Comparison

Waves vs PrivaMesh

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

Head to head
About

Waves

Communicate directly with nearby devices using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct, creating a private mesh network without internet or servers. Ideal for events or areas with no service, offering end-to-end encrypted chats and file sharing.

Highlights
  • Offline mesh networking
  • End-to-end encryption
  • No accounts or servers
  • Private 1-on-1 chats
  • Broadcast chat
  • Photo and voice message sharing
  • AR Radar for nearby users
Features
Read full description

Waves is a peer-to-peer mesh messenger that works without internet, servers, or accounts. Just Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct. Your phone connects directly to nearby phones, forming a mesh network. Messages hop from device to device, extending range across crowds, campuses, and festivals — all without cell towers. PRIVACY BY DESIGN • End-to-end encryption on all private messages (Curve25519 + ChaChaPoly) • No accounts, no phone number, no email — ever • No servers store your messages — they exist only on your device • Messages auto-delete after the time you choose (15 min to 2 hours) • No analytics, no tracking, no ads • Only location group pins are stored in the cloud — nothing else FEATURES • General broadcast chat — talk to everyone nearby • Private 1-on-1 encrypted chats • Voice messages — push to talk • Photo sharing through mesh • Contacts — add friends when nearby • Location & portable groups with optional password • AR Radar — see direction and distance to people (UWB, iPhone 11+) • SOS emergency broadcast • Shake to wave hello • Emoji reactions • Disappearing messages with visible countdown PERFECT FOR • Festivals & concerts where cell service is dead • Camping, hiking, off-grid adventures • Classrooms & campus without Wi-Fi • Anywhere you want to communicate privately NO INTERNET. NO SERVERS. NO RULES. Just people and their phones.

About

PrivaMesh

Read full description

Private messaging without a phone number, email, or company-run account server. PrivaMesh is an end-to-end encrypted messenger for iPhone, built for conversations that should never become someone else’s data. Your identity, contacts, encryption keys, and chat history stay on your device. NO PHONE NUMBER OR EMAIL Create a private identity without linking a SIM, email address, or contact list. Friends find you by nickname, and your address book is never uploaded. NO COMPANY-RUN MESSAGE SERVER PrivaMesh does not operate an account server or message database. Encrypted messages travel through a public, decentralized transport and can be read only on the intended recipient’s device. END-TO-END ENCRYPTION Every message is encrypted before it leaves your iPhone. X3DH establishes secure sessions, the Double Ratchet generates a fresh key for every message, and AES-256-GCM protects content against reading or tampering. Forward secrecy helps protect earlier messages even if a key is compromised later. METADATA PROTECTION One-time delivery addresses, cover traffic, and fixed-size padding are designed to reduce exposure of who you contact, when you message, and how much you send. There are no ads, trackers, or in-app analytics. YOUR DEVICE, YOUR KEYS Encryption keys are stored in the iOS Keychain and protected with Face ID or Touch ID. Your recovery phrase can restore your identity on another device. Chat history intentionally stays local and is not restored. PRIVATE MESSAGING THAT FEELS FAMILIAR • Private one-to-one conversations • Nickname discovery without phone numbers • Disappearing messages • Search, message details, block, and report controls • A private visual view of your contacts • No contact-list upload OPEN SOURCE BY DESIGN PrivaMesh’s source code and protocol are public for inspection. Privacy should be verifiable in the architecture, not dependent on a company promise. Install PrivaMesh and keep your conversations private by design. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Waves4 screens
PrivaMesh4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Waves at none against PrivaMesh's 5. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. PrivaMesh sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Waves asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Waves versus PrivaMesh: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWavesPrivaMesh
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequency—Every 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.018.0
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB8 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperAndrey KiselevRoni Blinder

In-app purchases

None

Waves

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

PrivaMesh

Subscriptions2
  • PrivaMesh+ Plus$5.991 Month
  • PrivaMesh Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
One-time3
  • 100 Messages$0.99
  • 500 Messages Pack$3.99
  • 1500 Messages Pack$9.99

Questions

Is Waves free?
Waves is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PrivaMesh free?
PrivaMesh is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Waves or PrivaMesh have ads?
Neither Waves nor PrivaMesh shows ads.

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