WhatsApp and LINE are two major competitors as most popular instant messaging apps. These two allow users to make and accept calls, send and receive messages. For short, these apps are an effective way to save money but optimize the quality of communication. Now, the question is: Which is the greater app?
In comparing these two outstanding messaging apps, we must consider several areas such as popularity, cost and other features.
Popularity
The number of users of a particular application is a great determining factor for prospective users during their decision making. A prospective user usually chooses the app used by majority of his or her friends. In this area, WhatsApp is the apparent winner with over 900 million users worldwide. On the other hand, LINE only has 200 million users. The former has expanded worldwide whereas the Japan-based LINE targets Asian domination.
Cost
Both of these instant messaging apps render their service for free. You can make unlimited calls and messages without paying a dime. However, this is only true for your first year in using WhatsApp. After the first free year subscription, you will have to pay a couple of bucks. Meanwhile, LINE poses no such restrictions and remains to give free service all throughout your patronage. For this area, the certain winner is LINE.
Privacy Feature
Line and WhatsApp both register your phone number into their network. Some people may not want this at all; for such, LINE gives another registration option through your Facebook account. WhatsApp does not have this option currently and for this, LINE wins the game.
Calls
WhatsApp can only call contacts who use WhatsApp. LINE, meanwhile, can be used to call any phone number (landline or mobile) worldwide at a cheap cost. This feature is dubbed by LINE as LINE Out. Obviously, LINE wins this game, too.
Voice and Video Quality
Hands down for LINE here as it gives better quality than its competitor (this might be due to the number of users of the more popular WhatsApp). Moreover, WhatsApp calls eat more data than calls made through LINE. If you don’t have an unlimited data plan, then it’s wiser for you to choose LINE instead.
Stickers
Who doesn’t love to express themselves in more colorful and expressive means… like stickers? LINE gets score of 10 here since WhatsApp’s visual expression is limited to simple emojis.
Availability
Note that in some countries particularly in Middle East, WhatsApp is blocked whereas LINE is not.
Verdict
Apparently, LINE gets most of the awards when it comes to cost and app features. However, we cannot deny the popularity of WhatsApp and that it has more users. LINE is a better tool but WhatsApp is used most often simply because it is popular.