Comparison
Whataboutism vs Tu Quoque
Main difference in one sentence
Whataboutism points to some other problem somewhere else, while Tu Quoque points to the critic's own inconsistency.
Persuasion Tricks
Rhetorical Manipulation
Whataboutism changes the subject by saying, in effect, “What about that other wrong over there?” It widens the frame so the original criticism loses focus.
Persuasion Tricks
Rhetorical Manipulation
Tu Quoque is narrower. It says, “You do it too,” using hypocrisy as a shield instead of answering the criticism itself.
Example where people confuse them
A manager is asked about missed goals and replies, “What about the sales team missing theirs last quarter?” That is Whataboutism. If the manager says, “You missed goals before too, so you cannot criticize me,” that is Tu Quoque.
Quick memory trick
Whataboutism points away. Tu Quoque points back.