filters, and Stories, which appeal to users who enjoy spontaneous sharing and creative expressions. It also offers privacy features and allows users to maintain close connections with their friends through personalized communication.

Recommended for

  • Teenagers and young adults looking for creative ways to communicate
  • Users interested in augmented reality features
  • People who prefer ephemeral content

WhatsApp videos

WhatsApp Web - Full Review & Tutorial

More videos:

  • Review - How to Use Whatsapp - 2020 Beginner's Guide
  • Review - Whatsapp Web | Everything You Need To Know!
  • Review - What is WhatsApp? A Review
  • Review - What is WhatsApp & How Does it Work? | WhatsApp Guide Part 1

Snapchat videos

Snapchat Review

More videos:

  • Tutorial - HOW TO USE SNAPCHAT FOR BEGINNERS - Snapchat Tricks and Tips
  • Review - ULTIMATE snapchat review - Pissed off!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to WhatsApp and Snapchat)
Communication
92 92%
8% 8
Social Networks
0 0%
100% 100
Messaging
94 94%
6% 6
Social Network
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using WhatsApp and Snapchat. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare WhatsApp and Snapchat

WhatsApp Reviews

  1. Dhruv choudhary
    BEST APP FOR PRIVATE CHATTING

    I AM USING WHATSAPP SINCE 2015 AND STILL CURRENTLY USING IT HELPS ME TO GET IN TOUCH WITH MY FRIEND AND RELATIVES AND NOW IT ALSO HELPS ME TO DO PAYMENT VIA WHATSAPP.

    🏁 Competitors: Skype
    👍 Pros:    Free to use|Easy to use
    👎 Cons:    Nothing, so far

20 Telegram Alternatives to Chat With in 2024
WhatsApp’s other claim to fame is its security features, with end-to-end encryption. These security features, although not perfect, are still considered much better than Telegram’s. WhatsApp does a good job replicating Telegram’s chat features, but isn’t the best replacement for building groups of people who don’t know each other or for live streaming.
10 Best Secure Messaging Apps to Keep Your Conversation Private
WhatsApp is another highly popular messaging app that has brought end-to-end encryption to the masses. And the best part is that the encryption is enabled by default and extends to all forms of communication on WhatsApp, be it messages, audio or video calls, and WhatsApp Web. It uses the encryption protocol developed by Open Whisper Systems — the company behind Signal...
Source: beebom.com
10 Best Telegram Alternatives in 2024
Whatsapp is a very famous app similar to Telegram and it is widely used for communication across the world, some of the widely used features also includes group messaging, private or group calls, all can be done through end-end encryption. Apart from these features people also put a status of about 24 hours.
Top 10 Apps like Telegram for Android and IOs [2023]
WhatsApp's recently announced 'community' feature successfully engaged existing users and onboarded numerous communities. WhatsApp has a distinct platform wherein business users can easily interact. It supports up to 2 billion people using it worldwide, allowing you to engage audiences, accelerate sales, and improve customer service outcomes. Furthermore, it enabled...
The best WhatsApp alternatives for 2023
However recent developments have started hammering home WhatsApp's relationship to parent company Facebook. The same Facebook that's almost constantly in the news for some major controversy or another. The controversy over the WhatsApp privacy policy, which many understood to mean WhatsApp would start sharing more information with Facebook — with rumors that the contents of...

Snapchat Reviews

  1. Asad Ali Khan
    · Social Media Marketing at Fiver.com ·
    Moments Become Memories

    Snapchat is my favorite app to have quick fun with my friends! I can send pictures and videos that disappear after they're seen, which makes it feel spontaneous and exciting. The funny filters and lenses always make us laugh, and we love trying out new ones together. The Stories and Discover sections also keep us entertained with interesting stuff to watch. Sometimes the app gets a bit busy with updates, but overall, it's the best for having instant fun and staying close with friends.

    🏁 Competitors: Instagram Stories, TikTok Timer, Likee
    👍 Pros:    Easy to use|Useful filters|Best features|Can conect with friends and family|Memories|Beautiful themes
    👎 Cons:    Exciting features|Glitches occur|App instability|Missed messages
  2. rithya_04
    · team leader at wipro ·
    Trending Social Media Platform.

    I have been using this app sinces 5 years , features are good and mostly i like AI feature which i can chat in my free time as a buddy . and make some funny memories in this platforms . I just loved it .

    🏁 Competitors: Canvas by Instructure, Instagram
  3. amna123
    · content writter at content arcade ·
    Capturing Moments, Unleashing Stories"

    Snapchat is such a fun and creative platform I love how easy it is to send snaps and share moments with friends. The filters and lenses add an extra touch of fun to every snap. And let's not forget about the awesome

    👍 Pros:    Fun and creativ
    👎 Cons:    Data usage

20 Telegram Alternatives to Chat With in 2024
Snapchat was launched to counteract the idea that anything you create online sticks around forever. It focuses on quick interactions and personalization. Snapchat works as a Telegram alternative only for 1:1 or group photo/video messaging.
Top 10 Apps like Telegram for Android and IOs [2023]
Snapchat is a popular free chat application that is regarded as the best for its unique features. Snapchat's primary feature is that images and messages are often only accessible to their receivers for a brief time before being destroyed. Additionally, you may exchange images, and videos, and even make free phone or video conversations.
9 best FaceTime alternatives for Android phones
Snapchat has gone far since its quirky beginnings as a self-destructing text and photo messaging app, branching out to include numerous social features such as augmented reality stickers, Bitmojis, and multimedia Stories that you can share with your friends and contacts.
The Complete List of Video Marketing Tools (Updated for 2022)
Twitch works best as a live-streaming app for gaming. It allows you to chat with other users or viewers at any point in time. One of the best features from this app is the Snap Camera that lets you choose from thousands of classic Snapchat filters to add to your live stream. From Overwatch to League of Legends, Twitch makes your live video experience worth watching.
The Top Social Networking Sites People Are Using
Kids love this app because it takes the pressure off of having to share something with everyone like they would on traditional social networks. Snapchat is easy to learn. Snapchat also has a unique feature called Stories, which allows users to share snaps publicly when they want. Facebook and Instagram have recently added Stories as well.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, WhatsApp should be more popular than Snapchat. It has been mentiond 24 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

WhatsApp mentions (24)

  • User-facing/client-side tools for internet troubleshooting
    Hi everyone. The other day a client of mine's employees started having issues with the "internet not working". After some detective work with traceroute and interviewing them about what sites they were having issues with, I determined that the actual issue was with the web.whatsapp.com service having downtime. I'm mentioning all this because I'm now thinking of making them a small video/article on our intranet... Source: over 1 year ago
  • Is WhatsApp Web down in Oman?
    I believe web.whatsapp.com is being blocked by local telecom companies in order to protect their duopoly and keep Oman in tech--stone-age. If fewer people know how else the rest of the world uses the internet, then they don't have to make an effort to improve their offerings. Omantel is definitely blocking this web.whatsapp.com. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Open Letter to WhatsApp: Need for a Linux Desktop App
    What's wrong with https://web.whatsapp.com/ ? Source: over 1 year ago
  • Best app, like, ever?
    Whatsapp (Free) - chat. Although some people prefer iMessage and other ones. Source: over 1 year ago
  • WhatsApp Mac Client - can I have it installed two times?
    Use browser for one account https://web.whatsapp.com/ and app for the other. Source: over 1 year ago
View more

Snapchat mentions (7)

  • What the heck did you look like before you could afford a smartphone? (in the 80's)
    I don't know if you're familiar with the Snapchat or the Facebook mobile app. It's really cool, but I didn't have a phone until I got into social media around 5 years ago. What kind of tools were used to make the pictures look as good as possible? Source: over 2 years ago
  • Troubleshooting DNS for OpenVPN Client
    I'm assuming DNS since nslookup doesn't resolve 216.239.36.126 and when adding the los angeles hostname, it causes my network to go out versus when using the IP. This very well could be wrong. I also understood nslookup as DNS related but I guess I'm misunderstanding Its true purpose here. I can ping snapchat.com and have updated the body above. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • My landing page sucks, I don't know how to explain my idea.
    Snapchat.com have probably the best landing page I've ever seen. It's very minimal, there is very little text and everything is absolutely clear and simple. Source: about 3 years ago
  • How do I find where this traffic is originating from?
    We recently implemented Cisco Umbrella and have a variety of sites blocked like a typical corporate environment. There are several computers that are frequently reaching out to numerous blocked sites, some on the list are: zillow.com, snapchat.com, etsy.com, youtube.com, myspace.com, netflix.com, facebook.com, target.com. All of these sites get hit and blocked within the same minute. Source: over 3 years ago
  • How do people pay for domains when they go for sale for millions?
    If you look at some of the biggest domain sales... snapchat.com; uber.com, gmail.com, wechat.com, twitter.com, SpaceX.com , Instagram.com, Chrome.com, Prime.com (sold to Amazon)... Their sales were all brokered via escrow.com . Escrow.com charges a fee to facilitate the transaction. Source: almost 4 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing WhatsApp and Snapchat, you can also consider the following products

Telegram - Telegram is a messaging app with a focus on speed and security. It’s superfast, simple and free.

Instagram - Instagram is a mobile, desktop, and Internet-based photo-sharing application and service that allows users to share pictures and videos either publicly, or privately to pre-approved followers.

Skype - Stay in touch with your family and friends for free on Skype. Download Skype today to chat and call on desktop and mobile.

Facebook - Connect with friends, family and other people you know. Share photos and videos, send messages and get updates.

Signal - Fast, simple & secure messaging. Privacy that fits in your pocket.

X (Twitter) - Connect with your friends and other fascinating people. Get in-the-moment updates on the things that interest you. And watch events unfold, in real time, from every angle.