Nature's Notebook vs BirdWeather
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Nature's Notebook
Record observations of plant and animal life cycles, such as flowering and migration. Mark observation sites, create species lists, and log seasonal changes in nature.
- Record plant and animal life cycle events
- Mark observation sites
- Create species lists
- Log seasonal observations
- Citizen science program
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Nature's Notebook is a program for observing and recording plant and animal life cycle events, like flowering and bird migration. Use this app to mark your sites, create a list of plants and animals, and going into the field to record observations throughout the seasons. Find out more at www.usanpn.org/nn/guidelines.
BirdWeather
Identify bird species through sound with this bioacoustics app. It connects to a specialized device to detect and display real-time species information from a vast database. Explore global wildlife activity and gain insights into nature's soundscapes.
- Real-time species recognition
- Global community insights
- Quick device setup
- Bioacoustics management
- Species detection database
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BirdWeather: Your Gateway to Nature's Soundscapes Discover the power of bioacoustics with BirdWeather, the all-in-one app designed to manage your PUC (Physical Universe Codec). PUC is an AI-driven bioacoustics platform, packed with advanced features like dual microphones, WiFi/BLE connectivity, GPS, environmental sensors, and a built-in neural engine—all housed in a rugged, weatherproof enclosure. Capture nature's audio effortlessly, and let BirdWeather help you explore the world of species detection and real-time monitoring. Key Features: - Quick Setup: Start recording in minutes with our step-by-step instructions for setting up your PUC device, connecting it to your Wi-Fi, and configuring essential settings. - Real-Time Species Recognition: With over 6,000 species in its database, BirdWeather provides a real-time view of the latest species detections as they happen. - Community Insights: Explore the detections recorded by other PUC stations worldwide, gaining deeper insights into local and global wildlife activity. Transform your understanding of nature with BirdWeather — the ultimate tool for bioacoustic monitoring and wildlife discovery.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: BirdWeather at 4.3 against Nature's Notebook's 3.2. BirdWeather also leads on review sentiment (55% vs 40%). Nature's Notebook's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
BirdWeather holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 27 and 24 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Nature's Notebook's written reviews are positive against 55% of BirdWeather's.
Nature's Notebook ships an update every 3 weeks, BirdWeather fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Nature's Notebook | BirdWeather |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.2 (27 ratings) | 4.3 (24 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | 54.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 27 — better | 24 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 47 MB | 196 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | National Phenology Network | Scribe Labs Inc |
Customer experience
Nature's Notebook
BirdWeather
In-app purchases
Nature's Notebook
No in-app purchases
BirdWeather
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Nature's Notebook free?
Is BirdWeather free?
Which has better reviews, Nature's Notebook or BirdWeather?
Do Nature's Notebook or BirdWeather have ads?
Which is updated more often, Nature's Notebook or BirdWeather?
Other comparisons
