Comparison

PackLight for Backpacking vs Backpacking List

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read full description

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.

About

Backpacking List

This app helps organize outdoor adventure gear with smart checklists and reminders. It allows cataloging items, tracking food and supplies, and calculating pack weight. Share or export your lists for any trip.

Highlights
  • Essential gear warnings
  • Customizable packing reminders
  • Detailed gear cataloging
  • Food and supply tracking
  • Automatic weight calculation
  • Shareable and exportable lists
Features
Read full description

THE ULTIMATE BACKPACKING COMPANION. PACK SMART. ADVENTURE CONFIDENTLY. Simplify your outdoor adventures with the most intuitive gear management app ever created. Whether you’re preparing for a quick day hike, planning a weekend camping trip, or organizing your ultralight backpacking setup, The Backpacking List keeps your gear organized, your pack optimized, and your mind at ease. ESSENTIAL GEAR CHECK • Get warnings if critical items like fuel, lighting, spoon, first-aid kits, or something as big as a sleeping bag are missing in your pack list.
 • Custom warnings you set for any personal items you absolutely can not forget. Ex: Glasses/Contacts, mouthguard, braces, etc • Ideal for thru-hikes, remote treks, or just keeping your minimalist pack list dialed. PACKING REMINDERS • Schedule packing notifications so you don’t forget gear before hitting the trail. • Schedule charging notifications within 24 hours of the trip so you don't leave with a dead headlamp or GPS. • Perfect for trip prep, itinerary check-ins, or final camping checklist reviews. EFFORTLESS GEAR MANAGEMENT • Catalog gear with brand, model, weight, price, notes, and custom details • Instantly search or filter by type, weight, brand, color, or category • Track backpacker meals and general food availability and consumption with best‑by dates and color‑coded labels (fresh, best‑by soon, expired)—perfect for resupply & meal planning • Add bear spray expiration dates and get color coded labels when it's near expiration or expired • Drag-and-drop sorting, swipe-to-delete, and quick inline editing • Built for backpackers, day hikers, weekend campers, and ultralight minimalists SMART, DYNAMIC PACKING LISTS • Build unlimited hiking and camping checklists with trail info, elevation, mileage, and custom trip notes • Monitor your progress with checkmarks and completion bars
 • Automatically calculate base weight, food, water, pack total, worn weight and complete totals • Track multiple systems like backpack, daypack, or secondary chest pack
 • Visual breakdowns help dial your loadout efficiency
 • Built-in brand library includes popular gear manufacturers like Arcteryx, Patagonia, Nemo Equipment, MSR and many more...
 • Ideal for everything from a 3-season hike to a winter expedition SHARE OR PRINT YOUR PACK LIST • Export your checklist as a clean PNG — great for sharing with friends or printing out to manually check gear items off your list.
 • Ideal for group trips, trail meetups, or custom route planning. BACKUP, EXPORT & CUSTOMIZATION • Export full lists and gear data via CSV or JSON
 • Dark mode, light mode, and system themes
 • Metric & imperial support built-in TRUST • No Ads • No user tracking UNLOCK PREMIUM FEATURES: Try all premium features free for 2 weeks with the annual subscription. + Monthly, annual, or lifetime membership
 + Cancel anytime before trial ends to avoid charges Note: After the 2 week free trial, your annual subscription plan will automatically begin unless canceled through your App Store account settings. TERMS OF USE (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ CONNECT WITH The Backpacking List: Checklist Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thebackpackinglist From overnight trips to far out remote backcountry expeditions, The Backpacking List App helps you gear up faster, smarter, and packlighter. Your outdoor adventure travel prep has never been easier!
 • Packing gear list? Covered.
 • Camping gear checklist? Easy.
 • Ultralight backpacking setup? Streamlined. Download now and elevate your outdoor adventure experience!

Screenshots

PackLight for Backpacking4 screens
Backpacking List4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Backpacking List at every 9 days against PackLight for Backpacking's every 2 months. PackLight for Backpacking's advantage is ratings volume (991 vs 34) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. PackLight for Backpacking sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Backpacking List sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PackLight for Backpacking holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PackLight for Backpacking has 991 ratings behind it against 34, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 95% of PackLight for Backpacking's written reviews are positive against 100% of Backpacking List's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PackLight for Backpacking ships an update every 2 months, Backpacking List every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
PackLight for Backpacking versus Backpacking List: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPackLight for BackpackingBackpacking List
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (991 ratings) — better4.6 (34 ratings)
Positive reviews95.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings991 — better34
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMark OliveiraDaniel Lubbers

Customer experience

PackLight for Backpacking

All ratings991 ratings
Positive95.8%
Neutral3.0%
Negative1.2%
Written reviews146 reviews
Positive95.2%
Neutral2.7%
Negative2.1%

Backpacking List

All ratings34 ratings
Positive91.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative8.8%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

Backpacking List

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

PackLight for Backpacking

One-time1
  • Supporter Edition$19.99
3 purchases

Backpacking List

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium$3.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium14 Days trial$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$49.99

Questions

Is PackLight for Backpacking free?
PackLight for Backpacking is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Backpacking List free?
Backpacking List is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PackLight for Backpacking or Backpacking List?
PackLight for Backpacking is rated higher. PackLight for Backpacking averages 4.8 out of 5 from 991 ratings, while Backpacking List averages 4.6 from 34 ratings.
Do PackLight for Backpacking or Backpacking List have ads?
Neither PackLight for Backpacking nor Backpacking List shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PackLight for Backpacking or Backpacking List?
PackLight for Backpacking ships an update every 2 months, and Backpacking List every 9 days. Most recently, PackLight for Backpacking was updated on October 14, 2026 and Backpacking List on October 8, 2026.

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