When comparing WeChat vs Threema, the Slant community recommends Threema for most people. In the question“What are the best messaging apps for Android?” Threema is ranked 6th while WeChat is ranked 44th. The most important reason people chose Threema is:
Registration is handled by random generated IDs. No phone number needed.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Friends can be added by scanning a QR code
WeChat generates a QR code for each user that other can be scanned to add them as a friend.
Pro Can be used as a Walkie Talkie
WeChat has push-to-talk functionality that can be used both one-on-one and in groups.
Pro Large collection of animated stickers
Pro Easy to send voice messages
Users can record a voice message from within the app to then send it to a recipient, who can then play the message from within the app. It is all self contained.
Pro Enables meeting new people
WeChat has a feature that pairs random people for a conversation. It is activated by shaking the phone (requires location sharing to be enabled) and will present a list of people who are doing the same and how far away from you they are.
Another feature for meeting new people is the Friend Radar that will display people in your vicinity that can then be added to your contacts list.
Finally, there is the People Nearby feature which allows you to send and receive greetings from people in your vicinity.
Pro Moments social network is seamlessly incorporated
Pro Flexible creation of chat groups
You can create chat groups for up to 500 people.
Pro Filters for photos
WeChat includes a collections of filters that can be applied to photos to change how they look.
Pro Registration without phone number
Registration is handled by random generated IDs. No phone number needed.
Pro Encrypted communication
Provides complete end-to-end encryption.
Pro Company behind Threema is based in Switzerland
Pro Servers in Switzerland
Privacy laws protect the data Threema has.
Pro Supports encrypted group chats
Pro Provides a web client
You can control and message with friends via Threema Web, the official web client for Threema.
Pro Ability to send pics and videos
Threema supports sending media messages such as video, pics and even voice messages.
Pro Group chat polls
Pro Allows verification of contacts identity via QR Code
Cons
Con Notifications get muted after inactivity
New message notifications stop getting pushed if the application isn't opened for some extended period of time (seems to be around a week or so)
Con WeChat complies with China's requirements to hand over data
Con Conversations and chat groups aren't ported to new devices
Messages are stored on each device, so shifting to a new device means losing all the previous conversations, as well as an inability to post in previous chat groups until someone else posts there and you're alerted of a new message.
Con User base outside of China is comparatively small
While WeChat has over 400 million users the majority of them are in China. Adoption in other markets has been slow.
Con Not free
Unlike many other options Threema is not free as it costs $1.99 for the app.
Con Single device only
You cannot use multiple devices to send messages. However, it does have message mirroring on a web client.
Con No cloud sync
E2E encryption means no cloud syncing of messages.