# Hotspots - See Who's Nearby — Find your people nearby > Social networking app to find local events and people you cross paths with. (iPhone/iPad app by AIDEN CORNISH.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotspots-see-whos-nearby/id6795421344 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [AIDEN CORNISH](https://appshunter.io/developer/6794537002) - Category: Social Networking - Price: Free - Rating: 5.00/5 from 3 App Store ratings - Age rating: 17+ - Requires: iOS 16.0 · 10 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-08-26 - Data updated: 2026-09-17 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotspots-see-whos-nearby/id6795421344/reviews.md ## What is Hotspots? Hotspots is how you find what's happening around you and meet the people you already cross paths with. Anyone 18 and over can join with any email address. You know the feeling. The same faces at the gym, in the coffee line, at the pool, at the party. Your people are already all around you. You just never had a reason to say something. Hotspots gives you one. SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING See where people are gathering right now, the spots, the events, where the energy is, so you always know where to be. MEET WHO YOU CROSS PATHS WITH Live your normal day and Hotspots quietly notices the people you come near. The people you crossed show up afterward, so you can finally connect with the people you keep almost-meeting. FIND YOUR PEOPLE Friends, your crew, and yes, maybe more. However you want to connect, start with the people who are actually around you, not strangers three states away. ANY EMAIL WORKS, STUDENTS GET A BADGE Join with any email address you already use. Sign up with a school email and your profile carries a verified campus badge, so students can tell who else is on their campus. The badge is a bonus, never a requirement. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Automatic paths are your choice. When enabled, Hotspots privately compares fresh Precise Location readings to connect you with people you pass within about 200 feet. Here Now also shows your profile to other people currently nearby who have automatic paths enabled. Only your latest point is held temporarily for matching; other people never see your exact coordinates. Sharing an approximate map dot and contributing to live activity Spots is a separate choice. Incognito pauses automatic paths and map sharing. One-tap block and report, and you must be 18 or older to join. Hotspots is for anyone 18 and older. See where everyone's at. ## Key features - Discover local events and gatherings - Connect with people you encounter daily - See who is nearby in real-time - Private by design location sharing - Verified campus badge for students - Incognito mode for privacy ## Frequently asked questions about Hotspots ### What is Hotspots? Hotspots is a social networking app designed to help you discover local events and connect with people you frequently encounter in your daily life. It aims to facilitate connections with individuals you 'almost meet' by showing you who you've crossed paths with. ### Who can use Hotspots? Hotspots is available to anyone 18 years of age or older. Users can join using any email address, with a special campus badge available for those who sign up with a school email. ### How does Hotspots handle privacy? The app is designed with privacy in mind. Automatic path matching, when enabled, privately compares recent location data to connect you with people within approximately 200 feet. Your exact coordinates are never shared, and you can pause features or use incognito mode. ### Does Hotspots have ads? No, Hotspots does not contain advertisements. The app is completely free to use and does not feature any in-app ads. ### What devices does Hotspots support? Currently, Hotspots is supported on iPhone devices. The app was last updated on September 15, 2026, with version 2.0.4. ### How often is Hotspots updated? The app was last updated on September 15, 2026, indicating ongoing development and support. Users can expect regular updates to improve functionality and introduce new features. ### What is the rating for Hotspots? Hotspots has a high rating of 5.0 stars, based on 3 user reviews. This suggests a very positive user sentiment among its current user base. ### Can I connect with people outside my immediate area on Hotspots? Hotspots focuses on connecting you with people who are actually around you, rather than strangers far away. The primary goal is to facilitate connections with those you physically cross paths with in your local environment. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.0.4 — 2026-09-15 Explore your portfolio with Swipe: swipe right to keep a profile, left to remove it, and use Undo to restore your last choice. Notifications now open the relevant conversation, heart, crossing or spot. Double-tap an incoming message to like it, with reactions visible to both people. Profiles now support Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok links. Super Hearts have a blue ring and appear first in Hearts. We’ve also improved live unread indicators, read receipts, loading and scrolling. ### 2.0.3 — 2026-09-14 Hotspots now supports iOS 16 and later. Scroll continuously through your portfolio, see who sent you a heart, and check message read receipts. Automatic paths, background paths, and map sharing are organized in Preferences. Select up to eight photos together, arrange them how you like, and preview your profile before sharing it. The heart button stays at the bottom while you browse profiles, and Instagram handles open their profile directly. This update also improves profile and conversation loading, keyboard behavior, and support for older iPhones. ### 2.0.2 — 2026-09-13 MEET YOUR HOTSPOTS COMMUNITY While our temporary community portfolio is active, eligible members and new signups appear automatically. Community profiles are clearly labeled, and real crossing counts stay separate. AUTOMATIC PATHS AND HERE NOW Choose automatic paths to connect when you pass within about 200 feet of another person who has enabled them. Here Now shows people currently nearby using fresh location readings. No check-in is needed, and your exact coordinates stay private. LIVE SPOTS AND PLACE DETAILS Find activity areas wherever people share fresh approximate locations. Tap a map place for information, nearby Hotspots activity, and directions. Map sharing is a separate choice. MORE ROOM FOR YOUR PROFILE Add up to eight photos. Hold and drag to reorder; the first photo becomes your main photo. A CLEARER CHAT HEADER See their photo above their name and real crossing count. Tap the photo, name, or count to open their profile. Also improved: Spotlight profile taps, heart-button placement, message fields above the keyboard, and long confirmation messages that wrap correctly. ### 2.0.1 — 2026-09-13 Hotspots 2.0 is rebuilt from the ground up as a native iOS app. Faster, smoother, and made for iOS 26. FASTER SIGNUP Get in with your name, birthday and a photo. Finish your bio, interests and preferences whenever you want from the Profile tab. A progress dial and checklist show what is left, and reminders stop once your profile hits 100%. HERE, REDESIGNED The map is now full screen with a sheet for spots, events and who is here now. Distances and check-ins use your real location, and checking in stays reliable when a whole crowd arrives at once. PATHS AND MESSAGES Unmatched crossings fade after seven days, matched ones stay. Chat history loads before you can send, and a failed send keeps your text so you can try again. EVENTS Voting is more accurate, with bigger tap targets and instant feedback. Also: sign up now works with any email address (a school address still earns the campus badge), profile photos render as clean circles, and dozens of smaller fixes. ### 2.0.0 — 2026-09-10 Hotspots 2.0 is rebuilt from the ground up as a native iOS app. Faster, smoother, and made for iOS 26. FASTER SIGNUP Get in with your name, birthday and a photo. Finish your bio, interests and preferences whenever you want from the Profile tab. A progress dial and checklist show what is left, and reminders stop once your profile hits 100%. HERE, REDESIGNED The map is now full screen with a sheet for spots, events and who is here now. Distances and check-ins use your real location, and checking in stays reliable when a whole crowd arrives at once. PATHS AND MESSAGES Unmatched crossings fade after seven days, matched ones stay. Chat history loads before you can send, and a failed send keeps your text so you can try again. EVENTS Voting is more accurate, with bigger tap targets and instant feedback. Also: profile photos render as clean circles, account deletion completes reliably, and dozens of smaller fixes. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-17.*