Provision Planner vs PPantry
Honest comparison · We make Provision Planner, and PPantry is genuinely good at what it aims to do · Facts checked September 26, 2026
The 60 second answer
For most households, Provision Planner is the stronger pick: free to start, real iPhone and Android apps, and it turns your shelves into an answer in days, with scenario checks, recall and weather alerts, and a shared household. Choose PPantry if what you want most is a completely free tracker with no account at all, where everything stays on your device.
If simple is the goal, PPantry does simple well. If prepared is the goal, the number needs a system around it.
See how long my preps will lastPPantry is the privacy purist's tracker, and it delivers on that promise consistently. There is no account to create: your data lives on your device, the app installs from the browser on any phone or computer, and it is supported by donations instead of ads or upsells. It scans barcodes against the Open Food Facts database, reminds you before things expire, runs rotation queues, and even estimates household duration.
Provision Planner is built around the question your storage exists for: how many days would your family actually last? You set up your real household, scan in supplies, and the dashboard keeps answering in days, stress-tests it against a hurricane or a two-week outage, watches recalls and severe weather near you, and tells you what to buy next to raise the number.
Side by side
| Provision Planner | PPantry | |
|---|---|---|
| Readiness in days | Yes. One number in days for your exact household, updated as your shelves change. | A duration estimate exists; scenario-tested household readiness is not the focus. |
| Household modeling | Adults, kids, infants, and pets drive the math, including water. | Household size feeds its estimate; no per-member modeling or sharing. |
| Scenario stress tests | Hurricane, power outage, winter storm and more, scored against what you own. | No. |
| What to buy next | Guided moves that raise your days, sized to your household. | Not a focus. |
| Live emergency alerts | Live weather and emergency alerts for your area. | No. Expiration reminders only. |
| Barcode scanning | Yes, with a catalog behind it (Premium). | Yes, free, against the Open Food Facts database. |
| Works offline | Yes. Your plan and supplies are available offline on mobile. | Yes. Local-first by design, with optional sync. |
| Platforms | Web, iPhone, and Android, always in sync. | Installs as a web app on any device; not in the app stores. |
| Account required | Yes. The account is what powers sync, household sharing, and alerts. | No account at all. Its signature feature. |
| Price | Free to start. Premium is $9.99 a month or $99.99 once for Lifetime. | Free forever, supported by donations. |
| Your data | We never sell your data. | Stays on your device unless you enable sync. |
Details change; where we could not verify a claim about PPantry, the cell says so rather than guessing. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it. What the AI row means in practice is shown on the AI assistant page.
Choose PPantry if
- You want zero account and zero cloud: the most private setup in the category.
- You want completely free, forever, with no upsell anywhere.
- You are comfortable installing from the browser and do not need store apps.
- You want simple rotation and expiry reminders without a bigger system around them.
Choose Provision Planner if
- You want the shelf turned into a number: how many days your family is covered.
- You want scenario tests, recall and weather alerts, and a guided list of what to buy next.
- Your household plans together: shared supplies and up to four logins.
- You want real iPhone and Android apps with web sync, and your AI assistant able to read your own pantry.
See it with your own shelves
The fastest way to compare is your own number.
Set up your household, add a few supplies, and the dashboard answers the question this whole page circles: how many days would your family be covered? Your first readiness number is about two minutes away.
Common questions
Is PPantry really free?
Yes, genuinely: free forever, no account, supported by donations. Provision Planner's free plan is also real, and Premium is $9.99 a month or $99.99 once when you want the scanner, scenarios, and household sharing.
Which is better for emergency preparedness?
Provision Planner. PPantry keeps clean records; Provision Planner turns records into readiness: days of coverage for your exact household, scenario stress tests, recall and weather alerts, and what to buy next.
Which is more private?
PPantry, and it is not close: no account, and data stays on your device. Provision Planner uses an account so your household can share one inventory across devices, and we never sell your data.
Can an AI assistant read my pantry in either app?
Only in Provision Planner. Connect Claude through our connector, built on the open MCP standard, and ask how many days of food you have. The answer comes from your actual shelves.
Shopping the whole category? Read the full roundup: The Best Food Storage Apps of 2026, Compared Honestly, or see all comparisons.