Facebook Messenger vs Line

Facebook Messenger and Line are like two distant cousins who show up to family reunions wearing entirely different outfits, each convinced they’ve nailed the dress code. Messenger, naturally, strolls in as part of the Facebook ecosystem, a polished social networking giant that insists you’re never more than a click away from a friend, a video call, or the latest meme in your group chat. It's full of features: stickers, emojis and the occasional reminder that you haven’t yet replied to Aunt Gladys’s message from three months ago. With seamless ties to Facebook's Marketplace and payments system, Messenger wants to be the ultimate one-stop shop for both socializing and shopping.

Line, on the other hand, arrives with a burst of kawaii energy straight from Japan, armed with an arsenal of stickers that range from the adorable to the bizarre, many of which you didn't know you needed. But it’s not just about cute characters—oh no—Line is a multifaceted machine. It’s part messaging app, part bank, part arcade and somehow manages to squeeze in a social network for good measure. In Asia, it’s practically a lifestyle app, wrapping its users in a cozy digital blanket of games, payments and endless sticker packs.

So while Messenger is busy reminding you of that one message thread you’ve left unread, Line is offering you a sticker of a dancing bear, a chance to pay your friend back for lunch and perhaps a quick game to distract you from both.

See also: Top 10 Business Messaging platforms