CoHunt is a hunting app for iPhone and Android whose end-to-end encrypted group chat and live group map keep a hunting party connected miles beyond cell service, over Meshtastic mesh radios.
Meshtastic is an open-source radio system: small LoRa radios that pass short text messages and GPS positions to each other without cell towers or satellites. Each radio reaches a few miles and relays what it hears, so a spread-out party stays connected across many miles. Range depends on the radios and the terrain.
Dog tracking: Garmin Alpha and Astro collars (through CoHunt's Garmin watch app) and Tractive GPS trackers. CoHunt does not connect to Tracker or Ultracom collars.
No radios? Phones near each other can still share chat and positions directly over Bluetooth.
CoHunt is built for the hunt itself, when the party spreads out: encrypted chat and a live group map that reach miles beyond cell service over Meshtastic radios, plus a ballistics calculator, Garmin and Tractive dog tracking, trail cameras and property boundaries in 11 countries, in one plan for $24.99 a year. HuntWise is built for planning around the weather and the rut, with HuntCast, RutCast and WindCast forecasts, public land layers and landowner contact details. It has a free tier, Pro at $59.99 a year and Elite at $119.99 a year (App Store, October 2026).
Feature Comparison
| Feature | CoHunt $24.99/yr |
HuntWise Pro / Elite $59.99 / $119.99 a year |
|---|---|---|
| Plans | One plan, every feature | Free, Pro and Elite |
| Property Boundaries | ✓ US + 10 more countries | ✓ US Only |
| Offline Maps | ✓ Unlimited | ✓ Maps and pins offline |
| Real-Time Group Tracking | ✓ Live locations, also with no cell service | Shares hunt areas, pins, notes and photos; no live location sharing found |
| Encrypted Messaging | ✓ End-to-end | ✗ Community feed; no encrypted team chat found |
| Bluetooth Mesh Communication | ✓ No cell needed | ✗ Not available |
| Meshtastic LoRa Radio | ✓ Long-range LoRa | ✗ Not available |
| Trail Camera Integration | ✓ Spypoint + Tactacam Reveal | Map pins for camera spots; no photo sync found |
| Ballistics Calculator | ✓ Full calculator, also on Garmin watch | ✗ Not available |
| GPS Dog Tracking | ✓ Garmin Alpha/Astro + Tractive | ✗ Not available |
| Weather and Wind | ✓ Weather with scent analysis | ✓ HuntCast and WindCast |
| Game Movement Forecasts | ✗ No forecasts; log sightings as waypoints | ✓ HuntCast and RutCast |
| International Coverage | ✓ 11 Countries | ✗ US Only |
| Account Required | No sign-up (optional sign-in to restore on a new phone) | ✗ Account required |
| Data Collection | No sign-up, no ads, no usage analytics; anonymous crash reports (can be switched off) | Account-based; see HuntWise's privacy policy |
| Annual Cost | $24.99 | Free tier; Pro $59.99/yr; Elite $119.99/yr (App Store, October 2026) |
Where HuntWise Wins
Here is what HuntWise does well, quoted from its App Store listing as of October 17, 2026:
Weather-Driven Forecasts
HuntCast "tracks and analyzes key weather variables proven to influence species movement." RutCast "tracks all phases of the whitetail rut on a county by county basis," and WindCast "tracks wind speed and direction at all of your tree stands." If you plan your sits around forecasts, this is the core of HuntWise.
Public Land and Landowner Details
HuntWise has public land map layers for finding open-access hunting land, and you can tap the map to see the name, address and phone number of the landowner. That helps if you hunt public ground or ask for permission on private land.
Shared Hunt Areas
HuntWise lets you share your hunt areas, with their pins, notes and photos, with other hunters in real time.
A Free Tier
HuntWise has a free tier, so you can use its maps before paying for Pro ($59.99 a year or $19.99 a month) or Elite ($119.99 a year or $39.99 a month).
Where CoHunt Wins
Where CoHunt fits better:
One Plan, Every Feature
CoHunt has one plan, $24.99 a year, with every feature included. HuntWise has a free tier, Pro at $59.99 a year ($19.99 a month) and Elite at $119.99 a year ($39.99 a month), per the App Store in October 2026.
Group Communication
CoHunt's end-to-end encrypted chat and live group map let your party coordinate during the hunt. HuntWise shares hunt areas, pins, notes and photos with others; we found no live location sharing or team chat in its listing (October 2026).
International Coverage
CoHunt covers property boundaries in 11 countries: the US, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany (excluding Bavaria), Austria, France, Spain, Italy and New Zealand. HuntWise covers the United States.
Integrated Ballistics Calculator
Calculate drop, drift and time of flight for any caliber with the weather factored in, and export DOPE cards as PDFs. HuntWise has no ballistics calculator. CoHunt's even rides on your Garmin watch: link a compatible Garmin watch and the CoHunt Connect IQ app shows the range to your target, drop, drift and time of flight on your wrist, plus the DOPE table.
Privacy-First Design
The app needs no sign-up, shows no ads and has no usage analytics; it sends anonymous crash reports, which you can switch off. Your locations, tracks and messages stay on your phones and are never stored on our servers. HuntWise requires an account.
Offline Communication
Meshtastic radios let your hunting party message each other miles beyond cell service, and phones near each other also connect over Bluetooth. Where there is no coverage, we found no way to share or message in HuntWise.
Price
CoHunt's $24.99 a year is $35 less than HuntWise Pro and $95 less than Elite. HuntWise's free tier costs nothing, so if its free features cover your hunting, it is the cheaper option.
Pricing at a Glance
CoHunt: one plan at $24.99 a year with every feature. HuntWise: free tier; Pro $59.99 a year or $19.99 a month; Elite $119.99 a year or $39.99 a month (App Store, October 2026).
Common Questions
How does CoHunt's game tracking compare to HuntWise?
CoHunt logs game sightings, sign and movement as waypoints with photos and notes. HuntWise forecasts movement from the weather with HuntCast and follows the whitetail rut with RutCast. If forecasts drive your planning, HuntWise has the deeper tools.
Can CoHunt replace HuntWise for hunt planning?
CoHunt covers hunt planning with weather, waypoints, offline maps and group coordination. HuntWise adds dedicated forecasts (HuntCast, RutCast and WindCast), which helps hunters who plan around them.
What about HuntWise's public land information?
HuntWise has public land map layers and shows landowner names, addresses and phone numbers. CoHunt focuses on property boundaries and does not include detailed public land regulations or access information, so hunters who mainly hunt public land may miss HuntWise's layers.
Does CoHunt work as well offline as HuntWise?
Both keep maps on your phone for use without service: HuntWise lets you take maps and pins offline, and CoHunt downloads full offline maps. CoHunt also keeps your party's chat and live map working miles beyond cell service over Meshtastic radios.
Is HuntWise free?
HuntWise has a free tier. Pro is $59.99 a year or $19.99 a month, and Elite is $119.99 a year or $39.99 a month (App Store, October 2026). CoHunt is $24.99 a year with every feature, and you can try it with the free 7-day trial before you pay.
Choose CoHunt For
- One plan with every feature, $24.99 a year
- A live group map and chat during the hunt
- End-to-end encrypted messaging
- Messaging miles beyond cell service, over Meshtastic radios
- Integrated ballistics calculator, on your phone and your Garmin watch
- Built-in AR rangefinder
- Spypoint and Tactacam trail camera integration
- Property boundaries in 11 countries
- No sign-up (optional sign-in to restore on a new phone)
- No ads and no usage analytics
- $35 a year less than HuntWise Pro
Consider HuntWise If
- Weather, rut and wind forecasts drive your hunt planning
- You hunt public land and want its public land layers
- You ask landowners for permission and want their contact details on the map
- Its free tier covers what you need
- You don't mind creating an account
What Each App Is Built For
HuntWise is built around deciding when and where to hunt: weather, rut and wind forecasts, public land layers and landowner details. CoHunt is built around the hunt itself: property boundaries, offline maps, a live group map and chat that keep working with no cell service, and ballistics.
They overlap less than the feature lists suggest, so some hunters may use both: HuntWise to plan, CoHunt to keep the party connected in the field.
Communication: The Critical Difference
The biggest difference between the two apps is group communication. Hunting is often a team activity that needs coordination for safety and success. HuntWise shares hunt areas, pins, notes and photos, but we found no team chat or live location sharing in its listing (October 2026).
CoHunt's encrypted messaging, live group map and Meshtastic radio support keep your hunting group coordinated, even miles beyond cell coverage.
Making the Switch
CoHunt imports and exports standard GPX files. HuntWise's store listing does not mention GPX export, so check how to get your pins out of HuntWise before you switch.
You'll gain group communication, ballistics tools and international coverage, and give up HuntWise's forecasts, public land layers and landowner details.
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