# Applaz vs Backpack

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Applaz at none against Backpack's 2. Applaz also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). Backpack's advantage is ratings volume (8 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Backpack sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Applaz asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Applaz against 5.0 for Backpack. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Backpack has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Applaz ships an update every 3 days, Backpack weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Applaz | Backpack |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/applaz/id6478957951/reviews) | [5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backpack-social-inventory/id6760340599/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **8** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 62 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Whirlpost](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450576364) | [Jared Heath Defriese](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883974163) |

## What reviewers say

### Applaz

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/applaz/id6478957951)

A social media platform for writers to publish their stories and connect with others. Users can create and share notebooks, follow friends and influencers, and discover content based on their interests. The app facilitates daily updates and private messaging.

**Highlights:** Publish notebooks with writing and photos, Create private notebooks, Live messaging in private chats, Follow content creators, Search community for interests, Daily updates and entries

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Backpack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backpack-social-inventory/id6760340599)

This social media app focuses on sharing curated moments with a limited number of items each week. Content resets weekly, encouraging intentional sharing without follower counts or endless scrolling. Connect with friends through a private feed and discover nearby users.

**Highlights:** Limited item slots per week, Weekly content reset, No follower counts, Friends-only feed, Nearby user discovery, Curated weekly snapshots

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Backpack+ Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Backpack+ Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Applaz free?

Applaz is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Backpack free?

Backpack is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Applaz or Backpack?

Applaz and Backpack are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 8 ratings respectively.

### Do Applaz or Backpack have ads?

Neither Applaz nor Backpack shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Applaz or Backpack?

Applaz ships an update every 3 days, and Backpack weekly. Most recently, Applaz was updated on October 30, 2026 and Backpack on October 31, 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.*