# NELA Exchange vs Locals.com

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NELA Exchange at none against Locals.com's 12. NELA Exchange also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.0). Locals.com's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 15 months) and ratings volume (42K vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Locals.com sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. NELA Exchange asks for nothing beyond the download.

NELA Exchange holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Locals.com has 42K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

NELA Exchange ships an update every 15 months, Locals.com every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NELA Exchange | Locals.com |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nela-exchange/id597011824/reviews)** | [4.7 (42K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/localscom/id1511032007/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **42K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 52.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#133** |
| Size | 9 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Results Direct](https://appshunter.io/developer/351907420) | [Locals Technology Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1768300702) |

## What reviewers say

### NELA Exchange

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nela-exchange/id597011824)

This members-only mobile application serves lawyers advocating for equality and justice in the American workplace. It is designed to advance employee rights within the legal community.

**Highlights:** Members-only access, Advances employee rights, Serves workplace justice advocates, Focus on equality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Locals.com

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/localscom/id1511032007)

**Currently charting:** #133 Top Grossing · Social Networking (US App Store)

Connect directly with creators and communities you admire. This platform prioritizes user control and creator ownership, offering features like live streaming, community feeds, and content libraries. Support creators independently without algorithmic interference.

**Highlights:** Direct creator support, Algorithm-free content feeds, Creator data ownership, Live streaming with chat, Community feeds and posts, Content libraries (video/audio)

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly: 50 coins + 20 bonus | $7.99 | per month |
| 20 Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 50 Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 50 | $7.99 | one-time |
| 100 Coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| 100 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 150 Coins | $14.99 | one-time |
| 200 | $19.99 | one-time |
| 210 Coins | $20.99 | one-time |
| 300 Coins | $29.99 | one-time |
| 360 Coins | $35.99 | one-time |
| 500 Coins | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Real news and uncensored content
- 🙌 Freedom of speech and expression
- 🔒 Secure and censorship-free platform
- 💡 Innovative community-driven model
- 🚀 Steadily improving with updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with technical issues
- 🤔 Difficult to navigate and find content
- 💰 Expensive subscription fees
- 🔍 Limited search and discovery features
- 🔇 Inconsistent audio/video playback

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Disappearing notifications
- Orientation issues on iPad
- Inconsistent audio/video sync
- Unreliable live stream playback

**Requested features**

- Download option for offline viewing
- Better nested comments and community management
- Improved integration with Rumble platform
- Customizable notification settings
- Picture-in-picture mode for video playback


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NELA Exchange free?

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

### Is Locals.com free?

Locals.com is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, NELA Exchange or Locals.com?

NELA Exchange is rated higher. NELA Exchange averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Locals.com averages 4.7 from 42K ratings.

### Do NELA Exchange or Locals.com have ads?

Neither NELA Exchange nor Locals.com shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NELA Exchange or Locals.com?

NELA Exchange ships an update every 15 months, and Locals.com every 4 weeks. Most recently, NELA Exchange was updated on October 3, 2026 and Locals.com on October 21, 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.*