Comparison

Peer Chat vs Meshtastic

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

Head to head
About

Peer Chat

Connect with friends nearby using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi for group chats without a data plan. All messages are encrypted and no user data is logged, ensuring private and secure communication.

Highlights
  • Bluetooth/Wi-Fi connectivity
  • Group messaging up to 8 friends
  • No data plan required
  • Encrypted data transmission
  • No data logging
Features
Read full description

A group messaging app that uses bluetooth or wifi connections to allow you to chat with up to 8 of your friends nearby without needing a data plan. All data transmission is encrypted and no data is logged.

About

Meshtastic

This app enables off-grid, decentralized text messaging using low-power LoRa radios. It creates a mesh network for communication in areas lacking cellular or WiFi service. The open-source platform is designed for reliable, decentralized connectivity.

Highlights
  • Off-grid communication
  • Decentralized mesh network
  • LoRa radio integration
  • Text messaging
  • Open source platform
  • Low-power operation
Features
Read full description

Meshtastic® is an open source, off-grid, decentralized, mesh network built to run on low-power Lora radios letting you send text messages in areas without reliable cellular or WiFi service.

Screenshots

Peer Chat1 screens
Meshtastic4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Meshtastic at 4.1 against Peer Chat's 3.8. Meshtastic also leads on ratings volume (846 vs 9) and device support (5 vs 3). Peer Chat's advantage is review sentiment (63% vs 44%) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 17.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Meshtastic holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meshtastic has 846 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of Peer Chat's written reviews are positive against 44% of Meshtastic's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Peer Chat versus Meshtastic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPeer ChatMeshtastic
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (9 ratings)4.1 (846 ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.5% of reviews — better44.0% of reviews
Number of ratings9846 — better
Update frequency—Weekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS7.0 — better17.5
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB147 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperZachary GemmellMeshtastic LLC

Customer experience

Peer Chat

All ratings9 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative37.5%

Meshtastic

All ratings843 ratings
Positive76.0%
Neutral6.5%
Negative17.4%
Written reviews418 reviews
Positive44.0%
Neutral15.1%
Negative40.9%

Bugs and requests

Peer Chat

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Meshtastic

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Canned messages configuration issues
  • Location sharing and traceroute functions not working
  • Settings screen bugs and crashes
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Offline maps support
  • Ability to customize notifications
  • More sorting and filtering options for nodes
  • Apple Watch and Shortcuts integration
  • Improved documentation and user guidance

In-app purchases

None

Peer Chat

No in-app purchases

None

Meshtastic

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Peer Chat free?
Peer Chat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Meshtastic free?
Meshtastic is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Peer Chat or Meshtastic?
Meshtastic is rated higher. Peer Chat averages 3.8 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Meshtastic averages 4.1 from 846 ratings.
Do Peer Chat or Meshtastic have ads?
Neither Peer Chat nor Meshtastic shows ads.

Other comparisons