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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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WeChat

60
Value score / 100 Worth paying? No Skip it

WeChat is a highly useful communication and payment app, especially for connecting with people in Asia, but it suffers from significant usability issues, privacy concerns, and account blocking problems that detract from its overall value.

Free + in-app purchases seen up to $199.99 3.9★ lifetime (80,397) since 2011

WeChat is a popular app for messaging, voice/video calls, and mobile payments, particularly for communicating with contacts in China and other parts of Asia R6R30R74. However, many users report severe problems with account creation and verification, frequent account blocks, and a growing number of unwanted features and ads, making it a frustrating experience for many R3R7R8R17.

Free vs paid

The core communication features, including messaging, voice and video calls, and sharing photos, appear to be free R30R74. The app also offers mobile payments and money transfers without explicit mention of a paid tier for these functions R6R30. However, the app includes in-app purchases ranging from $0.99 to $199.99, though reviews do not specify what these purchases unlock or if they remove ads or add premium features. Some users complain about being charged despite the app being free, suggesting potential hidden costs or misunderstandings about IAPs R12. The 'mini-shop' feature, which displays product ads and uses system notifications to induce clicks, is a source of frustration for many users and is not a paid feature to remove R4R17.

Value complaints

  • The app is listed as free, but some users report being charged without understanding why.R12
  • The 'mini-shop' feature adds unwanted product ads and uses system notifications to induce clicks, disrupting the user experience, and there's no option to disable it even with payment.R4R17R36
  • The app's increasing size and inclusion of 'useless functions' like the mini-shop and card package are criticized, implying a lack of value for the storage space it consumes.R9R20R32R35

Where it delivers

  • WeChat is highly effective for communicating with friends and family, especially those in Asia, offering messaging, voice, and video calls.R6R23R30R74
  • It is very useful for mobile payments and money transfers, eliminating the need for cash or credit cards.R6R30
  • The app facilitates international communication and includes translation features, which are helpful for connecting with people speaking different languages.R74R138
  • Users appreciate its social networking features, such as sharing daily posts and interacting with friends' content.R23R30R163
Worth paying if

It is not worth paying for WeChat based on the provided reviews, as there is no clear indication that in-app purchases enhance the core experience or resolve the numerous issues users face.

Skip / stay free if

You should skip paying for WeChat if you are looking for a straightforward communication app without intrusive shopping features and ads R4R17R36. Users who are concerned about privacy, account security, or frequent technical glitches should also avoid any in-app purchases R10R15R19R37.

Evidence note: The reviews provide strong evidence for the app's utility in communication and payments, particularly for international users connecting with contacts in Asia. However, there is also overwhelming evidence of significant usability issues, privacy concerns, and account management problems. Information regarding the specific benefits of in-app purchases is absent from the reviews, making it difficult to assess their value.

Frequently asked

Is WeChat free to use?
Yes, WeChat is free to download and use for its core communication features like messaging, voice, and video calls R30R74. However, it does offer in-app purchases ranging from $0.99 to $199.99, though reviews do not specify what these purchases are for R12.
Can I use WeChat for payments?
Yes, WeChat is very useful for paying and transferring money to other people, allowing users to avoid cash and credit cards R6R30.
Why is it difficult to create a WeChat account?
Many users report significant difficulty creating a WeChat account because it often requires an existing member to scan a QR code for verification, which is a major hurdle for those without friends already using the app R3R7R8R15.
Does WeChat have privacy concerns?
Yes, several users express concerns about WeChat's privacy practices, including accusations of collecting personal information and submitting it to government servers, as well as being a 'malicious app that secretly monitors user privacy' R10R19R44R359.
Are there issues with WeChat accounts being blocked?
Yes, many users report their WeChat accounts being blocked or restricted without clear reasons, often requiring friends to help unblock them, which is difficult for international users R25R37R201.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R12] 1/5 · US If is free why they charge me 🤔: If is free why did they charge me
  2. [R4] 2/5 · US Why add a 'mini-shop' module to the international version? Ever since the 'mini-shop' feature was added to the 'Cards & Offers' module, it frequently displays product ads, even using system notifications (badges/red dots) to induce clicks. The app's interface consistency is destroyed, and the user experience is greatly diminished! I really don't understand why WeChat wants to add a mini-shop feature to the international version. Does anyone abroad actually use it? Does it allow foreign card payments? Can purchases be shipped to international addresses? If shipped, can it assist with customs clearance? After clearance, are there local service providers for delivery? After delivery, is there international after-sales service? What's the point of rushing to push this feature without solving these issues step by step? Even if we take a step back, fine, push the mini-shop feature, run ads, but what's with the system notifications popping up on the 'Me' tab in the bottom bar? Is that fun, product manager, I ask you! If I win a bar of soap in a lottery, can I go bang a gong at your doorstep? Ah! · translated
  3. [R17] 1/5 · US WeChat Mini-Shop has no shame: Mini-shop notifications can't be turned off or hidden. For a communication software to forcibly bind shopping features is absolutely disgusting. The product manager who came up with this feature is truly morally bankrupt. · translated
  4. [R36] 1/5 · US too many ads: massive stupid ads
  5. [R9] 1/5 · US Updates are getting bigger and bigger with a bunch of useless features: Mini-shop and Cards & Offers, many features cannot be turned off. Hope for a clean version of WeChat. · translated
  6. [R20] 1/5 · US Messy and bad 👎: An app bigger than the OS. All sorts of messy features crammed in. And they can't be turned off. For example, 'My Posts,' 'Orders & Cards.' · translated
  7. [R32] 1/5 · US A lot of trash data: You know what even if you open several times this app has almost 1gb trash data you cannot delete.
  8. [R35] 1/5 · US What the hell is this 800MB crap: Damn it. · translated
  9. [R6] 5/5 · US Super useful: It helped me communicate with my relatives in Asia since they didn’t have messages. Also, it is very useful for paying and transferring money to other people. You don’t need to use cash and credit card anymore.
  10. [R23] 5/5 · US Love this app: This app is great! You can call friends and text them from all over the world. If your friend is using a different phone you can also text/call them! You can post what you did today and share it with your friends and they can comment/like it. In general this app is great not only you can talk to people all over the world but you can also talk to people that is using another phone!
  11. [R30] 5/5 · US Best: My experience with WeChat has been quite good. It is a useful app for messaging, voice and video calls, and sharing photos with friends and family. I also like that it includes extra features such as mobile payments and social networking. The app is easy to use, and communication is usually fast and reliable.
  12. [R74] 5/5 · US Must Have App!: This app is amazing it translates and helps me communicate with my friends that speak different languages other than English. Absolutely phenomenal and a must have to talk to your friends from all around the world. Love it
  13. [R138] 5/5 · US Internationally convenient: You know how in China, YouTube is banned, it’s really annoying, but WeChat is really convenient if you know how it works, you can chat with your friends and family and look at cool videos, keep it up wechat
  14. [R163] 5/5 · US Best app ever: Amazing app! The stickers are just too addictive. Cool option to stay in touch with people and share your news.
  15. [R3] 1/5 · US Tengo problema no me deja iniciar: Menos de una estrella le daría ni me deja iniciar y no hay otro modo de iniciar sección
  16. [R7] 1/5 · US Rubbish app: To create account dose not suppose to need membership help, is not making any sense 😂 What about those people that want to join and don’t have any member close to them?
  17. [R8] 1/5 · US Sucks literally trash: I can’t even sign up I don’t anybody that uses this app I just need it for my fardriver and it’s not letting me sign up cus I have to get it scanned by someone that has the app but literally nobody has it cus this app is straight ahh
  18. [R15] 1/5 · US Automatically compromised my account: My account got auto compromised as soon as I made it, I need a friend to verify my account so I got my sister to help me unfreeze it, but it says “require a friend to verify”. How is a new account gonna have someone added? My account cannot add people, it cannot find people to friend. This made my account effectively useless.
  19. [R10] 1/5 · US Information collection: Collects personal information and uploads it to the CCP government. · translated
  20. [R19] 2/5 · US Disregards privacy, terrible attitude: Some of Tencent's actions are quite unfriendly. · translated
  21. [R44] 1/5 · US Bad application: A malicious app that secretly monitors user privacy
  22. [R359] 3/5 · GB Spyware: Spyware, collect user data and submit to CN servers.
  23. [R25] 1/5 · US Overseas WeChat accounts are severely blocked, accounts are blocked for no reason, damn it: Trash WeChat. · translated
  24. [R37] 3/5 · US Account security issues: My account has been blocked many times without reason, and they don't tell me why. Why do they just keep blocking my account? Every time it's blocked, I need friends to help unblock it, but I'm currently abroad, and the only WeChat friends I can contact are my family. However, everyone has a limited number of times they can help me unblock it. Once the times are used up, I'm out of options. I really want to know why my account is being blocked. I haven't done anything illegal. This constant blocking makes me very disappointed with this app. This is my only way to contact my family and friends in China. If even this is blocked, I will truly go crazy.. 😢 I hope this issue can be resolved for me. I would be extremely grateful. 🥹🥹🥹🥹 · translated
  25. [R201] 3/5 · GB quite good: I've been using WeChat to message my Chinese friends but for some reason I 'violated the rules' so now I can't message them because my account has been restricted, this isn't fair. I didn't even get told why it got restricted so I'm very disappointed in WeChat. Now I can't message them and they think I don't like them

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store