Nextdoor is a private social platform designed to enable users to know and connect with their neighbors. Launched in the United States in 2011, the platform has grown tremendously and now covers more than 11 countries.
There are several platforms like Nextdoor that help you to connect with your neighbors. Nearlist, Olio, Citizen to name a few.
Though the best neighborhood app like Nextdoor is Meetup. Not only does it help you in connecting with likeminded individuals from your vicinity but also helps you finding events, making groups, joining classes or simply engaging with neighbors for fun.
More about Nextdoor and why explore alternatives
Using Nextdoor, newcomers can easily connect with people near their homes and stay abreast with the local news. It’s also a great platform to locate and support local businesses around your area.
Even non-profit organizations use it to find and engage with those who need their support as well as find donors. When bored or in need of networking, Nextdoor helps you to discover events happening around you – from community meetings, local performances, street fairs, garage sales, and much more.
But maybe Nextdoor isn’t a viable option for you. Maybe you are in an area where the app isn’t widely used or you’re a business owner and you’re not getting the required recommendations to move your business forward.
You may want to try other options. In this post, I have rounded up the best neighborhood apps Like Nextdoor and summarized their features. Without much ado, let’s dive in.
Best Neighborhood Apps Like Nextdoor
1. Nearlist
Nearlist brings together all your favorite spots within your neighborhood. You can easily find events happening around your area.
The app is available in six cities including San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Sausalito, Cambridge, and Boston. As long as you’re in these cities, you can quickly connect with local businesses to either book appointments, organize a purchase, or inquire about their promotions.
Similar to Nextdoor, Nearlist users won’t be caught off-guard by the happenings in their environment. The platform keeps them updated whether they are home or away.
If businesses around you are giving coupons, you can easily redeem the ones you’re interested in or save them for later use.
Nearlist is free to use and can be downloaded from the Apple Store.
2. Olio
Olio is a neighborhood app whose slogan is, “Let’s not waste our wonderful world”. The platform aims to combat food waste in the community.
Users can share or receive free items from their neighbors. So, rather than waste surplus food and other useful items, you can simply give them out to someone who needs them.
The app is super easy to use. If you’re the giver, all you need to do is to open the app, take a picture of the item you want to share, and add a description including where and when the item will be available for pick-up.
You will be notified when someone makes a request. Just check their profile and verification before connecting with them.
If you’re the receiver, simply browse through the listings near you, and when you see something you like, send a friendly message to the poster and arrange a pick-up.
Aside from individuals, food businesses such as hotels, restaurants, caterers, or retailers can also use the app to distribute surplus food to their communities.
In contrast to Nextdoor, every item received through Olio is free. The app focuses on surplus food and old household items that are no longer in use.
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple Store and sign up for free.
3. Neighbors By Ring
Neighbors by Ring is a platform that fosters security within a neighborhood. Like Nextdoor, it unites neighbors and creates a sense of belonging and safety.
When you’re away from home, your neighbors can easily update you on what’s happening in your area. They will also share safety alerts if there is a crime nearby and you can quickly call the cops.
The app helps you to be your brother’s keeper. It’s available for download on the Play Store and Apple Store and it’s free to use.
Upon signing up, the app creates a radius around your home using your address. So, when someone shares a security alert within that area, you will be notified.
And if you share a security alert on the platform, your neighbors will also be notified. To ensure your neighbor’s safety, you can comment with additional or necessary information about the issue, sharing tips to help your neighbors stay safe.
Neighbors By Ring never displays your personal information on the platform nor does it share your private information with third-party users.
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4. Citizen
Citizen is another neighborhood app like Nextdoor designed to help people connect and protect themselves and the people around them. You get access to real-time security alerts and immediate help from neighbors and crime responders.
That means that if there is an incident like a fire or robbery, users can quickly share the news, alerting others to avoid the area or keeping them updated on how events pan out.
Since it was launched in March 2017, Citizen has recorded more than 10 billion alerts from over nine million followers. The platform has saved lots of lives and helped reunite family and friends.
Through Citizens, neighbors can look out for each other and this is a similarity it shares with Nextdoor. Users can create and watch live videos on how incidents unfold and follow until they’re resolved.
Public agencies like the fire departments use Citizens to direct resources to affected locations. When they see the intensity of the fire from the Live Broadcast, they will respond faster.
The ER surgeons on the other hand prepare the operating rooms before wounded persons are brought in.
And if you have better ideas on how to resolve the situation, you can drop helpful tips in the comment box.
Citizen is free to use and can be downloaded from the Play Store and Apple Store.
5. Peanut
Peanut is slightly different from Nextdoor in that the former app focuses more on women. However, both platforms provide access to a community who are there to listen and help when needed.
Women who are navigating fertility, pregnancy, motherhood, or menopause don’t have to do so alone. These periods can be overwhelming and it’s nice to have support.
You can find women who are at a similar stage, share your vulnerable moments with them, and then encourage each other all the way.
You can ask questions, and listen to podcasts and experts to gain more clarity. To download the application, just enter your phone number in the box provided and a download link will be sent to your iOS or Android device.
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6. Lotsa Helping Hands
Lotsa Helping Hands is another Nextdoor alternative designed to help users organize help for their family, friends, or neighbors in need.
Maybe your parents are aged and your siblings are scattered around the world, this platform allows all of you to schedule tasks and keep each other informed.
Lotsa Helping Hands is simple to use with an intuitive interface. Caregivers who need help organizing help for a loved one, friends and family who want to help others, and volunteers who want to help people in their neighborhood can sign up on the platform.
You can schedule meals, rides, and appointments for your elderly neighbors. If you are working as a team, you can easily communicate with your members and send them words of encouragement.
The Lotsa Helping Hands app is free to download from Play Store and Apple Store.
7. WeAlert
WeAlert is a social platform that seeks to strengthen the security around neighborhoods. Much like Nextdoor, you can connect with your neighbors, and share and receive updates on events happening nearby.
Rather than wait until the police show up, WeAlert allows neighbors to come together to address safety and security issues.
You’ll get first-hand information or notifications about the security situation in your neighborhood. If you are an eyewitness, you are free to notify your neighbors so that they can keep safe or avoid the area.
With just a single button, you can alert them about suspicious events, missing persons, vandalism, or fires.
Since WeAlert was created, it has reduced burglaries in neighborhoods by 70%. A lot of crimes have been prevented and the perpetrators caught and brought to justice.
The app is free to download on Play Store and Apple Store. After installing it on your device, simply create an account with your email or Facebook account.
You will automatically be added to your neighborhood groups and there is no need to share your phone number. Your neighbors will only see your username.
When you are sending security alerts, the app will direct you to the necessary information to include that your neighbors can act upon.
Also, if you’re living in an area where many people are not using the app, you can invite them to download it.
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8. Vibemap
Vibemap is for the city-curious, and the newbies who want to explore places in their new city. No matter what vibe you’re looking for, Vibemap will connect you to the places and people that match it.
The platform connects you to locations and people you want to be with based on your vibe. That’s the major difference between this app and Nextdoor. As the name implies, Vibemap focuses on users’ vibes.
You’ll discover and create new connections with people from different walks of life and I think that’s the most exciting part. It’s easy to share spaces with people who share the same vibe as you.
If you’re a party person, you’ll find your tribe. Quiet and artistic person? You’ll find your person within your city.
Vibemap is so easy to use and is 100% free to download on all Android and iOS devices. Overall, the platform seeks to bring people together in real life and create a sense of belonging.
9. Cell 411
Cell 411 is a platform that enables you to alert your friends, family, and neighbors including emergency service providers whenever you’re in danger.
Maybe you’re stranded somewhere, your car broke down, you’re in medical distress, or in any other situation that needs urgent assistance, you can simply reach out to your friends and neighbors for help.
The goal for Cell 411 is that you are your neighbor’s keeper which is a feature it shares with Nextdoor.
To ensure that you send alerts to trusted family members, friends, or neighbors, the platform allows you to create custom cells/groups for them so that whenever you’re in danger, and you alert them, they will receive your exact location with directions on how to come and assist you.
If none of your friends or neighbors are available to help, you can simply stream a live video to them and they can help you through what to do to salvage the situation.
The app is free to download for all Android and iOS devices. You need to sign up with your name, email address, and location.
Cell 411 doesn’t share this private info with any third party. But it stores your GPS coordinates when you send an alert so that they can share the same with your friends and neighbors.
Since the app was launched, it has continuously helped individuals and communities to keep criminals away and help each other in times of crisis.
10. Meetup
The name pretty much explains what the platform does. It’s a place to meet new folks in your area, connect with them, find support, grow your business, and explore other interests.
In a world where people are getting lost in the daily hustle and bustle, it’s great to make time to attend in-person or online events and meet people who share your interest.
There are thousands of events happening every day around you. Whether it’s gaming, photography, yoga, hiking, or arts and crafts, Meetup keeps you updated on all of them just like Nextdoor.
It’s easy to find your community and build a meaningful connection from there.
You can even start your group and bring people with the same interests together. The app is 100% free to download from Play Store and Apple Store.
11. Kickstarter
Kickstarter is a social platform whose mission is to breathe life into creative projects. That’s the core feature that sets it apart from Nextdoor.
While Nextdoor focuses on helping users connect with their neighbors, Kickstarter is mainly used by independent and passionate creators who want to connect with like-minded people in their communities.
Suffice it to say that this platform is for artists to explore creative projects in film, music, art design, games, and many more. When you meet people with the same interest, you can share ideas and work on them together.
Kickstarter is a free platform which is also another feature it shares with Nextdoor. The app can be downloaded and installed on all iOS and Android devices.
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12. Freecycle
If you are big on doling out your old properties or surplus food items, or you’re new in town but not buoyant enough to afford new household items, Freecycle solves all these needs.
It’s a social platform that connects neighbors at the grassroots to reduce waste and save resources. People in a particular area can give out and receive stuff for free.
However, what sets this platform apart from Nextdoor is that Freecycle is web-based. All the activities are done via the website.
Freecycle currently has over nine million members from more than 5,000 local towns across the globe. Everything posted on the platform must be free, legal, and appropriate for all ages.
Like Nextdoor, Freecycle strengthens community bonds. All you need to sign up is your username, email, and password. There is also an option to sign up with your Facebook account.
Once you’ve signed up, you can then find and join local town groups of your choice. When you make posts about the things you need or items you want to give out, members reply and you can arrange for pickup.
You can also invite your friends nearby and form a Friends Cycle for lending and gifting amongst yourselves.
Freecycle is completely non-profit and is run by volunteers and moderators.
If you are resident in the United States, Canada, Europe, or the United Kingdom and want to connect and socialize with people around you, citysocializer is your best bet. There, you will find all kinds of social and sports and learning events.
One feature that makes this platform stand out from Nextdoor is that you can find both in-person and virtual events. In addition, citysocializer doesn’t have a mobile app so you would have to sign up on the website.
Overall, the platform is also a great place to meet new people from your community and start conversations online. From there, you both can schedule to meet in person or even attend events together.
You can see the event your friends are attending and join them. It’s free and doesn’t take much to sign up.
All you need to become a member is your name, email address, date of birth, and location. After that, you’ll need to upload a profile picture and choose qualities that best describe you, the kind of events you are looking forward to attending, and the people you want to meet.
14. Ioby
Ioby which stands for “In Our Backyards” is another neighborhood platform designed for residents in the United States with ideas on how to make their neighborhood stronger, healthier, and more connected.
Once you share the idea, the platform steps in and helps you to crowdfund for your project.
Like Nextdoor, Ioby aims to help neighbors take care of themselves. Though the difference here is that while Nextdoor has a mobile app, Ioby only has a website. So, everything you’ll be doing will be web-based.
The platform caters to individuals or local leaders with ideas on how to solve a pressing issue facing their community. It helps connect them to resources and people who will support and fund the project.
The goal is to make communities healthier, greener, more sustainable, and more fun. Ioby never supports for-profit projects, businesses, or projects that won’t benefit U.S. residents.
It’s free to create an account and you have to indicate whether you are an individual or an organization. Once that is done, you can then share your idea by visiting ioby.org/idea.
That gives you access to the platform’s training materials to help you build your campaign. Your dedicated Leader Succes Strategist will reach out to you within 24 hours to answer any questions you have and will stay with you until your campaign is completed.
If you’re a donor looking to support community-based projects, simply browse through the lists of projects listed on the platform and make your donation.
Wrapping Up
All the platforms reviewed above share similar features with Nextdoor. They help you discover places, connect with your neighbor, and share valuable information.
They offer different kinds of connections – just like Peanuts helps to connect women in different stages of life living in the same community, Kickstarter connects creatives, and Lotsa Helping Hands helps to connect those who want to help.
If you need platforms that will help you stay connected with the security in your area, then, apps like Neighbors By Ring, Citizens, and Cell 411 will serve you.
Overall, it all depends on the kind of connection you’re looking for, otherwise, these apps are great alternatives to Nextdoor.
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