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WhatsApp Groups vs. Communities: Understand the Differences

What to Know
  • WhatsApp Groups are for conversations with close contacts (up to 1024 members), while Communities organize related groups for announcements (up to 50 groups and 5,000 members total).
  • Choose Groups for discussions and interactions, then Communities for broadcasts and keeping large groups informed.

What Is a WhatsApp Group?

As the name suggests, WhatsApp groups allow you to bring several contacts to a single place for conversations.

You can add up to 1024 contacts in a group and start discussions with others. WhatsApp lets you create several groups for different purposes. You can read our dedicated WhatsApp group tips and tricks post to learn more.

What Is a WhatsApp Community?

A WhatsApp community is completely different from a WhatsApp group. When you create a WhatsApp community, the app creates a default announcement group to share updates.

Of course, this announcement group is similar to the WhatsApp Broadcast list, but it only has the members the admin selects, not everyone in the phonebook.

The announcement group consists of all the group members sharing updates on the go. The Communities allow you to add 50 groups and 5,000 members to a community announcement group. Both features aim to have a distinction like the one between a Telegram Channel and Telegram Group.

Key Differences Between WhatsApp Groups and Communities

1. Member Limits

WhatsApp groups are suited for smaller circles of people looking to converse and will allow a maximum of 1024 participants.

On the other hand, Communities are made to host larger capacities, with as many as 5000 members in announcement groups. This makes Communities the ideal option for information broadcasting.

2. Member List Visibility

There is a high level of transparency in WhatsApp groups. You may have access to the entire participant list, which is nice if you love people to interact and foster community relationships.

However, unlike Groups, Communities prioritize privacy. You cannot see the list of other Community members, and personal information is protected.

3. Calls and Polls

On WhatsApp Groups, you get a number of features to foster interaction. You can initiate voice or video calls, conduct polls, or use emojis to spice up conversations.

On the other hand, Communities are focused on announcements, not conversations. So, you will not get calls, polls, or emojis.

4. Focus of Communication

While both help pass some form of communication, Groups excel at bidirectional communication. So, Group members can discuss, share ideas, respond to messages, and have a more dynamic exchange.

Communication in Communities is rather one-directional. Admins pass announcements and broadcast messages to a large audience. You may, however, facilitate discussions within linked groups.

5. Accessing Groups/Communities

You should see your Groups conveniently integrated with the main chat screen. This makes access and participation easy.

On the other hand, there is a dedicated section for your Communities. This way, you may easily navigate between different communities.

6. Admin Controls

Admins have similar functions in communities and groups. They may add and remove members and edit Group or Community information, including descriptions and pictures.

Key Differences Between Groups and Communities

Feature Groups Communities
Focus of CommunicationTwo-way conversation One-way broadcast (announcements)
Subgroups Not applicable Can contain up to 50 linked groups
Admin Controls Similar to Communities Similar to Groups
Member List Visibility Visible to all members Not visible to members
CapacityUp to 1024 members Up to 5,000 members (announcement group)

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Last updated on 25 July, 2024

3 Comments

  1. The difference between comminities and groups is still unclear.

    1. Can non-admins in a community WhA group post replies?

    2. Is it that one WhA group joined in with another WhA group or are added as single individulas

    1. Non-admins cannot post replies directly in a community’s announcement group. It’s designed for one-way communication, where admins broadcast messages to everyone. However, they can reply privately to the admin via direct message or participate in discussions within the linked groups (if any).

      Communities act like an umbrella for multiple WhatsApp groups (up to 50). Instead of joining a single large group, individuals join specific groups within the community that are relevant to them. This keeps things organized and focused.

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