Comparison
Let's be upfront: Campflare is a genuinely free campsite-alert service with a strong track record — over 10 million alerts sent since 2020. If you camp only in the US and want text alerts today, it's a fine choice.
OpenCampsite is the alternative when your trips cross the border or you want to see exactly what's being watched: we cover Canada's big three — Parks Canada, Ontario Parks, and BC Parks alongside Recreation.gov, ReserveCalifornia, ReserveAmerica, and more, with every tracked campground published on our coverage pages. Free while we're in beta.
| Campflare | OpenCampsite | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — no paid tier; funded by donations, merch, and commercial API licenses | Free while we're in beta — no credit card; a free tier stays when paid plans launch |
| US coverage | “Nearly all public campgrounds in the United States” and “all 50 state park systems” — the specific reservation systems aren't listed on their site | Recreation.gov, ReserveCalifornia, ReserveAmerica (multi-state), Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Firefly Reservations — every tracked campground is browsable on our coverage pages |
| Canada coverage | Not offered — US-focused, and international phone numbers are unsupported (their FAQ) | Parks Canada, Ontario Parks, and BC Parks campgrounds with the same alerts |
| Notifications | Email and SMS, plus an iOS app (4.9 stars) | Email today; SMS is planned once carrier verification completes |
| Permit alerts | Yes — 50+ wilderness permits (Mt. Whitney, Enchantments, Zion Narrows…) | Not yet — campgrounds only |
| Transparency | Systems watched aren't enumerated; no status page or changelog | Full coverage list published per park and provider, plus daily demand data |
| Auto-booking | No — you book on the official reservation site | No — you book on the official reservation site (we think that's the right call) |
| Track record | Running since 2020; 10M+ alerts sent | New — launched 2026, which is why everything is free during beta |
Campflare facts checked on campflare.com's public pages on July 21, 2026. Their pricing and coverage can change — trust their site over this table, and if you spot something out of date, email hey@opencampsite.com and we'll fix it.
Fair is fair: Campflare sends SMS today (we're email-only until our toll-free number finishes carrier verification), has a polished iOS app, covers 50+ wilderness permits we don't, and has been running since 2020 with over 10 million alerts sent — all free. For US-only camping with text alerts, it's hard to beat.
Where we differ: Campflare doesn't cover Canada, and it doesn't publish which reservation systems it watches. Check our coverage to see exactly what we track — and if your campground is missing, request it.
Yes. Campflare's own FAQ says it's free for everyone with no premium tier, funded by donations, merch, and commercial API licensing (checked July 21, 2026). OpenCampsite is also free during our beta — the honest difference between us isn't price, it's coverage: we watch Canadian systems (Parks Canada, Ontario Parks, BC Parks) and publish exactly which campgrounds we track.
Not as of July 21, 2026: campflare.com describes coverage as US campgrounds ("nearly all public campgrounds in the United States"), doesn't name any Canadian reservation system, and its FAQ says international phone numbers are unsupported. OpenCampsite covers Parks Canada, Ontario Parks, and BC Parks campgrounds alongside the major US systems.
If you camp only in the US and want SMS alerts today, Campflare is excellent — it has text and email alerts, an iOS app, wilderness-permit alerts, and a five-year track record with over 10 million notifications sent. OpenCampsite is email-only until our toll-free number clears carrier verification, so US campers who need texts right now should honestly pick Campflare and come back when your trips cross into Canada.
Three reasons: Canadian coverage (Parks Canada, Ontario Parks, BC Parks — Campflare has none), transparency (we publish every tracked campground, park by park, plus daily demand data; Campflare doesn't enumerate its systems), and no account needed to start — confirm your email and your first alert runs in about a minute.
Pick a campground, choose your dates, and we'll email you when a cancellation or new opening matches. Free while we're in beta.
Comparing other tools too? See all of our campsite-alert comparisons.