Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
User consensusAlternativesIs it worth it?
Is it worth paying for

Messenger

70
Value score / 100 Worth paying? No Skip it

Messenger is generally worth using for its free communication features, especially for connecting with family and friends internationally, but recent updates and technical issues raise concerns about its reliability and privacy.

Free + in-app purchases seen up to $30 4.7★ lifetime (12,970,686) since 2011

Messenger offers valuable free communication, including clear audio and video calls, and is widely used for connecting with people globally R4R8R14. However, recent updates have introduced significant bugs, app access issues, and privacy concerns, making any in-app purchases questionable given the current instability R1R2R3R10. The app's core functionality is free, and there's no clear indication from reviews that paid features offer additional value.

Free vs paid

The core functionality of Messenger, including messaging, audio calls, and video calls, is available for free R14R37. Reviews do not indicate any essential features are locked behind a paywall, nor do they praise any specific in-app purchases. The in-app purchases listed (ranging from $0.01 to $30) are not mentioned by users as providing significant value or being necessary for a good experience.

Value complaints

    Where it delivers

    • Excellent for free international calls and messaging, connecting users with family and friends globally.R13R14R19R24
    • Provides clear and reliable audio and video call quality, often better than standard phone services.R4R8R11R16
    • Helpful for staying in contact with loved ones and maintaining communication.R5R13R15R17
    Worth paying if

    Based on the reviews, there is no clear scenario where paying for Messenger is justified, as all praised features are free.

    Skip / stay free if

    You should skip paying for Messenger if you are concerned about app stability, privacy, or data usage, as these issues are highlighted in negative reviews and are not addressed by any paid features R1R2R3R10. There is no evidence from user reviews that in-app purchases improve the user experience or resolve common complaints.

    Evidence note: Reviews are heavily skewed towards positive ratings (5/5), often with minimal detail, while negative reviews frequently highlight critical technical issues. There is no direct discussion of in-app purchases or their value in the provided reviews, making it difficult to assess their worth.

    Frequently asked

    Is Messenger reliable for communication?
    While many users praise Messenger for clear communication and good connection quality R4R8R16, a significant number of recent reviews report issues with lagging messages, app crashes, dropped calls, and notifications not working R1R2R7.
    Are there any privacy concerns with Messenger?
    Some users express concerns about Messenger 'stealing data' and 'reading private messages' R10, and one review mentions issues with message encryption after updates R3.
    Does Messenger have customer support for account issues?
    Several users report significant frustration with being locked out of their accounts due to identity verification issues and finding no one to help resolve these problems R35R43.
    Are in-app purchases necessary for Messenger's core features?
    No, the reviews indicate that Messenger's core communication features, such as messaging, audio calls, and video calls, are free and highly valued by users without any mention of needing to pay for them R14R37.

    What reviewers actually said

    Built only from these 50 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. [R13] 5/5 · US Review: I can only speak for myself. Facebook messenger is so great to me and I love it. I connect with people. I haven’t talked to in years off it. The connection is always good for me.. Me and I’m sure a lot of other people would be lost without messenger. But you should make it where you can block people from messaging you but not block them on Facebook. Bring that back!
    2. [R14] 5/5 · US One of the best ways to call & message internationally: I love Instant Messenger! It’s free and so simple to use to keep in touch with the people you be are about… love the exploding hearts❤️!
    3. [R19] 5/5 · US Connecting family together: Thank you for connecting us with our family every day while we're away from home. It truly means so much to us. 🫶🏻
    4. [R24] 5/5 · US Muy útil: Conecta con el mundo entero y es muy importante para toda la humanidad
    5. [R4] 5/5 · US Better than cell phone: I have better better reception and communication with messenger live then with FaceTime camera on my phone
    6. [R8] 5/5 · US Messenger video call: Excellent , very clear and both sound & picture.
    7. [R11] 5/5 · US Excellent!!!: Clear, concise and able to hear and understand each other. However, picture could have been clearer.
    8. [R16] 5/5 · US HB: Thank you for great connection/service, it was very clear.
    9. [R5] 5/5 · US Good: I like talking to my cousin
    10. [R15] 5/5 · US Uwu: Now I can call my dad!
    11. [R17] 5/5 · US I luv: It lets me be with loved ones through the screen
    12. [R1] 1/5 · US Lags: When sending messages it takes to long to send.
    13. [R2] 1/5 · US I CANT OPEN THE APP!!!💢: So im freaking out and I was about to call my dad and tell my dad there is no water running down from the sink and, I got on it like the opening of the app, and it kicks me off…FIX THE APP!
    14. [R7] 4/5 · US Audio Call: The caller dropped 3 times for about 10 seconds during a 30 minute call.
    15. [R3] 1/5 · US Càng cập nhật càng ngu: Càng cập nhật càng ngu, nhất là tính năng mã hoá tin nhắn
    16. [R10] 1/5 · US stupid.. stalling my data: Stealing my data and reading my private message and so much storage hungry.
    17. [R35] 1/5 · US Confirm identity: Horrible .! After almost 20 years of having my facebook now i cannot sent messages, nor confirm my identity to have it back working. I’ve tried many and all options and nothing .! And yet there’s no one to help.! This sucks so much.!!
    18. [R43] 1/5 · US Angry: For whatever reason I got locked out of my original messenger because it keeps wanting me to verify my identity and when I do it Kicks me out for a month, but doesn’t tell me why or how to fix it or nothing
    19. [R37] 5/5 · US First love Reunion: This app is THEE best! It allowed me to talk to my very first love again. Excellent call quality. Felt like she was talking right into my ear. If you need an app for free text, audio calls and video calls. This is the best!

    Synthesized from 50 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store