# Meshtastic vs XRAY5

The clearest difference is rating: Meshtastic at 4.1 against XRAY5's 3.7. Meshtastic also leads on ratings volume (824 vs 3) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 5 weeks). 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.

Meshtastic holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meshtastic has 824 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, XRAY5 every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Meshtastic | XRAY5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (824 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshtastic/id1586432531/reviews)** | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xray5/id6766946756/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **824** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 44.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 95 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | **16.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Meshtastic LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586432533) | [Sig Sauer, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1114396362) |

## 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


### XRAY5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xray5/id6766946756)

Control compatible SIG SAUER optics and weapon lights from your mobile device. Manage digital zero, create zero profiles, and track rounds fired. Integrates with LightFight devices for automatic reticle brightness adjustment.

**Highlights:** Connect and manage XRAY5 sights, Digital Zero setup, Multiple zero profiles, Configure optic settings, Round Counter and session history, Connect LightFight devices

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Meshtastic free?

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

### Is XRAY5 free?

XRAY5 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Meshtastic or XRAY5?

Meshtastic is rated higher. Meshtastic averages 4.1 out of 5 from 824 ratings, while XRAY5 averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Meshtastic or XRAY5 have ads?

Neither Meshtastic nor XRAY5 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Meshtastic or XRAY5?

Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, and XRAY5 every 5 weeks. Most recently, Meshtastic was updated on October 16, 2026 and XRAY5 on October 16, 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.*