This is a common question for many WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger users, as both apps are owned by Facebook. While WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are separate apps, there is some connection and overlap between the two platforms. In this comprehensive article, we’ll examine the relationship between WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger and answer the question of whether the two apps are connected.
The History of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger
To understand if and how WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are connected, it helps to first look at the history and ownership of the two apps:
- WhatsApp was launched in 2009 as an independent messaging app.
- Facebook acquired WhatsApp in February 2014 for $19 billion.
- Facebook Messenger was launched in 2011 as Facebook’s built-in messaging feature within the Facebook app.
So while WhatsApp started as an independent app, it has been owned by Facebook since 2014. Facebook Messenger, on the other hand, has always been built and operated by Facebook.
Account Connections Between the Apps
Now that Facebook owns both WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, there are some account connections between the platforms:
- You can use the same Facebook account to log into both WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
- Your WhatsApp account can be connected to your Facebook profile and use the same profile photo.
- Your WhatsApp contacts can be synchronized with your Facebook friends list.
However, connecting your WhatsApp and Facebook accounts is optional. You can use WhatsApp independently without connecting it to your Facebook account if you prefer. Many users choose not to connect the apps to keep their WhatsApp account separate from their Facebook profile.
Messaging and Data Sharing
While your accounts can be connected across the apps, the actual messaging functionality of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger is separate and siloed:
- You cannot message someone on WhatsApp while using the Facebook Messenger app and vice versa.
- Your messages on WhatsApp do not appear in your Facebook Messenger app and are end-to-end encrypted.
- You cannot merge your WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger contact lists or move conversations between the apps.
Facebook states that WhatsApp and Messenger user data is not shared between the apps for advertising purposes. However, some technical data like device information and usage metrics may be shared with Facebook for operations and security purposes.
Feature Overlap
Since Facebook owns both apps, it has slowly added overlapping features between WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger:
| Feature | Facebook Messenger | |
|---|---|---|
| Stories | Yes | Yes |
| Video Calling | Yes | Yes |
| Group Chats | Yes | Yes |
| Messages | Text, photos, videos | Text, photos, videos |
| Payments | Yes (WhatsApp Pay) | Yes (Messenger Pay) |
As you can see from this table, WhatsApp and Messenger now share many of the same messaging, calling, business, and payment features, even though the apps themselves remain separate.
Business Tools
Facebook has also built out business tools and capabilities across both WhatsApp and Messenger:
- WhatsApp Business API – Enables businesses to message customers at scale on WhatsApp
- Facebook Business Suite – Allows businesses to manage conversations across Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram
- Ads Manager – Lets businesses run ads across Facebook’s apps including Messenger and WhatsApp
These overlapped business products further integrate WhatsApp and Messenger under Facebook’s umbrella, even if consumer messaging remains separate.
Conclusion
In summary:
- WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are separate messaging apps but are both owned by Facebook.
- You can connect your WhatsApp account to your Facebook profile but your messages remain private.
- WhatsApp and Messenger have increasing overlap in features but no ability to message cross-app.
- Facebook business tools integrate WhatsApp and Messenger more on the business messaging side.
So in general, while WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are under the same ownership, the apps themselves remain largely separate in both design and functionality. Consumer messages do not cross between the platforms. However, business tools do increasingly build connections between WhatsApp and Messenger for marketing, ads, messaging, and payments.