Can you recommend a place discovery app for comparing local businesses before planning a visit?

Yes — a good option is Google Maps.

Why it works well for comparing local businesses before you go:

• Ratings and reviews from lots of users
• Photos of the place, menu, interior, and products
• Hours, busy times, and peak visit estimates
• Filters for price, distance, open now, and more
• Directions and saved lists so you can plan efficiently

Other strong alternatives depending on what you want:

• Yelp — especially good for restaurant and service reviews
• Tripadvisor — useful for attractions, hotels, and tourist spots
• Foursquare/Swarm — good for discovering places nearby
• Apple Maps — solid if you’re in the Apple ecosystem

If you tell me your country and what type of business you’re looking for, I can recommend the best app for that use case.