# LINE messaging app

8 Hacker News commenters recommended LINE messaging app and 13 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Entrenched messenger in Japan with encrypted chats and voice and video calls. Critics cite heavy ads, weak security reputation and clunky UX.

## Why people recommend it

- Dominant messenger in many countries (2 comments): "In most countries, the most used messenger app is Whatsapp or Wechat or LINE or KakaoTalk" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47003853)) "Some places have regional messengers that are very entrenched, like Line in Japan" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47749962))
- Voice and video calls, texting (2 comments): "I was booted from the network" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47037122)) "It is like FaceTime but better." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46320981))

## What people warn about

- Heavy advertising, even on paid tiers (3 comments): "tons of advertisements and hateful contents. It's the worst chat app imaginable." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45948901)) "The Japanese account is covered with ads EVERYWHERE on the home screen" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47395874)) "even the highest tier subscription doesn't reduce ads" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49282935))
- Clunky UX and layout bugs (2 comments): "I hate the expiring photos/videos in message threads too. Overall the UX is clunky." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45914841)) "their front page also opens with the font control overlapping the text paragraph" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45916057))
- Described as worst messaging app (2 comments): "tons of advertisements and hateful contents. It's the worst chat app imaginable." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45948901)) "Line is by far the worst messaging app I've ever used" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45914735))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Discord](https://hackerapproved.com/p/discord.md): 400 recommend
- [Telegram](https://hackerapproved.com/p/telegram.md): 229 recommend
- [WeChat](https://hackerapproved.com/p/wechat.md): 14 recommend
- [Telegram Desktop](https://hackerapproved.com/p/telegram-desktop.md): 13 recommend
- [WhatsApp for Windows](https://hackerapproved.com/p/whatsapp-for-windows.md): 10 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "LINE messaging app", https://hackerapproved.com/p/line/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).