Comparison

Oman Fish ID vs BWP

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Oman Fish ID

Identify fish species encountered while diving or snorkeling in Oman and the UAE. Features detailed profiles with multiple photos, identification by color or shape, and a logbook to save sightings. Includes a quiz to test your knowledge.

Highlights
  • 511 fish species coverage
  • Identification by color, shape, name
  • Multiple photos per species
  • Logbook for saving sightings
  • Quiz for skill sharpening
  • Works offline
Features
Read full description

Updated July 2026. Covers 511 fish species seen by scuba divers and snorkelers in Oman and the UAE, most common fish presented first. Flip through screens like pages of a book, or find a fish quickly by color or shape. Up to 5 photos per fish—showing juveniles, males, females, color variations. Add fish to Log Book. Sharpen your fish ID skills with flashcard style Quiz. - Covers Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea - 476 species / 900+ photos - Identify fish by color, shape, family group, scientific name, English name. - Logbook: save fish, email Logbook. - Works great on iPads too! Originally created by Richard Field, author of Reef Fishes of Oman. Newly updated by John Hoover, creator of numerous other fish ID apps.

About

BWP

This comprehensive reference app provides detailed information on birds of the Western Palearctic. It features extensive data on species, including field characters, habitat, breeding, and behavior, enhanced with illustrations, songs, videos, and maps.

Highlights
  • 1,056 species covered
  • 5,473 illustrations
  • 1,066 songs and calls
  • 916 videos
  • 643 distribution maps
  • Updated taxonomy and new species
Features
Read full description

Birds of the Western Palearctic – BWP – is the definitive reference for everyone with a serious interest in birding and ornithology. Fifteen years ago we published all 11 printed volumes on DVD-ROM. Now we have fully overhauled this renowned BWPi for iOS and macOS. We have refreshed the design, breathed new life into the plates, added a comprehensive video library, integrated unique breeding birds content and updated taxonomy with new species and splits. Comprehensive coverage of every species that regularly occurs in the region, with sections on Field Characters, Habitat, Breeding, Distribution, Population, Movements, Social Pattern and Behaviour, Voice, Food, Plumages, Moults, Measurements and Geographical Variation. The app covers every species known to have occurred within the region, and we will be updating the app as new species occur (latest is Horned Puffin!). BWP integrates with Collins Bird Guide app so that you can switch between the two seamlessly. • 1,056 species covered • 5,473 illustrations • 1,066 songs and calls • 916 videos • 643 distribution maps • 10,176 photos of breeding stages • 1,557 line drawings showing behaviour • 288 life cycle diagrams • 2,446 tables • 37,690 references • 5,250,000 words of text! • Species names are translated into 25 languages The distribution and population data have not been updated since BWP was originally published, and some species have changed significantly since then. Compare species is available on iPad only.

Screenshots

Oman Fish ID4 screens
BWP4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Oman Fish ID at $4.99 against BWP's $35.99. Oman Fish ID also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 64%). BWP's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Oman Fish ID costs $4.99 and BWP $35.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BWP holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Oman Fish ID's written reviews are positive against 64% of BWP's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Oman Fish ID ships an update every 4 months, BWP every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Oman Fish ID versus BWP: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOman Fish IDBWP
Price$4.99 — better$35.99
Rating4.5 (2 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better64.0% of reviews
Number of ratings22
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.615.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size417 MB3.3 GB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJohn P HooverNatureGuides Ltd.

Customer experience

Oman Fish ID

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

BWP

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive64.0%
Neutral8.0%
Negative28.0%

In-app purchases

None

Oman Fish ID

No in-app purchases

None

BWP

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Oman Fish ID free?
Oman Fish ID costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is BWP free?
BWP costs $35.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Oman Fish ID or BWP?
BWP is rated higher. Oman Fish ID averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while BWP averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Oman Fish ID or BWP have ads?
Neither Oman Fish ID nor BWP shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Oman Fish ID or BWP?
Oman Fish ID ships an update every 4 months, and BWP every 2 months. Most recently, Oman Fish ID was updated on September 9, 2026 and BWP on September 24, 2026.

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