Raptor ID vs HoodMaker
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Raptor ID
This app provides expert-level identification for North America's diurnal raptors. It features nearly 1000 annotated photos and videos to help users identify birds in flight, catering to both beginners and experienced birdwatchers.
- 1000+ annotated photos
- Identification videos in flight
- Range maps with eBird links
- Species vocalizations
- Expert Q&A forum
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The first raptor identification app designed for mobile devices; "HawkWatch International's Identification Guide to Raptors" puts expert hawk identification content in the palm of your hand. In this guide to North America's 34 species of diurnal raptors, you'll find nearly 1000 annotated photos, and cutting edge identification video for each species, geared toward helping you identify raptors in flight. If you're just getting started with birding, this app covers the basics; if you're already an expert hawk watcher, this app covers all the variation that can lead to identification confusion, even among the most seasoned birders. • Developed by HawkWatch International in partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology • Comprehensive identification content created by Jerry Liguori and Brian Sullivan • ~1000 annotated photos covering plumage, age/sex, and geographic variation • Cutting edge ID-focused video showing each species in flight, including voice-over ID tips from Jerry Liguori • Range maps with links to interactive seasonal eBird maps • Vocalizations for each species • 'Ask the authors' raptor ID question forum
HoodMaker
This app generates custom falconry hood patterns based on your specified base width. Simply input the measurement, print the pattern, and begin crafting your hoods.
- Generates Slijper Hood Patterns
- Customizable sizing
- User-friendly interface
- Printable patterns
- Easy to use
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Hoodmaker generates a Slijper Hood Pattern properly sized based on the base width entered. Simply enter the size, print and start making hoods.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: HoodMaker at 5.0 against Raptor ID's 4.5. HoodMaker also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Raptor ID's advantage is ratings volume (44 vs 1) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
HoodMaker holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Raptor ID has 44 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Raptor ID | HoodMaker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (44 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 83.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 44 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 5 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 766 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | HawkWatch International | Robert Schmid |
Customer experience
Raptor ID
HoodMaker
In-app purchases
Raptor ID
No in-app purchases
HoodMaker
No in-app purchases
