# Farcaster vs bitchat mesh

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: bitchat mesh at none against Farcaster's 16. bitchat mesh also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 51%). Farcaster's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Farcaster sells 16 one-off in-app purchases. bitchat mesh asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Farcaster against 4.7 for bitchat mesh. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 510 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 51% of Farcaster's written reviews are positive against 80% of bitchat mesh's.

Farcaster ships an update every 5 days, bitchat mesh every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Farcaster | bitchat mesh |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/farcaster/id1600555445/reviews) | **[4.7 (510 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitchat-mesh/id6748219622/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 510 |
| Positive reviews | 50.6% of reviews | **79.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 92 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Merkle Manufactory](https://appshunter.io/developer/1600555567) | [permissionless tech, llc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1824145893) |

## What reviewers say

### Farcaster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/farcaster/id1600555445)

A decentralized social network where users control their identity and data. Connect with a global community by creating a profile, posting public messages, and engaging in private conversations. Experience a new way to socialize online.

**Highlights:** Decentralized social network, User-controlled identity, Create public profile, Post public messages, Send private messages, Discover users and profiles

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Warpcast Gas Fee | $1.00 | one-time |
| Warpcast Gas Fee | $2.00 | one-time |
| Warpcast Gas Fee | $3.00 | one-time |
| Onchain Gas Fee | $5.00 | one-time |
| Onchain Gas Fee | $9.00 | one-time |
| Warpcast Gas Fee | $12.00 | one-time |
| Onchain Gas Fee | $18.00 | one-time |
| Warpcast Gas Fee | $24.00 | one-time |
| Onchain Gas Fee | $27.00 | one-time |
| Warpcast Gas Fee | $36.00 | one-time |
| Onchain Gas Fee | $45.00 | one-time |
| Warpcast Gas Fee | $48.00 | one-time |
| Onchain Gas Fee | $54.00 | one-time |
| Warpcast Gas Fee | $60.00 | one-time |
| Warpcast Gas Fee | $72.00 | one-time |
| Warpcast Gas Fee | $80.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth experience
- 🌟 Great community
- 💡 Innovative features
- 🌐 Decentralized social network
- 👍 User-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 💰 Paid subscription required
- 🤖 Issues with bots/spam
- 🌐 Onboarding challenges
- 🤔 Confusing payment process

**Reported bugs**

- Registration issues
- Inability to upload photos
- Crashes and app instability
- Problems with in-app purchases
- Sync issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Multi-language support
- Improved notifications
- Expanded content sharing options
- Better integration with web3 tools
- Enhanced analytics and metrics


### bitchat mesh

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitchat-mesh/id6748219622)

Connect with people nearby without needing personal contact information. This app facilitates private, encrypted group chats using Bluetooth mesh technology, making it ideal for local communication without internet access.

**Highlights:** Local Bluetooth mesh chat, No internet required, Encrypted private messages, Relays messages for range, Sidegroupchat functionality

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Modern, efficient offline communication
- 🔒 Secure and private messaging
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 👍 Useful for areas with poor internet connectivity
- 👍 Innovative use of Bluetooth for decentralized network

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable message delivery and sync issues
- 🐛 Compatibility problems on certain devices
- 🔒 Concerns about long-term privacy and security

**Reported bugs**

- Typing input field issues on Mac
- Notifications not working consistently on iOS

**Requested features**

- Drawing/sketching feature like Pictochat
- Customizable themes and UI options
- Ability to filter messages by favorites or verified users
- Support for file sharing and image transfer
- Integration with cryptocurrency/Bitcoin payments


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Farcaster free?

Farcaster is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is bitchat mesh free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Farcaster or bitchat mesh?

bitchat mesh is rated higher. Farcaster averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while bitchat mesh averages 4.7 from 510 ratings.

### Do Farcaster or bitchat mesh have ads?

Neither Farcaster nor bitchat mesh shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Farcaster or bitchat mesh?

Farcaster ships an update every 5 days, and bitchat mesh every 4 days. Most recently, Farcaster was updated on October 16, 2026 and bitchat mesh on October 16, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*