# Backpack vs Present IRL

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Backpack at 100% against Present IRL's 50%. Present IRL's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backpack | Present IRL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backpack-social-inventory/id6760340599/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **8** | — |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 64 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Jared Heath Defriese](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883974163) | [Present IRL LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896775688) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Present IRL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/present-irl/id6771248968)

Connect with friends and join events in real life. This private social app prioritizes genuine connections without algorithms, ads, or data selling. Currently in early access, requiring an invite to join.

**Highlights:** Connect in real life, Share and join moments, Private by default, No algorithms, No ads or data selling, Early access with invite

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backpack free?

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

### Is Present IRL free?

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

### Do Backpack or Present IRL have ads?

Neither Backpack nor Present IRL shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Backpack or Present IRL?

Backpack ships an update weekly, and Present IRL weekly. Most recently, Backpack was updated on October 7, 2026 and Present IRL on October 13, 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.*