We monitor 175 App Store storefronts to answer one question —
Is Guide and Tips for WhatsApp Messenger Free censored by Apple?
Guide and Tips for WhatsApp Messenger Free is gone from every App Store storefront we test. It was last seen available on Jan 13, 2021.
508 tests on record·last checked 6 days ago
Why it is unavailable
Five things can put an app out of one App Store. Each is weighed below against what can be seen from outside — open a card for the reasoning.
A government or a court demanded it
and Apple complied. Apple publishes a count of these per country each year and never says which apps they were. Apple's 2025 App Store Transparency Report
- 35% of Social and messaging apps are unavailable in Afghanistan — 197 of 571 — against 24% of everything we test there.
- 22 other apps left mainland China the same day, May 12, 2022.
- Apple reports 1,213 government-ordered removals in Russia for 2025, naming none of them.
Apple applied a rule, unasked
either its own review guidelines, or its own reading of a local law, with nobody having demanded anything. This is the largest category in Apple's own removal figures by a wide margin, and it covers distribution permits as well as content — Apple kept a free Bible app out of mainland China in 2021 for want of one. Apple's 2025 App Store Transparency Report
- 35% of Social and messaging apps are unavailable in Afghanistan — 197 of 571 — against 24% of everything we test there.
- 22 other apps left mainland China the same day, May 12, 2022.
The developer withheld it
freely, or under legal advice of their own, or because Apple's guidelines require that kind of app to be limited to certain countries. Switching a country off is easy for a developer to do in Apple's own tools: it needs no new version of the app, and it leaves no public trace other than the app being unavailable.
- 35% of Social and messaging apps are unavailable in Afghanistan — 197 of 571 — against 24% of everything we test there.
- 22 other apps left mainland China the same day, May 12, 2022.
Something broke
a rejected update, a lapsed certificate, a payment or licensing problem, a mistake nobody has got round to noticing.
- 35% of Social and messaging apps are unavailable in Afghanistan — 197 of 571 — against 24% of everything we test there.
- 22 other apps left mainland China the same day, May 12, 2022.
- Gone for 4 years.
A local rule about paying for it
gambling licences, financial rules, tax — the kind of law that governs a transaction. Apple can obey every one of them by refusing the payment, which is why this is the only restriction we would accept and the only one that cannot touch a free app.
- It is free, so Apple sells nothing here.
How this is weighed, and what it cannot tell you
Weighed from the evidence under each card, not from a model. There is no published figure for how Apple's removals divide up, so these are ordered words rather than percentages. For scale on the same-day counts: across the whole record an app leaves a storefront with fewer than two others, so a dozen at once is not a dozen coincidences.
None of this is certain, and a citation does not make it so: Apple naming a Chinese agency tells you what Apple said, not everything that happened. What can be said is that the readings alone cannot separate these five — a developer switching off a country and a government ordering it removed arrive at Apple's catalogue looking identical — and that nobody has ever measured how they divide across the App Store. The one careful study of the question was done on Google's store, using an error message Apple does not emit.
Apple publishes no record of which apps are unavailable in which of its App Stores. For the removals it makes on a government's demand it publishes the agency and the law behind every one — 2,045 of the 166,899 apps it removed during 2025 — and never which app. Where a reason reaches the public at all, it is usually because a developer chose to say so. Apple's App Store Transparency Report
Know of a statement, notice or order we have missed? Tell us →
Guide and Tips for WhatsApp Messenger Free
Developer: David Mathew · Category: Social Networking · Released: Mar 31, 2016 ·
Other Social and messaging apps missing from mainland China
Life of this app
- Mar 31, 2016Released on the App Store
- Dec 23, 2020First tested by AppleCensorship
- Jan 13, 2021Last seen available anywhere
- Dec 5, 2022Gone from 67 storefronts
- Sep 12, 2026Most recent test
Testing history
One column per month, every month from the first reading to the last. Height follows how many readings we took that month; red is the share of them that found the app unavailable. An empty month is one nobody tested.
Found availableFound unavailable
Availability by storefront
Every storefront we test, current status first. Data is a measurement, not a promise: each row carries its own date.
| Test now | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AfghanistanAF | Unavailable | Mar 8, 2026 | 6 months ago | ||
| AlgeriaDZ | Unavailable | Jan 23, 2026 | 8 months ago | ||
| AustriaAT | Unavailable | Mar 23, 2026 | 6 days ago | ||
| BahamasBS | Unavailable | Jan 6, 2025 | 2 years ago | ||
| BarbadosBB | Unavailable | Sep 23, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| BoliviaBO | Unavailable | May 12, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| BruneiBN | Unavailable | Oct 16, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| Burkina FasoBF | Unavailable | May 12, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| CambodiaKH | Unavailable | May 21, 2022 | 11 months ago | ||
| CameroonCM | Unavailable | Oct 25, 2022 | 1 year ago | ||
| Cape VerdeCV | Unavailable | Sep 23, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| ChileCL | Unavailable | May 13, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| China (Mainland)CN | Unavailable | May 12, 2022 | 6 days ago | ||
| El SalvadorSV | Unavailable | Jun 22, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| FijiFJ | Unavailable | May 21, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| GabonGA | Unavailable | Jul 2, 2022 | 15 months ago | ||
| GambiaGM | Unavailable | Apr 4, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| GeorgiaGE | Unavailable | Feb 20, 2026 | 3 months ago | ||
| Guinea-BissauGW | Unavailable | Dec 5, 2022 | 8 months ago | ||
| GuyanaGY | Unavailable | Jun 15, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| Hong KongHK | Unavailable | May 12, 2022 | 44 days ago | ||
| HungaryHU | Unavailable | Feb 11, 2026 | 7 months ago | ||
| IcelandIS | Unavailable | Aug 4, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| IndonesiaID | Unavailable | Oct 26, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| IsraelIL | Unavailable | Feb 14, 2025 | 2 years ago | ||
| JamaicaJM | Unavailable | Aug 15, 2025 | 13 months ago | ||
| JapanJP | Unavailable | May 12, 2022 | 3 months ago | ||
| KazakhstanKZ | Unavailable | Jun 15, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| KuwaitKW | Unavailable | Nov 21, 2025 | 10 months ago | ||
| LithuaniaLT | Unavailable | Jun 9, 2022 | 2 months ago | ||
| LuxembourgLU | Unavailable | Aug 15, 2023 | 7 months ago | ||
| MadagascarMG | Unavailable | Jun 21, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| MalawiMW | Unavailable | Jan 24, 2023 | 2 years ago | ||
| MaliML | Unavailable | May 13, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| MaltaMT | Unavailable | Jun 10, 2026 | 3 months ago | ||
| MauritiusMU | Unavailable | Jun 9, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| MicronesiaFM | Unavailable | May 21, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| MontenegroME | Unavailable | Nov 21, 2022 | 13 months ago | ||
| MozambiqueMZ | Unavailable | Oct 19, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| NauruNR | Unavailable | Jul 29, 2024 | 6 days ago | ||
| NepalNP | Unavailable | Dec 5, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| NicaraguaNI | Unavailable | May 21, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| NigerNE | Unavailable | Jun 9, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| NigeriaNG | Unavailable | May 12, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| OmanOM | Unavailable | Feb 14, 2024 | 3 years ago | ||
| PhilippinesPH | Unavailable | Aug 17, 2023 | 4 months ago | ||
| RomaniaRO | Unavailable | May 15, 2025 | 16 months ago | ||
| RussiaRU | Unavailable | May 12, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| RwandaRW | Unavailable | Aug 12, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| São Tomé & PríncipeST | Unavailable | Apr 2, 2025 | 1 year ago | ||
| SeychellesSC | Unavailable | Feb 19, 2024 | 3 years ago | ||
| SingaporeSG | Unavailable | Nov 7, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| Solomon IslandsSB | Unavailable | Mar 24, 2025 | 9 months ago | ||
| South AfricaZA | Unavailable | Nov 21, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| South KoreaKR | Unavailable | May 12, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| SpainES | Unavailable | May 12, 2022 | 25 days ago | ||
| St. Vincent & GrenadinesVC | Unavailable | Feb 29, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| SwitzerlandCH | Unavailable | Jul 2, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| TaiwanTW | Unavailable | May 12, 2022 | 2 months ago | ||
| TanzaniaTZ | Unavailable | Oct 25, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| UkraineUA | Unavailable | May 12, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| United Arab EmiratesAE | Unavailable | Dec 5, 2022 | 6 days ago | ||
| United StatesUS | Unavailable | May 12, 2022 | 6 days ago | ||
| UruguayUY | Unavailable | Mar 26, 2023 | 44 days ago | ||
| VenezuelaVE | Unavailable | Sep 5, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| VietnamVN | Unavailable | Sep 28, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| ZimbabweZW | Unavailable | Nov 29, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| AlbaniaAL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| AngolaAO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| AnguillaAI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Antigua & BarbudaAG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ArgentinaAR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ArmeniaAM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| AustraliaAU | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| AzerbaijanAZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BahrainBH | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BelarusBY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BelgiumBE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BelizeBZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BeninBJ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BermudaBM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BhutanBT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Bosnia & HerzegovinaBA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BotswanaBW | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BrazilBR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| British Virgin IslandsVG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BulgariaBG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| CanadaCA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Cayman IslandsKY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ChadTD | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ColombiaCO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Costa RicaCR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Côte d’IvoireCI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| CroatiaHR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| CyprusCY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| CzechiaCZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| DenmarkDK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| DominicaDM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Dominican RepublicDO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| DR CongoCD | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| EcuadorEC | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| EgyptEG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| EstoniaEE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| EswatiniSZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| FinlandFI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| FranceFR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GermanyDE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GhanaGH | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GreeceGR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GrenadaGD | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GuatemalaGT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| HondurasHN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IndiaIN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IraqIQ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IrelandIE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ItalyIT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| JordanJO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| KenyaKE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| KosovoXK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| KyrgyzstanKG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LaosLA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LatviaLV | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LebanonLB | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LiberiaLR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LibyaLY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MacaoMO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MalaysiaMY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MaldivesMV | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MauritaniaMR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MexicoMX | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MoldovaMD | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MongoliaMN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MontserratMS | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MoroccoMA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Myanmar (Burma)MM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NamibiaNA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NetherlandsNL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| New ZealandNZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| North MacedoniaMK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NorwayNO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PakistanPK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PalauPW | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PanamaPA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Papua New GuineaPG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ParaguayPY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PeruPE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PolandPL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PortugalPT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| QatarQA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Republic of the CongoCG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Saudi ArabiaSA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SenegalSN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SerbiaRS | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Sierra LeoneSL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SlovakiaSK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SloveniaSI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Sri LankaLK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| St. Kitts & NevisKN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| St. LuciaLC | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SurinameSR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SwedenSE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TajikistanTJ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ThailandTH | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TongaTO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Trinidad & TobagoTT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TunisiaTN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TürkiyeTR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TurkmenistanTM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Turks & Caicos IslandsTC | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| UgandaUG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| United KingdomGB | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| UzbekistanUZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| VanuatuVU | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| YemenYE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ZambiaZM | Not tested | — | — | 0 |
Testing asks Apple whether it will sell this app in that storefront, right now, by the same method the crawler has used since 2019. Your browser asks Apple directly, so the answer describes what Apple serves your connection — and if your browser cannot reach Apple at all, we ask on your behalf and say so. The result is a link: open it to see Apple's own answer and check ours. Readings are added to the record above; roughly a quarter of the readings taken each day come from people testing.
How we test
Availability is checked against Apple's own catalog servers for every storefront, the same way the App Store app asks. "Unavailable" means Apple's servers say the app cannot be offered in that country — it does not say who asked for the removal. Removals initiated by the developer and removals demanded by governments look the same from outside; the history and context on this page are how we tell them apart.