Comparison

MeshScope vs QRV

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MeshScope

Discover active Meshtastic nodes globally with this mobile mapping tool. View node locations, zoom in on nearby devices, and interact with an AI chatbot for detailed information. It connects to the global Meshtastic network via the internet.

Highlights
  • Global Meshtastic node discovery
  • Interactive world map
  • Nearby node identification
  • Detailed node information
  • AI MeshBot for node details
  • Filter nodes by time
Features
Read full description

The MeshScope application is a quick way to find active Meshtastic nodes, anywhere in the world. A mobile companion to the MeshScope web site, this makes it easy to find your position, and to zoom around and find other nodes nearby. Want to dig in to details? Chat with the AI MeshBot to find out more about nodes around you, chat in your native language, and have fun! The app relies on the Meshtastic network for finding nodes, and the nodes shown may be filtered by time to only see the most recent, or to see all nodes over the last several days. Want details? Tap a marker and view the specifics of any node on the map! Although this will show the Meshtastic network, it does not require a local mesh radio and uses an internet connection to retrieve the mesh network information. This also means that the app will not be able to show any mesh radios not reporting to the global Meshtastic MQTT network.

About

QRV

This app consolidates essential ham radio tools for efficient operation and DX success. It provides real-time band conditions, call sign lookups, DXpedition tracking, and built-in calculators. Premium features offer live spots and customized notifications.

Highlights
  • Real-time band conditions
  • Call sign lookup (QRZ/HamQTH)
  • DXpedition calendar and alerts
  • POTA spot viewing
  • Band plans
  • Built-in calculators
  • Glanceable Apple Watch data
Features
Read full description

QRV (I am ready) is your essential ham radio multitool built for DX success and maximum operating efficiency. Stop juggling apps! QRV aggregates critical tools and reliable, fast-updated data into one single, clean platform. Available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. --- QRV is designed to get you the information you need quickly, whether you are in the field or at the shack: - Real-time Band Conditions: Access live propagation data from HamQSL to find the optimal frequency. - Universal Search: Look up a callsign, jump to a DXCC entity by name or prefix, or check your band plan for a frequency — all from one place. - Cross-Device Sync: Favorites, frequency memories, settings and alerts follow you — through iCloud, or with a free sign-in wherever you use QRV. - My Frequencies: Save important frequencies (weekly nets, calling channels, and more) with name, mode, and notes. - Comprehensive Call Sign Lookup: Search easily via QRZ and/or HamQTH. - QRZ QSO Confirmation: See at a glance which bands you've worked a station on, across every QRZ logbook you own. - DXpedition Calendar: Track active and upcoming DXpeditions worldwide — see local spots and worldwide on-air activity side by side. - POTA Spots: Browse live Parks on the Air activations with band, mode, and search filters. - Band Plans: Detailed frequency allocations for 22 countries across North America, Europe, Africa, and Oceania — available in English and a native language - Glanceable data on the Apple Watch. See spots, the top bands, POTA stats, and solar conditions on your wrist. - Built-in Calculators: Antenna lengths (dipole, Slim Jim, J-Pole), coax & feedline loss, battery runtime, and power calculations. - Beginner-Friendly Reference: Q-codes, CW (Morse code) with audio, Prosigns, RST, APRS commands, Maidenhead grids, and more. - Full VoiceOver support and colorblind-friendly design. Note: Full QRZ data requires an XML and/or API subscription. Note: The Apple Watch app requires watchOS 11 (Apple Watch Series 6 or later, SE 2nd generation, or Ultra). Earlier watches aren't supported. --- PREMIUM FEATURES - Live Spots: Get reliable, high-speed spot delivery from PSK Reporter. - Rover Mode: Temporarily view live spots and band activity for any grid square without moving — widgets, Apple Watch, and alerts all follow the grid you choose, then revert automatically. - Lightning Proximity Alerts: Get warned when lightning is detected near your station so you can disconnect in time — fixed location or GPS-following, with an adjustable radius. - Customized Notifications: Set alerts for bands, DXCCs, DXpeditions, and individual callsigns with configurable thresholds. - Home Screen Widgets: Check band conditions at a glance without opening the app. - DXpedition Alerts: Get notified when your tracked DXpeditions are spotted. - Callsign Alerts: Get notified when a specific callsign is spotted from your location. - Logbook-Aware Alerts: DXCC and Callsign alerts auto-manage based on your QSO/QSL history from Wavelog or QRZ Logbook. Why Premium? These features require robust infrastructure: - I run dedicated servers to aggregate PSK Reporter data, process notifications, serve band conditions, and provide DXpedition info. - This delivers faster, more reliable data than direct API polling while being a good steward to upstream services like N1DQ's PSK Reporter. - Premium subscriptions help cover ongoing server and infrastructure costs. Your subscription is shared between all versions of the app. --- Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

MeshScope4 screens
QRV4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MeshScope at none against QRV's 3. MeshScope also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 82%) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.6). QRV's advantage is ratings volume (80 vs 2) and update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly). On price, rating and ads 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. QRV sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. MeshScope asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for MeshScope against 4.9 for QRV. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: QRV has 80 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of MeshScope's written reviews are positive against 82% of QRV's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MeshScope ships an update fortnightly, QRV every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
MeshScope versus QRV: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMeshScopeQRV
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.9 (80 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better81.8% of reviews
Number of ratings280 — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.6 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB43 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLemuridae Labs LLCJoseph Iannazzone

Customer experience

MeshScope

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

QRV

All ratings80 ratings
Positive97.5%
Neutral1.3%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive81.8%
Neutral9.1%
Negative9.1%

In-app purchases

None

MeshScope

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

QRV

Subscriptions2
  • QRV Premium - Monthly$2.991 Month
  • QRV Premium - Annual$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • QRV Premium - Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is MeshScope free?
MeshScope is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is QRV free?
QRV is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, MeshScope or QRV?
MeshScope is rated higher. MeshScope averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while QRV averages 4.9 from 80 ratings.
Do MeshScope or QRV have ads?
Neither MeshScope nor QRV shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MeshScope or QRV?
MeshScope ships an update fortnightly, and QRV every 6 days. Most recently, MeshScope was updated on October 18, 2026 and QRV on October 20, 2026.

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