# CraftStrom vs Meshtastic

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CraftStrom at 100% against Meshtastic's 44%. CraftStrom also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.5). Meshtastic's advantage is rating (4.1 vs 3.6) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months). 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 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meshtastic has 824 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of CraftStrom'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.

CraftStrom ships an update every 2 months, Meshtastic every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CraftStrom | Meshtastic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/craftstrom/id1459388938/reviews) | **[4.1 (824 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **824** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% 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 | 43 MB | 95 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [CraftStrom Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1459388937) | [Meshtastic LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586432533) |

## What reviewers say

### CraftStrom

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/craftstrom/id1459388938)

Easily set up, monitor, and control your home's renewable energy system. This app provides a user-friendly interface for managing solar panels and battery storage.

**Highlights:** Set up renewable energy systems, Monitor solar panel performance, Control battery storage, User-friendly interface, Manage home energy

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**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 CraftStrom free?

CraftStrom 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, CraftStrom or Meshtastic?

Meshtastic is rated higher. CraftStrom averages 3.6 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Meshtastic averages 4.1 from 824 ratings.

### Do CraftStrom or Meshtastic have ads?

Neither CraftStrom nor Meshtastic shows ads.

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

CraftStrom ships an update every 2 months, and Meshtastic every 10 days. Most recently, CraftStrom was updated on September 22, 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.*