Comparison

The Xpat App vs JoinLinks

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

Head to head
About

The Xpat App

Connect with and learn from the Black expat community worldwide. This app fosters knowledge sharing, community building, and engagement through live chats, virtual events, and discussions. Access a global directory of resources and support groups to enhance your experience abroad.

Highlights
  • Knowledge sharing
  • Community building
  • Live chat
  • Virtual events
  • Global expat directory
  • Resources and support groups
Features
Read full description

The Xpat App is a lifestyle and community building app that promotes knowledge sharing, community building, and enhancement of the Black expat experience. The app caters to the unique needs and interests of people of the African diaspora who live abroad and is designed to inform, engage, and inspire. As the #1 app for the Black expat community, the app’s live chat feature, community discussions, and virtual events make it easier than ever to organically connect with people from all over the world. The app also provides exclusive access to a global directory of Black expats, resources, and support groups so, regardless of where you are in your expat journey, the app places the power of connection and community at your fingertips. For more info, check out www.xpatinc.com.

About

JoinLinks

Easily make meaningful friendships in real life by discovering or creating local hangouts and interest-based communities. Connect with others through a live feed and dedicated group chats to build lasting connections.

Highlights
  • Discover local hangouts and events
  • Create your own hangouts
  • Join interest-based communities
  • Connect via live feed and group chats
  • Share memories in community photo vaults
  • Build real friendships
Features
Read full description

Make Real Friends. Join Real Communities. Host Real Events. JoinLinks is the easiest way to build meaningful friendships in real life — and now, the easiest way to host the events and communities that bring people together. Whether you're new to a city or just looking to meet new people, JoinLinks helps you find others who share your interests and gives you the tools to turn connections into community. Create or join Links — real-world hangouts hosted by people nearby. From coffee meetups to weekend hikes, Links make it simple to get together in the real world. Build your Community — start or join interest-based communities, each with its own group chats, dedicated feed, event links, and private photo vault. Approve members, spin up multiple chat channels, and give your people a place to belong. Host and sell out your events — turn any Link into a ticketed event. Set prices, sell tickets right in the app, and check guests in at the door with a built-in scanner and live dashboard. The Wallet tracks your sales and payouts with simple Stripe setup.* Stay connected — share posts and photos on the Live Feed, reply in threads, @mention friends, and switch between accounts without logging out. Offline mode keeps your tickets and content available even when the venue Wi-Fi doesn't cooperate. Whether you're into running clubs, creative workshops, foodie adventures, or just want to meet good people, JoinLinks helps you make it happen. Key Features: • Discover local hangouts and events hosted by real people • Create your own Links and invite others to join • Sell tickets to your events and get paid, with check-in tools at the door* • Join interest-based Communities with group chats, feeds, and photo vaults • Post, react, and connect on the Live Feed • Switch between multiple accounts instantly • Access your tickets and content even when you're offline JoinLinks is your gateway to a more social, connected life. Wherever you are, there's a Link waiting for you. *Ticketing and payouts requires host verification. ToS: https://www.joinlinks.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.joinlinks.com/privacy

Screenshots

The Xpat App4 screens
JoinLinks4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Xpat App at none against JoinLinks's 3. The Xpat App also leads on ratings volume (388 vs 43). JoinLinks's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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. JoinLinks sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. The Xpat App 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 The Xpat App against 4.7 for JoinLinks. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Xpat App has 388 ratings behind it against 43, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of The Xpat App's written reviews are positive against 92% of JoinLinks's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Xpat App ships an update every 2 months, JoinLinks every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
The Xpat App versus JoinLinks: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe Xpat AppJoinLinks
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (388 ratings) — better4.7 (43 ratings)
Positive reviews85.0% of reviews91.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings388 — better43
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB245 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperXPAT, INC.Join Links

Customer experience

The Xpat App

All ratings379 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral1.1%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews40 reviews
Positive85.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.0%

JoinLinks

All ratings43 ratings
Positive93.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.0%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive91.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative8.3%

Bugs and requests

The Xpat App

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App glitching and crashing
  • Email becoming invalid preventing sign-in
  • Password reset functionality not working
  • Unable to sign up after account issues

Requested features

4 requests
  • Optional location and origin disclosure settings
  • Improved customer support and response system
  • Better content moderation policies
  • Enhanced security features for user privacy

JoinLinks

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

The Xpat App

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

JoinLinks

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Subscription$2.991 Month
  • JoinLinks Plus 3 Months$6.993 Months
  • JoinLinks Plus Yearly$24.991 Year

Questions

Is The Xpat App free?
The Xpat App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is JoinLinks free?
JoinLinks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, The Xpat App or JoinLinks?
The Xpat App is rated higher. The Xpat App averages 4.8 out of 5 from 388 ratings, while JoinLinks averages 4.7 from 43 ratings.
Do The Xpat App or JoinLinks have ads?
Neither The Xpat App nor JoinLinks shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The Xpat App or JoinLinks?
The Xpat App ships an update every 2 months, and JoinLinks every 2 weeks. Most recently, The Xpat App was updated on November 3, 2026 and JoinLinks on November 3, 2026.

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