JoinLinks vs Carma
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
Carma
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Carma is a messaging app for drivers in New York City. See a license plate. Send a message. The driver gets it on their phone. It's built for the moments where you want to say something to another driver but have no way to: someone left their headlights on, you're boxed in by a double-parker, you saw the car that hit yours and didn't stop, or you want to thank the person who let you merge. Every message happens by plate. No phone numbers exchanged. No usernames to remember. Drivers can verify their plates with a photo so others know who's real, but you stay anonymous unless you decide otherwise. WHAT'S IN THE APP Plate messaging. Type in any New York plate and send a message. The driver sees it the next time they open Carma. Plate verification. Claim your own plate with a quick photo. Verified plates show a checkmark, get longer message retention, and earn higher Carma Scores. Community Reports. A live feed and map of tow trucks, ticket agents, double parking, and street hazards. Posted by drivers, confirmed by drivers, filterable by category and distance. Carma Score. A reputation number based on how you treat other drivers, visible to anyone who messages you. Earn it by being helpful. Lose it by being a problem. Sign in with Apple, Google, or email. WHAT IT ISN'T We don't track your location across the city. We don't sell or share your data. We don't expose phone numbers. Messages are private to the two drivers involved. Identity verification is opt-in and reversible. You can delete your account from the settings screen in two taps. HOW IT WORKS 1. Sign up with your phone or email. 2. Add your license plate. Optional, but you get more out of the app if you do. 3. Verify the plate with a quick photo. 4. Start messaging, or get notified when another driver messages you. WHO IT'S FOR Built first for New York City drivers. The app understands alternate-side parking, hydrant rules, brownstones with no driveways, and the Manhattan ritual of moving your car twice a week. Other cities are added by request. There's a feedback button in the app. PRIVACY Carma stores only what's needed to make the app work: your plate, your messages, your settings. Messages auto-expire on a schedule (48 hours for unverified users, 30 days for verified) unless both drivers choose to save them. Your location is only used when you actively view nearby Community Reports. Full privacy policy: getcarma.app/privacy-policy SUPPORT Help center: getcarma.app/help-center Email: support@getcarma.app Carma is built and supported by independent developers in New York. Suggestions, complaints, and feature requests all reach a human within 24 hours.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Carma at none against JoinLinks's 3. JoinLinks's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. JoinLinks sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Carma asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | JoinLinks | Carma |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (40 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 40 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 246 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Join Links | Clinton Oka |
In-app purchases
JoinLinks
- Monthly Subscription$2.991 Month
- JoinLinks Plus 3 Months$6.993 Months
- JoinLinks Plus Yearly$24.991 Year
Carma
No in-app purchases









