# PackLight for Backpacking vs The A.T. Guide

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PackLight for Backpacking at 95% against The A.T. Guide's 18%. PackLight for Backpacking also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.7) and ratings volume (991 vs 15). The A.T. Guide's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PackLight for Backpacking sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. The A.T. Guide asks for nothing beyond the download.

PackLight for Backpacking holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PackLight for Backpacking has 991 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of PackLight for Backpacking's written reviews are positive against 18% of The A.T. Guide's.

PackLight for Backpacking ships an update every 2 months, The A.T. Guide every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and July 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PackLight for Backpacking | The A.T. Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (991 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packlight-for-backpacking/id1054845207/reviews)** | [2.7 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-at-guide/id1523722049/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **991** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | **95.2% of reviews** | 18.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 4 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mark Oliveira](https://appshunter.io/developer/1054845206) | [The A.T. Guide](https://appshunter.io/developer/1523722051) |

## What reviewers say

### PackLight for Backpacking

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packlight-for-backpacking/id1054845207)

This app helps backpackers create lightweight packing lists by organizing gear, tracking weights, and visualizing their impact. It allows users to build custom lists, share them, and even import from other services. An optional supporter edition unlocks advanced features for a one-time purchase.

**Highlights:** Organize gear by name, weight, and category, Build weight-aware packing lists, Visualize pack weight impact, Packing checklist functionality, Share packing lists via link or CSV, Import lists from LighterPack, Offline access to data

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter Edition | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful for planning and organizing gear
- 👍 Useful for tracking gear weights
- 👍 Great for creating custom packing lists
- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lack of custom categories
- 🔍 No ability to add notes or details to gear items
- 🔍 No option to track purchase price or date
- 🔍 Inability to easily share lists with others
- 🔍 No cloud sync or backup functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional issues with alphabetical sorting of lists
- Reported bug with displaying the correct list when selected

**Requested features**

- Add ability to track purchase price and date for gear items
- Implement custom category creation
- Include option to add notes and details to gear items
- Implement cloud sync and backup functionality
- Add sharing capabilities to easily collaborate with others


### The A.T. Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-at-guide/id1523722049)

This app provides comprehensive digital guidebooks for the Appalachian Trail, featuring detailed maps, landmark information, and service listings. It allows offline access to essential trail data, making it an indispensable tool for hikers planning their journey.

**Highlights:** Thousands of landmarks: campsites, water sources, summits, Trail elevation profile with landmark alignment, Town maps with service locations, Clickable phone numbers, emails, and URLs, Mileage logging and progress tracking, Offline access to core trail data, Highlighting and annotation tools

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PackLight for Backpacking free?

PackLight for Backpacking is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is The A.T. Guide free?

The A.T. Guide is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PackLight for Backpacking or The A.T. Guide?

PackLight for Backpacking is rated higher. PackLight for Backpacking averages 4.8 out of 5 from 991 ratings, while The A.T. Guide averages 2.7 from 15 ratings.

### Do PackLight for Backpacking or The A.T. Guide have ads?

Neither PackLight for Backpacking nor The A.T. Guide shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PackLight for Backpacking or The A.T. Guide?

PackLight for Backpacking ships an update every 2 months, and The A.T. Guide every 7 months. Most recently, PackLight for Backpacking was updated on September 22, 2026 and The A.T. Guide on July 5, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*