Compare
Cove vs WhatsApp
WhatsApp is great for messaging almost anyone. Cove is built for the people closest to you: a private home where photos stay organised, voice notes become catch-ups, and calls are a tap away, without a phone number or ads.
| Feature | Cove | |
|---|---|---|
| Sign up with | Email or passkey, no phone number | A phone number |
| Messages and calls private by default | Yes | Yes |
| Where shared photos live | A Board for each Space, in order, kept forever | In the chat, scrolling away |
| Photo quality | High quality or originals | Compressed unless you choose HD |
| Chat history backup | Built in and always encrypted | Encrypted only if you turn it on |
| Ads | None, ever | In the Updates tab |
| Group video calls | Up to 15 free, 50 on paid plans | Up to 32 people |
| Join a call without the app | Yes, from a link in any browser | Needs a WhatsApp account |
| Run by | An independent company in Sweden | Meta |
Cove is the better fit if…
- Your family's photos deserve better than a chat scroll.
- You'd rather not hand over a phone number or see ads.
- Grandparents should be able to join a call from a link.
WhatsApp may suit you better if…
Everyone you know is already there, or you need big communities with hundreds of members.
Plenty of families use both. You can bring your photos and chat history into Cove at any time.
Based on each company's public information, checked October 2026. Features and plans change; if something here is out of date, tell us at support@covespaces.my. WhatsApp is a trademark of its owner; Cove is not affiliated with it.