PrepPrep or a spreadsheet for your stockpile?
A spreadsheet is free, works on any device and is easy to share with your household. Prep works out your days of food and water for you, watches the dates and reminds you, but it's iPhone only and each person keeps their own list. Here's how they compare.
We make Prep, so we've marked where a spreadsheet does better as well as where Prep does. Based on Prep 1.0.1, checked 3 November 2026.
Side by side
| What you need | Spreadsheet | Prep |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | Set up columns and formulas, or start from a template such as our free one. | Add who's at home, then add what you have. |
| Adding foodPrep does this better | Type each row. | Scan a barcode to fill in the name, brand and calories, from Open Food Facts. Not every product is found, so some you'll add by hand. |
| Days of food and waterPrep does this better | Only if you build the formulas, and keep the calories and litres filled in. | Worked out from each person's and pet's daily needs, with what's holding you back and how much to add for the next milestone. |
| Best before datesPrep does this better | You sort by date and remember to look. | Anything past its date stops counting. There's a use-first list, a 12-month expiry timeline, and reminders up to 90 days ahead. |
| The same food bought twicePrep does this better | A row per purchase, or the dates get mixed up. | Each purchase is its own batch, with its own date and place. |
| Using things upPrep does this better | Change the number by hand. | Mark stock as used or thrown away. Apple Watch has Use 1. |
| KitsPrep does this better | Another tab to remember. | Suggested kits to tick off (grab bag, car kit, first aid kit, home emergency box), with reminders to check them. |
| Sharing with your householdSpreadsheet does this better | Easy: share the file and everyone can edit it. | Not available. Prep syncs through iCloud between your own devices, not between two people's Apple Accounts. |
| DevicesSpreadsheet does this better | Any phone or computer. | iPhone and Apple Watch. There's no Android, Mac or web version. |
| Privacy | Wherever you keep the file. | No account, no ads, no tracking. Your data stays on your devices and in your private iCloud. |
| CostSpreadsheet does this better | Free with most spreadsheet apps. | Free to download. The free version has limits on items, places, kits, goals and reminders, and Premium removes them. |
| Taking your data elsewhereSpreadsheet does this better | It's already a file. | CSV export, with Premium. Prep can't import a spreadsheet. |
Choose a spreadsheet if
- More than one person needs to edit the list.
- Anyone at home uses Android, or you'd rather work on a computer.
- Your stockpile is small and you update it a few times a year.
- You want it free, with no limits.
Choose Prep if
- You want to know how many days you'd last without working it out.
- You buy the same things more than once, with different dates.
- You'd like a reminder before food goes out of date, not after.
- You keep a grab bag or other kits and forget to check them.
Or start with a spreadsheet
Our free stockpile spreadsheet already has the formulas for days of food and water, using the same figures as the app. If you only want a number for today, the supplies calculator works it out in the browser. If you move to Prep later, its CSV export follows the same columns, so keeping a printed or shared copy stays easy.
Common questions
Can I import my spreadsheet into Prep?
No. Prep doesn't import files. If you're moving over, scanning barcodes is the quickest way to add what you have.
Can two of us share the same list?
Not in Prep. It syncs between your own devices through iCloud, but not between two people's Apple Accounts. If several people need to edit the list, a shared spreadsheet does that better.
Is Prep free?
It's free to download and use, with limits on items, places, kits, goals and reminders. Premium removes the limits. Pricing is shown in the App Store.
Does Prep work on Android or a computer?
No. It's for iPhone, with an Apple Watch app. A spreadsheet works anywhere.
Can I keep using a spreadsheet as well?
Yes. Prep's CSV export follows the same columns as our free stockpile spreadsheet, so you can keep a copy or print one.