Comparison

Meshtastic vs NearSight

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

NearSight

Features
Read full description

See the hidden world around you. NearSight listens for the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signals that nearby devices are constantly broadcasting and decodes what they actually are. Earbuds, watches, fitness trackers, beacons, smart-home sensors, item trackers, and more turn from anonymous radio noise into a clear, readable list right on your iPhone. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Scan live. Watch nearby devices appear in real time, sorted by how close they are. • Know what's there. NearSight recognizes a growing catalog of device types and shows make, model, and what each signal means, not just a cryptic address. • Notice the unexpected. Surface unknown or unfamiliar devices around you and decide for yourself what belongs. • Go deeper. Open any device to inspect its raw advertisement, signal strength, and parsed technical details. OPTIONAL AI INSIGHTS Turn on AI to get plain-language explanations of what NearSight is seeing. Bring your own Anthropic or OpenAI API key, or run a compact model entirely on your device. Your choice. AI is completely optional and stays off until you enable it. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Scanning happens on your iPhone. NearSight works fully offline and shows what it sees to no one but you. AI insights and anonymous telemetry are strictly opt-in and off by default. Nothing leaves your device unless you turn it on. No ads, no third-party tracking, no account required. WHAT NEARSIGHT CAN (AND CAN'T) SEE NearSight decodes the Bluetooth signals that devices broadcast but it can't see everything: • Not every device is recognized. New or niche hardware may show up as Unknown until we've researched it and added support. • Some devices are intentionally excluded. We don't surface certain safety-sensitive devices (for example personal panic buttons), because revealing someone's private safety equipment could put them at risk. However, AI Insights may identify such devices. • It only sees Bluetooth. Devices that are powered off, not currently broadcasting, or that use other radios (Wi-Fi-only cameras, wired, or cellular devices) are invisible to NearSight. NearSight is a Bluetooth explorer, not a safety or security device, bug sweeper, or hidden-camera detector. It cannot guarantee it will find every tracker, camera, or listening device near you, and not seeing something here does not mean it isn't there. If you have a real safety concern, use dedicated tools and contact local authorities. Questions, or a device you'd like us to identify? Email hello@nearsight.one.

Screenshots

Meshtastic4 screens
NearSight4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Meshtastic at 4 against NearSight's 1. 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, NearSight every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Meshtastic versus NearSight: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMeshtasticNearSight
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (803 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews44.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings803 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 11 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.517.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size76 MB27 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperMeshtastic LLCBenjamin Smith

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

NearSight

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Meshtastic

No in-app purchases

None

NearSight

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Meshtastic free?
Meshtastic is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NearSight free?
NearSight is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Meshtastic or NearSight have ads?
Neither Meshtastic nor NearSight shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Meshtastic or NearSight?
Meshtastic ships an update every 10 days, and NearSight every 11 days. Most recently, Meshtastic was updated on September 27, 2026 and NearSight on September 24, 2026.

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