# SimpleLink™ Wi vs Meshtastic

The clearest difference is rating: Meshtastic at 4.2 against SimpleLink™ Wi's 1.0. Meshtastic also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (803 vs 3). SimpleLink™ Wi's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Meshtastic holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meshtastic has 803 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

SimpleLink™ Wi ships an update every 10 months, Meshtastic every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on August 13, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SimpleLink™ Wi | Meshtastic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplelink-wi-fi-starter-pro/id1069415196/reviews) | **[4.2 (803 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **803** |
| Positive reviews | — | 44.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 8 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Texas Instruments](https://appshunter.io/developer/329739753) | [Meshtastic LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586432533) |

## What reviewers say

### SimpleLink™ Wi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplelink-wi-fi-starter-pro/id1069415196)

This app configures, connects, and communicates with specific wireless devices for IoT applications. It helps users set up Wi-Fi connections and discover other devices on the network.

**Highlights:** Configure Wi-Fi device to connect to access point, Locate other SimpleLink Wi-Fi devices, Connect microcontrollers to IoT, Add embedded Wi-Fi connectivity, Single-chip Wi-Fi solution

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Meshtastic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531)

This app enables off-grid, decentralized communication via a low-power mesh network. Send text messages in areas lacking cellular or WiFi service.

**Highlights:** Off-grid communication, Decentralized mesh network, Low-power LoRa radio support, Text messaging, No cellular/WiFi required

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Well-made app
- 🚀 Polished and intuitive interface
- 🚀 Powerful features for off-grid communication
- 👍 Great community and responsive developers
- 👍 Continuously improving with updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bluetooth connectivity issues
- 🐛 Unreliable messaging and node connections
- 🐛 Crashes and stability problems
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 👎 Lacking feature parity with Android version

**Reported bugs**

- Canned messages configuration issues
- Location sharing and traceroute functions not working
- Settings screen bugs and crashes
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between devices

**Requested features**

- Offline maps support
- Ability to customize notifications
- More sorting and filtering options for nodes
- Apple Watch and Shortcuts integration
- Improved documentation and user guidance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SimpleLink™ Wi free?

SimpleLink™ Wi is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Meshtastic free?

Meshtastic is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SimpleLink™ Wi or Meshtastic?

Meshtastic is rated higher. SimpleLink™ Wi averages 1.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Meshtastic averages 4.2 from 803 ratings.

### Do SimpleLink™ Wi or Meshtastic have ads?

Neither SimpleLink™ Wi nor Meshtastic shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SimpleLink™ Wi or Meshtastic?

SimpleLink™ Wi ships an update every 10 months, and Meshtastic every 10 days. Most recently, SimpleLink™ Wi was updated on August 13, 2026 and Meshtastic on September 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*