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WeChat

Tencent's messaging app, and the way into payments, mini programs and Channels

First principle

People have always needed to keep in touch with family, friends and colleagues. WeChat put nearly everyone in one contact list, then built paying, errands and reading on top of those ties.

The needs it meets

Staying in touchCore
Keeping up with family, friends and colleagues; belonging to a circle.
Getting things done
Getting a task done with less time and effort.
Entertainment
Passing time and unwinding, carried off by stories, music and video.

Why it wins

  1. Family, colleagues, clients and the children's teachers are all on WeChat; switching means leaving everyone, so nobody can switch alone.
  2. Hold to talk voice messages and group chats suit parents who don't like typing, and a care mode makes text and buttons bigger.
  3. Paying, bills, food orders, articles and short videos are all in one app; a shop or an office reaches people with a mini program, and nobody installs another app.
  4. Chat history, groups, Moments and work contacts pile up here, and the longer you use it the harder it is to move.

What keeps it ahead

Network effects
The more people use it, the more useful it is; everyone is already there.
Switching cost
Your data, contacts or progress live here; leaving is costly.
Ecosystem
Preinstalled, or tied to an account or a bigger platform.

How it makes money

AdsCommerceIn app purchases

Most of the money is ads and payment fees. What puts it on the grossing chart is what goes through Apple on iPhone: WeBeans for tipping in Channels live streams, paid articles and purchases in mini games.

What a small team can take from it

Nobody can copy everyone's contact list, but a small team can use it: build bookings, orders or sign ups as a WeChat mini program, which is far easier than asking people to install a new app.

This week

  • China: top grossing apps, number 2

updated 29 October 2026

Developer
WeChat
Category
App · Social Networking
Stores
App Store
First in a list
29 October 2026

Sources

This is our analysis and judgement, drafted by an AI agent from the store pages and public sources and read by a person before it went up. Every figure has a source; where there is none, we give no figure. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].

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