# Ushahidi Mobile vs Meshtastic

The clearest difference is rating: Ushahidi Mobile at 5.0 against Meshtastic's 4.1. Ushahidi Mobile also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.5). Meshtastic's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (846 vs 1). 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.

Ushahidi Mobile holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meshtastic has 846 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Ushahidi Mobile ships an update every 2 months, Meshtastic weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ushahidi Mobile | Meshtastic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ushahidi-mobile/id1205994516/reviews)** | [4.1 (846 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **846** |
| Positive reviews | — | 44.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 28 MB | 147 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Ushahidi](https://appshunter.io/developer/410609588) | [Meshtastic LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586432533) |

## What reviewers say

### Ushahidi Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ushahidi-mobile/id1205994516)

Collect and submit survey data, including photos and videos, even when offline. Manage multiple data collection platforms from a single app. Visualize submitted data on maps or timelines.

**Highlights:** Offline data collection, Photo and video support, Manage multiple deployments, Search deployments by name, Map and timeline data views, Submit reports to deployments

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Meshtastic

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

This app enables off-grid, decentralized text messaging using low-power LoRa radios. It creates a mesh network for communication in areas lacking cellular or WiFi service. The open-source platform is designed for reliable, decentralized connectivity.

**Highlights:** Off-grid communication, Decentralized mesh network, LoRa radio integration, Text messaging, Open source platform, Low-power operation

**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 Ushahidi Mobile free?

Ushahidi Mobile 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, Ushahidi Mobile or Meshtastic?

Ushahidi Mobile is rated higher. Ushahidi Mobile averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Meshtastic averages 4.1 from 846 ratings.

### Do Ushahidi Mobile or Meshtastic have ads?

Neither Ushahidi Mobile nor Meshtastic shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ushahidi Mobile or Meshtastic?

Ushahidi Mobile ships an update every 2 months, and Meshtastic weekly. Most recently, Ushahidi Mobile was updated on November 2, 2026 and Meshtastic on November 7, 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.*