# Jodel vs CircleU

The clearest difference is rating: CircleU at 5.0 against Jodel's 4.4. CircleU also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 65%) and in-app purchases (none vs 17). Jodel's advantage is ratings volume (121K vs 15). On price, update cadence and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Jodel sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per 7 days. CircleU asks for nothing beyond the download.

CircleU holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Jodel has 121K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Jodel's written reviews are positive against 100% of CircleU's.

Jodel ships an update every 2 weeks, CircleU every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Jodel | CircleU |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (121K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jodel-hyperlocal-community/id789870026/reviews) | **[5.0 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circleu/id6753159804/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **121K** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | 64.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 173 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [The Jodel Venture GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/789870029) | [TRiVO connect LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1842253261) |

## What reviewers say

### Jodel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jodel-hyperlocal-community/id789870026)

Connect with people in your local area and discover real-time happenings. Share thoughts, ask questions, and engage with a diverse community. Stay informed about local news, events, and conversations.

**Highlights:** Real-time local feed, Ask and answer local questions, Discover local news and events, Join interest-based channels, Vote on trending content, Share posts, pictures, and videos, Collect Karma

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Jodel Plus: 1 week | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Jodel Plus: 1 month | $12.99 | per month |
| Jodel Plus: 1 month | $12.99 | per month |
| Small Pack of Read Receipts | $1.99 | one-time |
| Fancy post color | $3.99 | one-time |
| Medium Pack of Read Receipts | $3.99 | one-time |
| Small pack of Message Requests | $3.99 | one-time |
| Reactions - 5 pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Regular pack of Message Requests | $8.99 | one-time |
| Jodel Boost - 5x 10 minutes | $11.99 | one-time |
| 1x Priority Support | $11.99 | one-time |
| Large pack of Message Requests | $14.99 | one-time |
| 1h Boosted Post - Jodel-God | $14.99 | one-time |
| Reactions - 30 pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| Jodel Boost - 10x 10 minutes | $19.99 | one-time |
| Jodel Boost - 30x 10 minutes | $39.99 | one-time |
| Fancy post color - 10 pack | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great replacement for Yik Yak
- 👍 Anonymity and privacy
- 💡 Potential for campus community
- 🚀 Smooth and efficient

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🚫 Unfair banning and moderation issues
- 🚫 Lack of user awareness and marketing
- 🚫 Language barrier and lack of translation

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatibility with older devices
- Blank home screen after updates
- Issues with changing location or account

**Requested features**

- Add search and filtering options
- Implement private messaging or chat
- Improve notification system
- Provide a map view to see nearby activity


### CircleU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circleu/id6753159804)

Connect with students based on shared interests, majors, culture, and background. Find friends, study groups, and communities both on and off your campus. Verified students ensure a safe and authentic social experience.

**Highlights:** Connect with students by major and interests, Find cultural and background communities, Discover students across multiple campuses, Explore local events and activities, Verified student profiles, Join study groups and clubs

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Jodel free?

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

### Is CircleU free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Jodel or CircleU?

CircleU is rated higher. Jodel averages 4.4 out of 5 from 121K ratings, while CircleU averages 5.0 from 15 ratings.

### Do Jodel or CircleU have ads?

Jodel shows ads; CircleU does not.

### Which is updated more often, Jodel or CircleU?

Jodel ships an update every 2 weeks, and CircleU every 9 days. Most recently, Jodel was updated on October 17, 2026 and CircleU on October 5, 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.*