# Poppin vs CIRCLES

The clearest difference is ads: CIRCLES at none against Poppin's shown. CIRCLES also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 84%). Poppin's advantage is ratings volume (610 vs 47). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

CIRCLES holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Poppin has 610 ratings behind it against 47, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Poppin's written reviews are positive against 100% of CIRCLES's.

Poppin ships an update every 5 days, CIRCLES weekly. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Poppin | CIRCLES |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (610 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/poppin-the-party-platform/id1573674111/reviews) | **[5.0 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circles-for-your-squad/id6449058708/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **610** | 47 |
| Positive reviews | 83.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 276 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Poppin Technologies Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1573674113) | [Circles Social, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1661209969) |

## What reviewers say

### Poppin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/poppin-the-party-platform/id1573674111)

Discover and host real-life events with friends and groups. RSVP to nearby parties, manage guest lists, and sell tickets seamlessly. Connect with your community and build authentic social networks.

**Highlights:** Discover nearby events, Create and host parties, RSVP and join guest lists, In-app ticketing and scanning, Connect with friends and groups, Event discovery feed, Organization event management

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🎉 Simplifies finding parties and events
- 🚀 Efficient event discovery and ticketing
- 💬 Great in-app communication features
- 🎫 Convenient QR code ticket scanning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Buggy onboarding and sign-up process
- 📍 Location detection issues
- 🔒 Security concerns with Instagram login
- 😞 Limited geographic coverage outside LA/California

**Reported bugs**

- Search function fails when entering college name
- Phone number format validation error on account deletion
- App freezes on bottle loading screen
- Location constantly resets to wrong region
- Student email verification causes error and app crash

**Requested features**

- Expand school database with more universities
- Improve customer support beyond Zoom calls
- Add more event coverage outside California
- Enhance social features for connecting with friends
- Better safety verification for events


### CIRCLES

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circles-for-your-squad/id6449058708)

Connect with other friend groups to make plans and create memories. Discover and match with squads of up to four for social outings, from nights out to trips.

**Highlights:** Form squads of up to four, Discover and match with other squads, Plan group outings and activities, Facilitate social connections, Expand your social circle

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Innovative concept
- 🤝 Facilitates making friends
- 🥳 Group dating is fun
- 😊 Less pressure
- 👍 Natural interactions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Poppin free?

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

### Is CIRCLES free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Poppin or CIRCLES?

CIRCLES is rated higher. Poppin averages 4.7 out of 5 from 610 ratings, while CIRCLES averages 5.0 from 47 ratings.

### Do Poppin or CIRCLES have ads?

Poppin shows ads; CIRCLES does not.

### Which is updated more often, Poppin or CIRCLES?

Poppin ships an update every 5 days, and CIRCLES weekly. Most recently, Poppin was updated on November 3, 2026 and CIRCLES on November 3, 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.*