Comparison

PackApp USA vs Goulight

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

Goulight

Features
Read full description

Goulight is the packing list app for hikers and backpackers who care about weight. Get full control over base weight, worn weight, and consumables in a clean, modern interface—no spreadsheets, no broken formulas. WHAT YOU GET • Smart weight breakdown — Base, worn, and consumable weights calculated automatically • One-tap Lighterpack import — Paste your link and your list is ready in seconds • Visual organization — Drag and drop items; see your pack before you pack it • Gear library — Reuse the same gear across lists; add photos and notes • Share lists — Public read-only links for trip planning or gear checks • Dark mode — Easy on the eyes in the tent or at home Built for hikers who count grams, by hikers who count grams. Start optimizing your next adventure. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

PackApp USA4 screens
Goulight4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Goulight at every 10 days against PackApp USA's every 3 weeks. PackApp USA's advantage is iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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 $2.99 per month and Goulight sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PackApp USA ships an update every 3 weeks, Goulight every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
PackApp USA versus Goulight: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPackApp USAGoulight
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNicholas DumkeAlexander Ross

In-app purchases

2 purchases

PackApp USA

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription$12.991 Year
2 purchases

Goulight

Subscriptions2
  • Goulight Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Goulight Pro Yearly$12.991 Year

Questions

Is PackApp USA free?
PackApp USA is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Goulight free?
Goulight is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PackApp USA or Goulight have ads?
Neither PackApp USA nor Goulight shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PackApp USA or Goulight?
PackApp USA ships an update every 3 weeks, and Goulight every 10 days. Most recently, PackApp USA was updated on October 24, 2026 and Goulight on October 29, 2026.

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