# Raptor ID vs eBird Alert!

The clearest difference is ads: eBird Alert! at none against Raptor ID's shown. eBird Alert! also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). Raptor ID's advantage is ratings volume (50 vs 8) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.2). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

eBird Alert! holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Raptor ID has 50 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Raptor ID's written reviews are positive against 100% of eBird Alert!'s.

Raptor ID ships an update every 5 months, eBird Alert! monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Raptor ID | eBird Alert! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raptor-id/id1033944000/reviews) | **[4.8 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird-alert/id6745479305/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **50** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 83.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 766 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HawkWatch International](https://appshunter.io/developer/1033943999) | [Colin Rafferty](https://appshunter.io/developer/1809866831) |

## What reviewers say

### Raptor ID

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raptor-id/id1033944000)

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.

**Highlights:** 1000+ annotated photos, Identification videos in flight, Range maps with eBird links, Species vocalizations, Expert Q&A forum

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### eBird Alert!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird-alert/id6745479305)

Discover rare bird sightings in your vicinity using data from a global bird record database. Customize your search by distance, recency, and location, and access identification details and photos to aid in spotting. Easily open sighting locations in your preferred map application.

**Highlights:** View rare and local bird sightings, Customize sighting proximity and recency, Select specific nearby counties, Open sighting locations in maps, Access identification details and photos, Add sightings to eBird checklists

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Raptor ID free?

Raptor ID is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is eBird Alert! free?

eBird Alert! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Raptor ID or eBird Alert!?

eBird Alert! is rated higher. Raptor ID averages 4.5 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while eBird Alert! averages 4.8 from 8 ratings.

### Do Raptor ID or eBird Alert! have ads?

Raptor ID shows ads; eBird Alert! does not.

### Which is updated more often, Raptor ID or eBird Alert!?

Raptor ID ships an update every 5 months, and eBird Alert! monthly. Most recently, Raptor ID was updated on October 21, 2026 and eBird Alert! on October 25, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*