How is ChatterBox different from Meshtastic

Although ChatterBox and Meshtastic are similar in a couple of ways, they are less similar the closer you look and use fundamentally different approaches to certain core aspects. See these links for a couple of examples: ChatterBox vs Meshtastic Direct Messages and Broadcasts Private Clusters and Open Channels Mesh Sensors and Remote Commands Security and jam resistance are built into all ChatterBox capabilities. All transmissions are digitally signed using ECDSA. For any cluster/group, there is no common frequency, but rather a shared and unpredictable frequency hopping pattern, unique to every cluster/channel. Within a cluster, all direct messages are asymmetrically encrypted.

Is ChatterBox compatible with Meshtastic

No. Although they both use LoRa frequencies and send messages, they are fundamentally different in ways that make them currently not compatible. It's possible there could be some compatibility mode built into the ChatterBox firmware at some point, but that is currently not a high priority.

Can I send text/SMS messages to phones using ChatterBox

No. The messaging is only between on-cluster (trusted) ChatterBox devices. It does not integrate with SMS, cell phones, or any other messaging systems or devices. The encryption/digital signatures/mesh graph/mesh cache/etc all only exist for your cluster on ChatterBox devices. They were designed to be private and secure, so they only send encrypted/signed messages to other ChatterBoxes.

How far can messages travel

This is a difficult answer that is highly dependent on many factors, including how you have laid out your cluster, the connectivity levels of devices at any given time, whether you are in a rural or urban area, and much more. The number of hops a message can travel is the size of your cluster, minus 1. If you've got 20 devices, you could theoretically string out the 20 devices to where each one is just within range of another, and the distance that could go might be quite far. However, that's probably not how your cluster is laid out. Messages can be held for up to 24 hours by any number of devices in your cluster. If your packets are picked up by a moving device in those 24 hours, your message might be able to travel quite far, just based on that movement. Realistically, if you carefully position nodes with good visibility, one way to gauge how far your messages can consistently go would be how much coverage all your combined/connected nodes cover, along with how far each device in your node covers.

Can ChatterBox Send Regular Text Messages

No. ChatterBox is designed to work as a decentralized alternative to traditional SMS or internet-based messaging. As such, it does not utilize any centralized service to send messages. Rather, it relies on intermittent RF connectivity to other ChatterBox devices you have onboarded into your private cluster. Messages can only be delivered to other devices in your private cluster.

ChatterBox FAQ - Build Secure Mesh LoRa Communicators and Nodes

ChatterBox FAQ

How is ChatterBox different from Meshtastic
Although ChatterBox and Meshtastic are similar in a couple of ways, they are less similar the closer you look and use fundamentally different approaches to certain core aspects.

See these links for a couple of examples:
Security and jam resistance are built into all ChatterBox capabilities. All transmissions are digitally signed using ECDSA. For any cluster/group, there is no common frequency, but rather a shared and unpredictable frequency hopping pattern, unique to every cluster/channel. Within a cluster, all direct messages are asymmetrically encrypted.
Is ChatterBox compatible with Meshtastic
No. Although they both use LoRa frequencies and send messages, they are fundamentally different in ways that make them currently not compatible. It’s possible there could be some compatibility mode built into the ChatterBox firmware at some point, but that is currently not a high priority.
Can I send text/SMS messages to phones using ChatterBox

No. The messaging is only between on-cluster (trusted) ChatterBox devices. It does not integrate with SMS, cell phones, or any other messaging systems or devices.

The encryption/digital signatures/mesh graph/mesh cache/etc all only exist for your cluster on ChatterBox devices. They were designed to be private and secure, so they only send encrypted/signed messages to other ChatterBoxes.
How far can messages travel
This is a difficult answer that is highly dependent on many factors, including how you have laid out your cluster, the connectivity levels of devices at any given time, whether you are in a rural or urban area, and much more.

The number of hops a message can travel is the size of your cluster, minus 1. If you’ve got 20 devices, you could theoretically string out the 20 devices to where each one is just within range of another, and the distance that could go might be quite far. However, that’s probably not how your cluster is laid out.

Messages can be held for up to 24 hours by any number of devices in your cluster. If your packets are picked up by a moving device in those 24 hours, your message might be able to travel quite far, just based on that movement.

Realistically, if you carefully position nodes with good visibility, one way to gauge how far your messages can consistently go would be how much coverage all your combined/connected nodes cover, along with how far each device in your node covers.
Can ChatterBox Send Regular Text Messages
No. ChatterBox is designed to work as a decentralized alternative to traditional SMS or internet-based messaging. As such, it does not utilize any centralized service to send messages. Rather, it relies on intermittent RF connectivity to other ChatterBox devices you have onboarded into your private cluster.

Messages can only be delivered to other devices in your private cluster.