Comparison

PackApp USA vs Basepack

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

Head to head
About

PackApp USA

This app helps outdoor enthusiasts plan and organize their gear for hiking, camping, and backpacking trips. It allows users to track pack weight, calorie estimates, and essential details for each item. Premium features offer advanced trip planning with weather forecasts and community-sourced gear.

Highlights
  • Unlimited gear item creation
  • Pack weight and calorie tracking
  • Trip planning with weather forecasts
  • Community pre-made gear items
  • Imperial or metric unit support
Read full description

Pack smarter. Hike lighter. Hunt harder. PackApp USA is the pack-planning tool built for backpackers and backcountry hunters. Build your loadout, see exactly where the weight lives, and walk into the field knowing your pack, your route, and your conditions. BUILD YOUR PACK • Create packs for any trip — day hikes to week-plus expeditions • Assign gear to real pack zones (top lid, main, exterior, worn) and see weight by zone • Weight heat map shows where your load actually sits • Calorie totals and calorie-per-ounce density for every food item • Consumable tracking — watch pack weight drop as you eat through it • Pack weight vs. body weight ratio with recommended load targets • Imperial or metric — your choice START FROM A REAL TEMPLATE Eleven ready-built packs with honest weights: Day Hike Essentials, Weekend Overnighter, 5-Day Backcountry, Week-Plus Expedition, September Archery Elk, Late-Season Rifle, Upland Bird, Waterfowl Morning, Winter Overnight, Backcountry Fishing, and Truck & Base Camp. Download one, swap in your gear, go. COMMUNITY GEAR DATABASE 1,200+ real items across 12 categories — shelters, optics, archery, dog gear, provisions and more — with verified weights and calories. Add gear to your pack in two taps instead of typing it in. PLAN THE TRIP, NOT JUST THE PACK • Trips with waypoints, dates, and travel method • Task lists so nothing gets left in the truck • Share a trip overview so someone knows where you're headed WEATHER FOR WHERE YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING • Current conditions, 10-day forecast, sunrise/sunset, and severe weather alerts for your trip location — free • Air quality from Open-Meteo • PACKAPP PREMIUM adds the intelligence layer: Sky Score (a 0–100 conditions rating built from precip, wind, thunder, smoke, and fire danger), live SNOTEL snowpack depth from the nearest USDA station, and NIFC wildfire proximity within 100 miles SHARE THE LOAD Share packs with your hunting party. Owners control the roster, editors manage items, viewers stay read-only. Everyone sees the same list — no more group-text gear spreadsheets. PackApp Premium is an optional auto-renewing subscription. Free users get full pack building, 3 packs, trips, and core weather. Premium unlocks unlimited packs, the community database, Sky Score, SNOTEL, and wildfire tracking. Built in Idaho by people who pack out what they pack in. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Basepack

Features
Read full description

BasePack helps you pack lighter for trips. Create packing lists, track gear weights, and keep a travel journal. PACKING LISTS Create lists for any trip. Add items, track weights, and see how your pack breaks down. Use AI to get a starter list based on your trip. GEAR INVENTORY Keep track of all your gear in one place. Add weights, photos, and reuse items across different lists. EXPLORE Browse packing lists and journals shared by other travelers. Get ideas for your next trip. TRIP PLANNING Add trip dates and see 15-day weather forecasts and historical data. Plan your daily schedule and track nutrition for long hikes. JOURNALS Write about your trips with photos and voice notes. Tag entries with GPS location. SYNC Your data syncs across iPhone, iPad, and Web. Works offline too. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms of Service: https://basepack.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://basepack.app/privacy

Screenshots

PackApp USA4 screens
Basepack4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Basepack at every 3 days against PackApp USA's every 3 weeks. Basepack also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, 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. PackApp USA sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Basepack sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PackApp USA ships an update every 3 weeks, Basepack every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
PackApp USA versus Basepack: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPackApp USABasepack
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB58 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNicholas DumkeHan Win Tun

In-app purchases

2 purchases

PackApp USA

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$0.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription$9.991 Year
2 purchases

Basepack

Subscriptions2
  • Basepack Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Basepack Pro Yearly$24.991 Year

Questions

Is PackApp USA free?
PackApp USA is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Basepack free?
Basepack is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PackApp USA or Basepack have ads?
Neither PackApp USA nor Basepack shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PackApp USA or Basepack?
PackApp USA ships an update every 3 weeks, and Basepack every 3 days. Most recently, PackApp USA was updated on October 2, 2026 and Basepack on October 11, 2026.

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