WhatsApp vs. FaceTime for Video Calls: Which Is Better?
WhatsApp and FaceTime are two of the most popular online communication apps available. While they’re both free and easy to use, each has its fair share of strengths and weaknesses.
FaceTime might be the obvious choice because of how well it’s integrated into Apple devices, but WhatsApp has its own not-so-obvious advantages.
We’ve delved into their strengths here so that you can make a more informed choice when deciding which of the two to use for your video calls.
Call Quality
While WhatsApp and FaceTime both have good call quality, WhatsApp can’t compete with FaceTime’s optimization across Apple devices, especially because WhatsApp was created to function optimally on almost any device. As a result, FaceTime has crisper images and a better-sounding audio feed.
That said, regardless of whether you use FaceTime or WhatsApp, you can take advantage of features likePortrait mode to blur out your backgroundandVoice Isolation to remove background noise during callson modern iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Hosting Group Calls
In terms of the sheer number of people you can have on a call, FaceTime and WhatsApp are evenly matched with 32 participants. However,Apple statesthis 32-participant support is “not available in some countries and regions.” This might put FaceTime a step behind if your Apple ID is tied to a region with this restriction.
Previously, you couldn’t use FaceTime to call people using non-Apple devices. But that changed with iOS 15 in 2021; you can nowgenerate a FaceTime link and share itwith Android and Windows users. While non-Apple users can’t generate a link, they can still join the call. So, that makes it still a decent choice for group calls.
However, FaceTime takes the cake regarding presentation, style, and accessibility. FaceTime has useful features like Automatic Prominence, which pushes the speaker’s tile on a FaceTime call to become prominent while they talk (and it also supports sign language). FaceTime also has a better UI and offers advanced features like Live Captions, which generates captions as you speak.
WhatsApp, on the other hand, only puts all the speakers in rectangular tiles on the screen. It also lacks many fun features that FaceTime boasts, like Memojis and Animojis.
Sharing Files and Other Media
Imagine a scenario where you’re on a call with your mom, and she asks you to share a photo of your new puppy. If you use FaceTime, sending a photo immediately would require switching to iMessage, but that’s not an issue if you use WhatsApp since it’s primarily an instant messaging application.
If you anticipate scenarios like this when you’re about to place a call, then it might be a good idea to use WhatsApp instead of FaceTime. WhatsApp is pretty good for sharing all types of files and media quickly since it compresses them before sending. While you canadjust WhatsApp’s photo and video upload quality, you’ll still encounter some restrictions.
Screen-Sharing Options
WhatsApp doesn’t support screen-sharing, and as a result, it’s out of the question in cases where presenting a screen is important.
On the other hand, FaceTime has a host of screen-sharing features that Apple calls SharePlay. You can share the screen of your Mac, iPad, or iPhone, watch movies and videos, and listen to music together on supported apps.
You’ll find the option touse SharePlaywhen you open a supported app while on a FaceTime call on your iPad or iPhone. On a Mac, you can share a window or your entire screen when you click theSharePlaybutton during a FaceTime video call.
Performance at Slow Internet Speeds
One of WhatsApp’s greatest weaknesses is also its greatest strength. WhatsApp lowers the quality of calls to maintain connectivity when it detects slow or unstable internet. While this might lead to grainier images and poor-quality audio, you can still stay connected with lousy internet service.
As far as we know, FaceTime calls disconnect once the internet speed no longer meets the threshold. Or it does this thing where it tries to connect in the background—and if it doesn’t do it in a short window, the call will fail. It has no effective call-quality optimization the way WhatsApp does.
WhatsApp also gives you audio cues to let you know when the person you’re talking to can no longer hear you due to bad service. You’ll hear beeps in the background as WhatsApp tries to connect you back to your contact. This way, you can wait for the app to establish a connection before you continue talking.
Since FaceTime has no audio cues, it’s hard to tell whether the person on the other end can hear you. There might be instances where FaceTime is trying to re-establish a connection, and you didn’t know, but you were talking like your contact could still hear you.
Platform Availability
WhatsApp is a clear winner in this department, as it’s available on most platforms, including macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. Even though FaceTime allows users to join with links, the person who generates the link must use an Apple device. WhatsApp’s flexibility makes it a popular choice for many people, especially those who have a diverse network of contacts with different types of devices.
However, if you and your contacts primarily use Apple devices, FaceTime provides a seamless and integrated experience with a user-friendly interface specifically designed for Apple devices. In such cases, FaceTime can be a convenient choice for communication within the Apple ecosystem.
Although cross-platform support is WhatsApp’s biggest strength, do note that it doesn’t have an iPad app, whereas FaceTime is baked into iPadOS and works just as well as on an iPhone.
Choose Between WhatsApp and FaceTime as You Please
One thing is clear from all this: you’re able to and should use both FaceTime and WhatsApp. FaceTime works as a stylish and fun video-calling app you can also use to share your screen.
However, WhatsApp is more functional and will hold up when you use it with poor internet connections. But this comparison is only for calls; the dynamics change when you compare iMessage and WhatsApp as messaging apps.
If you have an iPhone, should you stick with the default iMessage or try WhatsApp? We compare them to help you decide.
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