Comparison

Meshtastic vs GRAMPS Viewer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Meshtastic

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
Read full description

Meshtastic® is an open source, off-grid, decentralized, mesh network built to run on low-power Lora radios letting you send text messages in areas without reliable cellular or WiFi service.

About

GRAMPS Viewer

Features
Read full description

Discover Your Family History with Gramps Viewer Gramps Viewer is the easiest way to explore your family tree on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. View your Gramps genealogy files with beautiful family trees, track changes to your family history, and keep your ancestors' stories at your fingertips—even without internet. YOUR FAMILY TREE, ANYWHERE • Multiple Family Trees - Keep track of different family branches or collaborate with relatives who maintain separate trees. Switch between multiple family histories with ease. • Smart Updates - See exactly what's new in your family tree. Get notified when relatives add new family members, update information, or make corrections to shared genealogy data. • Works Offline - Your entire family history is always available, even without internet. Perfect for research trips, family gatherings, or anywhere you go. • Easy Import - Load family trees from files on your device or connect directly to online family databases. Your files stay accessible—no need to re-import after restarting your device. BEAUTIFUL FAMILY TREES • Traditional Genealogy Charts - See your family connections the way genealogists have for generations. Clean, easy-to-read layouts show how everyone is related. • Interactive Exploration - Tap any person to see their ancestors and descendants. Zoom and pan to explore large family trees with hundreds of relatives. • Three Ways to Browse: - People - See everyone alphabetically - Families - Group relatives by family name - Surnames - Explore specific family lines RICH FAMILY STORIES • Complete Life Stories - View everything about each person: - Birth, marriage, and death information - Life events with dates and locations - Multiple marriages and relationships - Nicknames and alternate names - Family notes and stories - Photos and documents • Quick Search - Find any relative instantly by name. Search adapts to how you're browsing for faster results. • Timeline View - See life events in chronological order. Follow your ancestors' journeys through births, marriages, moves, careers, and more. EASY SYNCING • Multiple Ways to Import: - Choose files from your device - Connect to online family databases - Open files shared by family members - Scan QR codes to quickly add sources • Automatic Updates - Connect to online family trees and let the app check for changes. You'll always have the latest information without manual updates. • See What Changed - A dedicated Updates page shows you exactly what's new: new family members added, information updated, or corrections made. Mark updates as read to keep track of what you've reviewed. DESIGNED FOR EVERYONE • Beautiful Interface - Clean, modern design that's easy on the eyes. Includes dark mode for comfortable nighttime browsing. • Multiple Languages - Available in English, German, and Croatian with more languages on the way. • Privacy First - Your family data stays on your device. You control what you import and where it comes from. • Respectful Design - Built for genealogists by someone who understands family history. No ads, no subscriptions, no data mining. FULL GRAMPS COMPATIBILITY Compatible with Gramps XML format (version 1.7.2), the popular open-source genealogy software used by thousands of family historians worldwide. Works with both compressed and uncompressed Gramps files of any size. Perfect for: - Family historians exploring their ancestry - Genealogy researchers working in the field - Families collaborating on shared family trees - Anyone wanting mobile access to their Gramps data - Presenting family history at family reunions

Screenshots

Meshtastic4 screens
GRAMPS Viewer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Meshtastic at every 10 days against GRAMPS Viewer's monthly. GRAMPS Viewer's advantage is iOS requirement (15 vs 17.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, GRAMPS Viewer monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Meshtastic versus GRAMPS Viewer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMeshtasticGRAMPS Viewer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (803 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews44.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings803 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.515 — better
Further details — not scored
Size76 MB26 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperMeshtastic LLCJanez Troha

Bugs and requests

Meshtastic

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Canned messages configuration issues
  • Location sharing and traceroute functions not working
  • Settings screen bugs and crashes
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Offline maps support
  • Ability to customize notifications
  • More sorting and filtering options for nodes
  • Apple Watch and Shortcuts integration
  • Improved documentation and user guidance

GRAMPS Viewer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Meshtastic

No in-app purchases

None

GRAMPS Viewer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Meshtastic free?
Meshtastic is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is GRAMPS Viewer free?
GRAMPS Viewer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Meshtastic or GRAMPS Viewer have ads?
Neither Meshtastic nor GRAMPS Viewer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Meshtastic or GRAMPS Viewer?
Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, and GRAMPS Viewer monthly. Most recently, Meshtastic was updated on September 27, 2026 and GRAMPS Viewer on September 6, 2026.

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