# goTenna — user reviews > 55 indexed App Store user reviews of goTenna by goTenna Inc., rated 4.33/5 from 939 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gotenna/id994940286/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gotenna/id994940286.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 677 · 4★ 95 · 3★ 53 · 2★ 27 · 1★ 87 ## What do users think of goTenna? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🚀 Widely adopted off-grid device - 👍 Basic features work well - 💡 Potential life-saving device **Cons** - 🐛 App crashes frequently - 🔋 High battery consumption - 📉 Abandoned product - 🔒 Closed-source with lack of community support - 🔒 Subscription issues **Commonly reported bugs** - Bluetooth detection issues - Firmware update problems - Crashing 'Send Feedback' button - Inability to delete app cache **Most requested features** - Dark mode option - Satellite map support - Ability to save pins and locations - Multi-device support (v1 and Mesh) - Desktop/tablet app - Improved group chat functionality - Audio/image sharing ## Newest reviews (12 of 55) ### 3/5 — Does it still work? *2023-12-20* I have gotenna that I am trying to pair but unable to do it now. ### 2/5 — App crashes frequently *2023-04-02* App crashes. Unable to download maps or update profile ### 4/5 — Range *2023-02-10, version 5.5.3* What is the range of this? ### 4/5 — Good *2022-11-04, version 5.5.3* Basic features. When it works it’s great! ### 3/5 — Needs some UI improvements *2021-05-06, version 5.5.2* Need to have a one-touch way to copy the GID for sharing. Let us AirDrop the GID to another iOS user. ### 3/5 — Good devices but it seems like developer lost interest *2021-02-24, version 5.5.2* I don’t see much update activity going on anymore from goTenna. Not a great taste in my mouth after dropping hundreds of dollars on these units for the developer to suddenly disappear. I’m using 6 mesh units spread across a few friends houses across town as emergency backup communications. There are some app based upgrades that the developer could implement and people have asked for (desktop client is one) but it seems like they’re done upgrading this device. Not sure if I can recommend them to purchase. Really cool hardware and there are decent modding guides online for battery and antenna upgrades. Complaints about the app: My app is using over 7gb of phone space with no option to delete this mystery cache without reinstalling the app. Give me a delete/limit cache option please. “Send feedback” button in-app automatically crashes the app. Then it suggests sending info about the crash. I clicked yes and it immediately crashed again.. ### 2/5 — No updates? *2020-04-29, version 5.3.2* It’s been over a year since the last update. Even basic stuff like enabling dark mode, even if you aren’t rolling out new features or functionality. ### 4/5 — NEEDS UPDATING FOR IPDAD *2020-04-02, version 5.3.2* Please update fo iPad. The App is crippled without IPAD functionality. How hard can it be devs??? ### 3/5 — Not Open Source *2019-10-20, version 5.3.2* Ok tech, but not enough community support due being to closed source ### 4/5 — Great app *2019-05-04, version 5.3.2* Great app. I use it all the time on trips. For whatever reason my app seems to grow to about 2tb very fast. Not sure why. It only does this on my phone and not when I use it with my iPad. ### 3/5 — Good but needs improvement *2018-12-21, version 5.3.1* It’s incredible what can be done with technology. Gotenna is an example of that. These would be much more useful if they had greater range about 4 times what it does now. I pull mine out when I hunt large dense refuges and such. But if someone in the group is more than 3/4 mile away it doesn’t reach them. I would like to see some downloadable satellite view maps and ability to save pins and such. Land in my area is pretty flat, so a topological map wouldn’t help much. Having satellite maps and pin saving, would save me from having to buy a $300 GPS and be much more convenient. ### 3/5 — Learning and Understanding the product *2018-10-26, version 5.3.1* There was something strange happening with our firmware update. It took multiple attempts to get it to install. This reduced my confidence in the product, however finally it installed and seems to work as expected. When using the goTenna mesh devices in our area we found that some of the larger buildings (5 to 6 stories apartment building) would completely block the signal if between the devices. With hills and small homes between the devices the range seem to be limited to about 2 city blocks. I was hoping to be able to message with our goTenna mesh devices from my work to home (about 3 miles), however I was being overly optimistic and now know it can’t perform to the range. So how will I used our goTenna devices? It works great when your in a large building and the other device is somewhere else in the same building. So when I park the car in the below ground parking garage (where I have no cellular single) I can still send a message to my apartment on the 5th floor (7 stories vertically). I will use it when I’m hiking or at a venue where the other goTenna is nearby. I will also like to use the goTenna mesh during emergency but not confident it’s right fit. My primary reason for purchasing the goTenna mesh is for emergency situations. However I’m not convinced these devices will provide enough range and/or reliable performance in an hour of need. So far it’s a mixed bag of the product works however it’s effectiveness is difficult to discern due to my range testing results with my two devices needing to be much closer than the range distances advertised. How to get this user to give a higher star rating? I’m thinking goTenna advertising suggests it can have a range of 0.5 miles (roughly 4-8 blocks depending on the block size) in dense locations. However I’m not getting even half of that distance with my two goTenna mesh devices with even inconsistent results at much shorter distances. For a 4 star rating I would need to see consistent connectivity up to .5 miles within dense locations and 4 miles within open areas as advertised. For 5 stars give me okay connectivity in ranges beyond .5 miles within dense locations and 4 miles within open areas with purchasing an antenna attachment to be connected to the devices. Thanks ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Abandoned product *2023-12-21* goTenna just announced that they're abandoning this product completely and removing all apps from mobile device stores as of January 3rd (as well as shutting down the community forum). Great way to support all your customers that spent hundreds of dollars on your products. Instead they're focusing entirely on the defense/government contract market. ### 1/5 — Abandonware *2023-11-01* I had a good few years with the app and the gotenna mesh. Sadly, the product is abandonware. I had a very hard time switching from North America to Europe. Four of us had to delete the app (contacts and downloaded maps), and reinstall it. This was a serious pain since we were paying high data rates. SMS verification and email verification no longer work. I FOUND THAT I WAS CHARGED A SUBSCRIPTION FEE SINCE 2019. Nothing in return since 2020. Team: great way to turn a four star app and product into a one star waste of money. I strongly advise avoiding companies that dropkick their clients. ### 1/5 — Returning *2022-10-05, version 5.5.3* Hardware leaves a lot to be desired, but could be serviceable if the app wasn’t so buggy. No need for this now that satellite capabilities are appearing on phones. ### 1/5 — Cannot detect phone’s Bluetooth settings *2022-09-29, version 5.5.3* The app will not allow me to proceed past the menu where I set up an account. There is a hurricane, and this is not good timing. I am not impressed (tried connecting gotenna to the app before deleting and reinstalling). Always force restart the app and need to create a new account every time. ### 1/5 — Need to fix spam problem *2022-05-26, version 5.5.3* I’ve used this the past two EDCs and the spam problem in the emergency channel is ridiculous. It is very complicated to block the user generating the spam as you have to add them as a contact. Disappointed that gotenna hasn’t made any effort to solve this problem in the app. At minimum we should be able to disable the emergency channel. ### 1/5 — App Will Not Load *2021-09-25, version 5.5.3* iPhone X/latest iOS, says Bluetooth turned off. It was turned. Toggled, still did not work. Rebooted, still did not work. Completely worthless! ### 1/5 — Spent a fortune on it. Never worked reliably *2020-09-20, version 5.5.1* Purchased 4 of these for a trip. Tried it in the mall and other places. It worked some of the time but not enough to be useful. Pretty much failed for their intended purpose. Really disappointed in the hardware... ### 1/5 — Bluetooth detection is not working *2020-07-02, version 5.3.2* Trying to set up our Gotennas, but app is not detecting Bluetooth is on. It’s on, other items are connected to the phone. Tried for a few days now. ### 1/5 — Rediculous You Have To Choose *2020-06-01, version 5.3.2* Why is it when a phone and connect to multiple Bluetooth devices that this app can not connect to both the version 1 goTenna (which in my testing has better range) and the mesh. It is ridiculous that you need to unpair and repair which ever one you want to use at that moment. What if you have people that have both versions? Stupid marketing move to try and get people to buy mesh in order to make your coverage better. I know that someone around the table at that meeting said “Hey if we don’t allow both versions then people will be forced to upgrade and that equals more money for us and better coverage for users.” I think it is ridiculous that the pro versions are so expensive and treat like some military weapon system. It is impossible to get your hands one them. GPRS has much greater range. Don’t get me wrong I like the idea of the product and own both V1 and Mesh, bit come on try improving your product for general users with thing like multi radio support (or at least multi app so you can have them both running) and also bring an external antenna to the general versions. The whole it can hang out in your pocket thing is great but if you can’t reach more than half a mile on flat terrain then you clearly are missing the mark on functionality. ### 1/5 — Paying for location Auto-Sharing? *2018-07-20, version 5.02* Why do I need to get a subscription in order to turn on location Auto-sharing?? 🤷‍♂️ Thanks for the upgrade! 👎 ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Most widely adopted off grid coms *2023-10-07* GoTenna hasn’t really done much in a while for the consumer market but they are the most widely adopted off grid device of the several I have seen and purchased. GoTenna needs to mix it up and update the app. That being said it’s easy to use and lightweight. The app is simple enough and robust enough. ### 5/5 — Ever detractors *2020-09-04, version 5.5* Dude was aztdddrenfcdd ### 5/5 — MacBook *2019-12-15, version 5.3.2* Please build apps for iPad and MacBooks. It would be the perfect use for a permanent powered gotenna to connect to a MacBook for a centralized command point to relay comms such as a base camp or an EOC / TOC for communication command and control. ### 5/5 — Worth the price of admission! *2018-10-20, version 5.3.1* GoTenna is a potential life saving device and IMO, a must have for any avid outdoorsman! ### 5/5 — Excellent update *2018-07-25, version 5.02* Thanks for listening to your customers! Most everything that was broken is now fixed. ### 5/5 — Great off grid comms that actually works *2018-07-20, version 5.02* Have both gen1 and mesh. Both worked great from beginning and continue to improve features. Support is responsive and take feedback serious. **Developer response:** Thanks for your feedback and support and especially for taking the time to leave feedback on the App Store. ### 5/5 — Love the new interface *2018-07-13, version 5.0* Very clear. Awesome update, new contact integration is 💯 ### 5/5 — Love the new features / functionality *2018-07-13, version 5.0* As an avid skier, Emergency Beacon is a great addition. Glad I’ll be able to alert my friends if I get into trouble in the backcountry! ### 5/5 — Meshing is incredible *2018-02-05, version 4.2* I upgraded to the Mesh devices from v1 goTenna - major improvements! Great range and excellent app, very easy to use. I really like the IMeshYou network map too! ### 5/5 — Awesome! *2017-10-30, version 4.0.1* I got my first pair of goTenna Meshes and easily synched them to the app. Works exactly as it says! Amazing product, highly recommended. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*