# Meshtastic vs Trace

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Trace at 100% against Meshtastic's 44%. Trace also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.5). Meshtastic's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (824 vs 13). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Trace sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $20.00 per month. Meshtastic asks for nothing beyond the download.

Trace holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meshtastic has 824 ratings behind it against 13, 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 100% of Trace's.

Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, Trace every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Meshtastic | Trace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (824 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531/reviews) | **[5.0 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace-ar-content-creation/id6749387472/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **824** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 44.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 95 MB | 200 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Meshtastic LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586432533) | [Trace3d Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1532686125) |

## 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


### Trace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace-ar-content-creation/id6749387472)

Easily build and share immersive 3D holographic tours and augmented reality experiences. Add interactive elements, spatial videos, images, and 3D models to bring your creations to life. Publish instantly to any device, from phones to XR headsets.

**Highlights:** Create 3D holographic tours, Design spatial content, Add interactive elements, Publish to any device, Capture 3D scenes, Add spatial videos and images

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Trace Creator - Monthly | $20.00 | per month |
| Trace Creator - Yearly | $191.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Meshtastic free?

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

### Is Trace free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Meshtastic or Trace?

Trace is rated higher. Meshtastic averages 4.1 out of 5 from 824 ratings, while Trace averages 5.0 from 13 ratings.

### Do Meshtastic or Trace have ads?

Neither Meshtastic nor Trace shows ads.

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

Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, and Trace every 3 weeks. Most recently, Meshtastic was updated on October 14, 2026 and Trace on October 7, 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.*