TAK Tracker vs MeshWave
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TAK Tracker
This navigation app allows users to integrate with existing Team Awareness Kit (TAK) servers for training and operations. It supports data packages, certificate enrollment, and broadcasts location information over UDP. The app is designed for low power consumption and continuous background operation.
- TAK server integration
- Data Packages and Certificate Enrollment
- Location/CoT broadcast over UDP
- Emergency Beacon support
- Standard, Hybrid, and 3D Maps
- Adjustable measurement types (MGRS)
- Continuous background operation
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The Team Awareness Kit (TAK) Tracker (also known as the Tactical Assault Kit in the Department of Defense) is a lightweight, send-only application designed to enable easy integrations into existing training and operational workflows. The application is designed from the ground-up in iOS and connects to your favorite TAK servers with either Data Packages or Certificate Enrollment. In addition, TAK Tracker can broadcast its information to the local network like you would expect from any TAK application. TAK Tracker contains with the following features: - Full support for Data Packages QR code, and Certificate Enrollment - Location / CoT broadcast over UDP - Emergency Beacon support - Support for Standard, Hybrid and 3D Maps - Ability to change all measurement types, including MGRS - Full support for continuously running in the background with low power draw System Requirements: - Supports iOS 15.4 and later versions
MeshWave
This app transforms your iPhone into an advanced off-grid communicator. It enables voice calls, photo sharing, AR navigation, and weather forecasting without needing cell service or internet. Connect a LoRa radio to create a private mesh network for reliable communication in remote areas.
- Off-grid voice calls
- Photo sharing over mesh
- Augmented reality navigation
- Weather forecasting
- Geofencing alerts
- Tactical rangefinder
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MeshWave turns your iPhone into the most advanced off-grid communicator ever built. Connect a $30 Meshtastic LoRa radio and get voice calls, photo sharing, augmented reality navigation, weather forecasting, tactical rangefinding, and geofencing — all without cell towers, WiFi, or monthly fees. HOW IT WORKS Pair any Meshtastic-compatible LoRa radio via Bluetooth. Your mesh network forms automatically — no configuration, no infrastructure, no internet required. Range: 3-10+ miles depending on terrain. MESHSIGHT™ — AR GEOGRAPHIC IDENTIFICATION Point your camera at any landscape. 1.9 million verified features — peaks, towers, lakes, ridges, cities — labeled in real-time AR with name, distance, elevation, and bearing. Works in every country. Long-press any label to navigate. MESHVOICE™ — PUSH-TO-TALK VOICE Crystal-clear voice over LoRa mesh. Press, talk, release. No cell towers, no repeaters, no subscription. MESHSNAP™ — PHOTO SHARING OVER MESH Send photos over mesh radio. Trail conditions, wildlife, damage reports — 99.5% delivery reliability on lossy mesh links. MESHRANGE™ — TACTICAL DIGITAL RANGEFINDER GPS-calculated distance to any map point, mesh node, or verified landmark. Mil-dot reticle, military HUD, night vision mode. MESHWEATHER™ — OFF-GRID WEATHER FORECASTING Phone barometer + Zambretti algorithm = weather predictions without internet. 30 forecast outcomes, 3-hour pressure analysis. MESHFENCE™ — GEOFENCING WITH MESH ALERTS Draw boundaries. When anyone crosses them, alerts broadcast to your team over mesh. Enter/exit alerts, drift detection, return-to-trail confirmation. Share zones for distributed monitoring. MESHMAP™ — INTELLIGENT OFFLINE MAPS Download maps before you go. Lose connectivity? MeshMap activates automatically with distance rings and 1.9M features. Never see a blank screen off-grid. MORE FEATURES - Encrypted group channels (Spaces) with QR invites - Emergency Quick Messages with GPS coordinates - Route History with visual trails and time filtering - Bearing navigation compass to any node or landmark - Offline map downloads (terrain, standard, trails) - 14-day free trial — full Pro access, no credit card WHO IT'S FOR Hikers, hunters, campers, overlanders, search & rescue teams, scouts, ranchers, preppers, sailors, backcountry skiers, and anyone who goes where cell towers don't. WHAT YOU NEED - iPhone running iOS 15+ - Any Meshtastic-compatible LoRa radio ($25-65 on Amazon) - No subscriptions. No infrastructure. No internet. PRICING Free tier includes AR identification, offline maps, and messaging. Pro unlocks voice, photos, geofencing, rangefinder, and all premium features for a one-time $9.99. BUILT FOR MESHTASTIC MeshWave is a third-party companion app — not a fork or replacement. It connects to standard Meshtastic radios running stock firmware via Bluetooth. Nothing is modified on your radio. We're proud to build on the Meshtastic project's incredible open-source foundation. Meshtastic® is a registered trademark of Meshtastic LLC. MeshWave is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meshtastic LLC. 24+ world-first features. Zero infrastructure. The most capable off-grid communication app ever made.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: TAK Tracker at 5.0 against MeshWave's 3.8. TAK Tracker also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 30%) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). MeshWave's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support 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. MeshWave sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. TAK Tracker asks for nothing beyond the download.
TAK Tracker holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of TAK Tracker's written reviews are positive against 30% of MeshWave's.
TAK Tracker ships an update every 3 months, MeshWave every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TAK Tracker | MeshWave |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better | 3.8 (8 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better | 30.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 121 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Flight Tactics | Richard Ramos |
Customer experience
TAK Tracker
MeshWave
In-app purchases
TAK Tracker
No in-app purchases
MeshWave
- MeshWave Pro$9.99









