# Coton vs eBird

The clearest difference is price: eBird at Free against Coton's $1.99. eBird also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (803 vs 13). Coton's advantage is review sentiment (77% vs 37%) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 18.0). On ads, in-app purchases, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

eBird is free to download; Coton costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

eBird holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: eBird has 803 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 77% of Coton's written reviews are positive against 37% of eBird's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Coton ships an update every 5 months, eBird monthly. Both last shipped on October 13, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Coton | eBird |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.5 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coton/id493131814/reviews) | **[3.8 (803 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird/id988799279/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **803** |
| Positive reviews | **76.6% of reviews** | 36.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#119** | #167 |
| Size | 50 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Etamin Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/493131817) | [Cornell University](https://appshunter.io/developer/382072985) |

## What reviewers say

### Coton

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coton/id493131814)

**Currently charting:** #119 Top Paid · Reference (US App Store)

Identify cloud types using a comprehensive guide based on the International Cloud Atlas. Learn about their associated weather forecasts, including precipitation and storm probabilities. Explore detailed descriptions and over 120 images to enhance your sky-watching experience.

**Highlights:** Cloud identification by type, Detailed descriptions, Weather forecast correlation, Over 120 cloud images, Illustrated guide to cloud classification, Metric/Imperial system setting

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### eBird

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird/id988799279)

**Currently charting:** #167 Top Free · Reference (US App Store)

Easily record bird sightings in the field and contribute to a global database for scientific research and conservation. This app offers offline functionality, customized checklists, and GPS-enabled location plotting.

**Highlights:** Record bird observations globally, Global taxonomy and local common names, Location and time-based checklists, Rare species flagging, Offline functionality, GPS location plotting, Trip and day list tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent for citizen science
- 🔍 Helpful for finding birds at hotspots
- 📚 Useful for tracking life lists
- 👍 Easy to use and submit checklists
- 🤝 Integrates well with Merlin Bird ID

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 📍 Issues with location tracking and mapping
- 🤔 Unintuitive user interface
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with location data

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to start a new checklist
- Inability to log in or access account
- Inconsistent behavior with bird pack downloads
- Checklist data not syncing across devices
- Explore feature not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add ability to upload photos and audio directly in the app
- Implement alphabetical sorting for checklists
- Improve syncing between app and website
- Add more advanced filtering and search options
- Provide offline access to bird information


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Coton free?

Coton costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is eBird free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Coton or eBird?

eBird is rated higher. Coton averages 3.5 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while eBird averages 3.8 from 803 ratings.

### Do Coton or eBird have ads?

Neither Coton nor eBird shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Coton or eBird?

Coton ships an update every 5 months, and eBird monthly. Most recently, Coton was updated on October 13, 2026 and eBird on October 13, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Coton or eBird?

Coton currently peaks at #119 in the App Store charts, and eBird at #167. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*