Raptor ID vs Birdwise
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
Birdwise
Enhance your bird identification abilities with interactive decks of bird images and audio. Engage in various modes like Ranked, Training, and Learn to test and improve your knowledge.
- Bird image and audio decks
- Ranked mode for timed challenges
- Training mode for accuracy checks
- Learn mode for guided study
- Improve bird identification skills
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Improve your bird ID skills by training with decks of bird images and audio Modes: - Ranked: Get as many right as you can in 60 seconds and see your rank - Training: Answer cards to check your accuracy - Learn: Flip through cards while seeing the correct answer Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Birdwise at 5.0 against Raptor ID's 4.5. Birdwise also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months). Raptor ID's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (44 vs 4). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. Birdwise sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Raptor ID asks for nothing beyond the download.
Birdwise 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 4, 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 Birdwise's.
Raptor ID ships an update every 5 months, Birdwise fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Raptor ID | Birdwise |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (44 ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 83.9% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 44 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 766 MB | 62 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | HawkWatch International | Trevor Pennington |
Customer experience
Raptor ID
Birdwise
In-app purchases
Raptor ID
No in-app purchases
Birdwise
- Birdwise pro$11.99
Questions
Is Raptor ID free?
Is Birdwise free?
Which has better reviews, Raptor ID or Birdwise?
Do Raptor ID or Birdwise have ads?
Which is updated more often, Raptor ID or Birdwise?
Other comparisons
