# Locals.com vs Mastodon

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Mastodon at none against Locals.com's 12. Locals.com's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and chart position (#119 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Locals.com sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Mastodon asks for nothing beyond the download.

Locals.com holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 41K and 13K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of Locals.com's written reviews are positive against 48% of Mastodon's.

Locals.com ships an update every 4 weeks, Mastodon monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Locals.com | Mastodon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (41K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/localscom/id1511032007/reviews)** | [4.5 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastodon/id1571998974/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **41K** | 13K |
| Positive reviews | **52.8% of reviews** | 48.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#119** | — |
| Size | 53 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Locals Technology Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1768300702) | [Mastodon GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1571998976) |

## What reviewers say

### Locals.com

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/localscom/id1511032007)

**Currently charting:** #119 Top Grossing · Social Networking (US App Store)

Connect directly with creators and communities you admire. This platform prioritizes user control and creator ownership, offering features like live streaming, community feeds, and content libraries. Support creators independently without algorithmic interference.

**Highlights:** Direct creator support, Algorithm-free content feeds, Creator data ownership, Live streaming with chat, Community feeds and posts, Content libraries (video/audio)

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly: 50 coins + 20 bonus | $7.99 | per month |
| 20 Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 50 Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 50 | $7.99 | one-time |
| 100 Coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| 100 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 150 Coins | $14.99 | one-time |
| 200 | $19.99 | one-time |
| 210 Coins | $20.99 | one-time |
| 300 Coins | $29.99 | one-time |
| 360 Coins | $35.99 | one-time |
| 500 Coins | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Real news and uncensored content
- 🙌 Freedom of speech and expression
- 🔒 Secure and censorship-free platform
- 💡 Innovative community-driven model
- 🚀 Steadily improving with updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with technical issues
- 🤔 Difficult to navigate and find content
- 💰 Expensive subscription fees
- 🔍 Limited search and discovery features
- 🔇 Inconsistent audio/video playback

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Disappearing notifications
- Orientation issues on iPad
- Inconsistent audio/video sync
- Unreliable live stream playback

**Requested features**

- Download option for offline viewing
- Better nested comments and community management
- Improved integration with Rumble platform
- Customizable notification settings
- Picture-in-picture mode for video playback


### Mastodon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastodon/id1571998974)

Connect with others on a decentralized social network. Share posts, images, and videos in chronological order without algorithms or ads. Discover new content and participate in conversations across the fediverse.

**Highlights:** Chronological feed, No algorithms or ads, Discover new users and topics, Post with images, videos, and polls, Create custom lists, Filter content, Cross-platform communication

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Friendly and welcoming community
- 🚀 Decentralized and free from corporate control
- 🔒 No data collection or ads
- 🤖 Good alternative to Twitter
- 💡 Ability to self-host servers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🤔 Confusing onboarding and server selection
- 📱 Limited functionality compared to web version
- 🔍 Difficulty finding and following people
- 🕰️ Slow or delayed notifications

**Reported bugs**

- Can't log in or create account
- Keyboard freezes during editing
- Inconsistent behavior when switching accounts
- Notifications not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add local and federated timelines
- Improve search and discovery features
- Implement edit and delete post functionality
- Add support for animated GIFs
- Provide better accessibility options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Locals.com free?

Locals.com is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Mastodon free?

Mastodon is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Locals.com or Mastodon?

Locals.com is rated higher. Locals.com averages 4.7 out of 5 from 41K ratings, while Mastodon averages 4.5 from 13K ratings.

### Do Locals.com or Mastodon have ads?

Neither Locals.com nor Mastodon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Locals.com or Mastodon?

Locals.com ships an update every 4 weeks, and Mastodon monthly. Most recently, Locals.com was updated on October 1, 2026 and Mastodon on September 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*