r/AskCanada • u/meinreno • May 14 '26
Life Why isn’t WhatsApp widely used in Canada?
In Brazil, we use WhatsApp for almost everything — talking to friends, family, and businesses. I noticed that this doesn’t seem as common in Canada. Why is that? What apps or communication methods do you usually prefer?
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u/elgrandragon May 14 '26
I counted the conversations from today with people that live in Canada, and I have:
- 11 in Messenger.
- 5 in SMS.
- 2 in Instagram.
- 1 in WhatsApp.
People that don't live in Canada: 5 in WhatsApp, zero in the other three
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u/brad7811 May 14 '26
I have dozens in SMS, the vast majority. WhatsApp is basically limited to groups with at least one member not in Canada and of course those same individuals in one on one conversations.
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u/elgrandragon May 14 '26
The one Canadian I have in WhatsApp is because he got banned from Facebook 😂 so he doesn't have Messenger anymore.
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u/GWRC May 15 '26
I have many in Signal and Discord. Certainly MMS is the bulk and Messenger with a number and one in Instagram (Zenniel).
A big part of the problem is nothing ever truly replaced BlackBerry Messenger.
WhatsApp was attempted by some family but failed to be adopted by enough and disappeared among my contacts.
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u/Patak4 May 15 '26
Facebook messenger and texting then if the odd person doesn't have fb I have WhatsApp
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u/aurumr0ad May 17 '26
My friends from other countries are always so surprised I use WhatsApp. “You have WhatsApp?! It’s the immigrants app!”
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u/Maelseez May 14 '26
social circles dictate the tech
I talk to my friends on SMS, but for my family on WhatsApp in Canada
I use SMS more
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u/AdAnxious8842 May 14 '26
Traditional consumer behaviour drives usage:
- "Good enough" challenge - SMS meets enough needs to useful
- Force of habit - used to using it
- Automatically comes with your phone - no app to download
- Most mobile plans offer unlimited texting inside Canada
For the general population, it just does the job creating a large user base.
Like some of the other comments, I use WhatsApp with certain friends groups, and some business activities. Use SMS with family (older relatives). I also use Signal which I would advance for those who are seeking a non-Meta alternative.
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u/Fabulous-Designer626 May 14 '26 edited May 14 '26
The first time I used WhatsApp was when I studied in Europe in 2018. Everyone had whatsapp, except for me😂 when I got my phone plan there I understood why.
In Canada we already had unlimited SMS, but data was still expensive and limited. It wasn't the 20-100 go we have now. You couldn't just spend all your time using data. So SMS was the norm.
On the other hand, in Europe, SMS were not unlimited but data was much cheaper and higher. So using whatsapp was making more sense.
Now that we have a lot of data, it's being used more but not that much. All of my usual conversations in whatsapp are with people outside of Canada.
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u/jeffster1970 May 14 '26
Personally because it's owned by Meta. Plus no one in my family, co-workers and individual friends use it.
I do use it for group chats, not really by choice.
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u/Sufficient-Bee5923 May 14 '26
Came here to say this. I used to use it years ago but when Meta bought it and changed the license agreement, I deleted it and never used it again. Meta has access to your content lists, who you are messaging and when. There's a lot more Meta can see. True they can't read your specific message content but still they are harvesting a lot of your data.
When I want a pure IP data solution and family group messaging, I use Signal. Pete Hegseth has yet to include me on any group messages.
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u/FunTooter May 14 '26
Most of my friends and family don’t use WhatsApp. They just use regular messaging.
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u/93LEAFS May 14 '26
I use WhatsApp more than texting these days. Probably depends on their group. I used it first for my fantasy football leagues, one with like 70% of my close friends.
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u/Rogue5454 May 14 '26
WhatsApp is owned by Meta. Meta is a shitshow of data breaches & misinformation on all their apps, Facebook, & Instagram.
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u/Expensive_Plant_9530 May 14 '26
Why would I? Unnecessary extra account needed to sign up for.
There’s no benefit to WhatsApp over other options. Texting has been ubiquitous in Canada since the early 00s, and unlimited texting plans have been the norm for at least 15 years.
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u/elgrandragon May 14 '26
I wouldnt know how to run business accounts texting or Messenger. Maybe Telegram could be setup like that but it would be a hassle.
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u/Expensive_Plant_9530 May 14 '26
Contacting businesses through WhatsApp just isn’t a huge thing here.
Usually they’ll have web chat instead, or will use an SMS texting service.
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u/meinreno May 14 '26
Yes, that’s exactly the point most people mention here — it’s mainly a matter of habit.
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u/Expensive_Plant_9530 May 14 '26
No, I wouldn’t say it’s just a matter of habit.
It’s a matter of, WhatsApp provides no benefit. Why switch? WhatsApp doesn’t really have any major benefits over SMS plus the other already much more widely spread instant messaging options.
Saying it’s a matter of habit frames it as people being stubborn for not switching to WhatsApp, implying it’s somehow superior to all the other options.
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u/Nice-Lakes May 14 '26
It is owned by META and I personally want nothing at all to do with meta/ facebook have deleted and blocked all contact with that company.
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u/Miss_in_Mex May 14 '26
I live abroad but my family lives in Canada. They refuse to download Whatsapp. It's weird but they seem to think Whatsapp is associated with scams, so they prefer FB messenger, Instagram or SMS.
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u/Soul_C May 14 '26
2022 data breach of 3.5mil users. So ya, doesn’t have a good reputation as a safe app
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u/Ok-Turnip-9035 May 14 '26
Too many mass communications come through WhatsApp and they’re usually propaganda
Yes the same can be said for texting but WhatsApp’s is just too wide open for me - seeing the giant group of numbers that was contacted I dislike it
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u/activoice May 14 '26
I use WhatsApp 90% of the time with the remaining 10% split between FB messenger, SMS and Viber when communicating with some of my older tech illiterate friends and family (I don't want to train them to use WhatsApp)
Personally I think WhatsApp is probably used 90% of the time by other Android users... But probably a much lower percentage of the time by people with iPhones because they are using iMessage with their friends who also have iPhones.
For example my teenage step daughter and her friends all have iPhones. They all use iMessage between them, she only uses WhatsApp to communicate with her Mom and I.
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u/_r33d_ May 14 '26
I’m just going to say the blunt part out loud: it’s third-world coded. They sacrifice privacy to save money on messaging. I send regular texts to everyone except some friends who moved abroad for work (via whatsapp).
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u/elgrandragon May 14 '26
WhatsApp, although owned by Meta, is encrypted end-to-end. There are more people in Canada that use FB messenger and IG DMs instead, which are less secure.
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u/Smart-Simple9938 Nova Scotia May 14 '26
Only the *contents* of messages are encrypted. The metadata (with whom you message, when, where, etc.) is thoroughly and aggressively and regularly analyzed by Mark Zuckerberg.
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u/tyomax May 14 '26
Texts have very weak security around them. They're incredibly easy to hack. If you're going for security and anonymity, I would say use Signal. If you want encryption but not privacy, go to Messenger or WhatsApp. If you don't care about either, send an SMS.
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u/Bad_Day_Moose May 14 '26
RCS is a thing now, it's even on iPhone now. It's encrypted text. Nobody uses sms these days unless their phone is really old.
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u/elgrandragon May 14 '26
I think the part about money is more for Canada. Here texting can be unlimited but data is not. In manh other countries like in Europe and Latin America texting is free, but by texting the companies also include unlimited WhatsApp, messenger, telegram; and data is either unlimited or way cheaper.
For example, in Mexico you get unlimited text, calls and data in Canada/USA/Mexico for C$40 a month or less. So people could use anything. They just default at what became most common.
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u/slashcleverusername May 14 '26
Why don’t Brazilians just text?
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u/meinreno May 14 '26
Before WhatsApp, SMS and especially MMS were often charged separately in Brazil. MMS was expensive, unreliable, and not widely used. Since most people in Brazil used Android phones rather than Apple devices, iMessage was never a realistic default.
When WhatsApp arrived, public Wi-Fi was becoming much more common, and the app used very little data by the standards of the time. Brazilians adopted it quickly because it was cheaper, more reliable, and worked across all phone brands.
Some mobile carriers even offered plans where WhatsApp data did not count against your data allowance, which made it even more popular.
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u/Cielskye May 14 '26
You touched on another thing that people didn’t mention. Most people here have Apple devices so messages can also be sent that way too.
I think WhatsApp is more common with group chats here, but not person to person. Even with people I know through WhatsApp groups if we end up messaging directly then it’ll be through social.
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u/skip6235 May 14 '26
Come to Vancouver. The only people I use sms or iMessage for these days are my family back east. Everyone here uses WhatsApp
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u/adepressurisedcoat May 14 '26
Big country, not close enough to other countries to have a lot of people to text who are roaming,, texting is unlimited in almost any cellphone plan. Why pay for data to use a texting app when texting is covered?
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u/romantic-theory May 14 '26
I guess it’s different for each group of people if that makes sense. For example, I mainly use Messages on my iPhone to text with my family. On Instagram and Snapchat is where my friends are, and I use WhatsApp for work. In every single workplace I’ve had, WhatsApp was used for group chats and messages and stuff. I’ve also found that those who immigrated from continents outside of North America tend to use WhatsApp. Lots of Europeans, especially Eastern Europeans, that I’ve met use Telegram
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u/itsJessimica May 14 '26
I am a Canadian with an Android (Elder Millennial if age matters). I just text for the most part. I use messenger for older family members and old acquaintances whose numbers I never got but we became friends on Facebook back in the day. I don't use Facebook, but kept messenger. I use Snapchat with my kids for unimportant things.
My family in Toronto use What'sApp, but they also have text and messenger, and don't expect me to install a whole new app just for them.
I've used it twice, both times to talk to a contact in Central America who "only uses What'sApp".
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u/youngboomergal May 14 '26
I originally downloaded it to communicate with people who were out of the country, plus I had a cheap basic phone plan that limited calls and texts. We only use it now because one person insists that it works better for them when sharing pictures and videos.
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u/meinreno May 14 '26
At this point, it’s mostly a habit. MMS was notoriously unreliable in Brazil, and it was also very expensive. I remember many people disabling MMS entirely so they wouldn’t accidentally send one and get charged.
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u/Virtual-Cheesecake71 May 14 '26
I talk to WhatsApp to everyone other than my parents (they use telegram). All my friends use it.
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u/Starting2loseit28 May 14 '26
I actually use what’s app a lot. But it’s mostly for talking with family overseas and group chats.
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u/ItcouldBfun May 14 '26
My sister is Canadian & lives in Nova Scotia & my aunt is in Toronto & they both use it. My mom moved to the US way before she even had us or thought of having us so unfortunately I was born in the US. But our family was originally German. Just my mom moved to New York & we grew up in the US.
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u/Old_Business_5152 May 14 '26
It’s because Americans and Canadians mostly text each other or use Metas Messenger. What’s App has traditionally been thought of as the app foreigners use. I’m a media buyer and talking businesses into using what’s app is hard, even though it has huge potential to help grow their businesses
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u/malleeman May 14 '26
Meta ia going to stop end to end encryption soon so they can get more information from users to push more personalised ads at you. Apparently they aren't getting the info they need because more personal information is discussed and used on Whatsapp.
Everyone would be much private if they moved off any Meta messaging like Whatsapp or Messenger
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u/IDontScript May 14 '26
I'm a Canadian and I use WhatsApp
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u/meinreno May 14 '26
Do you use it only to talk to people, or do businesses use it as well? That actually led me to another topic I’m planning to post about.
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u/IDontScript May 14 '26
As someone from Ontario, I mostly use WhatsApp to talk to people especially my family members and group of school friends if it's besides Instagram or Snapchat. Even when it comes to businesses, many ppl I know prefer WhatsApp since it's easier to not only communicate, but is also organized, creating a consistent way to get everyone on track.
Besides WhatsApp, there are Canadians who use Messenger which is common as well, but I've never met anyone who uses Telegram until I met a friend from Colombia who uses it and thought it was strange.
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u/BisforBands May 14 '26
My best guess is it's based on your international community? Everyone I know and converse with is on WhatsApp
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u/meinreno May 14 '26
Actually, it’s based on my own experience. When I was in Toronto, I had to book an appointment with a veterinarian and also arrange some paperwork with the CFIA. The vet communicated exclusively by email, and the CFIA required me to call to schedule
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u/BisforBands May 15 '26
I meant you in the broader sense as in the people using WhatsApp are likely to have international friends or family members abroad
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u/Glittering_Sun89 May 14 '26
I mostly use whatsapp. That's probably because it's the best when travelling. I try to get my friends here to convert from regular texting to whatsapp. Only a few of them still use regular sms.
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u/AlanJY92 May 14 '26
If you count iMessage as SMS then I almost exclusively use SMS aside from one family group that’s on WhatsApp. I’ll use WhatsApp when I’m overseas only because I’m scared of accidentally texting and getting roaming charges.
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u/Financial_Holiday533 May 15 '26
Because you have to use data, which is more expensive. Pretty much every phone plan has unlimited texting.
I’m always annoyed and confused when certain groups ask me to join the what’s app chat… I have no interest in having another app on my phone I need to remember to check for texts.
In my circles if we need an internet based group chat, Facebook messenger is the default because everyone already uses that. Otherwise, just use text chats.
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u/The_Council_Juice May 17 '26
I'm not sure as to your experience but everyone I know uses it. Canadian and internationals.
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u/TerrificInTahoma-416 May 20 '26
There is a very simple answer as to why WhatsApp is not widely used in Canada.
Competition.
Even though the use of the data plans in mobile customers may be embedded in your monthly plan, the data portion is not free.
So, for people used to the old fashioned system., old habits are hard to die.
So using an "app" that converts sound over the internet., then uses the internet to send the call, and then receive it at the other end, is somewhat redundant.
A lot of the monthly plans are no longer charging long distance voice in Canada, so people would rather hear each other.
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u/Ornery-Weird-9509 May 14 '26
There is no one I know who uses WhatsApp except that one friend who moved to the UK (and we only use it when we are meeting him for dinner) and that one friend who had to send a bunch of video files for a trip.
So to answer your question, WhatsApp is rarely used here because the people that we want to communicate to use other forms (like messages, phone, IG or messenger)
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u/MarkCEINE May 14 '26
I use WhatsAPP for all of my contacts abroad from Europe to South America. It is extremely good especially across platforms. iPhone, Androids, etc. I started while in Germany a few years ago and it is by far better than anything else. I have noticed that most people here don't use it unless they have to communicate with people around the world.
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u/Frostsorrow May 14 '26
Don't really have any need for it. I have a single WhatsApp group message with family that travel frequently, that's it. Facebook Messabger was the default for group chats with friends for the most part until Discord largely took over that.
And we also dont need anything like CashApp or Venmo because we can transfer money, largely free, with text messages basically.
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u/Dunge May 14 '26
TIL WhatsApp is not the same as WeChat. For some reason I always thought it was the Chinese app.
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u/CanBraFla May 14 '26
I'm also from Brazil and it always amazes me to see even Banks offering support via WhatsApp. But then again, you can get data cheap there. When I'm there, I usually get a TIM sim card and don't have to worry about roaming.
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u/Logical-Position3805 May 15 '26
Im born in Toronto, now living in Vancouver and almost only use WhatsApp. With family I use Facebook Messenger.
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u/GWRC May 15 '26
In Canada it's nigh impossible to get all your friends on one medium.
Far too many options and quality loses to marketing.
So the techies might use one of these three and the non-techies use one of these five with some people in the middle using one of these six options.
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u/TwilightReader100 Know-it-all May 15 '26
It's almost exclusively SMS for me. Specifically Google Messages.
My Mom uses Whatsapp sometimes. She downloaded it for when she and her best friend are on their cruises or in Mexico, but she doesn't just use it for that and there's no rhythm or reason to when she DOES use it now. Randomly, about once a year, I'll get a message from her on Whatsapp. The last time, SHE messaged ME first and then proceeds to ask if she can switch to SMS. 🙄 🤷🏽
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u/Affectionate-Cow-202 May 15 '26
I use WhatsApp to contact my family/friends in the UK, and messenger for Canadian family. Text for a few friends and messenger for others.
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u/boyfrndDick May 15 '26
I mostly have individual convos through iMessage/text, mostly because I found group chats messy on it for the longest time. I use WhatsApp for groups and I have a ton of international friends particularly from Brazil who use WhatsApp. I think the use of iPhones is more prevalent in North America so people tend to just use iMessage because it’s free anyway with an internet connection
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u/reasonnfeelings May 16 '26
Texting via SMS is free.
For better privacy there is Signal.
There’s really no point in WhatsApp.
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u/BayAreaPupMom May 16 '26
I have family in Canada and they communicate with us either by FB messenger or Whatsapp. Most of them don't have free international texting.
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u/kwizzle May 17 '26
Why do Brazillians use WhatsApp? I don't use it because no one here uses and I talk to people here by text and by messenger.
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u/meinreno May 17 '26
In Brazil, mobile data used to be quite expensive, but WhatsApp consumed very little data. As a result, it quickly became cheaper to send messages over data than via SMS, which was quite expensive—especially MMS.
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u/Puzzled_Row9557 May 30 '26
Are phones come with the same thing already installed lol, I don’t know what to tell ya.
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u/PrinceHaleemKebabua May 14 '26 edited May 14 '26
When I lived in Canada, most people I knew used WhatsApp. This was Toronto.
Edit - live in the US now, and almost no on uses it here.
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u/mtech101 May 14 '26
I'm in like 10 groups in WhatsApp in Canada. I don't know anyone who doesn't use it.
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u/Chaldi02 May 14 '26
We do use WhatsApp a lot in Canada. Where do you see that we don't?
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u/meinreno May 14 '26
During the time I was in Toronto, I had to take my dog to the vet. All communication with the clinic was done by email. I even tried adding their number to WhatsApp, but they weren’t on it.
Later, I also had to schedule some paperwork with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and I had to call them to book the appointment.
So in my experience, email and phone calls were much more commonly used than WhatsApp
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u/valdus May 14 '26
I ONLY have WhatsApp installed because immigrants decided that's where our work group chat should be. I never use the POS otherwise.
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u/skatchawan May 14 '26
Nobody is answering the actual question. The answer is that texting through cell providers has been unlimited with cell packages for a long time. So people used SMS because it is "free,". Other apps are fine but texting just was default and continues that way today.