# Roberts Birds — user reviews > 36 indexed App Store user reviews of Roberts Birds by High Branching cc, rated 1.50/5 from 2 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roberts-birds/id6737166138/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roberts-birds/id6737166138.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 0 · 4★ 0 · 3★ 0 · 2★ 1 · 1★ 1 ## Newest reviews (12 of 36) ### 1/5 — Beware losing your lists *2025-08-12, version 2.3* I updated my app to v.2. However, it wasn’t an update but a complete replacement. None of my lists from v.1 transferred and there is no way to restore them. Disaster. ### 1/5 — Decided I must subscribe again *2025-07-04, version 2.2* Let’s be honest, it is a great app but for it to randomly ask me to subscribe again is a joke. I paid via apple, I have a valid subscription until April 2026 but to use it I must pay again? Do not touch this app with a barge pole unless you like pay over and over for the same thing, using their reactivate your purchase gets you the simple answer you do not have one! Apple however says I paid for it in full so what now? ### 1/5 — Glitches constantly *2025-06-12, version 2.1* DO NOT PURCHASE. Same as the other review. Every time I search for a bird the app closes. Basically you get one search. Navigating is a nightmare… not intuitive. Family uses the old version and it’s 10x better ### 1/5 — Roberts Birds not transferable to new phone. *2025-06-06, version 2.1* Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe this app stole my money and time over years. I have the Roberts Birds Version 4.6 on my Samsung phone, and now that I have a IPhone, I can’t transfer the app to my IPhone. Seems I’m losing all my data accumulated over the years. ### 1/5 — Lost purchase when they changed to subscription *2025-05-04, version 2* I paid R800 for the old version. After this update I lost the old purchase and now you can only get a subscription. Where is my purchase? At least if I get a book I can keep it. I reached out to the company, no response. Buy the Sasol instead at least they care about their customers and at least you get to keep what you buy. ### 1/5 — Subscription Options *2025-04-27, version 2* You should offer a month by month option, so the app can be tried out, otherwise taking the plunge on the annual option ain’t worth it ### 1/5 — Previous purchase gone *2025-04-20* Previously purchased this version. Changed phone. Downloaded app. Won’t recognise my previously purchased when restoring. Used to be great. Do not purchase. **Developer response:** You can still get access to the old version if required. Please contact us at support@robertsbirds.co.za for assistance with this. ### 1/5 — No Grandfather Rights *2025-04-05, version 2* Bought the previous app and have lost access to it as I’m forced to pay a subscription. Why do you not give some form of grandfather rights to loyal customers who paid for the previous version!!! Or at least have left it live so we could continue to benefit from it ### 1/5 — Crashes *2025-03-08, version 2* Crashes, slow don’t bother ### 1/5 — App Crash !!! *2025-03-03, version 1.3* I have downloaded the new Roberts Birds app on my iPad Pro M4. However, whenever I try to open the app, it crashes and immediately closes. The issues with this new app seem to be escalating, which is extremely disappointing !!! ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work *2025-03-01* This app won’t load after installing **Developer response:** Please download the latest version and let us know if this resolves the issue by sending an email to support@robertsbirds.co.za ### 1/5 — Terrible *2025-02-18, version 1.2* Worst thing I’ve ever seen happen to something so beautiful ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Hugely disappointed *2026-04-01* I’ve always had the Robers Bird app on my iPhone. However, the new annual subscription model is an absolute ripoff. ### 1/5 — Unfortunately, not working. Sync and back-up is buggy and cannot be fixed. *2026-01-07* The app, if it was working, would have been great. Unfortunately one looses important information when importing lists from the original app (e.g. no GPS data etc). The killer is the sync. Every time one syncs to the Roberts Server it duplicates all entries on the server. The App support, once removed the duplicates, when I contacted them, but no lasting solution was found. This means that the sync slows down up until it is no longer usable. Really a pity. We will go back to the old version and hope this one gets fixed. Kind regards, from Namibia ### 1/5 — Expensive subscription *2025-12-10* Hugely disappointing that this app is released on an expensive subscription model. I’d happily pay a decent amount as a one-off payment but the subscription model is just an annoying cash grab. ### 1/5 — Not a great app *2025-10-24, version 2.4* The old Roberts app was much better. This app doesn’t sync, lost my life list and get no feedback or support. Can’t log in and don’t receive the emails to reset password. Getting fire finch app in stead. ### 1/5 — Very frustrating *2025-10-08, version 2.4* I paid for the previous version. Once-off with no subscription. Got a new phone and hey, there’s a new version… I couldn’t sign in, knew it’s subscription based and the developer doesn’t answer my e-mail. Absolutely awful. And this about an app which I really loved and enjoyed. ### 1/5 — New Robert’s *2025-09-23, version 2.4* I personally don’t mind the change to annual fee but the old Robert’s format was more appealing and easier to use for the average consumer in my opinion. The new format it is difficult to get used and not as easy to use. I used to flick through the old one when bored but now I find myself opening the app if I’m really struggling to identify a bird.safe to say I won’t be renewing my subscription unless changes are made to make the app more user friendly ### 1/5 — Not in app purchases actually completely paid app *2025-09-19, version 2.3* Can’t do anything without paying ### 1/5 — Have to buy it again *2025-09-19, version 2.3* I bought the version before this one for over R500 (once off to own) Now that I’ve upgraded my iPhone, App Store no longer has my version and now I have to pay yearly for this one. Not fair play! ### 1/5 — Terrible *2025-09-05* Unfortunately this app is unusable in its present form, cannot get imported lists, missing bird calls and more- the old Roberts 2 App works much better with lists etc - should be withdrawn and fixed before being offered again ### 1/5 — Give Back the Old App! *2025-08-30, version 2.3* Horrible. Please give back the old app! ## Most praised reviews (8 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Birding beginner *2025-11-05, version 2.4* I have just come from Kgalagadi and was intrigued by the bird species. Your app was recommended. Just finished going through the app and am very excited with what it has to offer. ### 5/5 — Best Bird App *2025-07-09, version 2.2* The offline functionality is seamless. Friendly user interface ### 4/5 — Love the image recognition feature! *2025-04-07, version 2* Great app with tons of info! Love that it has illustrations plus photos and the image recognition feature works SUPER well. Only thing I’d also want is an ability to do target species lists and I’d love to see a count of how many lifers you get on a new list or per month/year. ### 4/5 — Very comprehensive! *2025-03-30, version 2* Great app. Several improvements on the previous one. Works great and very comprehensive. The image recognition is a nice addition that you have to pay more to get in other bird apps. ### 3/5 — Image Recognition working *2025-03-15, version 2* Add-on ‘Image Recognition’ was crashing the App but now working following Developer update. ### 2/5 — Newer app frustrations *2025-10-25* The old Roberts 2 bird app was better. This new version shuts down if I switch between 2 bird choices when trying to id a bird. Frustrating ### 2/5 — Last update made it worse *2025-07-10, version 2.2* After the last update I can’t scroll between birds on my list, you have to go back and then it goes entirely back out of the list you are in and you have to go back into the correct list and scroll down to where you were ### 2/5 — Constantly glitching *2025-06-08, version 2.1* More chaotic than the older format, not as seemless to navigate. Every time I search a bird and try and select it the app closes. This is a problem I’ve had for the last two months and no updates have helped. A little bit disappointed --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-03.*