Locals.com: A Startup Case Study – A Haven for Creator Autonomy

Creators today crave more than just a platform—they want freedom. The freedom to build, connect, earn, and speak their minds without walking on eggshells.

But while free speech is expanding in theory, mainstream platforms remain tightly regulated. Certain words, views, or topics? Flagged or silenced.

So where does a creator turn when they want to break free from the restrictions, speak openly, and get paid doing it?

Locals.com

Locals.com, officially known as Locals Technology Inc., is a subscription-based platform that allows creators to build their communities and monetize their work directly. It places a significant emphasis on free speech, allowing creators to share content without the stringent restrictions found on most mainstream platforms. By fostering direct interaction and empowering creators with ownership over their data, Locals.com appeals to individuals seeking a more autonomous space for content creation.

Founding Year: 2019

Headquarters: Miami, Florida, United States

Industry: Information

Status: Active

Business Model

B2C, Two-sided, Product & Service

• Clients:
  • Independent Content Creators: These are individuals who create and share various forms of content, including videos, podcasts, articles, and more. They are seeking a platform that gives them greater control over their content, a direct connection with their audience, and alternative monetization methods.
  • Fans and Supporters: This group consists of individuals who are interested in the content created by the platform’s creators. They are willing to pay for exclusive content, direct interaction with creators, and a sense of community.
• Suppliers:
  • Content Creators: Individuals or groups who create and share content on the platform, building communities and setting their subscription prices.

It’s like Patreon, but with a greater emphasis on community and free speech.

Locals.com, like Patreon, provides a platform for creators to generate revenue through subscriptions from their audience. Both platforms emphasize direct creator-to-fan relationships and offer tools for content sharing and community engagement.

However, Locals.com differentiates itself through:

• Strong Emphasis on Free Speech: Locals.com positions itself as a haven for creators concerned about censorship on other platforms. This commitment to free speech is central to its brand identity and attracts creators who prioritize this value.
• Community Building: While Patreon focuses primarily on content monetization, Locals.com places a greater emphasis on fostering a sense of community. Features like live streaming with chat and the concept of the “Locals flywheel”, which encourages supporter-generated content, highlight this distinction.
• Integration with Rumble: The acquisition by Rumble further differentiates Locals.com by providing access to a larger video platform and its existing user base. This integration aims to create a more comprehensive ecosystem for creators seeking greater reach and monetization opportunities.

Creator challenges

• Content Censorship: Creators across various platforms, including Patreon, have expressed concerns about censorship and content moderation policies that they perceive as restrictive. This has led to a demand for alternative platforms that prioritize free speech and creator autonomy.
• Algorithm Control: Algorithms often favor mainstream or advertiser-friendly content, limiting visibility for creators with niche or controversial perspectives.
• Audience Growth and Retention: Standing out in a saturated market is difficult. Gaining followers organically requires time, strategy, and often money. Even after building a fan base, keeping them engaged amid competing content is a constant battle.
• Lack of Control and Monetization Struggles: Traditional social media platforms often leave creators feeling like they lack control over their content, data, and revenue streams. Earning a sustainable income is tough. Ad revenue is unpredictable, brand deals aren’t accessible to everyone, and platforms often take a large cut.  
• Limited Community Building Features: Many platforms lack robust features specifically designed for fostering a strong sense of community.

Locals.com’s Solutions

• Content Control and Ownership: Locals.com gives creators full control over their content and ownership of their data, addressing concerns about censorship and platform dependence. No mysterious algorithms are deciding what your audience sees—if someone subscribes to you, they get your content.
• Community Building Tools and Retention: The platform prioritizes community building and retention. It offers a suite of features designed to foster interaction and engagement, including community polls, exclusive posts, and tools to enhance comment engagement. This makes fans feel part of something—not just viewers, but members. This fosters deeper loyalty and encourages people to keep coming back.
• Subscription-Based Monetization: Locals.com enables creators to generate revenue through subscriptions, allowing fans to support their work and access exclusive content directly. This removes reliance on ad revenue or brand deals. Creators keep up to 90% of subscription income, making it easier to build a predictable and sustainable revenue stream.
• Quality Content: Since Locals.com is centered around a supportive community rather than virality, creators can post at their own pace without chasing the algorithm. The focus shifts from quantity to quality and engagement, reducing the pressure that leads to creator burnout.

Founding Story

When and How: Locals.com was founded in 2019 by Dave Rubin, Assaf Lev, and Andrew Conru as a response to concerns about content censorship on established online platforms such as Patreon.

Problem Experienced: Rubin and others felt stifled by Patreon’s content moderation policies, particularly after the platform banned Carl Benjamin. This event highlighted the lack of control creators had over their content and revenue streams on mainstream platforms.

Founders’ Backgrounds:

• Dave Rubin: A well-known conservative political commentator with a large following from his YouTube series, The Rubin Report.
• Assaf Lev: Experienced in technology and product development, having held positions at PX, Pictition, Blipit LLC, and Virtual Spirits.
• Andrew Conru: Experienced Techpreneur, philanthropist, and artist, having founded and headed several companies, including Internet Media Services, Friendfinder, Inc., Medley.com Ad Agency, and Compute.org Foundation.

Why They Started: Rubin’s initial goal was to create a simple support page for his audience. The significant revenue generated through this effort demonstrated the demand for a platform that facilitated direct creator-supporter relationships, leading to the development of Locals.com.

Solving the Problem: Locals.com was designed as a subscription-based platform that gives creators full control over their content and pricing, addressing the concerns of censorship and monetization experienced on other platforms.

Challenges: The platform faced skepticism and criticism, as highlighted in a Daily Dot article questioning its progress. Technical issues and user experience concerns were also noted in early reviews.

First Results: The platform gained traction by attracting creators dissatisfied with existing platforms and offering a haven for free expression. Early success stories, like Scott Adams and Tulsi Gabbard praising Locals.com for its control and community features, further fueled its growth.

Continued Growth: Locals.com continued to grow by attracting more creators and expanding its feature set, which now includes live streaming and Content+. The acquisition of Locals.com by Rumble in 2021 marked a significant milestone, providing creators with access to a larger video platform and its existing user base, expanding reach and monetization opportunities.

Innovation and Technology: Locals.com leverages technology to empower creators through its subscription management system, content hosting infrastructure, and community engagement tools. The platform’s focus on creator control and direct monetization, coupled with its integration with Rumble’s video platform, has been key to its success.

Key Growth Milestones

Key Growth Milestones

• 2019: Locals.com is founded.
• March 2020: Raises over $1 million from 506(b) private placement investors.
• April 2021: Secures $3.8 million in seed funding led by Craft Ventures.
• October 2021: Acquired by Rumble for $7.04 million.

Market & Competition

Current Market:

• Content Creators: The platform caters to a diverse range of creators, especially those concerned about censorship. Prominent creators on the platform include Dave Rubin, Jordan Peterson, Scott Adams, Russell Brand, and Tulsi Gabbard.
• Content Consumers: The total number of subscribers on the platform is not publicly stated, but individual creators, such as Scott Adams, have reported subscriber counts exceeding 51,000.

Growth: The platform’s acquisition by Rumble and subsequent integration indicate a strategic focus on expanding its user base.

Potential New Markets:

• Expansion within the Creator Economy: Locals.com could target creators in specific niches or those seeking alternative monetization models beyond subscriptions, such as Content+.
• Integration with Rumble’s Ecosystem: The acquisition by Rumble opens opportunities to tap into Rumble’s existing user base and potentially expand into video-focused content communities.

Growth Trends: The broader creator economy is experiencing significant growth, with an increasing number of individuals seeking to monetize their content and build online communities. This trend suggests a favorable environment for platforms like Locals.com to attract new users and expand their reach.

Competitors

Locals.com operates within a competitive landscape of platforms catering to content creators and community building. Key competitors include:

• Patreon: A direct competitor offering a membership model for creators to monetize content.
• Mighty Networks: A platform focused on community building and engagement.
• Ko-fi: Let creators receive tips or sell digital products without monthly commitments.
• OnlyFans: A subscription platform known for adult content but also used by mainstream creators.
• Buy Me a Coffee: Simple platform for donations, memberships, and digital downloads.
• Circle.so: Community-building tool for creators to host discussions, events, and content.
• Mighty Networks: An all-in-one platform for launching branded communities and online courses.
• Telegram (Channels + Subscriptions): A direct messaging and content delivery platform with growing monetization options.
• Other Competitors include Acast, Libsyn, Hubhopper, Zephr, Spreaker, Cleeng, Sounder, and Podbean. These offer varying features for podcasting, subscriptions, and community tools.

Locals.com differentiates itself through its emphasis on free speech, creator control, and its integration with the Rumble video platform.

Marketing & Sales

Main Positioning Values: Freedom of speech and ownership

Website & Socials

• Website: Locals.com
• Monthly Visits: Locals.com sees around 1.8 million monthly visits. The majority of traffic arrives via direct sources.
• Traffic Sources: The majority of traffic is direct (~71%), with significant contributions from organic search (~15%) and social (~8%), referrals (~6%), paid search (<1%), and ads (<1%).
• Top Countries: The user base is largely concentrated in the United States (~73%), followed by Canada (~6%), the UK (~4%), Australia (~3%), and Argentina (~3%).
• Traffic from Social Media: YouTube is the primary social channel (~68%), followed by X (formerly Twitter) (~25%), Facebook (~2.6%), Instagram (~1.7%), and Reddit (~0.8%).

Media Coverage

• Tablet Magazine: Features Dave Rubin and mentions the platform’s launch.
• PR Newswire: Covers the acquisition of Locals.com by Rumble.
• The Local Maximum: Interviewed the platform’s co-founder, Assaf Lev.
• The Daily Dot: Critically examines Locals.com’s progress.
• Parallel Economies: Walks through Locals.com from a beginner’s perspective.
• CTech: Provides a detailed account of Locals.com’s founding story.
• EricN Publications: A comparison post contrasting Locals.com and Substack.
• 6revs.com: Discusses Local.com’s innovative approach of gaining creators and subscribers

Marketing Strategies

• Creator-Driven Acquisition: Locals.com heavily relies on its creators to drive customer acquisition. Creators are encouraged to promote their Locals communities and unique URLs across their existing social media platforms and online channels.
• Rumble Integration: A key acquisition channel stems from Locals.com’s integration with Rumble. Rumble prominently displays a Locals button on the videos of creators who also have a Locals community, funneling traffic directly to the platform.
• Freemium Model: Locals.com utilizes a freemium model to attract users. While they offer free memberships with limited access, the platform incentivizes users to convert to paid subscriptions for full access.
• Target Audience: Locals.com primarily targets independent content creators, particularly those who prioritize free speech and seek greater control over their content and monetization. Demographically, their largest user age group is 25-34 (19.12%), followed by 55-64 (18.46%) and 35-44 (17.18%). Notably, the platform skews male, with 68.57% male users compared to 31.42% female users.

Product & Innovation

Free Speech Focus

Locals.com’s uncompromising stance on free speech is a foundational innovation, designed to give creators autonomy over what they publish without fear of deplatforming or algorithmic suppression. By limiting centralized content moderation and allowing creators to set their own community guidelines, Locals differentiates itself as a haven for voices—mainstream or controversial—that value open discourse and personal accountability.

Community-Centric Approach

Unlike platforms that prioritize passive content consumption or ad revenue, Locals.com puts community engagement at the heart of its experience. The platform’s structure encourages creators to build active, subscription-based communities through tools like live streaming with real-time chat, member polls, and behind-the-scenes access. This community-first philosophy is supported by the Locals Flywheel concept, where deeper engagement naturally drives retention, growth, and monetization.

Content+ Feature

Content+ introduces a new layer of flexibility by allowing creators to monetize premium or long-form content—such as documentaries, educational series, or event replays—outside of the traditional subscription model. This gives creators the ability to offer pay-per-view experiences, sell exclusive content à la carte, or reward annual subscribers with high-value media, thus opening up diversified revenue streams beyond recurring memberships.

Integration with Rumble

The strategic acquisition by Rumble in 2021 represents a forward-thinking merger of content creation and distribution infrastructure. This integration offers creators the best of both worlds: Locals’ private, monetized communities for nurturing fans, and Rumble’s robust, free-speech video platform for reaching a broader audience. Together, they form a unique ecosystem that supports creators at every stage—from discovery and engagement to monetization and retention.

Financials & Metrics

Revenue Sources

• Subscription Fees: Locals.com operates on a subscription-based model where creators set their prices, and the platform takes 10% of the creator’s monthly earnings.
• Platform Fees: Locals.com charges a 10% fee on transactions plus a 3% payment processing fee.

Metrics

• Funding and Investments: Locals.com raised a total of $4.8 million in funding across two seed rounds. Notable investors included Craft Ventures, Naval Ravikant, and Balaji S. Srinivasan. The company was acquired by Rumble for $7.04 million in late 2021
• Employee Count: Before its acquisition, Locals.com had an estimated 11-50 employees. The current employee count dedicated to Locals.com operations within Rumble is not public.

Structure & Culture

Organization and Leadership

Locals.com currently operates as a subsidiary of Rumble and likely follows a hierarchical structure typical of technology companies.

Key leadership before the acquisition include:

• Assaf Lev: Co-founder and CEO
• Dave Rubin: Co-founder.
• Andrew Conru: Co-founder and Director.
• Steven Gage: Chief Revenue Officer
• Ori Bortz: Vice President Of Creator Success
• Annie Jin: Product Manager
• Jayson Minard: Director of Technology
• Mykola Nikytchenko: Technical Lead

Culture

• Free Speech: Locals.com was founded as a direct response to growing censorship on mainstream platforms, making freedom of expression a foundational value embedded in both its mission and product design.
• Creator Independence: From the start, Locals.com has prioritized giving creators full ownership of their content, data, and monetization. This empowers creators to operate independently of third-party advertisers or algorithmic gatekeepers.
• Community Building: The platform fosters meaningful, two-way engagement by enabling creators to build subscription-based communities where fans are active participants, rather than passive followers.

These are evident in the platform’s founding story, its attraction to creators seeking less restrictive platforms, and its emphasis on fostering direct interaction between creators and their audience.

Impact & Success

Customer Feedback

Mixed Reviews: User reviews on platforms like Google Play Store and SourceForge present a mixed picture. Some users appreciate the platform’s user interface and mission, while others express concerns about app functionality, customer support, and refund policies.

Success Stories

• Attracting Prominent Creators: Locals.com boasts a roster of high-profile creators, including Dave Rubin, Jordan Peterson, Scott Adams, Russell Brand, and Tulsi Gabbard.
• Positive Testimonials: Creators like Scott Adams and Tulsi Gabbard have publicly praised Locals.com for providing control over their content and fostering a sense of community.
• Follower Growth: Articles and testimonials suggest that creators are experiencing follower growth on the platform.

Growth & Future

Challenges and Risks

• Competition: Locals.com operates in a competitive market with established platforms like Patreon and Mighty Networks.
• User Experience: Addressing user feedback regarding app functionality and customer support is crucial for improving satisfaction and retention.
• Content Moderation: Balancing free speech with responsible content moderation remains a challenge, as “free speech” can quickly escalate to hate speech if not properly managed.

Future Plans

• Expansion and Integration: Locals.com is leveraging its integration with Rumble to expand its audience and create a more robust creator ecosystem.
• Empowering Creators: The company’s focus remains on providing creators with greater autonomy, monetization opportunities, and tools to build thriving communities.

Key Takeaways for Entrepreneurs

• Find the Untapped Need: Locals.com didn’t just create another Patreon. They saw creators yearning for control, ownership, and genuine community alongside monetization. Don’t just copy; uncover the unmet need driving existing markets.
• Embrace a Strong Value Proposition: Locals.com’s unwavering commitment to free speech isn’t just a feature; it’s a core value that attracts a specific, passionate audience. What hill is your startup willing to die on? That’s your differentiator.
• Community is the New Moat: Locals.com understands that in a crowded digital world, connection is king. Building features that foster genuine interaction creates stickiness that algorithms can’t replicate. Prioritize belonging over simple engagement.
• Don’t Fear Integration: The Rumble acquisition wasn’t about selling out; it was about leveraging existing infrastructure to amplify reach and opportunity. Sometimes, strategic partnerships are the fastest path to growth.
• Empower Your Users: Locals.com puts creators in the driver’s seat, giving them control over their content, data, and earnings. The more agency you give your users, the more invested they become in your platform’s success.
• Think Beyond the Subscription: Locals.com’s “coins” create a microeconomy, allowing for organic support and recognition within the community. Explore creative ways to enhance engagement and value exchange beyond traditional models.