PermitSnag vs Outdoorithm
Outdoorithm covers a wide net of campground reservation systems with real apps and a usable free tier, backed by a nonprofit arm called Outdoorithm Collective. It is a campsite tool through and through, with no wilderness permit lottery support. PermitSnag picks up where Outdoorithm stops: permits, lotteries, and pools.
As of July 16, 2026, Outdoorithm scans campgrounds across 44 reservation systems with native iOS and Android apps, a free tier, and an AI trip-planning assistant called Camp Sage. PermitSnag tracks 623 US wilderness permits with lottery tooling, group pools, and Fast Lane booking links.
Facts checked against Outdoorithm's public site on July 16, 2026. See every tool we compare on the PermitSnag alternatives hub.
Feature comparison
| Feature | PermitSnag | Outdoorithm |
|---|---|---|
| Core focus | Wilderness permits + lotteries, plus 118,000+ campsites | Campground availability alerts across 44 reservation systems, with an AI trip-planning assistant |
| Coverage | 623 US permits + 3,900+ campgrounds | 44 reservation systems, including Recreation.gov and park-specific systems |
| Lottery support | Lottery calendar, open/close/result reminders, group pools, published odds pages | No lottery tooling, cancellation alerts only |
| Pricing | Free tier with 1 alert (hourly scans). Pro $7.99/mo or $79.99/yr with about 1-minute scans, unlimited watches, SMS included. A la Carte $12 for a single permit. | Free (1 alert, 5-15 min scans, 60 sec during peak); Premium Supporter $12.99/mo or $129/yr (5 alerts, 2-min scans); Power Camper $19/mo or $189/yr (12 alerts, sub-60-sec peak scans) |
| Mobile app | Installable web dashboard with browser and mobile push | Native iOS and Android apps |
| Scan speed | About every minute on Pro | 5-15 minutes on free, 2 minutes on Premium Supporter, sub-60 seconds at peak on Power Camper |
| Alert channels | Push, SMS, email, and browser notifications | Email and push on free, SMS added on paid tiers (capped monthly) |
| Booking flow | Fast Lane deep links with your dates pre-selected | Links to the reservation site, plus Camp Sage AI trip suggestions |
Choose PermitSnag if…
- You need a wilderness permit lottery: calendars, reminders, group pools, and odds. Outdoorithm has none of that.
- You want unlimited watches on one flat price instead of a per-alert cap. Outdoorithm's paid tiers cap you at 5 or 12 alerts.
- You want SMS included without a monthly cap. Outdoorithm's SMS is capped depending on tier and costs extra.
Choose Outdoorithm if…
- You want a free-tier campground alert with a real native app on your phone.
- You like the AI trip-planning angle (Camp Sage) or want to support Outdoorithm Collective's nonprofit outdoor-access work.
Try PermitSnag free
One free alert, no card required. See the lottery calendar, browse 623 permits, and set your first watch in under a minute.
Common questions
Does Outdoorithm cover wilderness permit lotteries?
No. Outdoorithm scans campground availability across 44 reservation systems. It has no lottery calendar, application reminders, or group pools. PermitSnag covers 623 US wilderness permits including the full lottery layer.
Is Outdoorithm's free tier good enough?
For a single campground watch with 5-15 minute scans, yes. If you want faster scanning, more concurrent watches, or SMS, Outdoorithm's paid tiers run $12.99 to $19/month. PermitSnag Pro is $7.99/month with unlimited watches and SMS included.
Does Outdoorithm have an app?
Yes, native iOS and Android apps, which is more than most alert tools in this space offer. PermitSnag's dashboard works as an installable web app with browser push, without a native app store listing.