Comparison

BLADE vs Places

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

BLADE

Experience faster and more convenient travel by booking seats on helicopters, seaplanes, or jets. Access exclusive events, bypass traffic, and enjoy private charters for a premium travel experience. Includes a dedicated car service for seamless last-mile transportation.

Highlights
  • Airport transfers in 5 minutes
  • Weekend and holiday getaways
  • Access to special events
  • On-demand private charters
  • Black Car Service
  • Private BLADE Lounges
Features
Read full description

Fly in ways you never thought possible. Save time, see more, and arrive better. - Fly to or from the airport. BLADE helicopters will get you there in 5 minutes, all day long, from $195. - Get away for the weekend or holiday. BLADE transportation is a highlight—book seats in helicopters, seaplanes, or jets to your destination. - Access special events or concerts. Land directly on property at music festivals, sporting events, ski slopes, and more. - Fly private. A fleet of BLADE jets, helicopters, turboprops, and seaplanes are available on-demand for charters and crowdsourcing. - Get there with BLADE Black Car Service. Our last-mile car service provides uniformity in high-end vehicles, driver training, expedited routes (including police escorts when needed), as well as industry leading health and safety protocols. - Enjoy a network of private BLADE Lounges before and after your trip. - No membership fees, ever. Download the BLADE app and fly the future today. ------------ BLADE Urban Air Mobility, Inc. (“BLADE”) is an air charter broker and indirect air carrier, not a direct air carrier, and does not have operational authority of aircraft. All flights are operated by DOT/FAA licensed direct air carriers. For select routes, BLADE acts as an indirect air carrier in accordance with 14 CFR Part 380. Please refer to BLADE’s Operator-Participant Agreement at https://www.blade.com for details

About

Places

Discover exceptional destinations worldwide with hand-selected recommendations from global experts. Personalized suggestions and unique finds ensure every trip is memorable. Membership unlocks full access to curated stays, dining, and cultural spots.

Highlights
  • Expert-curated global destinations
  • Personalized suggestions
  • Unique stays and bistros
  • Emerging galleries
  • Global curator network
Read full description

Places helps you discover restaurants, hotels, shops, experiences, neighborhoods, and the corners in between. Every place is curated by obsessives and local experts whose discernment is earned. From intimate bistros to emerging galleries to exceptional stays, if it's on Places, it's worth going. Not sure where to start? Ask Places to plan anything, from a single evening to a full itinerary. New openings surface the moment they're worth knowing. When you're ready, book directly. Reservations from multiple platforms, in real time, so you can move from discovery to experience in a few taps. Save and share the places you love. Follow friends and Curators to see where they're going. Build your own record of what holds up. ––––––––––– Membership is obtained by purchasing a 12-month auto-renewing subscription. Full functionality of Places is granted to members while their subscription is active. Current Raya members are eligible for a complimentary membership.

Screenshots

BLADE4 screens
Places4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: BLADE at 4.8 against Places's 4.2. BLADE also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and review sentiment (74% vs 46%). Places's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (179 vs 17). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Places sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $39.99 per year. BLADE asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BLADE holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Places has 179 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of BLADE's written reviews are positive against 46% of Places's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BLADE ships an update every 2 months, Places every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 16, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
BLADE versus Places: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBLADEPlaces
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (17 ratings) — better4.2 (179 ratings)
Positive reviews74.4% of reviews — better45.7% of reviews
Number of ratings17179 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
Best chart rank#54 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size164 MB273 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFly Blade, LLC.Raya App Inc

Customer experience

BLADE

All ratings17 ratings
Positive94.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews82 reviews
Positive74.4%
Neutral6.1%
Negative19.5%

Places

All ratings179 ratings
Positive79.9%
Neutral0.6%
Negative19.6%
Written reviews46 reviews
Positive45.7%
Neutral2.2%
Negative52.2%

User reviews

BLADE

From 17 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast travel times
  • 👍 Easy booking process
  • ✨ Amazing app experience
  • 🤩 Smooth and sleek app
  • 💯 VIP level service

Room to improve

  • 😞 Flight cancellations
  • 💸 Charged after cancellation
  • 😠 Breach of terms
  • 👎 Buggy app
  • 📉 Incompatible with newer phones

Places

From 179 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✨ Beautifully curated suggestions
  • 👍 Essential for travel and local discovery
  • 🌟 Best among travel apps
  • 💯 Human curation is a highlight
  • 🗺️ Useful for navigating new cities

Room to improve

  • ❌ Outdated information (closed businesses)
  • ❌ No way to report outdated information
  • ❌ Dark-pattern onboarding flow
  • ❌ Forces annual membership purchase
  • ❌ Cannot see service without paying

Bugs and requests

BLADE

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • App is buggy
  • Booked wrong dates
  • App not compatible with newer phones
  • App forces login every time
  • App is not native
Show 2 more
  • App UI is pathetic
  • App crashes device

Requested features

5 requests
  • Fewer clicks on the app
  • Auto-apply credits/returns
  • More upfront marketing about costs
  • Improve app UI/UX
  • Remember login details

Places

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • Businesses listed as open are actually closed
  • Cannot report outdated information
  • App crashes or is not functional
  • Cannot log in to previous accounts (lifetime free)
  • Login screen freezes
Show 4 more
  • Incompatible with older devices
  • Phone number box fails to work
  • Issues with invite codes and waitlists
  • App asks for personal info then paywall

Requested features

7 requests
  • Ability to report outdated business information
  • Option to delete profile
  • Dark mode
  • Advanced analytics dashboard
  • Incentives for trying businesses (like Neon Coat or Beauty Pass)
Show 2 more
  • Social dating aspect or meetups
  • Exclusive access/discounts for influencers

In-app purchases

None

BLADE

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Places

Subscriptions5
  • Annual Membership7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Annual Membership1 Month trial$39.991 Year
  • Seasonal Membership$39.993 Months
Show 2 more
  • Annual Membership$39.991 Year
  • Monthly Membership$39.991 Month

Questions

Is BLADE free?
BLADE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Places free?
Places is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, BLADE or Places?
BLADE is rated higher. BLADE averages 4.8 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Places averages 4.2 from 179 ratings.
Do BLADE or Places have ads?
Neither BLADE nor Places shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BLADE or Places?
BLADE ships an update every 2 months, and Places every 2 weeks. Most recently, BLADE was updated on August 16, 2026 and Places on September 21, 2026.

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