Comparison

Meshtastic vs TERMinator

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

TERMinator

Connect to Bulletin Board Systems and SSH servers with a retro terminal client. Experience authentic CP437 ANSI art rendering, classic fonts, and ZMODEM file transfers. Manage your connections with a phonebook and quick connect options.

Highlights
  • Telnet and SSH connections
  • CP437/ANSI art rendering
  • Classic bitmap fonts
  • ZMODEM file transfer
  • Scrollback history
  • Phonebook management
Features
Read full description

TERMinator is a retro BBS terminal client for iOS. Connect to Bulletin Board Systems and SSH servers with authentic CP437 ANSI art rendering, multiple classic fonts, and ZMODEM file transfers. Features: - Telnet and SSH connections - Pixel-perfect CP437/ANSI art with Metal rendering - Multiple screen modes (80x25, 80x40, 80x50, 132x25, 132x50) - Classic bitmap fonts including IBM VGA, Topaz, and more - ZMODEM file upload and download - Scrollback history - Session logging - Phonebook with drag-to-reorder and thumbnails - Quick Connect buttons for favorite BBSes - Zoom and pan controls - Clickable URL detection - Export/import BBS lists

Screenshots

Meshtastic4 screens
TERMinator2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Meshtastic at 803 against TERMinator's 8. Meshtastic also leads on device support (4 vs 2). TERMinator's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 44%) and rating (4.5 vs 4.2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TERMinator holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meshtastic has 803 ratings behind it against 8, 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 67% of TERMinator's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, TERMinator every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Meshtastic versus TERMinator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMeshtasticTERMinator
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (803 ratings)4.5 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews44.2% of reviews66.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings803 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.516.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size76 MB117 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperMeshtastic LLCPhil Whittemore

Customer experience

Meshtastic

All ratings803 ratings
Positive76.8%
Neutral6.2%
Negative16.9%
Written reviews416 reviews
Positive44.2%
Neutral15.1%
Negative40.6%

TERMinator

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

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

TERMinator

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Meshtastic

No in-app purchases

None

TERMinator

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Meshtastic free?
Meshtastic is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TERMinator free?
TERMinator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Meshtastic or TERMinator?
TERMinator is rated higher. Meshtastic averages 4.2 out of 5 from 803 ratings, while TERMinator averages 4.5 from 8 ratings.
Do Meshtastic or TERMinator have ads?
Neither Meshtastic nor TERMinator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Meshtastic or TERMinator?
Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, and TERMinator every 8 days. Most recently, Meshtastic was updated on September 27, 2026 and TERMinator on September 13, 2026.

Other comparisons