Offline Protocol vs Bridgefy
Both are phone-native mesh SDKs that turn Bluetooth and WiFi Direct into offline connectivity on iOS and Android, so if you are looking for a Bridgefy alternative, the shapes are similar. The difference is what sits on top. Offline Protocol encrypts every session with MLS (RFC 9420), gives each device an Ed25519 identity verified device-to-device, and adds serverless service discovery so the mesh can invoke capabilities, not just relay messages. Bridgefy is focused on mobile mesh messaging.
Covers itPartly, or with conditionsNot part of the product Taken from each product's own documentation. The detailed table below carries the specifics.
The specifics
| Capability | Offline Protocol | Bridgefy |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | iOS, Android via Rust core and React Native | iOS, Android, React Native, Flutter |
| Transports | BLE, WiFi Direct, internet with failover | Bluetooth, WiFi Direct |
| Extra hardware | None, uses the phone radios | None, uses the phone radios |
| Encryption | MLS (RFC 9420) end-to-end by default | Signal Protocol end-to-end, per vendor documentation |
| Identity | Ed25519 OfflineID, verified device-to-device | No documented device-verifiable identity primitive |
| Service discovery | Serverless request and response | Messaging only |
| Relay | 8-hop with ack, retry, deduplication | Multi-hop mesh forwarding |
| Form factor | SDK for building products | SDK for building products |
| Licensing and cost | Mesh SDK free under AGPL-3.0, including in production. Closed-source and App Store apps need the commercial license; contact us for pricing. Hosted services from $0 (Free), $99 a month (Pro), $499 a month (Scale). Local mesh traffic is never metered. Pricing | Proprietary SDK, licensed by monthly active users. Bridgefy pricing |
How they differ
Bridgefy is a mesh SDK for iOS, Android, React Native, and Flutter that connects phones over Bluetooth and WiFi Direct (bridgefy.me). It gained prominence during the Hong Kong protests, when large crowds used it to stay in touch without infrastructure. Afterward, security researchers publicly demonstrated vulnerabilities in the app, and the developers said they were reworking it, as reported by TechCrunch and by the independent researchers who published the findings. As a product, its center is mobile mesh messaging.
Offline Protocol starts from the same phone-native premise, no extra hardware, BLE and WiFi Direct, but treats encryption and identity as the foundation rather than a feature. Every session runs on MLS (RFC 9420), so relay nodes forward ciphertext they cannot read, and every device carries an Ed25519 OfflineID that other devices verify without a server. Keys never leave the device.
The other structural difference is service discovery. Bridgefy carries messages between peers. Offline Protocol lets any device advertise a capability and any other device invoke it, request and response, across up to 8 hops. That makes the mesh an invocable network of services rather than a message bus, which is what powers use cases like high-density events and resilient public-sector coordination.
When to choose each
Choose Bridgefy if you need Flutter support today and your requirement is peer-to-peer messaging between phones. Choose Offline Protocol if you need MLS group encryption, device identity that verifies with no server, or service discovery across the mesh, or want an open-source core under AGPL-3.0.
Choose Bridgefy when
You want a well-known mobile mesh messaging SDK with broad framework coverage, including Flutter, and your requirement is peer-to-peer messaging rather than encrypted service invocation or a formal identity model.
Choose Offline Protocol when
You need end-to-end encryption on a standard (MLS, RFC 9420), device-owned device identity, and the ability to discover and invoke capabilities across the mesh. It has reached 350,000+ devices across 140+ countries.
For the full picture of what ships in the SDK, see the platform overview.
Offline Protocol vs Bridgefy FAQ
What is a good Bridgefy alternative for a mesh SDK?
Offline Protocol is a phone-native mesh SDK, like Bridgefy, but built around MLS (RFC 9420) end-to-end encryption and Ed25519 identities, with serverless service discovery on top of the mesh. It runs on iOS and Android over BLE and WiFi Direct with 8-hop relay, and has reached 350,000+ devices across 140+ countries.
How does Offline Protocol compare to Bridgefy on security?
Bridgefy is a Bluetooth and WiFi Direct mesh SDK that gained prominence during the 2019 Hong Kong protests. In 2020 security researchers published vulnerabilities in its then-current cryptography, and Bridgefy subsequently adopted the Signal Protocol for end-to-end encryption in SDK 2.0. Offline Protocol encrypts every session with MLS (RFC 9420) and gives each device an Ed25519 OfflineID verified device-to-device, so relays forward ciphertext only.
Does Offline Protocol work on iOS and Android like Bridgefy?
Yes. The SDK is a React Native and TypeScript binding over a Rust core, so it runs on both iOS and Android. Devices form a mesh over BLE and WiFi Direct with no extra hardware.
What can Offline Protocol do that a messaging mesh cannot?
Beyond messaging, Offline Protocol adds serverless service discovery, so any device can advertise a capability and any other device can invoke it request and response across up to 8 hops. That turns the mesh into an invocable network rather than a broadcast channel.
How do licensing and cost compare with Bridgefy?
The Offline Protocol mesh SDK is free under AGPL-3.0-only, including in production, and local mesh traffic is never metered on any plan. Closed-source apps and apps distributed through the Apple App Store need the commercial license, which has no published price, so contact us for pricing. Hosted services are optional and run on Free ($0), Pro ($99 a month), Scale ($499 a month), and Enterprise plans. Bridgefy is a proprietary SDK licensed by monthly active users, and its current plans are on its own pricing page. See Bridgefy's pricing page.
