# Forethumb vs Meshtastic

The clearest difference is price: Meshtastic at Free against Forethumb's $0.99. Meshtastic also leads on ratings volume (824 vs 8) and device support (4 vs 2). Forethumb's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.1) and review sentiment (64% vs 44%). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Meshtastic is free to download; Forethumb costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Forethumb holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meshtastic has 824 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Forethumb's written reviews are positive against 44% of Meshtastic's.

Forethumb ships an update every 2 weeks, Meshtastic every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Forethumb | Meshtastic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forethumb/id1325147667/reviews)** | [4.1 (824 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **824** |
| Positive reviews | **64.3% of reviews** | 44.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 71 MB | 95 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Takuto Nakamura](https://appshunter.io/developer/1203150472) | [Meshtastic LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586432533) |

## What reviewers say

### Forethumb

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forethumb/id1325147667)

This keyboard app allows users to input text on their iOS devices using Morse code. It offers single-key or paddle input methods, with options for sound feedback and customizable gap lengths. It supports alphabets, numbers, some symbols, and Japanese characters.

**Highlights:** Morse code input (single key or paddle), Sound feedback on input, Swipe gestures for delete/space, Customizable gap length, Supports alphabets, numbers, symbols, Japanese

**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, 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 Forethumb free?

Forethumb costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Meshtastic free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Forethumb or Meshtastic?

Forethumb is rated higher. Forethumb averages 4.8 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Meshtastic averages 4.1 from 824 ratings.

### Do Forethumb or Meshtastic have ads?

Neither Forethumb nor Meshtastic shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Forethumb or Meshtastic?

Forethumb ships an update every 2 weeks, and Meshtastic every 10 days. Most recently, Forethumb was updated on October 4, 2026 and Meshtastic on October 19, 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.*