# ESP View vs Meshtastic

The clearest difference is rating: ESP View at 5.0 against Meshtastic's 4.1. ESP View also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.5). Meshtastic's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (824 vs 2). 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.

ESP View holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meshtastic has 824 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 32% of ESP View'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.

ESP View ships an update every 10 months, Meshtastic every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ESP View | Meshtastic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esp-view/id1470031753/reviews)** | [4.1 (824 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **824** |
| Positive reviews | 32.1% of reviews | **44.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 124 MB | 95 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Elite Security Products (ESP)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1154395285) | [Meshtastic LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586432533) |

## What reviewers say

### ESP View

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esp-view/id1470031753)

This surveillance software allows for live video streaming, recording, and playback. It supports remote playback, snapshots, and PTZ control, leveraging Apple Push Notification service for efficient alerts.

**Highlights:** Live video streaming, Video recording and playback, Remote video playback, Snapshots, PTZ control, Apple Push Notification service support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Good quality cameras
- 👍 Easy to set up
- 🚀 Works well on Wi-Fi
- ✅ Good value for money
- 💡 Better than previous models/software

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App frequently disconnects
- 🐛 Cameras often offline
- 🐛 Slow to load cameras
- 🐛 Constantly buffers
- 🐛 App seldom works

**Reported bugs**

- No WiFi connection
- Camera not working
- App not connecting to cameras
- Device keeps reverting to 'device play backing' on iPhone
- All cameras gone offline

**Requested features**

- Add cameras to system if only 4 ports
- Scrub feature for playback
- Desktop version of the app
- Combine camera products into one app
- Make view larger on the app


### 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 ESP View free?

ESP View 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, ESP View or Meshtastic?

ESP View is rated higher. ESP View averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Meshtastic averages 4.1 from 824 ratings.

### Do ESP View or Meshtastic have ads?

Neither ESP View nor Meshtastic shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ESP View or Meshtastic?

ESP View ships an update every 10 months, and Meshtastic every 10 days. Most recently, ESP View was updated on September 28, 2026 and Meshtastic on October 14, 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.*