Instant messaging applications like WhatsApp and Kik have become an indispensable part of our daily communication. With free messaging and calling features, these apps provide an easy and convenient way to stay in touch with friends and family.
In this comprehensive guide, we will compare the key features and differences between the two most popular messaging apps – WhatsApp and Kik.
Overview of WhatsApp

Launched in 2009, WhatsApp is one of the world’s leading messaging apps with over 2 billion users worldwide. It offers free, encrypted messaging and calling services that work across platforms and mobile devices.
Some of the key features of WhatsApp include:
- Free messaging – Send unlimited text messages, audio messages, photos, videos and documents for free.
- Voice and video calling – Make free VoIP calls to other WhatsApp users. Group video calling support allows up to 8 participants.
- Group chats – Create groups to message up to 256 people at once. Useful for families, friends, work teams etc.
- Media sharing – Share documents up to 100MB in size. Send your location, GIFs, stickers and more.
- End-to-end encryption – Messages and calls are secured with end-to-end encryption, giving users privacy and security.
- Minimal data usage – The app compresses data usage making it work even on slow connections.
- Cross-platform compatibility – Available on iOS, Android, Windows Phone and desktop apps. Sync seamlessly across devices.
WhatsApp is intuitive and easy to use. The interface is clean with contacts displayed in a familiar chat window. With its large global user base, WhatsApp makes it convenient to instantly message your contacts who likely already have the app.
Overview of Kik

Kik is another popular messaging app launched in 2010, with over 300 million registered users. It has several similarities to WhatsApp but also some key differences:
- No phone number required – Users set up an account with just a username. No need to share personal contact details.
- Anonymity – The ability to conceal identity gives users more privacy but raises safety concerns.
- Chat with anyone – Chat with other Kik users around the world by finding friends by username.
- Media sharing – Share photos, videos, GIFs, memes, stickers, and other multimedia easily.
- Web-browsing – Has an integrated web browser to browse sites without leaving the app.
- Bot Shop – Connect with chatbots to get news, play games, get answers, shop and more.
- Promoted Chats – Allows chatting with brands, celebrities, companies and other entities.
Kik focuses more on meeting new people rather than messaging existing contacts. The interface is also filled with lots of flashy colors, emojis and themes to appeal to younger users.
Kik vs WhatsApp: Key Feature Comparison
Feature | Kik | |
---|---|---|
Account Setup | Username only, no phone number required | Requires a phone number to register |
Contacts | Find new friends by username | Messaging limited to existing phone contacts |
Security | No end-to-end encryption | End-to-end encrypted chats and calls |
Anonymity | Username allows anonymous messaging | True identity (phone number) shown |
Group Chats | Groups up to 50 members | Groups up to 256 members |
Media Sharing | Photos, videos up to 25MB | Larger media files up to 100MB |
Calling Features | No voice/video calling support | Free VoIP calling over WiFi or data |
Web Browsing | Integrated web browser | No in-app browser, share web links |
Availability | iOS, Android, Windows Phone | iOS, Android, Windows Phone, desktop apps |
Both apps allow you to send messages, share photos/videos, emojis and stickers for free. However, WhatsApp limits you to messaging only existing contacts while Kik allows you to connect far beyond your contact list.
Kik comes with more recreational chat features but falls short on privacy. WhatsApp emphasizes secure communications but has fewer bells and whistles.
Setting up an Account
One major difference between WhatsApp and Kik lies in how you register an account.
WhatsApp Account Setup
To use WhatsApp, you must provide your mobile phone number and verify it using an SMS code during registration. All your phone contacts who also have WhatsApp will automatically show up in your WhatsApp contacts list.
The advantage of this system is that it easily allows you to message people you already know. The downside is that you cannot create an anonymous account and your phone number is visible to all your WhatsApp contacts.
Kik Account Setup
Kik does not require or use your phone number. You simply select a username and go through a quick signup process.
This allows you to preserve your anonymity on Kik. The disadvantage is that you cannot instantly message your existing contacts like you can on WhatsApp. To chat with people on Kik, both parties need to know each other’s username.
Many prefer Kik’s username system to keep their real identities private. WhatsApp reveals your phone number which some users are uncomfortable sharing openly.
Security and Encryption
Privacy is a major concern for any messaging app user. You want the peace of mind that comes from knowing your conversations are safe from prying eyes.
WhatsApp’s End-to-End Encryption
All texts, media, calls and even statuses shared on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted. This means the messages are secured with lock and key all the way from the sender to the recipient. Not even WhatsApp itself can access them.
WhatsApp’s impressive encryption protocol is based on the respected Signal protocol and ensures the highest level of privacy for your communication. It is enabled by default so users enjoy encryption without having to do anything extra.
No End-to-End Encryption for Kik
Unlike WhatsApp, Kik does not provide end-to-end encryption for chats by default. There is an option to enable a ‘secret chat’ which encrypts messages with a key that self destructs after a set period of time.
However this is a manual per-chat process rather than encryption that works automatically across all your conversations. Kik also retains chat data for a period of time, while WhatsApp immediately deletes data once delivered due to end-to-end encryption.
For privacy-conscious users, WhatsApp is the safer choice thanks to complete end-to-end encryption on all chats and calls by default.
Group Chats
Both WhatsApp and Kik allow you to add multiple contacts to group chats – useful for friends, family, work teams and interest groups. But there are limitations to the group sizes.
WhatsApp permits up to 256 participants in a single group, allowing large group conversations. Kik caps group chats at 50 members. For very large discussion groups, WhatsApp is the better option.


Media Sharing Capabilities
Sharing photos, videos and other media is a big part of the messaging experience.
On WhatsApp you can send documents up to 100MB in size. Kik has a lower 25MB file sharing limit which could make it tricky to send large videos and other content.
WhatsApp also allows uploading high quality images up to 4MB in size. Kik compresses images down to 1MB.
For media intensive users, WhatsApp certainly provides greater flexibility. Both apps allow you to share your location, contacts, stickers and animated GIFs seamlessly in chats.
Calling and Video Chat
While texting and media sharing are useful, real-time voice and video calling are becoming an essential part of a messaging app.
Kik has no built-in calling functionality yet. However, WhatsApp offers free VoIP voice and video calls over WiFi or mobile data.
You can make one-to-one WhatsApp calls worldwide for free. Group video calling is also available for up to 8 participants at once. Call quality is often excellent thanks to the app’s use of end-to-end encryption.
For affordable online calls, WhatsApp has a clear advantage over Kik.
Web Browsing
Messaging apps are taking on more and more functionality beyond just chatting. Kik stands out with a built-in web browser, allowing users to browse web pages without leaving the app.
This is useful for sharing funny videos, articles and websites seamlessly during a conversation. WhatsApp does not have an integrated browser. The best you can do is paste links to web pages which must be opened separately.
Kik’s web surfing edge gives it more versatility than most messaging apps. But the browsing experience works better on a smartphone than desktop.
Chatbots
Chatbots allow you to interact with artificial intelligence programs inside a messaging app. Kik is ahead of WhatsApp when it comes to chatbot capabilities.
Inside Kik, you can use the Bot Shop to find and chat with various bots. These include:
- Shopping bots – Find deals, track orders, get product info
- News bots – Get customized news and alerts
- Entertainment bots – Play trivia, get horoscopes and jokes
- Productivity bots – Take notes, set alarms, schedule meetings
- Promotional bots – Engage with brands, make purchases
WhatsApp has no bot platform yet. However Facebook is reportedly developing chatbots for WhatsApp Business to facilitate conversational commerce and automated services.
Desktop Apps
Though designed as mobile messaging apps, both WhatsApp and Kik are available on desktop platforms for added flexibility.
WhatsApp offers dedicated desktop apps for both Mac and Windows. This gives you the convenience of seamless messaging from your computer. Chats sync flawlessly between mobile and desktop.
Kik is available as a web app that can be used on any browser on your desktop or laptop. However, the desktop experience is not as smooth as WhatsApp’s dedicated Mac and Windows apps.
User Experience Comparison
Now let’s do a quick rundown of the user experience offered by each app:
- Clean and simple interface
- Easy import of phone contacts
- Fast setup using your phone number
- Simple functionality focused purely on messaging and calling
Kik
- Bright, youthful design with lots of colors
- More complicated with additional features
- Anonymous setup with just username, no contacts
- Extra bells and whistles beyond just messaging
WhatsApp follows the typical messaging app formula – easy registration using your phone number and a straightforward interface.
Kik tries to differentiate itself through anonymity, web browsing, chat bots and flashy elements targeting younger demographics. But these extras also complicate the experience somewhat.
Availability and Platforms Supported
Most popular chat apps are cross-platform compatible today – working across iOS, Android and other mobile operating systems.
Both WhatsApp and Kik are available on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.
Additionally, WhatsApp offers Windows Phone and desktop apps for Windows and Mac OS which Kik lacks.
Kik is compatible with Windows Phone but is more limited on desktop browsers. WhatsApp has the edge with broader platform support.
Popularity and User Base
WhatsApp clearly dominates the messaging app landscape in terms of active users. By latest count, WhatsApp has over 2 billion monthly active users around the world.
It is the top messenger app globally as well as in high population countries like India, Brazil, Russia and parts of Europe.
Kik’s user base is much smaller but still substantial at approximately 300 million registered users worldwide according to the company. However, active monthly usage is estimated to be well under 100 million.
For finding friends, WhatsApp is the better option purely due to network effects from its enormous user base. Most people already have it installed making it easy to instantly message friends, family and even businesses worldwide.
Verdict: Which is Better for You?

So in summary, here are the key strengths of each messaging app:
Main Advantages of WhatsApp
- End-to-end encrypted chats and calls for privacy
- Huge global user base of over 2 billion
- Free voice and video calls
- Supports large 256 member groups
- More file sharing flexibility – up to 100MB
- Excellent desktop apps for Mac and Windows
Key Benefits of Kik
- No phone number required, just username
- Anonymity to preserve privacy
- Chat with new people easily
- Integrated web browser
- Fun chatbots and extra features
- Popular among younger demographics
Analyzing the pros and cons, WhatsApp emerges as the more mainstream and versatile messaging app thanks to its blend of security, ease of use, massive user base and calling features.
Kik appeals more to younger audiences who value anonymity and enjoy its modern chat features like bots. But it comes with more risks around privacy.
Which is better for you depends on your priorities and messaging needs. Both have merits and are widely used globally.
If you are concerned about complete privacy then WhatsApp is the safest choice. If you chat with new friends frequently then Kik gives you more options. Many people use both apps – WhatsApp for existing contacts and Kik for meeting new people.
Key Takeaways
- WhatsApp requires your mobile number; Kik just needs a username
- WhatsApp offers complete end-to-end encryption; Kik does not
- You can message existing contacts on WhatsApp; Kik requires finding friends by username
- WhatsApp allows 256 member groups; Kik caps groups at 50
- Kik has an integrated web browser; WhatsApp can only share web links
- WhatsApp provides free voice and video calling; Kik lacks calling features
- WhatsApp is used by over 2 billion people; Kik has under 300 million registered users
FAQs about WhatsApp and Kik
Is Kik safer than WhatsApp?
No, WhatsApp is safer thanks to full end-to-end encryption on all chats. Kik lacks this encryption so is less secure.
Can you chat anonymously on WhatsApp?
No, WhatsApp requires registration with your actual mobile number which is then visible to all your contacts. For anonymous messaging, Kik is a better choice.
Does Kik have video call capability?
No, unlike WhatsApp, Kik currently does not have its own video calling feature. You need to use a separate video calling app while messaging on Kik.
What age group uses Kik the most?
Kik is especially popular among teens and younger millennials. Over 70% of Kik’s user base is under 24 years old. The anonymous signup makes it appealing to youth.
Can I use WhatsApp on my iPad?
Yes, while WhatsApp started as mobile-only, it now offers desktop apps for Mac and Windows. There is also a web version you can use on tablets like iPads by going to web.whatsapp.com in your browser.
Is Kik safe for kids?
Kik is less safe than some other messaging apps for kids due to lack of encryption and the ability to chat anonymously with strangers. Parental guidance is recommended if allowing kids to use Kik.
Can businesses use WhatsApp?
Yes, while consumer use is more common, businesses can also use WhatsApp Business for customer communication and support at massive scale.
How do I find friends on Kik?
Since Kik uses usernames, you need to ask contacts for their Kik username. Go to the search tab in Kik, type the username and then start chatting.
What is the maximum WhatsApp group size?
Currently WhatsApp allows up to 256 participants to be added in a single group chat, enabling very large group conversations.
Can I send big files on WhatsApp?
Yes, you can send documents and media up to 100MB in size on WhatsApp which covers most applications. Video can be shared at up to 16MB.