# AnkerWork vs Meshtastic

The clearest difference is update cadence: Meshtastic at weekly against AnkerWork's every 3 weeks. Meshtastic also leads on review sentiment (44% vs 26%) and ratings volume (843 vs 96). AnkerWork's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.5). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

AnkerWork holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meshtastic has 843 ratings behind it against 96, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 26% of AnkerWork'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.

AnkerWork ships an update every 3 weeks, Meshtastic weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AnkerWork | Meshtastic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (96 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ankerwork/id1540228451/reviews)** | [4.1 (843 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 96 | **843** |
| Positive reviews | 26.1% of reviews | **44.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 122 MB | 147 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Power Mobile Life LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1096079944) | [Meshtastic LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586432533) |

## What reviewers say

### AnkerWork

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ankerwork/id1540228451)

Easily connect and set up AnkerWork audio devices for crystal-clear sound in any environment. This app also provides over-the-air updates and includes a convenient built-in PDF scanner.

**Highlights:** Device connection and setup, Clear audio optimization, Over-the-air (OTA) updates, Built-in PDF scanner

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**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 AnkerWork free?

AnkerWork 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, AnkerWork or Meshtastic?

AnkerWork is rated higher. AnkerWork averages 4.3 out of 5 from 96 ratings, while Meshtastic averages 4.1 from 843 ratings.

### Do AnkerWork or Meshtastic have ads?

Neither AnkerWork nor Meshtastic shows ads.

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

AnkerWork ships an update every 3 weeks, and Meshtastic weekly. Most recently, AnkerWork was updated on November 4, 2026 and Meshtastic on November 3, 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.*