BLADE vs Places
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Airport transfers in 5 minutes
- Weekend and holiday getaways
- Access to special events
- On-demand private charters
- Black Car Service
- Private BLADE Lounges
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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
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.
- Expert-curated global destinations
- Personalized suggestions
- Unique stays and bistros
- Emerging galleries
- Global curator network
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Places sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $39.99 per year. BLADE asks for nothing beyond the download.
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.
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.
| Parameter | BLADE | Places |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (17 ratings) — better | 4.2 (179 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 74.4% of reviews — better | 45.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 17 | 179 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | #54 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 164 MB | 273 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Fly Blade, LLC. | Raya App Inc |
Customer experience
BLADE
Places
User reviews
BLADE
From 17 App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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
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- 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
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- 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)
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- Social dating aspect or meetups
- Exclusive access/discounts for influencers
In-app purchases
BLADE
No in-app purchases
Places
- Annual Membership7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Annual Membership1 Month trial$39.991 Year
- Seasonal Membership$39.993 Months
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- Annual Membership$39.991 Year
- Monthly Membership$39.991 Month









