# Birdathon vs Active Defender

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Active Defender at none against Birdathon's 4. Active Defender also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On price, review sentiment, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Birdathon sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Active Defender asks for nothing beyond the download.

Active Defender holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 54 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Birdathon ships an update every 4 months, Active Defender every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Birdathon | Active Defender |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/birdathon/id1211977440/reviews) | **[4.9 (54 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/active-defender/id1436872758/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **54** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 192 MB | 214 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.1 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Barry Langdon-Lassagne](https://appshunter.io/developer/730758814) | [MMOJ](https://appshunter.io/developer/394675746) |

## What reviewers say

### Birdathon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/birdathon/id1211977440)

This app helps birdwatchers create and organize detailed checklists of their observations. It automatically records time and location, allowing for easy editing and customization. Users can visualize their sightings on maps, add field notes, and export data for sharing or further analysis.

**Highlights:** Observation-centric checklists, Automatic time and location recording, Customizable maps with boundary overlays, Field notes for additional observations, Multiple checklist sorting options, Data export to CSV and other formats, Create checklist templates

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Good Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Great Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Amazing Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Incredible Tip | $4.99 | one-time |


### Active Defender

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/active-defender/id1436872758)

This app provides real-time emergency maps to reduce chaos and confusion during critical incidents. It offers instant visual guidance for students, staff, and first responders, ensuring everyone knows what to do and where to go.  It facilitates communication and provides crucial information for swift and effective emergency response.

**Highlights:** Real-time emergency map, Instant multistory mapping, Emergency alerts, Real-time chat communication, Crisis location and nature, Campus-wide information sharing

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Birdathon free?

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

### Is Active Defender free?

Active Defender is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Birdathon or Active Defender?

Active Defender is rated higher. Birdathon averages 4.7 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Active Defender averages 4.9 from 54 ratings.

### Do Birdathon or Active Defender have ads?

Neither Birdathon nor Active Defender shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Birdathon or Active Defender?

Birdathon ships an update every 4 months, and Active Defender every 5 weeks. Most recently, Birdathon was updated on September 19, 2026 and Active Defender 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.*