# aprs.fi vs MeshWave

The clearest difference is price: MeshWave at Free against aprs.fi's $6.99. MeshWave also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). aprs.fi's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 3.8) and review sentiment (70% vs 30%). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

MeshWave is free to download; aprs.fi costs $6.99 up front. aprs.fi sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and MeshWave sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

aprs.fi holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: aprs.fi has 1.1K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of aprs.fi's written reviews are positive against 30% of MeshWave's.

aprs.fi ships an update fortnightly, MeshWave every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | aprs.fi | MeshWave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $6.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aprsfi/id922155038/reviews)** | [3.8 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshwave/id6760241031/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **70.4% of reviews** | 30.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#10** | — |
| Size | 28 MB | 121 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [GainIO](https://appshunter.io/developer/922155037) | [Richard Ramos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883413473) |

## What reviewers say

### aprs.fi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aprsfi/id922155038)

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Paid · Navigation, #162 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

Access real-time APRS position data, weather reports, and telemetry graphs globally. Offers route guidance, station tracking, and map filtering. Some advanced features require an in-app subscription.

**Highlights:** Real-time APRS position data, Route guidance and driving directions, Search callsigns and addresses, Track multiple stations, Filter map information, View weather and telemetry graphs, Beacon your position

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extra features, monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Extra features, yearly | $6.49 | per year |
| Extra features, fair trade | $13.49 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Solid product
- 👍 Works great with external hardware
- 💡 Useful for public service events
- 🚀 Reliable way to participate in APRS network
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Beaconing issues (inconsistent timing, lack of smart beaconing)
- 🔒 Messaging requires subscription
- 💰 Expensive for limited functionality
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔒 Subscription required for full features

**Reported bugs**

- Beacon not clickable
- Freezing on settings screen
- Incompatible with older iOS versions
- Inconsistent behavior with VOX on radios

**Requested features**

- Offline maps support
- Ability to change nickname without creating new account
- Smart beaconing mode
- Bulk message deletion
- CarPlay support


### MeshWave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshwave/id6760241031)

This app transforms your iPhone into an advanced off-grid communicator. It enables voice calls, photo sharing, AR navigation, and weather forecasting without needing cell service or internet. Connect a LoRa radio to create a private mesh network for reliable communication in remote areas.

**Highlights:** Off-grid voice calls, Photo sharing over mesh, Augmented reality navigation, Weather forecasting, Geofencing alerts, Tactical rangefinder

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MeshWave Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is aprs.fi free?

aprs.fi costs $6.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is MeshWave free?

MeshWave is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, aprs.fi or MeshWave?

aprs.fi is rated higher. aprs.fi averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while MeshWave averages 3.8 from 8 ratings.

### Do aprs.fi or MeshWave have ads?

Neither aprs.fi nor MeshWave shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, aprs.fi or MeshWave?

aprs.fi ships an update fortnightly, and MeshWave every 6 days. Most recently, aprs.fi was updated on September 25, 2026 and MeshWave on September 13, 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.*