Oman Fish ID vs BWP
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 511 fish species coverage
- Identification by color, shape, name
- Multiple photos per species
- Logbook for saving sightings
- Quiz for skill sharpening
- Works offline
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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.
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.
- 1,056 species covered
- 5,473 illustrations
- 1,066 songs and calls
- 916 videos
- 643 distribution maps
- Updated taxonomy and new species
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Oman Fish ID | BWP |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 — better | $35.99 |
| Rating | 4.5 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 64.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.5 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 417 MB | 3.3 GB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | John P Hoover | NatureGuides Ltd. |
Customer experience
Oman Fish ID
BWP
In-app purchases
Oman Fish ID
No in-app purchases
BWP
No in-app purchases









