LoRa Messengers Compared (2026)
OSHI is a free, open-source, end-to-end encrypted messenger for iOS and Android that uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi mesh networking to send messages without Internet or cellular service. This page puts the off-grid messengers that use LoRa radio side by side: Meshtastic, MeshCore, Reticulum with Sideband, OSHI with its optional LoRa node, and the commercial Beartooth and goTenna devices. Every figure is taken from the project's own site and marked "not verified" when we could not confirm it there.
The comparison table
| Criterion | Meshtastic | MeshCore | Reticulum + Sideband | OSHI + LoRa node | Beartooth MK II Plus | goTenna |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware required | LoRa board per person (Heltec, LilyGO, RAK and others) | LoRa board per person; optional repeaters and room servers | RNode transceiver for radio links; none over IP | None for the phone mesh; optional node (Heltec V3 verified) | Beartooth radio per person | goTenna device per person |
| Phone app | Android app, Apple app, web client, Python CLI | MeshCore app (iOS, Android), web app, MeshOS desktop | Sideband: Android, Linux, macOS, Windows | OSHI: iOS 17.5+, macOS, Android APK | Beartooth app, iOS 16+ and Android 11+ | goTenna Pro app; consumer Mesh app status not verified |
| iOS / Android | Both | Both (native apps not open source) | Android only among phones; no official iOS client listed | Both (Android sideloaded) | Both | Not verified for current products |
| Encryption model | AES-256-CTR per channel with a shared key; default key "AQ==" is public; direct messages public-key encrypted since 2.5.0; no forward secrecy (docs cite harvest-now-decrypt-later) | "AES-128 encryption", relays cannot read content (meshcore.co.uk); key agreement not verified | X25519 + Ed25519, AES-256-CBC, HMAC-SHA256, ephemeral keys, forward secrecy by default on every link | X3DH + AES-256-GCM between OSHI phones; Double Ratchet and forward secrecy in the v3 session format only, and most of the installed base is still on v2 (status); X-Wing (ML-KEM-768 + X25519) hybrid post-quantum key agreement where both ends support it; LoRa air link not encrypted by OSHI (App Store listing) | "AES-256 end-to-end encryption" (beartooth.com); details not verified | Not verified |
| Group / channel model | Up to 8 channels per node, each with its own key; a primary channel by default | Direct messages routed on a learned path; group channels flood; room servers as shared boards | LXMF peer-to-peer with propagation nodes; group semantics not verified | Groups by invite link; names and membership visible to OSHI's server on the Internet path | Not verified | Not verified |
| Range claims (as stated by each project) | "331km record" on meshtastic.org; typical per-hop figures not stated there | "10km+ line-of-sight" (meshcore.co.uk) | None published; depends on terrain and antenna — measure | 2–5 km dense city, 5–15 km suburban, 15–50+ km open terrain (field figures on oshi-messenger.com/lora/) | "Up to 30 miles Line of Sight per hop" (beartooth.com) | Not verified |
| Hops | Default 3, maximum 7 | Internal limit 64 | Routed by the stack; no fixed limit stated | Up to 5 phones; LoRa hops depend on node firmware | "each additional device extends the range" | Not verified |
| Hardware price | Board at vendor price; not verified per model | Board at vendor price; not verified per model | DIY board or handheld RNode from unsigned.io; price not verified | Free app; optional board at vendor price | $2,498 per pair; listed as sold out (beartooth.com, 2026-09-07) | Consumer goTenna Mesh no longer listed on gotenna.com; site now sells Pro X2 to public-safety and defence buyers. Discontinuation not verified |
| Open source | Firmware GPL-3.0; apps open source | Firmware MIT; T-Deck firmware and native mobile apps closed | Protocol public domain; implementation under the Reticulum License; Sideband CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 | Crypto core, mesh layer and bot SDK MIT; app shell not published | Proprietary (no source published; not verified) | Proprietary; SDK once offered |
| Works without LoRa hardware | No | No | Over IP/Wi-Fi yes; off-grid radio no | Yes — Bluetooth/Wi-Fi phone mesh, Internet, Tor | No | No |
Sources, all read 2026-09-07: meshtastic.org (introduction, encryption, LoRa configuration, software), github.com/meshtastic/firmware; meshcore.co.uk, github.com/meshcore-dev/MeshCore (README, docs/faq.md); reticulum.network, github.com/markqvist/Reticulum, github.com/markqvist/Sideband, unsigned.io/rnode; beartooth.com; gotenna.com; oshi-messenger.com/lora/ and the OSHI App Store listing v1.0.39.
How to read the table
Four of the six are radio-first: nothing works until every participant owns a device. Meshtastic and MeshCore are open firmware for the same cheap ESP32/nRF52 LoRa boards; Reticulum is a full network stack for which LoRa (via RNode) is one interface among many; Beartooth and goTenna are sealed commercial units with their own apps. Only OSHI is phone-first: the app meshes phones over Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi Direct with no hardware, uses the Internet or Tor when they exist, and treats a LoRa node as an optional range extender. That single difference explains most of the rows.
Encryption, honestly
Three encryption stories are worth separating. Reticulum is the strictest: it cannot send plaintext on any link and uses ephemeral keys with forward secrecy everywhere. Meshtastic encrypts channels with a shared AES-256 key that everyone in the channel knows (the default channel's key is public), added public-key direct messages in 2.5.0, and its documentation states there is no forward secrecy. OSHI uses Signal-style cryptography between phones — X3DH and AES-256-GCM, with a Double Ratchet, forward secrecy and post-compromise security in its v3 session format only; its older v2 format does not ratchet and most of its installed base is still on v2, so forward secrecy is not yet universal (status). The App Store listing also states that messages bridged to LoRa radios are not encrypted by that link. MeshCore states AES-128 and that relays cannot read content; Beartooth states AES-256 end to end; we could not verify either beyond the marketing statement.
Range, honestly
Range claims are the least comparable row because each project measures differently. Meshtastic's 331 km is a record between elevated points, not a planning figure. MeshCore's "10 km+" and Beartooth's "30 miles" are line-of-sight statements. OSHI publishes bands by environment (city, suburban, open terrain) and labels them field figures. Reticulum publishes nothing, which is arguably the most honest position: the same SX1262 radio, spreading factor and antenna behave the same under any firmware, so range depends on terrain and antenna; measure your own links.
Which to pick
- Everyone will carry a radio and you want the largest community: Meshtastic.
- Everyone will carry a radio and you want efficient routing across many repeaters: MeshCore.
- You want encryption on the radio link itself and full control of the network, on Android or desktop: Reticulum with Sideband.
- Most people will only install an app, you have iPhones in the group, and you want the same conversation online and offline: OSHI, with a LoRa node for the one or two links that need distance.
- You want a sealed, supported commercial device and can pay for it: Beartooth, if stock returns; goTenna now sells to professional and public-safety buyers.
Detailed pairings: OSHI vs Meshtastic, OSHI vs MeshCore, OSHI vs Reticulum. If you already run Meshtastic nodes, read OSHI for Meshtastic users.
Related pages
LoRa messenger app explainedOSHI vs MeshtasticOSHI vs MeshCoreOSHI vs ReticulumOSHI for Meshtastic usersBest offline messenger appsOSHI LoRa nodesFrequently asked questions
Which LoRa messenger works on iPhone?
Meshtastic (Apple app), MeshCore (iOS app by Liam Cottle), OSHI (iOS 17.5+) and Beartooth (iOS 16+) all have iPhone apps. Reticulum's Sideband lists Android, Linux, macOS and Windows but no iOS client.
Which LoRa messenger needs no hardware?
Only OSHI works with no radio at all: phones mesh over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and the LoRa node is optional. Meshtastic, MeshCore, Beartooth and goTenna require a device per person; Reticulum needs an RNode for radio links.
Which LoRa messenger has the strongest encryption?
On the radio link, Reticulum: every packet is encrypted with ephemeral keys and forward secrecy. Between phones, OSHI uses a Double Ratchet with forward secrecy in its v3 session format — not in its older v2 format, which most OSHI users are still running — and its LoRa link is not encrypted by OSHI. Meshtastic uses shared channel keys and its docs state it lacks forward secrecy.
Is goTenna Mesh discontinued?
gotenna.com no longer lists the consumer goTenna Mesh; the site now sells Pro X2 and related products to public-safety and defence customers. We found no official discontinuation notice, so the status is not verified.
How far do LoRa messengers reach?
Each project states it differently: Meshtastic cites a 331 km record, MeshCore says 10 km+ line of sight, Beartooth says up to 30 miles line of sight per hop, OSHI publishes 2–5 km in cities to 15–50+ km in open terrain. Real range depends on terrain and antenna; measure.
Try OSHI free
Encrypted messaging with no phone number, offline Bluetooth and Wi-Fi mesh, an optional LoRa node, offline maps and on-device AI.