# Meshtastic vs UP Switch | Data Transfer

The clearest difference is rating: Meshtastic at 4.2 against UP Switch | Data Transfer's 3.7. Meshtastic also leads on ratings volume (803 vs 3) and device support (4 vs 1). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meshtastic has 803 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of Meshtastic's written reviews are positive against 50% of UP Switch | Data Transfer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, UP Switch | Data Transfer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and July 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Meshtastic | UP Switch | Data Transfer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (803 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531/reviews)** | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/up-switch-data-transfer/id6739775961/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **803** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 44.2% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 76 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meshtastic LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586432533) | [Unplugged Technologies Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1644037556) |

## 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, 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


### UP Switch | Data Transfer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/up-switch-data-transfer/id6739775961)

Easily transfer essential data like contacts, documents, and passwords to your new UP Phone. This secure, official app ensures a stress-free setup, making your new device feel familiar from the start.

**Highlights:** Secure data transfer, Transfer contacts, Transfer documents, Transfer passwords, Step-by-step guidance, Intuitive interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Meshtastic free?

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

### Is UP Switch | Data Transfer free?

UP Switch | Data Transfer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Meshtastic or UP Switch | Data Transfer?

Meshtastic is rated higher. Meshtastic averages 4.2 out of 5 from 803 ratings, while UP Switch | Data Transfer averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Meshtastic or UP Switch | Data Transfer have ads?

Neither Meshtastic nor UP Switch | Data Transfer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Meshtastic or UP Switch | Data Transfer?

Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, and UP Switch | Data Transfer every 2 weeks. Most recently, Meshtastic was updated on September 27, 2026 and UP Switch | Data Transfer on July 6, 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.*