Bird Journal vs Fells
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Bird Journal
Record, explore, and share your bird and wildlife observations with a free account. Customize data entry, access your records across devices, and contribute to conservation efforts by sharing with systems like eBird and BirdTrack. Secure cloud storage ensures your data is never lost.
- Customizable data entry for observations
- Extensive library of species and taxonomies
- Searchable record history with reports and graphs
- Import and export records
- Share records with eBird and BirdTrack
- Cross-device access and cloud storage
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Bird Journal is the best way to record, explore and share your bird & wildlife observations and experiences. It has thousands of users across the world, and now brings its full power to iPhone and iPad in one beautifully native app. Start keeping a record of your bird & wildlife observations now with a free account. RECORD ANYTHING Enter bird & wildlife observations, photos, habitat and more with customisable data entry. Bird Journal's growing library contains hundreds of checklists and taxonomies, with over 100,000 species and subspecies worldwide. EXPLORE YOUR RECORDS Enjoy looking back through your data with beautiful entry reports, species lists, graphs*, maps*, reports* & a redesigned photo gallery. Search instantly by date, species, location & more. POWERFUL TOOLS, NOW ON MOBILE Import and export your records, replace species across your data, and build your own custom checklists, taxonomies and synonym packs — all for the first time on your phone or tablet. SHARE YOUR RECORDS Export, print and share records, species lists and photos straight to friends and other apps. eBird and BirdTrack systems are fully supported, so you can conveniently contribute to conservation efforts. ACCESS ANYWHERE Access and enter your records on any supported device or computer. Data is stored on each device, meaning you always have access even when on the move, in the field or abroad. REMEMBER FOREVER Never lose your data. Everything added to Bird Journal is safely and securely stored in Bird Journal's cloud. If you lose your device or your computer malfunctions, simply sign back in to your account to carry on from where you left off. BRING YOUR DATA Get started quickly by importing existing records from any other system or app. eBird, BirdTrack & Wildlife Recorder records can be imported directly. * Requires an upgrade to a Bird Journal Premium account.
Fells
Explore the 214 Lakeland fells with this digital guide. Features an interactive map, detailed fell information, smart filtering, and a personal logbook to record your climbs with photos and notes. Prioritizes user privacy with iCloud saving and no account creation.
- Interactive map of 214 Lakeland fells
- Detailed fell information (height, distance, compass)
- 3D terrain maps and nearby peak views
- Smart filtering by book and climb status
- Personal logbook with photos and notes
- Favourites list for preferred fells
- Home screen widgets for logbook photos
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Discover the beauty of the Lake District with Fells, your ultimate digital guide to the 214 Lakeland fells, as described in Alfred Wainwright's iconic series of pictorial guides. Embark on an immersive journey through the fells using our interactive map, featuring colour-coded markers that indicate the different areas Fells belong to. Let the stunning visuals and intuitive interface guide you through this breathtaking landscape. Focused Exploration Delve into the details of each individual fell with ease. Access key information such as height, distance, and compass directions relative to your location. Immerse yourself in a 3D map showcasing the terrain and nearby peaks, while conveniently linking to Wikipedia pages for more comprehensive insights. Smart Filtering Tailor your exploration by utilising our filtering options. Browse fells based on the corresponding books, mark your favourites, and keep track of your conquests by distinguishing between climbed and unclimbed fells. Logbook Capture the memories of your fell wandering expeditions within your personal Logbook. Record the date of each climb, attach captivating photos, and jot down memorable notes to reminisce about your outdoor adventures. Favourited Fells Quickly access your preferred fells by adding them to your Favourites. Build a personalised collection of go-to locations for easy navigation and inspiration. Widgets Showcase your remarkable Logbook photos directly on your device's home screen with our Logbook Photo widget. Enjoy a daily dose of motivation and relive the magic of the fells right from your device's main screen. Privacy at Its Core Rest assured knowing that Fells prioritises your privacy. No account creation is necessary, and all Logbook information is securely saved in your iCloud account, ensuring your data remains safe and confidential. Prepare for an unforgettable journey of exploration and adventure with Fells. Happy exploring!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Bird Journal at Free against Fells's $3.99. Bird Journal also leads on review sentiment (77% vs 33%) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 14 months). Fells's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Bird Journal is free to download; Fells costs $3.99 up front. Bird Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Fells asks for nothing beyond the download.
Bird Journal ships an update every 9 days, Fells every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bird Journal | Fells |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $3.99 |
| Rating | 3.0 (16 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 76.9% of reviews — better | 33.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 16 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 14 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 99 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bluebird Technology Limited | Genius Division Limited |
Customer experience
Bird Journal
Fells
Bugs and requests
Bird Journal
Reported bugs
9 issues- App crashes when going for Brazil or USA
- App not matching birds for UK
- Cannot add recent sightings of Boobys etc.
- App no longer runs reliably on iOS
- App is buggy and unclear
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- Cannot sign in
- Data lost on phone replacement
- Sync issues between mobile and desktop
- Orientation issues on iPad
Requested features
52 requests- Add Avilist taxonomy support
- Update to current species naming conventions
- Filter species by name or family
- Species pages to list sightings
- Way to jump to early dates in entries
Show 47 moreShow fewer
- Manually enter coordinates for new locations
- Auto-populate location and weather
- Attach photos in the app
- Share information with groups of friends
- Add mammals to the update version
- Add checklists for other wildlife (dragonflies, butterflies)
- Add missing counties to lists
- Add a pull-down box for sites when adding sightings
- Geotag and move sightings after seeing them
- World list and other wildlife lists
- Life List section
- Custom species entry
- Location filtering for own locations
- Improved species list customization
- Improved list management on mobile
- More intuitive export function
- More detailed statistics on mobile
- County species lists enhancements
- Add dragonflies, butterflies checklists
- Add mammals to the app
- Add world list and other wildlife lists
- Add Life List section
- Add custom species entry
- Add location filtering for own locations
- Improve species list customization
- Improve list management on mobile
- Improve export function
- Add more detailed statistics on mobile
- Enhance county species lists
- Add photo attachments to the app
- Add ability to share trips with other users
- Add ability to share entries with another user
- Add ability to share a trip
- Add mammals to the update version
- Add checklists for other wildlife (dragonflies, butterflies)
- Add missing counties to lists
- Add a pull-down box for sites when adding sightings
- Geotag and move sightings after seeing them
- World list and other wildlife lists
- Life List section
- Custom species entry
- Location filtering for own locations
- Improved species list customization
- Improved list management on mobile
- Improved export function
- Add more detailed statistics on mobile
- Enhance county species lists
Fells
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Bird Journal
- One Year Premium Subscription$34.99
Fells
No in-app purchases









