Comparison

BuyNothing vs The JIT Network

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

Head to head
About

BuyNothing

Connect with your local community to give, receive, share, lend, and borrow items. This app fosters a gift economy, building connections through sharing, inspired by the BuyNothing® Project.

Highlights
  • Give and receive items locally
  • Lend and borrow goods
  • Hyper-local community sharing
  • Gift economy model
  • Build community connections
  • Express gratitude
Features
Read full description

We offer people a way to give, receive, share, lend, borrow and express gratitude through a hyper-local gift economy model in which people can share wherever they are and true wealth is measured by the web of connections formed between people through sharing. From the founders of the BuyNothing® Project. Terms of Use: https://buynothingproject.org/terms

About

The JIT Network

This app fosters a supportive community for individuals passionate about empowering young people in foster care. It connects current foster youth, alumni, volunteers, and partners to share resources, inspiration, and build lasting relationships.

Highlights
  • Connect with like-minded individuals
  • Share resources and inspiration
  • Build supportive relationships
  • Create custom community groups
  • Host video events and group chats
  • Direct messaging
Features
Read full description

The JIT Network brings people and communities CLOSER. That includes everyone with a passion for empowering young people impacted by foster care by forming a caring, responsive and self-sustaining ecosystem of resources, inspiration and supportive relationships. Current foster youth and accomplished alumni, committed volunteers and purpose-driven partners, change agents and dedicated disruptors, all working through The JIT Network to establish an effective community alternative to a “systems” model of service. Together, we share solutions designed and owned by our members, and ultimately create collective, exponential and durable positive influence that changes foster care forever. The JIT Network is hosted by Just in Time for Foster Youth, an organization that’s been building a long “bridge” to self-sufficiency, well-being and life satisfaction for youth for 20 years, closing gaps as they leave the system with no stable adult relationships and no trusted community after age 18. JIT’s responsive, innovative model is grounded in the premise that disconnection from a healthy community is the foundational problem for the youth we serve, so creating powerful, lasting relationships and reliable communities is the foundational, but too often neglected, solution. The JIT Network is a powerful new way to fill that gap by creating a space for us all to be CLOSER to: Connect: finding others who share our values and create a sense of belonging in a better world; Learn: exploring ideas, insights and asking powerful questions each and every day Optimize: leveraging our collective wisdom to maximize unexpected opportunities for growth Share: telling our everyday inspirational stories and finding common ground Empower: becoming more Confident, Capable and Connected to reach our full potential Repeat: Returning to our Network to Reenergize, Refresh and Renew again and again If you want to change the world starting today, we invite and encourage you to join the JIT Network, and play your part in helping grow the community you’ve always wanted. You’re even empowered to start your own distinct group within the larger network. And if you’re an organization providing services for foster youth, the JIT Network also provides you the space for your own members to gather on the platform with the power to create their own community sub-groups, with posts and discussions, hosting video events, group chat, direct messaging… all for FREE as you help advance our common cause. As members of the JIT Network, you have a new opportunity to get CLOSER. CLOSER to the Resources and Relationships we all need to inspire one another. CLOSER to our shared Hopes and Dreams. CLOSER to Changing the World, Together.

Screenshots

BuyNothing4 screens
The JIT Network4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: The JIT Network at 100% against BuyNothing's 27%. The JIT Network also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 8). BuyNothing's advantage is ratings volume (2.1K vs 13) and chart position (#189 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads 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. BuyNothing sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. The JIT Network asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

The JIT Network holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BuyNothing has 2.1K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of BuyNothing's written reviews are positive against 100% of The JIT Network's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BuyNothing ships an update every 2 weeks, The JIT Network weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
BuyNothing versus The JIT Network: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBuyNothingThe JIT Network
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (2.1K ratings)5.0 (13 ratings) — better
Positive reviews26.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.1K — better13
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
Best chart rank#189 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size76 MB142 MB
Age rating12+9+
DeveloperBuy Nothing Project, Inc.Just in Time for Foster Youth 501c3 Nonprofit

Customer experience

BuyNothing

All ratings2,080 ratings
Positive80.3%
Neutral5.2%
Negative14.5%
Written reviews387 reviews
Positive26.9%
Neutral12.9%
Negative60.2%

The JIT Network

All ratings13 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

BuyNothing

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • Login issues and inability to reset passwords
  • Inconsistent location settings and radius
  • Unreliable notifications and messaging
  • Inability to edit or update posts

Requested features

5 requests
  • Search function to find specific posts
  • Ability to edit and update posts
  • Improved organization and sorting of posts
  • Syncing across multiple devices
  • More robust moderation and community tools

The JIT Network

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

8 purchases

BuyNothing

Subscriptions8
  • Buy Nothing Subscription$3.991 Month
  • Buy Nothing Pro$3.991 Month
  • Sustaining Member$5.491 Month
Show 5 more
  • Sustaining Member$6.991 Month
  • Buy Nothing Pro$38.491 Year
  • Buy Nothing Subscription$38.491 Year
  • Sustaining Member$54.991 Year
  • Sustaining Member$69.991 Year
None

The JIT Network

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BuyNothing free?
BuyNothing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is The JIT Network free?
The JIT Network is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, BuyNothing or The JIT Network?
The JIT Network is rated higher. BuyNothing averages 4.3 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while The JIT Network averages 5.0 from 13 ratings.
Do BuyNothing or The JIT Network have ads?
Neither BuyNothing nor The JIT Network shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BuyNothing or The JIT Network?
BuyNothing ships an update every 2 weeks, and The JIT Network weekly. Most recently, BuyNothing was updated on October 27, 2026 and The JIT Network on October 24, 2026.

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