# Meshtastic vs Skimmer Detector

The clearest difference is rating: Skimmer Detector at 5.0 against Meshtastic's 4.1. Skimmer Detector also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 10 days). Meshtastic's advantage is ratings volume (824 vs 1) and device support (4 vs 2). 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.

Skimmer Detector 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 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, Skimmer Detector daily. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Meshtastic | Skimmer Detector |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (824 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skimmer-detector/id6762292966/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **824** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 44.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 95 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meshtastic LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586432533) | [Joe Wagner](https://appshunter.io/developer/1638356540) |

## 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


### Skimmer Detector

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skimmer-detector/id6762292966)

This app uses your iPhone's Bluetooth to scan for suspicious devices hidden in payment terminals. It analyzes Bluetooth signals against known skimmer signatures and behavioral patterns to alert you to potential threats before your card data is compromised.

**Highlights:** Bluetooth scanning for suspicious devices, Database of known skimmer signatures, Vendor identification, Signal stability analysis, Dwell time detection, Tracker detection, Trusted device list, GPS-tagged detection history

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Meshtastic free?

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

### Is Skimmer Detector free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Meshtastic or Skimmer Detector?

Skimmer Detector is rated higher. Meshtastic averages 4.1 out of 5 from 824 ratings, while Skimmer Detector averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Meshtastic or Skimmer Detector have ads?

Neither Meshtastic nor Skimmer Detector shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Meshtastic or Skimmer Detector?

Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, and Skimmer Detector daily. Most recently, Meshtastic was updated on October 19, 2026 and Skimmer Detector on October 5, 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.*