# real vs EL Mesh

The clearest difference is update cadence: EL Mesh at weekly against real's monthly. real's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for real against 5.0 for EL Mesh. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively.

real ships an update monthly, EL Mesh weekly. Both last shipped on November 4, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | real | EL Mesh |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-social-network/id6478087737/reviews) | [5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/el-mesh/id6742596171/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **4** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 69 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Sandalwood Research LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1731735039) | [Atlas Labs LLC (MI)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1780662700) |

## What reviewers say

### real

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-social-network/id6478087737)

This social network encourages real-life interactions by connecting you with nearby friends for spontaneous or planned activities. It prioritizes genuine human connections over algorithmic feeds, keeping your location private.

**Highlights:** Connect with available friends nearby, Schedule activities with friends, Announce community events, Discover nearby old friends, Privacy-focused location sharing

**In-app purchases:** none


### EL Mesh

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/el-mesh/id6742596171)

Discover and connect with people in your immediate vicinity. Share your social media profiles effortlessly to foster new friendships and conversations in real-world settings like gyms, coffee shops, or while traveling.

**Highlights:** Discover people nearby in real-time, Send waves and start conversations, Share social media links, Flexible privacy modes (Ghost, Chill, On the Go), Make new friends anywhere

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is real free?

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

### Is EL Mesh free?

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

### Which has better reviews, real or EL Mesh?

real and EL Mesh are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 4 ratings respectively.

### Do real or EL Mesh have ads?

Neither real nor EL Mesh shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, real or EL Mesh?

real ships an update monthly, and EL Mesh weekly. Most recently, real was updated on November 4, 2026 and EL Mesh on November 4, 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.*