# Sparkbird vs UltraText

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: UltraText at none against Sparkbird's 3. Sparkbird's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sparkbird sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. UltraText asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sparkbird ships an update every 6 weeks, UltraText monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sparkbird | UltraText |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkbird/id1440685638/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **48** | — |
| Positive reviews | 88.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 86 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sentryware LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1440685637) | [Jarele Soyinka](https://appshunter.io/developer/1760416416) |

## What reviewers say

### Sparkbird

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkbird/id1440685638)

Connect with fellow birdwatchers, track your sightings, and identify new species with AI assistance. Share your birding adventures and discover rare finds in a supportive community.

**Highlights:** Personal Life List tracking, Detailed sighting logs with media, Real-time sighting alerts, AI bird identification assistance, Community sharing and learning, Photo and video capture

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sparkbird Plus 1 Month | $9.99 | per month |
| Sparkbird Plus 3 Months | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Sparkbird Plus 12 Months | $49.99 | per year |


### UltraText

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultratext-messaging-app/id6737683565)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sparkbird free?

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

### Is UltraText free?

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

### Do Sparkbird or UltraText have ads?

Neither Sparkbird nor UltraText shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sparkbird or UltraText?

Sparkbird ships an update every 6 weeks, and UltraText monthly. Most recently, Sparkbird was updated on October 24, 2026 and UltraText on October 8, 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.*