You might have heard people saying that your network is your actual net worth. By this, they mean your network on social media platforms. Indeed for everyone, social media platforms have become an integral part of life.
WhatsApp and Instagram are the most common ones among them. And as we use those apps daily, it becomes crucial to understand the difference between the two.
Key Takeaways
- WhatsApp focuses on messaging and voice/video calls, while Instagram emphasizes photo and video sharing.
- Instagram offers content creators and influencers a platform to showcase their work, whereas WhatsApp is more suited for personal communication.
- WhatsApp provides end-to-end encryption for enhanced privacy, while Instagram messages lack this feature.
WhatsApp vs Instagram
WhatsApp is used for private messaging in chats. Instagram is used for sharing content publicly and building a social media presence. WhatsApp’s encryption is more robust and covers all messages, unlike Instagram’s encryption which is limited to certain types of messages.
Whatsapp is a globally available American freeware platform for messaging. It allows text messages as well as a voice messages. It is popularly used worldwide to share various types and forms of documents.
It is available not only on mobile phones but also on desktop computers.
Instagram is a content promoting web application. It facilitates the usage of hashtags for users to find their favourite content. A wide range of filters on Instagram allows users to modify Images and post the images publicly.
These photos help users to build casual and professional followings.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | ||
|---|---|---|
| Functionalities | Whatsapp is a proprietary, cross platform for instant messaging | Instagram allows clicking, editing and sharing photos and videos either publicly or privately to the users. |
| Sharing | Whatsapp allows sharing of images, videos as well as other documents to users. | Instagram allows sharing of photos and videos but it doesn’t allow sharing of documents to users. |
| Security | Whatsapp has updated the end -to -end encryption privacy option. | Instagram lacks any such privacy and security options. |
| Network | Whatsapp has a massive network of 600 million users. | Instagram has comparatively less network of 500 million users |
| Speciality | It is specifically a massaging application. | It is specifically a photo clicking and uploading application. |
What is WhatsApp?
Whatsapp messaging app was founded back in 2009 by Brian Acton and Jan koum. But in the year 2014, WhatsApp was overtaken by Facebook. After that, the WhatsApp brand was sold along with the mobile phones.
Which further helped WhatsApp to cross the milestone of 600 million users.
Whatsapp has a wide range of functionality, and Over the years, Whatsapp has kept updating functions in its platform. It has improved security and privacy for the users.
Through the internet, WhatsApp allows sending messages, videos, pictures, voice recording and location to other users over WhatsApp.
Recently WhatsApp has also included a new function of sending money to the users. It also allows users to delete the messages sent by mistake.
Whatsapp refers to this feature as disappearing messages. Its end to end encryption feature allows secure messaging between the two users on this platform.
More than a fashion, WhatsApp is a daily basic need of people to be connected with their colleagues and near and dear ones. Every Business and their employees, every school and student are now in touch via Whatsapp.
There is another application from WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business. This application is specially designed for businesses to connect with customers better.
The quick replies, greeting messages, label features accomplish to run a smooth business digitally.
What is Instagram?
Instagram is a video and photo-sharing social media platform founded by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. In the year 2010, in October, it was released by the founders on the iOs platform at first.
With its release, it achieved the remarkable popularity of one million registered users within just two months.
With time it was released on other platforms also, and now It can be operated through various platforms such as iOs, Android, Fire OS, and Microsoft Windows.
With its availability in 32 languages, it has gained youth’s and celebrities’ attention worldwide.
There’s a unique hashtag feature on Instagram. Using these hashtags, users can add relevant highlight pictures and search images related to those hashtags.
Along with that, Instagram also provides users with unique filters that can be used to beautify images.
Instagram works according to different kinds of statistics. One needs to understand the statistics and work of Instagram properly to reach their photos videos to the right audience.
Utilizing these users also advertise their services and products to their target audiences.
Another feature of Instagram that has become very popular among youth is Reels. Using this feature, users can upload their videos with various musical backgrounds.
Main Differences Between WhatsApp and Instagram
- Whatsapp and Instagram differ a lot in their functionalities. Whatsapp is a quick messaging and calling application for smartphones. In contrast, Instagram is a fashionable socializing platform.
- Whatsapp allows sending locations, videos, audio, money through cellular mobile numbers. At the same time, Instagram allows sharing photos publicly over various networking sites such as Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and Flickr.
- Whatsapp has a different application WhatsApp Business for businesses. On the other hand, Instagram has a different profile set up for business profiles that can run a business.
- Whatsapp has recently introduced the money sending feature on its application. Instagram doesn’t have any such part.
- Whatsapp allows direct contact through cellular numbers. While on Instagram, users need to follow a person and send message requests to them. You are not required to have the number of a person to contact through Instagram.
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1461444817707349
- https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/analysing-whatsapp-and-instagram-as-blended-learning-tools/238672
Last Updated : 15 July, 2023
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
