# Backpack vs Rift Chat

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Rift Chat at none against Backpack's 2. Backpack's advantage is ratings volume (8 vs 2). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Backpack against 5.0 for Rift Chat. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Backpack ships an update weekly, Rift Chat every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backpack | Rift Chat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backpack-social-inventory/id6760340599/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rift-chat/id6798765145/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 64 MB | 101 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Jared Heath Defriese](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883974163) | [Rift Communications LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6798765147) |

## 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 |


### Rift Chat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rift-chat/id6798765145)

Connect with communities, friends, and groups through real-time chat and voice channels. Enjoy private direct messages with end-to-end encryption for secure conversations. This platform offers a focused communication space without advertisements or user tracking.

**Highlights:** Create or join Shards, Talk in channels, Direct messages, Voice chat, End-to-end encryption for DMs, Ad-free experience, No behavioral tracking

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backpack free?

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

### Is Rift Chat free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Backpack or Rift Chat?

Backpack and Rift Chat are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 8 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do Backpack or Rift Chat have ads?

Neither Backpack nor Rift Chat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Backpack or Rift Chat?

Backpack ships an update weekly, and Rift Chat every 2 weeks. Most recently, Backpack was updated on October 31, 2026 and Rift Chat on November 6, 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.*