Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

rednote vs Facebook

rednote 4.9★ · Free + IAP 65
Winner Tie
Facebook 4.5★ · Free + IAP 60

Choose rednote if you are looking for a social media platform with unique content, especially for learning about Chinese culture and art, but be prepared for potential account issues and content moderation; choose Facebook if you prioritize connecting with a wide network of friends and family, but be ready to contend with a high volume of ads and occasional technical glitches.

Full reviews: rednote · Facebook

rednote offers a unique content experience, particularly for those interested in Chinese culture and art, but faces significant user complaints regarding account suspensions and aggressive notifications. Facebook, while a dominant platform for connecting with friends, is heavily criticized for an overwhelming number of ads and issues with its Marketplace and customer support.

Head to head

Content & Features edge: rednoteR2R7R9R11
rednote rednote is praised for its diverse and interesting content, including art tutorials and insights into Chinese culture R11R19R27R29. Users appreciate finding unique content not available on other platforms R7R19. However, some users report issues with basic features like uploading profile pictures or background images R2, and a lack of search filters R2. There are also complaints about the inability to mute videos and intrusive live stream gift effects R9.
Facebook Facebook is valued for its ability to connect people globally and provide a platform for sharing experiences . Users enjoy finding meaningful and relatable information . However, many users are frustrated with the current updates, finding the interface ugly and clumsy , and the newsfeed cluttered with content from unknown people . Specific features like tagging people in live videos, editing comments, and adding photos during a live stream are reported to be missing or not working as before . The Marketplace feature is also a source of frustration, with users complaining about irrelevant listings from distant locations and restrictions on cross-posting .
Ease of Use & User Experience tieR1R3R12R21
rednote rednote is generally seen as easy to use by many, with some calling it "amazing" and "foreigner friendly" R21. However, a significant number of users report intrusive and annoying pop-up notifications, even after disabling them R1. There are also reports of the app not progressing past the birthday input screen R12 and network timeout issues preventing access . Some users find the app's signal to be weak R3.
Facebook Facebook is generally easy to navigate for its core functions of connecting with friends . However, recent updates have made the home screen feel busy and cluttered, with stories taking up too much space and leading to accidental taps . Users are frustrated with the overwhelming number of ads that disrupt the feed and user experience R64R66R75R81. Some users also report issues with grey images and videos appearing .
Reliability & Account Management tieR4R7R15R24
rednote rednote users frequently report arbitrary account restrictions, suspensions, and bans without clear reasons or effective appeal processes R4R7. Many users struggle with identity verification, especially when the system fails to process passport uploads R4. There are also complaints about comments and posts being hidden or censored without notification R15R24. Some users have lost access to their accounts after password changes or due to issues with phone number linking .
Facebook Facebook users also experience significant issues with account management, particularly concerning suspensions and hacking. Many report accounts being suspended from Marketplace or the platform entirely without explanation or proof of violation . There are serious complaints about accounts being hacked, with users losing years of content and receiving no help from Meta R67. Verification processes can be problematic, with codes not working or requiring phone access when unavailable . Some users also report difficulties creating accounts with their real names .
Support & Moderation tieR4R6R10R15
rednote rednote's customer support is widely criticized as unhelpful, with users reporting interactions with bots that provide generic answers R4R24. Appeals for banned accounts often go unresolved for extended periods, with no meaningful human review R56. Content moderation is a major concern, with users reporting censorship of gender equality topics R10, racist comments and videos R6, and inappropriate behavior from male users . There are also accusations of the platform secretly limiting content reach for certain users R15 and failing to act on copyright issues .
Facebook Facebook's support is also heavily criticized, especially for issues related to hacked accounts, where users report receiving zero help from Meta R67. The moderation system is seen as inconsistent and opaque, with users reporting arbitrary violations and censorship R97. Some users claim that content violating standards is not removed, while ordinary users are restricted for minor infractions R97. There are also complaints about fake IDs and harassment not being addressed .
Price & Value tieR1R4R7R19
rednote rednote is a free app with in-app purchases. The value comes from its unique content, especially for learning about Chinese culture, art, and finding specific communities R7R19R27R29. However, the frequent issues with account bans, intrusive notifications, and poor customer support detract significantly from its overall value, even as a free app R1R4R7.
Facebook Facebook is a free app with in-app purchases. Its primary value lies in its extensive network for connecting with friends, family, and communities . However, the overwhelming number of ads significantly diminishes the user experience and perceived value, making it feel less like a social network and more like an advertising platform R64R66R75R81. Issues with customer support and account security also detract from its value R67.
Pick rednote if

you are interested in discovering unique content related to Chinese culture, art, and specific niche communities, and are willing to tolerate potential issues with account management and intrusive notifications R7R11R19R27.

Pick Facebook if

your primary goal is to connect with a broad network of friends and family, and you are accustomed to or willing to overlook a high volume of advertisements and occasional technical problems .

Evidence note: Both apps are free with in-app purchases, so the free-vs-paid asymmetry is not a significant factor in the comparison. Reviews for both apps show a strong negative skew in recent feedback, particularly concerning account issues and ads for Facebook, and account bans and intrusive notifications for rednote.

Frequently asked

Which app has better content discovery?
rednote has an edge in content discovery for niche interests, with users praising it for art tips, insights into Chinese culture, and specific communities like cosplayers, often finding content not available on other platforms R7R19R27R29.
Which app has more issues with ads?
Facebook has significantly more complaints about an overwhelming number of ads, with users reporting that ads appear every other post, disrupt their feed, and even override phone brightness settings R64R66R75R81.
Which app has better customer support?
Both apps receive severe criticism for their customer support, with users of rednote reporting unhelpful bot interactions and unresolved appeals for banned accounts R4R24R56, and Facebook users stating they receive "zero help" from Meta regarding hacked accounts and suspensions R67.
Are there censorship issues with either app?
Yes, both apps face censorship concerns; rednote users report content related to gender equality being banned and posts being hidden without notification R10R15R24, while Facebook users complain about inconsistent moderation, arbitrary restrictions, and censorship of certain viewpoints R97.

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. [R2] rednote 4/5 · US Few Issues: One issue being it won’t let me upload a profile picture nor a background, it just loads & wont stop. Second issue being there’s no filter option for search so it’s hard to find small creators under 1K
  2. [R7] rednote 1/5 · US Banned: They banned me after 2 days of having the account. Idk why coz I’m not a bot- I also wasn’t posting a lot. I didn’t post or comment any inappropriate stuff so it’s really frustrating. I only created an account on rednote coz I wanted to follow the love and deepspace cosplayers and also watch reels from people who went to AX expo. There’s more about that here than on IG. Then I got banned.
  3. [R9] rednote 3/5 · US World Cup live stream gift effect: Why can't I turn it off? · translated
  4. [R11] rednote 5/5 · US Love connection: Love the people the app the content is everything is so amazing I want to see china
  5. [R1] rednote 1/5 · US Rogue software: I turned off all in-app notifications, but homepage recommendations still kept popping up in my push notifications. Customer service feedback was useless. I updated the app, and the problem persisted. I can only turn off all Xiaohongshu push notifications in settings, which is so frustrating. · translated
  6. [R3] rednote 3/5 · US Aplicación: La aplicación es excelente pero muy débil la señal 🤦‍♂️
  7. [R12] rednote 3/5 · US Issues: It’s asking for my birthday and year and when I put it in it doesn’t move to another screen and may I Mind you I’m over 13
  8. [R21] rednote 5/5 · US My experience: I love it. It’s very foreigner friendly
  9. [R4] rednote 2/5 · US Account being restricted for random reasons: They decided there was a safety issue on my account, so they restricted the account access. No appealing granted, only to verify myself with upload of the passport. Yet their system is not capable of doing so. Tried to contact the support team, only bots were given unhelpful answers. Tried to Uninstall the app, didn’t work. Tried to have a new account,
  10. [R15] rednote 3/5 · GB Needs improvement: First, the good points. On this platform, I can find interesting articles every day. The system works; sometimes, some of the comments and articles I report are handled promptly and appropriately. The bad points: Many users promote a "block if you don't like it" culture. The platform system secretly restricts user traffic and hides articles without users knowing. · translated
  11. [R24] rednote 1/5 · US Xiaohongshu really loves to censor: Censoring comments: Comments you post aren't visible to others, and you don't tell the commenter. Censoring posts: Posts you make aren't visible to others, and you don't tell the poster. Is this how you respect users? Always doing things behind their backs? All sorts of emasculating designs, truly marinated in it. Update: Received a developer response telling me to contact customer service. Guess what? I actually did. First, your customer service is all bots. You're telling me to talk to a bot? You're wasting my time. Second, the bot customer service blames "censorship" on "review." It says posts need to be reviewed. Guess what? I verified it again. I posted an article, and it clearly showed "review passed," but others still couldn't see it. So you're lying! You're not honest or truthful. Seriously, are you going to tell me to report to customer service again about why others can't see my post? Lol, I'm done. · translated
  12. [R6] rednote 3/5 · US App is good but some videos and comments are Awful: Personal I liked the app especially to learn Chinese, but there are a lot of rasist comments and videos about India, it's really sad for me to read as an Indian
  13. [R10] rednote 1/5 · US It’s not supporting gender equality: Everything deals with gender equality will be banned. This is an app with sexism.
  14. [R19] rednote 5/5 · US peak of the peak: in china right now, and my vpn works buns. rednote is such an amazing alternative to other social media apps. ive been using it for art tips, but omg everyone else is great too.
  15. [R27] rednote 5/5 · US Awesome! 🤩: Really great way for me as an American to learn about Chinese culture! 😆
  16. [R29] rednote 5/5 · US Rednote tuts: Their art tutorials are too goated
  17. [R64] Facebook 1/5 · US Too many ads , algorithm not refined enough: Title says it all
  18. [R66] Facebook 3/5 · US Problems: I have to go in and out of Facebook to be able to open responses. It gets old I get very irritated with the adds at the bottom of posts! If you hit them by accident you get messages. These need to be removed!
  19. [R75] Facebook 3/5 · US Great App but…: I do love Facebook but I have to say lately the ads are getting ridiculous. I get that with ads is how you can make it free but literally ever other post is an ad. I don’t even see friends stuff much anymore. It’s frustrating
  20. [R81] Facebook 3/5 · US Ads: Too many ads
  21. [R56] rednote 1/5 · US Human customer service is no different from AI: My account was blocked, and my appeal has had no results for a month. Customer service only says the department is still processing it and will follow up, then repeats AI-like phrases such as "please understand and wait patiently." I've already waited a month. I asked customer service in between, and they said they'd expedite it, but two weeks have passed, and there's still no result. · translated
  22. [R67] Facebook 1/5 · US Meta Hack and lost over 20 Years of work: A boy name Gabriel Solis QuisQuina hacked into my Meta Account and posted some things involving a minor. When I try to retrieve this download report, it will not allow me to review it. Meta is a generated A.I. that will allow a person to hacked and retrieve people’s data and it will take months to get an account back. This really piss me off
  23. [R97] Facebook 1/5 · US Censorship: Be careful what you say or they will censor you unless you are a leftist. They have ads showing graphic porn for ai bs and if you report it they say it doesn’t go against standards but if you say the F word they restrict your account. Make it make sense

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