An honest comparison
ms-nostalgia vs WhatsApp
Both encrypt your messages end to end. What changes is everything else: how you sign in, how it looks and what each one is made for.
comparison.xls| Feature | ms-nostalgia | |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption by default | YesYes, with MLS | YesYes, with the Signal protocol |
| Create an account without a phone number | YesYes, with your Microsoft account | NoNo: a number is required |
| Username | Yes@username | PartlyArriving during 2026 |
| Nudges, winks and nicks | YesYes, the classics | NoNo |
| Online, Away and Busy statuses | YesYes, with a contact list | Partly“Online” and “last seen” |
| Sign in with your fingerprint on a new phone | YesYes, with a passkey | YesYes, with a passkey |
| Encrypted voice and video calls | YesYes, one to one | YesYes, groups too |
| Send files | YesUp to 100 MB | YesUp to 2 GB |
| Group chats | NoNot yet | YesYes |
| Phone and computer apps | PartlyIn the browser; installs as an app | YesiPhone, Android, Windows and Mac |
End-to-end encryption by default
Yesms-nostalgia: Yes, with MLS
YesWhatsApp: Yes, with the Signal protocol
Create an account without a phone number
Yesms-nostalgia: Yes, with your Microsoft account
NoWhatsApp: No: a number is required
Username
Yesms-nostalgia: @username
PartlyWhatsApp: Arriving during 2026
Nudges, winks and nicks
Yesms-nostalgia: Yes, the classics
NoWhatsApp: No
Online, Away and Busy statuses
Yesms-nostalgia: Yes, with a contact list
PartlyWhatsApp: “Online” and “last seen”
Sign in with your fingerprint on a new phone
Yesms-nostalgia: Yes, with a passkey
YesWhatsApp: Yes, with a passkey
Encrypted voice and video calls
Yesms-nostalgia: Yes, one to one
YesWhatsApp: Yes, groups too
Send files
Yesms-nostalgia: Up to 100 MB
YesWhatsApp: Up to 2 GB
Group chats
Noms-nostalgia: Not yet
YesWhatsApp: Yes
Phone and computer apps
Partlyms-nostalgia: In the browser; installs as an app
YesWhatsApp: iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac
WhatsApp is a trademark of its owner; ms-nostalgia is not affiliated. We compare with public information reviewed in November 2026. If something changed, write to us at support@moydev.com.