# Loca vs Ratemate

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Loca at 95% against Ratemate's 48%. Loca also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Ratemate's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (777 vs 55). 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.

Ratemate holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ratemate has 777 ratings behind it against 55, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 95% of Loca's written reviews are positive against 48% of Ratemate's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Loca ships an update fortnightly, Ratemate every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Loca | Ratemate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loca-explore-and-earn/id1670420863/reviews) | **[4.7 (777 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ratemate/id6790577413/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 55 | **777** |
| Positive reviews | **95.2% of reviews** | 48.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 225 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Loca US, Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1670420865) | [Ratemate, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/6790577415) |

## What reviewers say

### Loca

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loca-explore-and-earn/id1670420863)

Earn money by creating and sharing local video ads for neighborhood businesses. No influencer status needed; simply film, upload, and get paid for promoting local gems and participating in reward programs.

**Highlights:** Create and share local video ads, Earn cash for content creation, Participate in reward programs, Promote neighborhood businesses, Flexible work schedule, Secure in-app wallet for payouts

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Ratemate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ratemate/id6790577413)

Discover and share recommendations with your trusted friends. Rate anything from movies to restaurants using a unique scale and see what your circle loves. An AI assistant helps you find new favorites based on your friends' opinions and local popularity.

**Highlights:** Rate anything with a four-tier scale, See friends' ratings and comments, AI-powered recommendations, Discover nearby rated places, Create and share curated lists, Direct messaging with friends

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Loca free?

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

### Is Ratemate free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Loca or Ratemate?

Ratemate is rated higher. Loca averages 4.4 out of 5 from 55 ratings, while Ratemate averages 4.7 from 777 ratings.

### Do Loca or Ratemate have ads?

Ratemate shows ads; Loca does not.

### Which is updated more often, Loca or Ratemate?

Loca ships an update fortnightly, and Ratemate every 10 days. Most recently, Loca was updated on October 25, 2026 and Ratemate on November 1, 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.*