When looking, note that radios are currently advertised as being
"Meshtastic-compatible". All of these should work with MeshCore equally well — checkflasher.meshcore.dev to be sure. Once purchased, you can (re)load either Meshtastic or MeshCore
firmware on it as desired.
Get a repeater (or room server or
bot!) second, since only radios let you read/compose messages. Get
your (rooftop?) repeater once you've investigated your local coverage (see diagram to right) and your need for extra range.
Just want to get started - without getting overwhelmed with details? Move
on to the next section!
The Details
If you are a 'shopper', and love exploring the various components in a
radio, and want to explore the details before buying, then check this page
out too:
See Radio Components for a full technical breakdown: microcontrollers, LoRa chips, screen options,
firmware variants, and form factors. Most MeshCore nodes use a Semtech SX1262
LoRa chip at 915 MHz (US). It's these other factors that somewhat differentiate
the devices and their use.
Popular Radios
The community is haphazardly experimenting with all the various devices that
cover the main use cases — here's the casual feedback so far...
Device
Best for
MCU
Price
LilyGo T-Display P4
Touchscreen handheld — selling out fast
ESP32-P4
$120+
LilyGo T-Deck / T-Deck+
Standalone handheld — no phone needed
ESP32
$45–90
M5Stack Cardputer + Cap LoRa
Keyboard handheld with GPS — unique form factor
ESP32-S3
~$40
Heltec LoRa ESP32 V4
Cheap companion or repeater
ESP32
$20–40
Heltec LoRa Expansion
All-in-one
ESP32
$50–70
RAK WisMesh Pocket V2
Compact companion with GPS
nRF52840
$80–90
Seeed SenseCAP T1000-E
Portable GPS tracker
nRF52840
$30–50
Seeed Wio Tracker L1 Pro
Compact companion with GPS
nRF52840
$30–50
Seeed XIAO nRF52840 & Wio-SX1262 Kit
Bare Bones companion
nRF52840 (or ESP32-S3)
$15–20
Seeed Wio Tracker L1 Pro
⭐ Vashon's Choice
Wio Tracker L1 Pro is one of the most popular companion devices with
built-in GPS and Bluetooth. Designed to be tossed in a bag or worn on a
lanyard — long battery life with basic UI. Use it on its own, or pair it
with the MeshCore mobile app for messaging and location tracking: the best
of both worlds! We strongly suggest flashing it with this version
of the firmware! (Several Johns can show you theirs!) 15% off deal!
LilyGo T-Display P4
The newest and hottest device in the MeshCore community — and currently
selling out everywhere. The T-Display P4 packs a large 4" capacitive
touchscreen with the powerful ESP32-P4 chip, which brings a dual-core
RISC-V CPU, 32 MB PSRAM, and significantly more processing headroom than
older ESP32 variants. LoRa via SX1262 at 915 MHz, WiFi, BLE, and USB-C
charging. If you can find one in stock, grab it — the large touch display
makes it an exceptional standalone device.
LilyGo T-Deck / T-Deck Plus
One of the most popular complete MeshCore devices. The built-in QWERTY
keyboard and 2.8" display mean you can send and read messages without a
smartphone. WiFi + BLE + LoRa (SX1262) with optional GPS, and it has good
battery life for a handheld. Community guides consistently recommend it as
the best beginner all-in-one MeshCore device. (Ask David how he likes
his!)
M5Stack Cardputer + Cap LoRa
A uniquely compact keyboard device that pairs the M5Stack Cardputer
(ESP32-S3 with built-in QWERTY keyboard and 1.14" display) with the Cap
LoRa 1262 expansion module. The cap snaps on via HY2.0-4P and adds an
SX1262 LoRa radio (868–923 MHz, covers 915 MHz US) plus a
multi-constellation GPS (AT6668 chip — GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo). At
around $40 combined, it's one of the quirkier all-in-one options — great
if you want a truly pocketable keyboard device with GPS for location
tracking. (Ask Dan how he likes his!)
Heltec LoRa 32 V4
A common low-cost MeshCore node. At $30–40 it's an inexpensive way to join
a mesh network - if you don't mind fabricating your own casing. The ESP32
MCU includes built-in BLE and WiFi, and the board has a small OLED
display. Easy to flash via USB and works equally well as a companion node
(paired with a phone) or a repeater. The V4 bumps TX power to 28 dBm and
adds a stronger antenna connector over the old V3 model. (Many of us have
one of these.)
Heltec Expansion
A convenient All-in-One size. At $50–60 it's one of the cheaper All-in-One
allowing you to join a mesh network. The ESP32 MCU includes built-in BLE
and WiFi, and the board has a reasonably large touchscreen display. Easy
to flash via USB.
RAK WisMesh Pocket V2
RAK makes an excellent lineup of LoRa radios. The WisBlock modular system
lets you snap on GPS, sensors, or other peripherals without soldering.
Well supported in MeshCore's hardware abstraction layer. Some RAKs put out
1 watt (30db) of power!
Seeed SenseCAP T1000-E
A credit-card-sized, waterproof companion device with built-in GPS and
Bluetooth. Designed to be tossed in a bag or worn on a lanyard — long
battery life with minimal UI. Pairs with the MeshCore mobile app for
messaging and location tracking. (Ask Spencer how he likes his!) 15% off deal!
Seeed Xiao nRF + LoRa
The cheapest way to get on the mesh - with popular, high quality parts,
for under $15! Tiny thumb-sized boards (nRF52840 + SX1262) for DIY sensor
nodes, custom enclosures, or low-cost mesh experiments. No screen, no
keyboard — these are great to pair with a cell phone or for builders who
want to embed LoRa into their own project with minimal footprint. ESP32-S3
versions are also available. (Buy a few for software experiments!) 15% off deal!
⚠️ Awaiting more feedback — don't rely on specs or stars!
Popular Companion Radios
Pocket-friendly radios that pair with a smartphone app for messaging and setup. These are the most common entry points for MeshCore and Meshtastic.
