electric imp vs Meshtastic
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
electric imp
Connect your devices to the internet with this cloud service and hardware solution. Remotely monitor and control device activity from anywhere. Ideal for manufacturers and makers to integrate internet connectivity into various devices.
- Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity
- Remote device monitoring and control
- BlinkUp™ technology integration
- Device prototyping and development
- Cloud service for device management
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Electric Imp is a combined cloud service and hardware solution that makes it simple to connect your devices to the Internet. With imp connectivity, you can remotely monitor and control the activity of your devices at home or out in the field. Manufacturers and makers can use imp modules to connect a variety of useful devices, ranging from weather indicators and coffee makers to garage door openers and printers, to the Internet. Commercial users of the Electric Imp Platform may also integrate our patented BlinkUp™ technology directly into their own apps. The Electric Imp app enables you to easily connect your prototype imp-enabled devices to the Internet in seconds using BlinkUp. To utilize this app, which is intended for developers, you will need any Electric Imp development device, such as the imp006 Breakout Board (available from https://store.electricimp.com), and an Electric Imp account (sign up at https://impcentral.electricimp.com). Full details on the use of this app can be found at https://developer.electricimp.com/gettingstarted. CAUTION BlinkUp uses flashing light patterns. A very small percentage of individuals may experience epileptic seizures when exposed to such light patterns or flashing lights. If you have an epileptic condition, or are otherwise susceptible to flashing or strobing lights, please consult your physician prior to using this app. NOTICE By using this app, you expressly agree to Electric Imp's Privacy Policy (https://electricimp.com/privacy-policy) and Terms of Service (https://electricimp.com/terms-of-service/).
Meshtastic
This app enables off-grid, decentralized communication via a low-power mesh network. Send text messages in areas lacking cellular or WiFi service.
- Off-grid communication
- Decentralized mesh network
- Low-power LoRa radio support
- Text messaging
- No cellular/WiFi required
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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.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Meshtastic at 4.1 against electric imp's 3.0. Meshtastic also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (824 vs 2). electric imp's advantage is review sentiment (78% vs 44%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
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 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meshtastic has 824 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 78% of electric imp's written reviews are positive against 44% of Meshtastic's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
electric imp ships an update every 2 months, Meshtastic every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | electric imp | Meshtastic |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (2 ratings) | 4.1 (824 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 77.8% of reviews — better | 44.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 824 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 17.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 30 MB | 95 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | electric imp incorporated | Meshtastic LLC |
Customer experience
electric imp
Meshtastic
Bugs and requests
electric imp
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or 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
In-app purchases
electric imp
No in-app purchases
Meshtastic
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is electric imp free?
Is Meshtastic free?
Which has better reviews, electric imp or Meshtastic?
Do electric imp or Meshtastic have ads?
Which is updated more often, electric imp or Meshtastic?
Other comparisons
