# Meshtastic vs Bambu Handy

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bambu Handy at 88% against Meshtastic's 44%. Bambu Handy also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.1) and ratings volume (39K vs 824). Meshtastic's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bambu Handy sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Meshtastic asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bambu Handy holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bambu Handy has 39K ratings behind it against 824, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Meshtastic's written reviews are positive against 88% of Bambu Handy's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Meshtastic | Bambu Handy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (824 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531/reviews) | **[4.8 (39K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bambu-handy/id1625671285/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 824 | **39K** |
| Positive reviews | 44.0% of reviews | **87.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#59** |
| Size | 95 MB | 333 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Meshtastic LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586432533) | [上海轮廓科技有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/1672889549) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Bambu Handy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bambu-handy/id1625671285)

**Currently charting:** #59 Top Free · Utilities (US App Store)

Manage your 3D printers remotely, browse and print designs from a large library, and get real-time status updates. Access learning resources and create timelapse videos of your prints.

**Highlights:** Remote printer operation, Real-time printing status, 3D model discovery, One-tap printing, Live printing view, Timelapse video creation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MakerLab Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| MakerLab Credits | $2.99 | one-time |
| MakerLab Credits | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Convenient remote control
- 🔍 Good monitoring capabilities
- 💡 Integration with Bambu ecosystem
- 🤖 Responsive and smooth interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🔋 Battery drain
- 📱 Lacks iPad optimization
- 🔇 Unreliable notifications
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with cloud integration

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes
- Camera feed not working consistently
- Difficulty switching between printers
- Notifications not working as expected
- Syncing issues between app and printer

**Requested features**

- Add landscape mode support for iPad
- Implement slicer functionality within the app
- Allow printing from SD card or local storage
- Provide more customization options
- Improve camera feed reliability and quality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Meshtastic free?

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

### Is Bambu Handy free?

Bambu Handy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Meshtastic or Bambu Handy?

Bambu Handy is rated higher. Meshtastic averages 4.1 out of 5 from 824 ratings, while Bambu Handy averages 4.8 from 39K ratings.

### Do Meshtastic or Bambu Handy have ads?

Neither Meshtastic nor Bambu Handy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Meshtastic or Bambu Handy?

Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, and Bambu Handy every 10 days. Most recently, Meshtastic was updated on October 16, 2026 and Bambu Handy 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.*