Comparison · as of October 16, 2026
A LocalHarvest alternative, compared fairly
If you want a LocalHarvest alternative on your phone, FarmHop maps 104,000+ US farms and markets in free iPhone and Android apps, and every listing says where it came from and when it was last checked. If you want the deepest CSA directory or to buy farm goods online, LocalHarvest is still the better pick.
Below is the side-by-side. LocalHarvest facts link to the LocalHarvest page we read them on; FarmHop numbers are counts from our live index on October 16, 2026.
FarmHop vs LocalHarvest, side by side
| FarmHop | LocalHarvest | |
|---|---|---|
| Listings | 104,000+ farms and markets (closed places excluded), 21,895 of them farmers markets | “Over 40,000 family farms and farmers markets,” plus restaurants and grocers (self-reported) source |
| CSAs | 2,346 CSA listings | “Over 4,000” CSAs, with a dedicated CSA search source |
| Who writes listings | Mostly imported from public sources (state ag registries, directories, farm websites) and labeled “Imported, check first” until a farmer or visitor confirms them | Farmers create and maintain their own listings as members source |
| Freshness shown | A verification badge and last-checked date on every listing; 48,667 currently pass our liveness checks and 1,157 are marked closed rather than deleted | No last-updated date on search results source |
| Phone apps | Native iPhone and Android apps, free to download (an optional Premium subscription adds extra map features) | No app linked from its home or about page source |
| Web directory | Florida and California only on the web for now; every other state is in the apps | Nationwide, browsable on the web source |
| Buying online | No web checkout and no payment processing | An online store with CSA subscriptions, produce, meat, honey and more source |
| Cost to farmers | Free to list and claim, no commission, no pay-to-rank | Free listing; an optional paid Sponsoring Membership gets search priority source |
| Track record | New: the iPhone app first shipped in July 2026 | Online since the late 1990s (its footer reads © 1999–2026) source |
Where LocalHarvest is better
- CSAs. It says it has over 4,000 CSAs, a search just for them, and CSA subscriptions you can buy in its store (LocalHarvest CSA page). If a farm share is the only thing you want, start there.
- Buying online. LocalHarvest runs a store with shipped farm products (LocalHarvest store). FarmHop has no web checkout.
- The web.LocalHarvest is a nationwide website you can browse on any computer. FarmHop’s website only covers Florida and California today; the rest of the country is in the apps.
- Farmer-written listings. Farmers write their own LocalHarvest listings as members (About LocalHarvest). Most FarmHop listings start as imports from public sources and are labeled that way until someone confirms them.
- Track record. LocalHarvest has been online since the late 1990s. FarmHop’s iPhone app first shipped in July 2026.
Where FarmHop is better
- Knowing before you drive. Every listing shows a verification badge and when it was last checked. 48,667 listings currently pass our liveness checks, and 1,157 closed farms are marked closed instead of quietly disappearing. How we verify.
- Phone first. Native iPhone and Android apps with a map around your location, fresh-food alerts and watchlists.
- Size. 104,000+farms and markets against LocalHarvest’s stated 40,000+ farms and markets. The two are counted differently (ours includes imported listings; theirs are member listings), so compare coverage in your own area rather than trusting either headline.
- Free for farmers, no paid ranking.A farm can’t buy a better position or badge on FarmHop. List or claim your farm free.
Our honest take
Use both. LocalHarvest is the better shelf for CSAs and mail order. FarmHop is the better tool for standing in a parking lot on a Saturday asking what’s open near you and whether the listing can be trusted. In season right now: pumpkin patches and, from late November, Christmas tree farms.
Questions people ask
Is there a LocalHarvest app?
As of October 16, 2026, LocalHarvest's home and about pages don't link to an iPhone or Android app; it works as a website. FarmHop is built as an app first, on both iPhone and Android.
Is LocalHarvest or FarmHop better for finding a CSA?
LocalHarvest, for now. It says it lists over 4,000 CSAs and has a CSA-only search and CSA subscriptions in its store. FarmHop has 2,346 CSA listings mixed in with farms, stands and markets on one map.
How many farms does FarmHop list?
104,000+ US farms and markets as of October 16, 2026, counting only places not marked closed. Most were imported from public sources and say so on the listing. 48,667 currently pass our liveness checks.
Does it cost farmers anything to be on FarmHop?
No. Listing, claiming and editing a farm are free, with no commission and no paid ranking. LocalHarvest also has a free listing, plus an optional paid membership that gives search priority.
Sources (read October 16, 2026)
- LocalHarvest, About
- LocalHarvest home page
- LocalHarvest, CSA
- LocalHarvest, Store
- LocalHarvest, search results
- LocalHarvest Help, Sponsored listings
- FarmHop index counts: read-only query of the production database, October 16, 2026.
Try FarmHop next to LocalHarvest
104,000+ farms and markets, each with a freshness label. Free on iPhone and Android.