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What makes WhatsApp Plus different from WhatsApp?

What makes WhatsApp Plus different from WhatsApp?
Fabrizio Ferri-Benedetti

Fabrizio Ferri-Benedetti

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There’s been a lot of talk about WhatsApp Plus. Here, we’ll show you how it differs from the original version so that you can decide if it’s worth making the switch.

WhatsApp Plus is a modified version of WhatsApp for Android, created by the Spanish developer Rafalete in 2012. The app itself is free, but the user license is the same as WhatsApp. It’s also known as WhatsApp+ and WhatsApp Plus Holo, and has a blue icon.

WhatsApp Plus

We still don’t know if using WhatsApp Plus is legal – we’ve asked WhatsApp for clarification with no response – but what we do know is that it works very well. Installing WhatsApp Plus is really simple, but it does require removing the original WhatsApp.

WhatsApp Plus

The big question is, is it worth deleting the original WhatsApp for a new one? First, we have to see what functions WhatsApp Plus has added.

Visual themes added

The most notable feature of WhatsApp Plus (and why it was created in the first place), is the ability to completely change the look of WhatsApp, which can be done by choosing new styles or visual themes.

WhatsApp Plus

Themes are installed directly from WhatsApp Plus, and are free. There are over 700 themes, and you can sort by downloads, name, version, and date.

WhatsApp Plus

The GTA V Plus Skin for WhatsApp​

The original WhatsApp doesn’t have anything similar; the Plus themes not only change the background of the chat, but the bottom of the contact list, and the colors of the bar and texts.

New emoticons added

If WhatsApp doesn’t have enough already, another feature of WhatsApp Plus is the addition of new emoticons, including the smileys from Google Hangouts. You can see all the WhatsApp plus emoticons below:

WhatsApp Plus emoticons

These are all the additional emoticons from WhatsApp Plus

There is, unforunately, a “but”– these emoticons can only be seen by otheres who have also installed WhatsApp Plus. If you send an unofficial emoticon to someone who uses the classic WhatsApp, all they’ll see is a question mark.

WhatsApp Plus

What someone who doesn’t use WhatsApp Plus sees when you send a new emoticon

Hide your last connection / status

For years, one of the star features of WhatsApp Plus has been hiding the last time of  access, which usually betrays your presence in WhatsApp. although it’s a function you have to pay for.

WhatsApp Plus

Recently, the official version of WhatsApp for Android has added the same function, which is a blow to WhatsApp Plus.

WhatsApp Plus

WhatsApp for Android now includes an option to hide your status

Edit file sharing options

Another WhatsApp Plus option lets you change the size limit of sent files from 2, to 50 MB. There are also options for maintaining the size and quality of images and videos.

WhatsApp Plus

Edit appearance and settings of everything

In addition to the skins menu, WhatsApp Plus has no fewer than 6 menus for editing appearance and settings:

  • Header, colors and size of chat images
  • Header and size of contacts’ image
  • Appearance and size of pop-up notifications
  • Disabling of functions (voice notes, animations)
  • Size and colors of widgets
  • Color of launcher icon

WhatsApp Plus

Recommended for those who want to change their skin

Following the purchase of WhatsApp by Facebook, it’s very likely that we’ll see big changes in the official application, including voice calls and greater security features which you might not see in WhatsApp Plus.

If, on the other hand, you want to customize the look of WhatsApp and want more control over things like notifications and sending pictures, WhatsApp Plus is the perfect alternative for you.

Will you change to WhatsApp Plus, or will you wait for improvements to WhatsApp?

Fabrizio Ferri-Benedetti

Fabrizio Ferri-Benedetti

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