Flaresat vs Retichat
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Flaresat
This app provides a shared live map for groups to coordinate activities. It allows real-time location tracking, map-based chat, and the ability to drop pins and trace routes, with both online and off-grid functionality.
- Shared live map
- Real-time location tracking
- Map-based chat
- Smart pins with notes
- Draw on map
- Breadcrumb recording
- Off-grid communication (with hardware)
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Coordinate the Chaos. Flaresat is the shared live map for your group, online over cellular/WiFi, or completely off-grid with a Meshtastic or MeshCore LoRa radio. Drop pins, trace routes, track locations, and chat in real-time, with or without a signal. It works everywhere: Online: Cloud-synced instantly over 4G/5G/WiFi. Off-Grid: Pair with a Meshtastic or MeshCore radio to chat and track users over LoRa mesh without cell service or internet. STOP ASKING "WHERE ARE YOU?" Live Presence: See everyone's location moving in real-time. Map-Based Chat: Talk while you navigate. Your messages overlay the map so you never lose context. Smart Pins: Mark the meetup spot, the tent, or the hidden trail. Every pin includes notes and navigation. POWERFUL PLANNING TOOLS Draw on the Map: Circle danger zones or draw the path for the group to follow. Breadcrumbs: Record your path so others can retrace your steps. Quick Navigation: One tap on any friend or pin to get walking directions. BUILT FOR REAL LIFE Festivals: Find your friends in the crowd. Off-Roading & Hiking: Stay connected in the backcountry (requires Meshtastic or MeshCore hardware). Family Trips: Keep the convoy together on the highway. Search & Rescue: Coordinate grids and track team coverage. Trusted by hikers, hunters, search and rescue teams, and festival crews who need a shared map that works anywhere, signal or no signal. PRIVACY FIRST Your location is only shared with the groups you create. You are in control. Download Flaresat and start mapping together.
Retichat
This app provides end-to-end encrypted communication over decentralized networks. It supports store-and-forward propagation and federated nodes for lightweight push notifications. Future updates will include LoRa, group, and channel support.
- End-to-end forward encryption
- Decentralized and organization-less
- LXMF Store-and-Forward support
- RFed federated propagation
- Lightweight push notifications
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Reticulum LXMF chat client for iPhone Offers end-to-end forward encrypted communication over Reticulum networks Completely decentralized and organization-less Support for LXMF Store-and-Forward propagation Additional functionality using RFed federated propagation nodes Features lightweight push notification through a notify-only (no message data) relay RFed capability Soon to come: LoRa support Group support Channel support
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Flaresat at 100% against Retichat's 33%. Flaresat also leads on rating (3.5 vs 2.9) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Flaresat holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 2.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Flaresat's written reviews are positive against 33% of Retichat's.
Flaresat ships an update every 6 days, Retichat every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Flaresat | Retichat |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (4 ratings) — better | 2.9 (8 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 33.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 89 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Fares Saleh | New Endian LLC |
Customer experience
Flaresat
Retichat
In-app purchases
Flaresat
No in-app purchases
Retichat
No in-app purchases









