# Places vs Stranger

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Places at none against Stranger's 1. Places also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). Stranger's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 2 weeks). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Stranger sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per month. Places asks for nothing beyond the download.

Places ships an update every 2 weeks, Stranger daily. Both last shipped on November 4, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Places | Stranger |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/places-local-group-chats/id6482985182/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **14** | — |
| Positive reviews | 87.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 42 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Zachary Ebenfeld](https://appshunter.io/developer/1698291308) | [Damned Earth Dynamics Limited Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1760837108) |

## What reviewers say

### Places

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/places-local-group-chats/id6482985182)

Connect with people in your local area or while traveling through interest-based group chats. Discover new communities and forge friendships in a safe, moderated environment. Seamlessly integrate into any city's social scene.

**Highlights:** Real-time group chats by interest and location, Seamless integration into local scenes, Diverse topics from sports to technology, Digital recreation of 'Third Places', Global directory of cities and groups, Instant access with minimal sign-up

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Stranger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stranger-vulnerability-device/id6602881942)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Places free?

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

### Is Stranger free?

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

### Do Places or Stranger have ads?

Neither Places nor Stranger shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Places or Stranger?

Places ships an update every 2 weeks, and Stranger daily. Most recently, Places was updated on November 4, 2026 and Stranger on November 4, 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.*