Pret vs Google Sheets
Rows and columns can track anything. Ticking off socks in a spreadsheet on your phone at 6 a.m.? There are better ways.
Google Sheets is the duct tape of family organization, and a shared packing sheet in Drive genuinely works - at first. But a spreadsheet isn't focused on packing: you maintain the rows, the formatting, and the copy of last year's tab yourself. Everyone needs a Google account, your list lives inside Google's data ecosystem, and on a phone you're pinching and zooming around cells. Pret is the opposite on every point: packing only, private by design, and built for the phone in your hand while you pack.
Side by side
What matters when you're packing for the whole crew.
| When you're packing | Prêt | Google Sheets |
|---|---|---|
| Built for packing |
Yes - packing lists are the entire product
|
No - a general-purpose spreadsheet |
| Remembers each person's needs |
Built in: every person has reusable templates that grow with them
|
You keep last year's tab and copy it, columns drifting every trip |
| New trip, ready-made list |
Automatic: pick who's coming and the list prefills itself
|
Manual: duplicate the sheet, clear the checkboxes, fix the formatting |
| Filter by person or topic |
One tap - pack one bag or one person at a time
|
Filters and frozen rows you set up and maintain yourself |
| Pack together, in real time |
Invite your partner; everyone checks off the same list live
|
Yes - once everyone has a Google account and the right sharing link |
| Setup effort |
About five minutes, once
|
Quick to start, endless row and formatting fiddling after |
| Price |
Free to try, then €8/year or €35 once
|
Free - paid for with a Google account and your data |
When Google Sheets is the better choice
We'd rather you pick the right tool than just pick us.
- You're tracking the trip budget or itinerary in numbers - that's what spreadsheets are for.
- Your whole group already lives in Google Workspace and link-sharing is second nature.
- You want formulas, pivot tables, or charts around your trip planning.
Spreadsheets are for numbers. Suitcases are for Pret.
Why people switch to Pret
Pret does exactly one thing: it makes packing easier for your whole holiday crew - your family, your long-standing group of friends. No databases to design, no boards to maintain, no system to babysit. Set up your people and topics once, and every trip starts with a list that's already right.
More comparisons
See how Pret stacks up against the other tools people pack with.
Pret vs Apple Notes
A great scratchpad - but your packing list starts from zero every trip.
Read the comparison →Pret vs Notion
You can build a packing system in Notion. The question is whether you want to maintain it.
Read the comparison →Pret vs Trello
Boards are great for projects. A suitcase isn't a project.
Read the comparison →Pret vs Obsidian
A brilliant second brain. But your family can't check off a vault.
Read the comparison →