# Locals.com vs Fora Communities

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Fora Communities at none against Locals.com's 12. Fora Communities also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 4 weeks). Locals.com's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (53% vs 26%). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Locals.com against 4.7 for Fora Communities. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Locals.com has 42K ratings behind it against 1.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 53% of Locals.com's written reviews are positive against 26% of Fora Communities's.

Locals.com ships an update every 4 weeks, Fora Communities every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Locals.com | Fora Communities |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (42K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/localscom/id1511032007/reviews) | [4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fora-communities-1000-plus-forums/id1608044805/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **42K** | 1.3K |
| Positive reviews | **52.9% of reviews** | 25.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#130** | — |
| Size | 53 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Locals Technology Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1768300702) | [VerticalScope Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/412489072) |

## What reviewers say

### Locals.com

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

**Currently charting:** #130 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


### Fora Communities

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fora-communities-1000-plus-forums/id1608044805)

Connect with passionate communities and share knowledge on your favorite subjects. This app aggregates over 1000 forums, allowing you to easily browse discussions, post images and videos, and stay updated with push notifications. Discover new insights and engage with enthusiasts worldwide.

**Highlights:** Access 1000+ enthusiast forums, Connect with like-minded communities, Share expertise and discover knowledge, Post images and videos, Fast switching between communities, Receive push notifications

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great community
- 👍 User-friendly design
- 🚀 Convenient forums browsing
- 👍 Helpful information sharing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔍 Poor navigation and search
- 💸 Intrusive ads
- 🔒 Login issues and privacy concerns
- 🔧 Buggy and unstable

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing and loading issues
- Inconsistent behavior across platforms
- Notification problems
- Inability to upload media

**Requested features**

- Improve login and account management
- Add dark mode support
- Enhance search and navigation
- Reduce ads and improve user experience


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Locals.com free?

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

### Is Fora Communities free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Locals.com or Fora Communities?

Locals.com and Fora Communities are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 42K and 1.3K ratings respectively.

### Do Locals.com or Fora Communities have ads?

Fora Communities shows ads; Locals.com does not.

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

Locals.com ships an update every 4 weeks, and Fora Communities every 9 days. Most recently, Locals.com was updated on October 18, 2026 and Fora Communities on October 15, 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.*