# Meshtastic vs Chameleon Ultra GUI

The clearest difference is rating: Chameleon Ultra GUI at 4.8 against Meshtastic's 4.1. Chameleon Ultra GUI also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 44%) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 9 days). Meshtastic's advantage is ratings volume (835 vs 24). 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.

Chameleon Ultra GUI holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meshtastic has 835 ratings behind it against 24, 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 86% of Chameleon Ultra GUI's.

Meshtastic ships an update every 9 days, Chameleon Ultra GUI every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Meshtastic | Chameleon Ultra GUI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (835 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531/reviews) | **[4.8 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chameleon-ultra-gui/id6462919364/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **835** | 24 |
| Positive reviews | 44.0% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 144 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meshtastic LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586432533) | [Anton Savelev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1703624296) |

## 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


### Chameleon Ultra GUI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chameleon-ultra-gui/id6462919364)

Manage your Chameleon Ultra/Lite device with this application. It allows for firmware upgrades, slot management, and reading/writing cards. Explore additional functionalities for enhanced device control.

**Highlights:** Firmware upgrade via DFU, Slot management, Read and write cards, Device control

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Meshtastic free?

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

### Is Chameleon Ultra GUI free?

Chameleon Ultra GUI is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Meshtastic or Chameleon Ultra GUI?

Chameleon Ultra GUI is rated higher. Meshtastic averages 4.1 out of 5 from 835 ratings, while Chameleon Ultra GUI averages 4.8 from 24 ratings.

### Do Meshtastic or Chameleon Ultra GUI have ads?

Neither Meshtastic nor Chameleon Ultra GUI shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Meshtastic or Chameleon Ultra GUI?

Meshtastic ships an update every 9 days, and Chameleon Ultra GUI every 2 days. Most recently, Meshtastic was updated on October 27, 2026 and Chameleon Ultra GUI on October 27, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*