PackLight for Backpacking vs Pak Mule
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PackLight for Backpacking
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.
- 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
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Keep your pack weight down and never forget crucial gear with PackLight, the packing list app for backpackers. Get PackLight today and be confident that you have exactly what you need - and only what you need - on your next adventure. CORE FEATURES (100% free / no sign up / no ads) - Organize Your Gear -- Inventory your gear by name, weight, and category. - Build Packing Lists -- Use your gear to build weight-aware packing lists. - Keep Your Backpack Light -- Instantly see how your gear choices impact pack weight. - Packing Checklist -- Check off items as you pack to ensure nothing is forgotten. - Share Packing Lists -- Post your list on packlightapp.com and share a link or send a CSV of your list to anyone. - Visualize Weight Distribution -- Use the bar graph to compare gear categories. - Custom Categories -- Organize items your way with your own categories. - Import From LighterPack -- Don't start from scratch - import your LighterPack lists (unaffiliated). - Offline Access -- Access your data even off the grid. Works without internet. ADVANCED FEATURES (Supporter Edition) Supporter Edition is a one-time purchase that supports ongoing maintenance and improvements to PackLight and grants permanent access to these advanced features: - Kits for Quick Packing -- Create kits to group items that you normally pack together, like a first aid kit or cooking gear, so you can add them all to a list at once. - Unlimited Base Lists -- Create new packing lists based on any combination of your other lists and kits. - Inventory Search -- Quickly find gear in your inventory. ABOUT PACKLIGHT PackLight was originally built for my own use and published free on the App Store to share with other backpackers. All of the core features are still free and always will be and it's been great to see PackLight become a favorite for so many! Thank you! If you think PackLight has earned it, I'd really appreciate your honest rating and review. They help a lot and I read every last one. Got an idea for improvement? Email me any time with feedback or feature requests at packlightapp@gmail.com.
Pak Mule
This app helps hikers organize their gear, manage multiple packs, and track their adventures. It features a hike journal, peak bagging tracker, and offline functionality for seamless planning and documentation.
- Gear inventory with weights and categories
- Pack design and weight visualization
- Detailed hike journaling with progress graphs
- Peak bagging checklist and achievement tracking
- Offline functionality for any trail
- Clean and intuitive user interface
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Pak Mule: Your Ultimate Hiking Companion! Pack smarter, hike better, and track your adventures with Pak Mule! Whether you’re optimizing your gear setup, tackling your next peak, or planning a thru-hike, Pak Mule has everything you need—all in one app, and without subscriptions or ads. Key Features: • Gear Inventory: Create a detailed inventory of your gear, complete with weights, descriptions, and categories. Stay organized and lighten your load! • Pack Manager: Design and manage multiple packs with ease. Visualize pack weights using dynamic graphs to ensure you’re perfectly balanced for your next adventure. • Hike Journal: Document your thru-hikes with detailed logs. Track your progress and elevation over time with interactive graphs that bring your journey to life. • Peak Bagging Tracker: Conquer popular mountain peaks with confidence. Use the checklist to record your achievements and set your sights on the next summit. • Offline Functionality: No signal? No problem. Pak Mule works offline, so you’re always ready no matter where the trail takes you. Designed for Simplicity: Pak Mule features a clean, intuitive interface that makes planning and tracking your adventures effortless. Stay focused on the trail without distractions or complicated menus. Why Choose Pak Mule? • One-time purchase: No subscriptions, no hidden fees. • Ad-free experience: Focus on the trail, not distractions. Pak Mule is built for hikers, by hikers. Download today and make every step count!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: PackLight for Backpacking at Free against Pak Mule's $0.99. PackLight for Backpacking also leads on ratings volume (991 vs 2). Pak Mule's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (daily vs every 2 months). On review sentiment, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
PackLight for Backpacking is free to download; Pak Mule costs $0.99 up front. PackLight for Backpacking sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pak Mule asks for nothing beyond the download.
Pak Mule holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PackLight for Backpacking has 991 ratings behind it against 2, 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 100% of Pak Mule's.
PackLight for Backpacking ships an update every 2 months, Pak Mule daily. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and July 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PackLight for Backpacking | Pak Mule |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $0.99 |
| Rating | 4.8 (991 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 95.2% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 991 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #167 — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mark Oliveira | Mark Delorey |
Customer experience
PackLight for Backpacking
Pak Mule
Bugs and requests
PackLight for Backpacking
Reported bugs
2 issues- Occasional issues with alphabetical sorting of lists
- Reported bug with displaying the correct list when selected
Requested features
5 requests- 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
Pak Mule
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
PackLight for Backpacking
- Supporter Edition$19.99
Pak Mule
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is PackLight for Backpacking free?
Is Pak Mule free?
Which has better reviews, PackLight for Backpacking or Pak Mule?
Do PackLight for Backpacking or Pak Mule have ads?
Which is updated more often, PackLight for Backpacking or Pak Mule?
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