A clear disclosure
This page is published by PackQR, so it is not an independent review. The aim is to describe meaningful differences fairly, link to official sources and say openly where another product may be the better fit. Features and prices can change; regional App Store pricing may differ. Separate companion apps are identified as related tools rather than counted as built-in inventory features.
Start with your priority
There is no single best inventory app for every move.
BoxBuddy is particularly strong when several people need to update one shared move and voice entry matters. Scan Your Boxes combines QR labels with cloud sharing and smart search. Retinelle offers a mature, flexible photo inventory and detailed exports. iFoundIt keeps general location tracking simple. Sortly provides business-grade controls that go far beyond a normal household move.
PackQR takes a narrower approach: private local box records, discreet printable labels, offline search, AI-assisted item suggestions, PDF and CSV manifests, and a one-time price. That focus is useful for some households, but it also means PackQR does not currently offer live multi-person editing or voice-assisted batch entry.
Moving inventory apps at a glance
| App | Best when | Helpful strengths | Things to consider |
|---|---|---|---|
| PackQR | A private, focused moving-box workflow on one iPhone or iPad. | Printable QR labels, editable AI Pack Scan suggestions, offline search, box and item photos, PDF contents lists, PDF labels, CSV moving manifests, and plain or encrypted manual backups. | £1.99 once. No PackQR account or subscription. Detailed contents stay on the device and are not printed in the QR label. It does not currently provide real-time shared household editing or voice-assisted batch entry. A separate free Move Planner companion app is available, but it is downloaded independently and is not counted here as a built-in PackQR inventory feature. |
| BoxBuddy | Families or households that want to work from the same shared moving inventory. | Voice entry, photographs, printable QR labels, offline capture and real-time collaboration with editor and viewer roles on the Family plan. | First 10 boxes free; US plans listed from $19.99 a year. Stronger than PackQR for live collaboration and hands-busy voice entry. Shared inventories use accounts and server-backed synchronisation. |
| Scan Your Boxes | People who want QR box tracking with cloud sharing and broader smart-search features. | Printable QR codes, item photographs, PDF/CSV exports, Apple Intelligence smart search and tags, iCloud backup, and optional sharing for teams of up to 15 people. | Free to download. The UK listing showed a £2.99 unlimited-box purchase and optional Team purchases when reviewed. Cloud sharing requires an account-backed service; analytics and diagnostics may be collected without being linked to identity. |
| Retinelle | A flexible photo inventory for moving, insurance, collections or work. | Multiple photos, projects, notes and custom fields, with configurable PDF export, ZIP backups and spreadsheet export through Retinelle Plus. Works offline without a mandatory account. | Free core app with optional Retinelle Plus. Better suited to detailed, flexible reports than a dedicated print-label-scan moving-box workflow. |
| iFoundIt | A simple way to remember where individual belongings were placed. | Photo, name, category and location-based records, searchable on the phone, with offline entry, account backup and app locking. | Free when reviewed. Straightforward for “where did I put it?” tracking, but it does not currently advertise a printable QR-label workflow or the same moving-specific label and manifest tools. |
| Sortly | Businesses, teams or long-running inventories that need wider operational controls. | QR and barcode scanning, custom fields, photographs, reports, imports and multi-user features across mobile and web. QR label creation is available on qualifying paid plans. | Business-oriented paid plans. Much broader than a household moving app and likely excessive for a one-off move, but a better fit where stock control, roles and ongoing organisational reporting are required. |
Review date: 2 August 2026. Prices are included only where a current official page or App Store listing displayed them clearly. Taxes, currencies, trials and regional offers may vary.
Choose PackQR when local privacy and a focused box workflow matter most
PackQR may suit an individual or household that wants to record boxes, print labels, scan or search offline, and create PDF or CSV moving manifests without opening an account or paying a recurring subscription.
A separate free app, Move Planner by PackQR, can help with moving dates, tasks and checklists. It works as an independent companion product, is downloaded separately and is not presented in this comparison as part of PackQR’s built-in box-inventory feature set.
The compromise is collaboration. A household that needs several people to pack simultaneously into one shared inventory may be better served by BoxBuddy or Scan Your Boxes. PackQR is also still considering a faster voice-assisted entry method to complement AI Pack Scan.
Choose BoxBuddy when shared packing and voice entry matter most
BoxBuddy is the closest direct alternative in this comparison. Its voice-first entry and Family plan solve practical problems for households where several people are packing at once. That can be more valuable than local-only storage when coordination is the priority.
The trade-off is an annual subscription for larger moves and an account-backed shared service. People who prefer a one-time purchase and local-only detailed records may favour PackQR instead.
Choose Scan Your Boxes for broader QR features and optional team sharing
Scan Your Boxes has a mature QR inventory workflow, PDF and CSV exports, smart search and tag suggestions, and optional team access. It is a strong choice for people who want cloud-backed collaboration or an inventory that may continue beyond the move.
Its sharing features involve cloud storage and an account-backed service. The free local mode may still suit simpler inventories, while the paid options extend box counts and sharing.
Choose Retinelle for flexible photo inventories and detailed reports
Retinelle is broader than a moving-box app. Projects, custom fields, multiple photographs and configurable exports make it useful for insurance records, collections and work as well as moving.
It may be the better option when reporting flexibility matters more than generating dedicated moving-box QR labels. PackQR is more specialised around the pack-label-scan-find sequence.
Choose iFoundIt for simple “where did I put it?” tracking
iFoundIt keeps the core idea approachable: photograph an item, give it a name and location, then search for it later. It is a sensible free choice when a person does not need printable QR labels or a formal moving manifest.
PackQR and the other QR-focused products add more structure around physical boxes. That extra structure is useful for a larger move, but it is not necessary for everyone.
Choose Sortly when the inventory is really a business system
Sortly is the most capable operational inventory platform in this group. It offers the roles, barcode and QR functions, reports, imports and ongoing stock-management features that teams and businesses may need.
For an ordinary household move, that breadth and cost can be unnecessary. For a business relocation or a long-running equipment inventory, it may be the most appropriate option.
Sources checked
The comparison uses public product information rather than assumptions. The principal sources reviewed were:
- PackQR App Store listing and PackQR product details.
- BoxBuddy product and pricing page and its App Store privacy disclosure.
- Scan Your Boxes App Store listing.
- Retinelle moving inventory page, feature pages and App Store listing.
- iFoundIt moving inventory page and App Store listing.
- Sortly pricing and QR/barcode label documentation.
Corrections welcome: product features and prices change. If a factual detail is no longer current, email support@packqr.app with the official source and the page will be reviewed.