# BCRM Ref vs NRKW ID

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: BCRM Ref at 12.0 against NRKW ID's 14.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

BCRM Ref ships an update every 3 weeks, NRKW ID every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BCRM Ref | NRKW ID |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nrkw-id/id1541380760/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **4** |
| Positive reviews | — | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 23 MB | 476 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Midwives' Association of British Columbia](https://appshunter.io/developer/1502456999) | [Alert Bay Cetological Society](https://appshunter.io/developer/1541380762) |

## What reviewers say

### BCRM Ref

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bcrm-ref/id1502457000)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### NRKW ID

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nrkw-id/id1541380760)

This app provides up-to-date identification images and detailed information for individuals in the Northern Resident killer whale population. Navigate by clan, pod, matriline, sex, or age class to learn about each whale's name, sex, birth year, and mother.

**Highlights:** Killer whale identification images, Detailed individual information, Navigation by clan, pod, and matriline, Filtering by sex and age class, Full-screen image viewing, News on population status

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BCRM Ref free?

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

### Is NRKW ID free?

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

### Do BCRM Ref or NRKW ID have ads?

Neither BCRM Ref nor NRKW ID shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BCRM Ref or NRKW ID?

BCRM Ref ships an update every 3 weeks, and NRKW ID every 2 weeks. Most recently, BCRM Ref was updated on September 29, 2026 and NRKW ID on October 3, 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.*