Comparison

#ciao vs Vicinity

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

Head to head
About

#ciao

Features
Read full description

#ciao is a way to meet interesting people around you. Set your interests by #tags and find interesting people around you. #ciao wants to change social network rules and help you to plan interesting meetings in real life.

About

Vicinity

Connect instantly with people nearby through live chatrooms and private messaging. This social tool aims to foster real-time connections within communities, encouraging face-to-face interactions. Discover local events, ask for recommendations, or simply chat with those around you.

Highlights
  • Live chatrooms based on location radius
  • Private messaging
  • Place-based voice/chat rooms
  • Voice and video calling (Premium)
  • Dark mode support
  • Moderated chat for safety
Features
Read full description

Vicinity is a spatial communication network — the group chat for IRL. A real-time social layer tied to where you are, not who you follow. No algorithms — just your local world, live. Open the app and connect with everyone nearby across multiple topic channels. Send message requests, create group chats, or join landmark rooms at iconic locations worldwide — but only if you're physically there. The internet you walk through, not the one you scroll. As connection with those physically around us quietly erodes, Vicinity gives your location a shared context — a common channel for real community. Potential uses • Meet new people nearby • Organize meetups by topic • Chat with others at a sports game, bar, or concert • Coordinate a class study group • Get help from a neighbor • Invite others to a block party • Recommend shows, restaurants, or events to people nearby • Ask locals for tips when traveling • Coordinate group activities • Host a game night with people nearby — trivia, chess, poker, and more Core features • Vicinity chat: multiple topic channels for your radius • Live Games: host or join real-time multiplayer games with people nearby — trivia, chess, poker, blackjack, werewolf, mahjong, and more • Landmark rooms: audio and text chat at iconic locations worldwide — only if you're physically there • Private messaging: send message requests to anyone you meet in the chatroom • Profile photos: free for everyone • Premium: group chats, photos in DMs, voice & video calls, ad-free, and more Stars — the fun economy • Earn stars FREE by winning Live Games or inviting friends • Spend stars on fun extras: chat colors, profile borders, badges, hosting events, and promoting posts • Gift stars or cosmetics to friends right in your DMs — chat colors, borders, and badges they keep • Trophy badges: climb the ladder from Bronze to the ultra-rare Diamond — the ultimate status flex Dark Mode Vicinity supports both light and dark mode. Privacy and security All location-based rooms are fully moderated. Distance sharing is optional — you control what you share. Download Vicinity. Community restored. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

#ciao4 screens
Vicinity4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: #ciao at none against Vicinity's 1. #ciao also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.0). Vicinity's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). On price 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. Vicinity sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $10.99 per year. #ciao asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

#ciao ships an update fortnightly, Vicinity every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
#ciao versus Vicinity: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter#ciaoVicinity
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.6 (37 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—90.9% of reviews
Number of ratings—37 — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS8.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB84 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperTouchlabs Srl SemplificataEsketit LLC

In-app purchases

None

#ciao

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Vicinity

Subscriptions1
  • Subscription Features$10.991 Year

Questions

Is #ciao free?
#ciao is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Vicinity free?
Vicinity is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do #ciao or Vicinity have ads?
Vicinity shows ads; #ciao does not.
Which is updated more often, #ciao or Vicinity?
#ciao ships an update fortnightly, and Vicinity every 4 days. Most recently, #ciao was updated on October 9, 2026 and Vicinity on October 10, 2026.

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