# Raptor ID vs Birdwise

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.

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 October 8, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Raptor ID | Birdwise |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raptor-id/id1033944000/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/birdwise/id6760843072/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **44** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 83.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 766 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HawkWatch International](https://appshunter.io/developer/1033943999) | [Trevor Pennington](https://appshunter.io/developer/1514673614) |

## 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


### Birdwise

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/birdwise/id6760843072)

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.

**Highlights:** Bird image and audio decks, Ranked mode for timed challenges, Training mode for accuracy checks, Learn mode for guided study, Improve bird identification skills

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Birdwise pro | $11.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Raptor ID free?

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

### Is Birdwise free?

Birdwise is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Raptor ID or Birdwise?

Birdwise is rated higher. Raptor ID averages 4.5 out of 5 from 44 ratings, while Birdwise averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Raptor ID or Birdwise have ads?

Raptor ID shows ads; Birdwise does not.

### Which is updated more often, Raptor ID or Birdwise?

Raptor ID ships an update every 5 months, and Birdwise fortnightly. Most recently, Raptor ID was updated on October 8, 2026 and Birdwise on September 23, 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.*