MeshCore vs Meshtastic: Which Protocol?
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Meshtastic | MeshCore |
|---|---|---|
| Routing | Flooding (simple, reliable) | Distance-vector (efficient) |
| Max nodes | ~80 practical | ~200+ designed |
| Phone app | Android + iOS | Web UI only |
| Encryption | AES-256 PSK | AES-256 PSK |
| GPS | Native support | Plugin-based |
| Flash size | ~2 MB | ~800 KB |
| Best for | Casual/community meshes | Dense urban/sensor networks |
When to Use Meshtastic
- Easiest setup (web flasher, phone app)
- Community/hobby mesh with friends
- GPS tracking / location sharing matters
- Largest community and hardware support
When to Use MeshCore
- Higher node density (>80 nodes)
- Sensor data forwarding (temp, air quality)
- Comfortable with command-line config
Recommendation
Start with Meshtastic — more mature, better documented. If you hit scaling limits, MeshCore is the upgrade path.