
Independent review site. Downloads redirect exclusively to official stores (Google Play, App Store) to protect user security.

Review by
Ryan Thompson
About this app
QQ is an instant messaging application developed by the Chinese company Tencent. Created in 1999, its mobile version was launched in 2013, you find it free available for Android and iOS. With more than 200 million active accounts and 176 connected at the same time, this is the most widely used network in China.
To open up to the international market and reach other parts of the world, in 2009 QQ launched its collaboration with Microsoft, achieving in 2014 the Guinness record for being the app with the most online users simultaneously.
With its internationalization to western markets, it has come to face WhatsApp itself and makes everything that the application of the adorable penguin offers us with a magnifying glass.
It has everything you are looking for in an app of this type: free instant messaging, group chats, file sending, video calls and a long etc. But if QQ stands out in something, it is with a system of translating the message into 18 different languages in a single click, automatically translating and breaking the cultural barriers that exist between different countries.
To register in QQ you can do it through your phone number or with an email, once the program is installed it is very easy and once you have your profile created, you just have to start looking for friends.
It has a good sync between different social networks and other platforms like email, blogging and more. Find your friends through your phone list or from other applications, you can also find people near your location.
It is one of the platforms preferred by tourists arriving in China, for its speed and how well adapted are its tools that help foreigners to communicate with the natives easily. To translate a text, you just have to hold down the message you have written and the different languages in which you can change it will appear. You also have the “Look around” function, with which to find friends using the location of your mobile, it has different filters, such as by gender, zodiac sign or even by your blood group, something very fashionable in China.
If you want group conversations in which to share your interests with other people, QQ also has them. Many students use it to learn a language, so you practice it with other people who are in the same situation as you or simply want to help others. Another of the utilities that users give to this tool is to create meetings, organize a meeting between the people who make up a chat and meet in person. These meetings have become massive, becoming news.
QQ includes other applications, apart from the typical games, it gets direct links to news websites and even a program for you to learn Chinese, drawing characters of the language, identifying it and learning what they mean, which helps you to know the culture of the country. With it you are up to date with the most current topics and do not lose the social part, with real-time communication.
There is the Q-Zone, in which your friends can follow your trips, sharing your comments and images. You can also send it with other users who have it in the same area, sharing your experiences and special moments. The rest of the community can comment on them and thus create a social interaction that breaks the boundaries that may exist.
One of the characteristic features of QQ that differentiates it from other messaging applications is its high personalization, its emoticons are very characteristic and the profile of each of its users tells in detail everything they want them to know, coming to be able to comment and to value these profiles, and turning these members into real stars of the platform.
For fans of virtual currencies, you have QQ Coin. You can use it to buy in a variety of stores, for mobile recharges and transfers. It is very important to take security into account with all the options that it allows us to do, through your settings you will control your entire profile and keep the limits of what you want to share with the rest of the community.
Ratings and reviews
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Great sticker libraries.
- High quality video.
- International translation.
Cons
- Concentrated in the Chinese market.
- It does not work without internet.
- Uses a lot of battery.
3 Tricks for QQ you didn't know
| Trick | Description |
|---|---|
1Use QQ as a Notepad | You can use QQ to quickly save notes or reminders. Just send them to yourself. |
2Discover Hidden Emoticons | QQ has a ton of hidden emoticons and stickers that you can find by typing in certain keywords. Search online for a list of hidden emoticons. |
3QQ Translator for Chats | QQ has a built-in translation feature that helps you communicate with people who speak other languages. Just tap on the message and select 'Translate'. |
Direct competitor: WeChat
A widely used messaging app with features like social networking and mobile payments.
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| User Interface | Modern and customizable | Simple and user-friendly |
| Features | Many mini-apps and games | Focus on messaging and social networking |
| Performance | Can be resource-intensive at times | Fast and efficient |
| Price | Additional services at a cost | Basic use at no cost, some features are paid |
| Support | Extensive help centers and forums | Help centers and community support |
