# ZeroTier One vs Meshtastic

The clearest difference is update cadence: Meshtastic at every 10 days against ZeroTier One's every 2 months. Meshtastic also leads on rating (4.1 vs 3.9) and ratings volume (824 vs 189). ZeroTier One's advantage is review sentiment (58% vs 44%) and iOS requirement (12.0 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, 4.1 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 189 and 824 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 58% of ZeroTier One's written reviews are positive against 44% of Meshtastic's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ZeroTier One ships an update every 2 months, Meshtastic every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZeroTier One | Meshtastic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (189 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zerotier-one/id1084101492/reviews) | **[4.1 (824 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 189 | **824** |
| Positive reviews | **58.0% of reviews** | 44.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 10 MB | 95 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [ZeroTier, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1084101491) | [Meshtastic LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586432533) |

## What reviewers say

### ZeroTier One

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zerotier-one/id1084101492)

Create secure, peer-to-peer virtual Ethernet networks on your iOS device. Connect to hybrid clouds, remote teams, and IoT devices without hardware. Easily join existing networks via a simple interface.

**Highlights:** Join ZeroTier virtual networks, Secure peer-to-peer connections, Connect hybrid clouds, Connect remote teams, Connect IoT devices, No hardware required, iOS VPN control panel integration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works great
- 🔒 Reliable and secure
- 👍 Easy to set up and use
- 🌐 Allows remote access to devices
- 💡 Useful for gaming and collaboration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🔋 Battery drain
- 🤔 Confusing UI
- 🚫 Doesn't work on certain devices/OS versions

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to add networks on iOS devices
- Frequent disconnections and reconnection issues
- Managed IP field always empty

**Requested features**

- Add support for custom planet and moon servers
- Implement on-demand VPN functionality
- Provide better network visibility and management
- Improve compatibility with newer iOS versions


### 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, iMessage stickers, 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 ZeroTier One free?

ZeroTier One 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, ZeroTier One or Meshtastic?

Meshtastic is rated higher. ZeroTier One averages 3.9 out of 5 from 189 ratings, while Meshtastic averages 4.1 from 824 ratings.

### Do ZeroTier One or Meshtastic have ads?

Neither ZeroTier One nor Meshtastic shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ZeroTier One or Meshtastic?

ZeroTier One ships an update every 2 months, and Meshtastic every 10 days. Most recently, ZeroTier One was updated on October 15, 2026 and Meshtastic on October 16, 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.*