Why is WhatsApp so popular?

Here at Ding, we are always looking at ways for our users to feel closer to their loved ones. In this blog, we’ll take a look at why WhatsApp is trusted by millions to help stay connected. 

When it comes to instant messaging, there’s one app that has a global adoption greater than any other– WhatsApp. The instant messaging service, originally released in 2009, is used by over 2 billion people worldwide. So why is WhatsApp so popular?

Affordability 

Before we move on to some of the finer details of WhatsApp’s popularity, let’s get one thing pinned down – WhatsApp is free to use. As long as you have WiFi or data available, you can message, call, or video chat with pretty much anyone on the planet without paying a single fee.

WhatsApp has championed free communication, their platform makes messaging, voice and video calling accessible from all corners of the globe. 

While this is by no means ground-breaking in 2020, a decade ago WhatsApp offered a level of innovation that the world had not yet experienced. In the past people would need to pay inflated rates for overseas calling minutes, on top of their voice minutes and text plan. Now, so long as you have a stable internet connection and a data plan, calling to any country in the world comes with no extra costs.

Global appeal

One of the biggest reasons why WhatsApp is so popular is because of its international pool of users. Once it began trending in certain regions, it really took off.

In a market saturated with competition, similar apps often find it difficult to break into new regions, but WhatsApp is believed to be the leading mobile messaging service in at least 112 countries, which is all the more remarkable seeing as it operates in 180 countries around the globe. (source: Piingle)

 WhatsApp hit 2 billion monthly active users in February 2020, continuously growing as the world's most popular messenger app. 

WhatsApp is particularly popular in Latin American countries, where it is so widely used that it has all but replaced dated forms of communication like texting or calling. In South America, family and jobs are often found in neighboring countries and when you consider the high costs of international SMS and voice minutes, it's no wonder up to 93% of people in Brazil for example, actively use the app to stay close with loved ones abroad.

Using WhatsApp overseas

Whether for work or leisure, travelling is a uniform aspect of modern life. In the same way WhatsApp changed the way people made international calls, it also made communication while travelling, or holidaying, a lot easier. Now, many who work overseas can keep in touch with long distance family members without paying an arm and a leg in extortionate phone bills.

Accessibility

The broad availability of the software is certainly a big factor in WhatsApp's popularity. Unlike similar apps that are exclusive to Apple, Android, or Windows devices, WhatsApp is what is commonly referred to as 'platform agnostic', meaning the app can be installed on almost any device.

Sharing contacts, content, your location, and broadcasting your status are cool features of the app and as there are so many active users, it's only then that other users can truly make the most of these features.

Even as a business owner, the day to day workings of contacting staff, sending receipts and sharing documents is made easier thanks to WhatsApp. 

Making international calls on WhatsApp

Gone are the days of wildly expensive international phone calls. A big part of WhatsApp’s popularity is that you can call anyone you like, wherever they are in the world, without paying a single fee.

In fact, if you take a look at their mission statement, it reads: “Behind every product decision is our desire to let people communicate anywhere in the world without barriers.” As usual, all you need is the recipient’s phone number, and you’re good to go!

In our latest Ding Without Borders series, Arpan mentions how “WhatsApp has made my world (from Ireland to India) more connected.“

Where we come in 

Here at Ding we believe in communication without limitations. As popular as WhatsApp is, it hinges on the network connection of both the sender and the recipient, and on-demand access to mobile data. 

With our service, customers can send mobile top-up at the click of a button and add more data to a loved ones mobile. In fact, every second of the day someone somewhere sends a top-up with Ding.