# glinet vs Meshtastic

The clearest difference is rating: Meshtastic at 4.2 against glinet's 3.5. Meshtastic also leads on ratings volume (803 vs 23) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 5 weeks). glinet's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 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, 4.2 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meshtastic has 803 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of glinet's written reviews are positive against 45% of Meshtastic's.

glinet ships an update every 5 weeks, Meshtastic every 10 days. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | glinet | Meshtastic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glinet/id1523245996/reviews) | **[4.2 (803 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 23 | **803** |
| Positive reviews | 28.4% of reviews | **45.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 119 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [GL Technologies (HK) Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1490828301) | [Meshtastic LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586432533) |

## What reviewers say

### glinet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glinet/id1523245996)

Manage your GL.iNet router remotely, from basic setup and security to advanced mesh networking and VPN configuration. Monitor your network's performance in real-time and control router functions like WiFi, firmware updates, and LED lights.

**Highlights:** Basic router setup and password changes, Mesh network creation and management, OpenVPN and WireGuard VPN configuration, Real-time router performance monitoring, WiFi control, firmware updates, LED management

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Remote router management
- 👍 Dark mode available
- 👍 Controls multiple routers
- 👍 Works well for basic setup
- 👍 Easy initial setup

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent 429 errors
- 🐛 Buggy GUI
- 🐛 Confusing settings
- 🐛 Cannot sign back in
- 🐛 App behaves like first-time setup after sign-out

**Reported bugs**

- 429 errors during VPN setup
- GUI is buggy
- Cannot sign back in after sign out
- App behaves as if setting up for the first time after sign out
- No instructions provided

**Requested features**

- Add USB print server function
- More versatile functionalities (repeater, astrowarp)
- Automate captive portal workflow for travel
- Import MAC address for captive portals
- Include all web admin console features in 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, 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 glinet free?

glinet 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, glinet or Meshtastic?

Meshtastic is rated higher. glinet averages 3.5 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Meshtastic averages 4.2 from 803 ratings.

### Do glinet or Meshtastic have ads?

Neither glinet nor Meshtastic shows ads.

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

glinet ships an update every 5 weeks, and Meshtastic every 10 days. Most recently, glinet was updated on September 24, 2026 and Meshtastic on September 24, 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.*