locals.com

What Locals.com Is — No Nonsense

Locals.com is a subscription-based community platform built for creators who want to control their content, build a community, and earn money directly from their supporters. It’s not just another social network where algorithms decide what people see. Instead, it’s designed so creators can build what Locals calls “authentic communities” and monetize them through direct support, often via monthly subscriptions.

You’ll hear the language of independence, ownership, and control a lot around Locals — and that’s because the business model is set up to prioritize creator-to-supporter relationships over ad revenue or algorithmic feeds.

How Locals.com Works

At its core, Locals lets a creator launch their own community space — sometimes called a club or community — where people can follow updates, engage with content, and join as paying supporters if they choose. The basic flow is straightforward:

• A creator sets up their community with whatever rules or theme they want.
• They choose content types they’ll publish: posts, videos, audio, live streams, articles, images, etc.
• Supporters can join for free and see publicly shared posts, or they can become paid subscribers to access exclusive content and comment features.
• Creators earn recurring revenue based on those paid subscriptions.

That’s different from traditional social platforms because there’s no ads, and the platform doesn’t push content to people using an opaque algorithm. Instead, fans go to the community by choice and pay to support directly.

Community Management

Within a Locals community, creators can:

• Publish different formats: text, videos, podcasts, images, PDFs — pretty much anything that fits a topic or niche.
• Host live streams and chats where subscribers can interact in real time.
• Create events, either online or in person, and charge to attend.
• Set membership tiers, including one-time donations or annual subscriptions.

The idea is that a creator builds a space where the people who care about their work can be part of the story, not just consume it. That’s why fans often talk about “bringing your community with you” — it’s less about public broadcast and more about ongoing connection.

Behind the Platform: History and Founders

Locals.com was co-founded in 2019 by Dave Rubin, an American political commentator, and Assaf Lev. It emerged after they left Patreon — a more established creator-support platform — citing disagreements over content moderation. Locals aimed to give creators more control over their audiences and less dependency on large tech platforms.

The company raised funding in multiple rounds and was acquired by Rumble in October 2021. Since then, it’s continued to position itself as part of what some call an “ownership economy,” where creators have full control over their content and their financial relationships with supporters.

What Makes Locals.com Different

A few things set Locals apart from other creator platforms like Patreon, Substack, or even mainstream social apps:

1. Creator Owns the Community

On most social networks, your audience and data belong to the platform. Instagram, TikTok, Facebook — they control the rules and algorithms. On Locals, the community you build is yours, and you can decide how it functions.

2. Subscription First, Ads Optional

Revenue on Locals is driven by subscriptions and memberships, not by ads. The platform earns by taking a cut from creator earnings (usually around 10 % on subscriptions, not counting payment processor fees).

3. Direct Engagement Tools

Instead of relying on comment threads in an algorithmic feed, Locals encourages discussions, live chats, and events that you control. That can create deeper engagement than what you might see on a public social network.

4. Content Variety

Creators aren’t limited to blog posts or videos. They can mix podcasts, live streams, forums, and even downloadable content like PDFs — all in one place.

Who Uses Locals?

Locals attracts a wide range of creators, often people with existing audiences who want a closer, paying community. Some notable names using or having used Locals include commentators, writers, broadcasters, coaches, and niche influencers. Listed creators range from media personalities to subject experts with dedicated followers.

It’s also picked up people who want to protect their content from deplatforming or algorithmic suppression, because the model centers on subscription and direct access rather than public visibility.

Pricing and Costs

For creators, there’s no fee to set up a community — you can start one without paying anything up front. Locals only charges fees when you earn money.

The platform fee is typically around:

• 10 % of subscriptions and one-time payments, not including certain special content categories.
• 20 % for special one-time content transactions (like standalone products).

On top of that, payment processors like Stripe also take their transaction fees. So creators should factor both platform and payment processing costs into their pricing.

Pros and Cons — A Grounded Look

There’s a reason people choose Locals, and there are also real limitations worth understanding.

Pros

• Direct revenue stream with recurring subscriptions.
• Ownership over audience and data, rather than reliance on big tech algorithms.
• Multiple content formats and engagement tools under one roof.
• Control over community norms and moderation.

Cons

• Because it’s subscription based, growth can be slower if a creator doesn’t already have an audience.
• Fees — while transparent — still take a share of creator revenue.
• The platform caters more to communities than mass discovery, so viral reach isn’t really the goal here.

Key Takeaways

• Locals.com is a creator-centric community platform focused on subscriptions, not advertising.
• Creators build their own spaces where members can engage with content and each other.
• The platform takes a percentage of earnings, but creators keep their data and maintain control.
• It’s popular with people who want ownership over their audience and a way to monetize without intermediaries.

FAQ

Q: Do I have to pay to create a community on Locals?
A: No — setting up a community is free. Fees only apply when you start earning money from subscriptions or transactions.

Q: What types of content can I publish?
A: You can publish posts, videos, live streams, audio, articles, images, and other formats.

Q: How does Locals make money?
A: Locals takes a platform fee (generally around 10 % on subscriptions and 20 % on some one-time content transactions) plus payment processor fees.

Q: Is Locals an alternative to Patreon?
A: Yes. It’s similar in being subscription based, but it emphasizes community tools, creator ownership, and control over data and engagement.

Q: Can supporters interact directly?
A: Yes. Paid supporters can comment, post, join chats, and participate in live streams, depending on how the creator sets up the community.