Comparison

Letterboxd vs Flare

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Letterboxd

This social networking app allows film enthusiasts to log movies, write reviews, and discover new films. Users can track their viewing history, follow friends' activities, and create custom film lists. Premium features offer advanced stats and streaming service filters.

Highlights
  • Log films with ratings and reviews
  • Browse popular and highly-rated films
  • Create and edit custom film lists
  • Follow friends and view their activity
  • Track viewing history and stats
  • Discover films via streaming service filters (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Letterboxd for iOS puts the popular social network for film lovers on your iPhone or iPad, so you can log films and catch up on your friends’ activity with ease. Sign in with your existing account (or create one for free) to enjoy our native app interface. These features of the web experience are supported, with more to come: – Sign in (with 1Password support) or create an account – Browse popular, highly rated and most anticipated films (including our official list of the Top 250 Narrative Features) – Log films with date, rating, review and tags – View film info (including cast & crew, popular lists and reviews) and rate, like, watchlist or mark as watched – View (and filter) your activity feed – Read and comment on reviews and lists – Create and edit lists – View member profiles including films, reviews, diary entries, tags, stats and more – Follow members to see their activity in your feed – Filter and sort collections of films based on specific criteria – Search for films, content and people – Edit your profile settings Our app offers account upgrades: – Upgrade to 1 Year of Letterboxd Pro or Patron – Pro tier adds annual and all-time stats pages based on your account activity, advanced activity and streaming service filters (including the option to pick and filter by the streaming services you subscribe to, powered by JustWatch.com), list cloning and removes third-party ads. – Patron tier provides all the benefits of Pro, plus the option to customize film posters, backdrops on your profile and content (if available), additional stats, a listing in the Patrons directory on our website and early access to new features. – Payment is charged to your iTunes Account when you confirm purchase and your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renewal is disabled at least 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Your iTunes account will be charged for a renewal up to 24 hours before the end of each current period, at the same annual fee. – You can manage your subscription and disable auto-renewals in the App Store app following purchase. – Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited if you purchase a subscription to that publication, where applicable Our terms of use are always available at: https://letterboxd.com/legal/terms-of-use/ We welcome your feedback regarding Letterboxd for iOS. Please email us: hello@letterboxd.com

About

Flare

This app streamlines group management by consolidating communication, event planning, and engagement tools. It offers features like group chats, event RSVPs, attendance tracking, photo albums, and payment collection, making it ideal for various organizations.

Highlights
  • Group chats and announcements
  • Event creation and attendance tracking
  • Photo albums and highlights
  • Polls and points system
  • Ticket sales and payment collection
  • File sharing and roster management
Features
Read full description

Flare is the ultimate app for groups. Flare keeps your group connected, organized, and engaged—all in one app. Whether you’re running a student organization, campus council, alumni network, or a national community, Flare makes communication effortless and events unforgettable. Why Flare? Tired of juggling endless group chats, scattered files, and disorganized calendars? Flare brings everything together: messages, events, attendance, photos, polls, points and more. With privacy controls and high‑quality features, it’s the smarter way to manage your community. Key Features & Benefits: ▶ Events & Attendance – Create and share events with details, RSVPs, and reminders. Track attendance with QR codes, passcodes, geolocation, or ticketing. ▶ Group Chats & Announcements – Keep everyone in the loop with customizable chats and a dedicated announcement wall. Optional message approval gives admins control when needed. ▶ Albums & Highlights – Upload high‑quality photos (up to 5000px), save your favorite photos, and share approved highlights. ▶ Engagement Tools – Polls, points system, birthday reminders, and alumni engagement. ▶ Payments Made Easy – Sell tickets or collect payments with Venmo integration. ▶ Seamless Organization – Share files, manage rosters, connect with alumni, and build lasting group connections. Built for Privacy & Control: - Protect your chats with screenshot blocking and admin notifications - Admin can delete messages and suspend members - Settings to approve messages, highlights, and membership requests. Join 500,000+ users already using Flare to simplify communication and boost engagement!

Screenshots

Letterboxd4 screens
Flare4 screens

Verdict

The call

Letterboxd and Flare both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 96% of Flare's written reviews are positive against 59% of Letterboxd's. Flare also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 16) and ads (none vs shown). Letterboxd's advantage is ratings volume (88K vs 6.3K). On price, rating, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Letterboxd sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $18.99 per year. Flare asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Letterboxd against 4.9 for Flare. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Letterboxd has 88K ratings behind it against 6.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 59% of Letterboxd's written reviews are positive against 96% of Flare's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Letterboxd ships an update fortnightly, Flare every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Letterboxd versus Flare: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLetterboxdFlare
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (88K ratings)4.9 (6.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews59.4% of reviews96.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings88K — better6.3K
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
Best chart rank#26 — better#43
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.513.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size135 MB130 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperLetterboxdFlare App, Inc.

Customer experience

Letterboxd

All ratings88,309 ratings
Positive97.2%
Neutral1.5%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews1,965 reviews
Positive59.4%
Neutral12.4%
Negative28.2%

Flare

All ratings6,315 ratings
Positive97.5%
Neutral0.9%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews422 reviews
Positive96.0%
Neutral1.9%
Negative2.1%

User reviews

Letterboxd

From 88K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great app for movie lovers
  • 🚀 Smooth and intuitive interface
  • 💡 Useful features like movie logging and reviews
  • 👍 Helpful community and social aspects
  • 👍 Comprehensive movie database

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🐛 Logging out issues
  • 🐛 Rendering and UI glitches
  • 🔋 Audio playback issues with ads
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns with user tracking

Flare

From 6.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Efficient communication
  • 🔒 Secure and private
  • 👍 Organized and user-friendly
  • 🎨 Great features like photo albums and calendars
  • 💪 Comprehensive for large groups

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional technical issues with notifications and loading
  • 🔒 Strict privacy settings can be limiting
  • 💻 Lack of desktop/web version

Bugs and requests

Letterboxd

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inability to save or edit reviews
  • Search and navigation issues
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between app and website
  • Syncing and data loss problems when switching devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add TV show support
  • Improve social features like notifications and commenting
  • Implement offline functionality
  • Add more customization options
  • Introduce a cheaper tier for basic features

Flare

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Notifications not always working properly
  • Difficulty removing screenshots and photos

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to remove albums and events
  • More customization options for admins
  • Integration with personal calendars

In-app purchases

11 purchases

Letterboxd

Subscriptions2
  • Letterboxd Pro (1 Year)$18.991 Year
  • Letterboxd Patron (1 Year)$48.991 Year
One-time9
  • Video Store Rental2 variants$3.99
  • Video Store Rental$4.99
  • Video Store Rental$5.99
Show 6 more
  • Video Store Rental$6.99
  • Video Store Rental$7.99
  • Video Store Rental$8.99
  • Video Store Rental$9.99
  • Video Store Rental$14.99
  • Video Store Rental2 variants$19.99
None

Flare

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Letterboxd free?
Letterboxd is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Flare free?
Flare is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Letterboxd or Flare?
Flare is rated higher. Letterboxd averages 4.8 out of 5 from 88K ratings, while Flare averages 4.9 from 6.3K ratings.
Do Letterboxd or Flare have ads?
Letterboxd shows ads; Flare does not.
Which is updated more often, Letterboxd or Flare?
Letterboxd ships an update fortnightly, and Flare every 2 days. Most recently, Letterboxd was updated on September 24, 2026 and Flare on September 22, 2026.
Which is more popular, Letterboxd or Flare?
Letterboxd currently peaks at #26 in the App Store charts, and Flare at #43. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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