# Places vs HookedIRL

The clearest difference is rating: Places at 4.7 against HookedIRL's 3.9. On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

Places holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 28 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Places's written reviews are positive against 85% of HookedIRL's.

Places ships an update every 2 weeks, HookedIRL every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Places | HookedIRL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/places-local-group-chats/id6482985182/reviews)** | [3.9 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hookedirl/id6748921014/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **28** |
| Positive reviews | **87.5% of reviews** | 84.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 42 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Zachary Ebenfeld](https://appshunter.io/developer/1698291308) | [Hooked Social Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888058316) |

## 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


### HookedIRL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hookedirl/id6748921014)

Discover and connect with single people at events, bars, and cafes. Check in to your location to see who else is single, send likes, and start chatting when the feeling is mutual. Users can report or block others for safety.

**Highlights:** See singles at events, bars, and cafes, Check in to your location, Like other users, Mutual chat initiation, Report and block users

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Places free?

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

### Is HookedIRL free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Places or HookedIRL?

Places is rated higher. Places averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while HookedIRL averages 3.9 from 28 ratings.

### Do Places or HookedIRL have ads?

Neither Places nor HookedIRL shows ads.

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

Places ships an update every 2 weeks, and HookedIRL every 8 days. Most recently, Places was updated on November 4, 2026 and HookedIRL on November 8, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*