MeshCore vs Reticulum

MeshCore is a role-based LoRa chat mesh built around repeaters; Reticulum is a transport-agnostic encrypted network stack. Compared.

At a glance

	MeshCore	Reticulum
Design	"Lightweight C++ library enabling multi-hop packet routing for embedded projects using LoRa and packet radios"	Transport-agnostic cryptographic network stack
Routing	Flood for channels and the first direct message; learned repeater path afterwards; repeaters only	Announce-based; transport nodes know only the next hop toward a destination; 128 hops by default
Hop or path limit	64 / 32 / 21 hops for 1 / 2 / 3-byte path hashes	128 hops default for announces
Node roles	Companion (does not repeat), Repeater, Room Server	Any node can be a transport node; configured in software
Encryption (documented)	AES-128 in ECB mode with a 2-byte truncated HMAC-SHA256 tag (from the source code); static keys, no forward secrecy	Ed25519, X25519, AES-256-CBC, HKDF; forward secrecy on links
Anonymity	Not documented in sources we read	No source addresses on any packet; initiator anonymity
Transports	LoRa and packet radios; companion links over BLE, USB or Wi-Fi	LoRa (RNode), TCP, UDP, I2P, Wi-Fi, serial, KISS/AX.25
Apps	Android and iOS (freemium per the FAQ), web app, Windows and Mac versions	Sideband, NomadNet, MeshChat and others
Payload	184 bytes maximum	LXMF overhead of 111 bytes; attachments over faster links
Licence	MIT	Reticulum License; protocol dedicated to public domain
Community scale	See find a local mesh (map data, with caveats)	No census: no central registry

Key differences

Fixed system versus general stack

MeshCore ships three firmware roles and one way of working: companions connect to your phone, repeaters carry traffic, room servers hold a bulletin-board style history. Reticulum could in principle carry its own messaging over any link, including LoRa through an RNode. If you want a chat mesh with no networking decisions to make, MeshCore is closer to that. If you want to choose and combine media, Reticulum is.

Routing

MeshCore floods group channels and the first direct message, then uses a path learned from the reply. Reticulum nodes never hold a complete path; each transport node knows only the most direct way to get a packet one hop closer. See how mesh routing works.

Encryption documentation

MeshCore's website describes end-to-end encrypted messaging and its FAQ says public keys are signed to prevent spoofing. The cipher is in the source code rather than the FAQ: src/Utils.cpp encrypts with AES-128 in ECB mode and appends a 2-byte truncated HMAC-SHA256 tag (we read the main branch on 29 October 2026; older firmware may differ). Direct-message keys are static, so there is no forward secrecy. MeshCore's cryptography is weaker than modern authenticated encryption: ECB mode reveals repeated plaintext blocks and a 2-byte tag is a weak integrity check. Reticulum's manual lists AES-256-CBC, X25519 and Ed25519, with forward secrecy on links. We read no independent audit of either. See privacy and encryption.

Who maintains it

MeshCore is open source (MIT) with a separate commercial arm; the relationship between the project and a UK retailer site (meshcore.co.uk) is unconfirmed. Reticulum has a single lead maintainer and is donation-funded, per its manual. Sources disagree on MeshCore's country of origin (Wikipedia and the project site conflict), so we do not state one.

Apps

MeshCore has Android and iOS apps, a web app and T-Deck handset firmware. Reticulum has several independent clients (Sideband, NomadNet, MeshChat and others). See clients and apps.

In the UK

Both can use the 868 MHz band. For MeshCore, the app's preset list offers "EU/UK (Narrow)": 869.618 MHz, spreading factor 8, bandwidth 62.5 kHz, coding rate 4/8. Presets are suggestions that can change, so check the app. That frequency sits inside the 869.40 to 869.65 MHz slot below. MeshCore repeater firmware has a duty-cycle limit that defaults to 50%, above the UK 10% limit for that slot: on a UK repeater run set dutycycle 10. For Reticulum over LoRa, the settings you configure on the RNode are yours to keep legal.

Setup guides: flash MeshCore and RNode and Reticulum setup. Hardware: hardware buyer's guide.

Which should you choose?

You want a polished chat mesh and your region already has MeshCore repeaters: MeshCore. See MeshCore.
You want an encrypted layer that works over LoRa now and TCP or Wi-Fi later, or you want file transfer and propagation nodes: Reticulum. See Reticulum.
You want the one your neighbours use: check the maps in find a local mesh, then see which mesh is right for you.

FAQ

Is MeshCore based on Reticulum?

No source we read says so. They are separate projects with different protocols, and an app for one does not work with the other.

Can I run Reticulum over a MeshCore network?

We found no documentation of Reticulum running over MeshCore. Reticulum's LoRa support uses its own RNode interface, not MeshCore repeaters.

Which one is more private?

Reticulum documents more: forward secrecy, and no source addresses on packets. MeshCore's published documents say less about cryptography, so we cannot rank them. Neither has an independent audit in our sources.

Does either replace broadband?

No. LoRa carries short messages, not web pages or video. See LoRa vs Wi-Fi mesh.