Comparison

Ducks Unlimited vs DuckSmart

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Ducks Unlimited

This app is your essential companion for waterfowl hunting season. It provides tools for tracking migrations, logging hunts, identifying species, and staying informed about conservation efforts. Plan your hunts and connect with the community.

Highlights
  • Migration Map with real-time reports
  • Hunting tools (sunrise/sunset, weather)
  • Waterfowler's Journal for logging hunts
  • Waterfowl species identification
  • DU Events finder
  • Stream DU media
Features
Read full description

The official Ducks Unlimited App - your ultimate companion for waterfowl season. Track migrations, log hunts, identify species, and stay connected with DU conservation efforts across North America. Whether you’re scouting tomorrow’s blind or planning your next DU event, the DU App puts every tool you need right at your fingertips. Key Features: - Migration Map: View reports from DU biologists, field editors, and other hunters in real time - plus submit your own. - Hunting Tools: Get sunrise/sunset data, weather, snow cover, and season info for your location. - Waterfowler’s Journal: Log hunts, track conditions, record harvests by species, and relive your best days afield. - Waterfowl ID: Browse photos, calls, and detailed info on North America’s most popular duck and goose species. - DU Events: Find and register for local and national Ducks Unlimited events near you. - DU Media: Stream DU TV, DU Films, and podcasts anytime, anywhere. - Create a free My DU profile for exclusive features and member content. Join the community that conserves wetlands and waterfowl for future generations. Download the DU App today and take Ducks Unlimited wherever your next hunt leads.

About

DuckSmart

This app provides waterfowl hunters with critical data to make informed decisions. It analyzes weather, environmental factors, and personal hunting history to offer predictions and insights for successful hunts. Features include hunt mapping, journaling, and species identification.

Highlights
  • Weather-based hunt prediction
  • Sunrise & environmental timing
  • Personal hunt mapping
  • Hunt journaling
  • Duck species identification
Features
Read full description

DuckSmart is built for waterfowl hunters who believe preparation matters. Waterfowl hunting isn’t random. Weather shifts, pressure changes, wind direction, and timing all influence bird movement. DuckSmart brings those critical factors together in one place so you can make smarter decisions before you ever step into the blind. Whether you’re scouting days ahead or checking conditions the night before a hunt, DuckSmart helps turn raw data into meaningful insight. Key Features Weather-Based Hunt Prediction DuckSmart analyzes changing conditions such as temperature trends, barometric pressure, wind, and timing to generate a hunt prediction score designed to help you plan with confidence. Sunrise & Environmental Timing Quick access to sunrise, sunset, and daily environmental factors that matter when birds are most active. Personal Hunt Mapping Pin your hunting and scouting locations on your own private map. Add notes, conditions, and observations so every trip builds on the last. Hunt Journaling Log hunts manually, noting weather, bird activity, and outcomes. Over time, your journal becomes a personal knowledge base tailored to your hunting. Duck Species Identification Browse and identify common duck species with helpful visual and descriptive information to support in-the-field recognition. Built by a Hunter, Not a Corporation DuckSmart isn’t a replacement for experience or tradition—it’s a tool designed to support them. Built by an avid waterfowl hunter, DuckSmart focuses on clarity, simplicity, and features that actually matter in real hunting situations. No guarantees. No gimmicks. Just better information, organized for the blind. Hunt prepared. Hunt informed. Hunt smarter. Subscription Options: - DuckSmart Pro Monthly: $4.99/month - DuckSmart Pro Yearly: $39.99/year (save 33%) Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Payment is charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions in your App Store account settings. Privacy Policy: https://mallardworks.io/privacy-policy Terms of Use (EULA): https://mallardworks.io/terms-%26-conditions

Screenshots

Ducks Unlimited4 screens
DuckSmart4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DuckSmart at 100% against Ducks Unlimited's 28%. DuckSmart also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.4) and update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks). Ducks Unlimited's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and ratings volume (141 vs 43). On price, ads, monetization model and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. DuckSmart sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Ducks Unlimited asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DuckSmart holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 141 and 43 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of Ducks Unlimited's written reviews are positive against 100% of DuckSmart's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ducks Unlimited ships an update every 5 weeks, DuckSmart weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Ducks Unlimited versus DuckSmart: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDucks UnlimitedDuckSmart
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.4 (141 ratings)4.9 (43 ratings) — better
Positive reviews28.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings141 — better43
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksWeekly — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB87 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDucks Unlimited, Inc.Mallard Works, LLC

Customer experience

Ducks Unlimited

All ratings141 ratings
Positive56.0%
Neutral13.5%
Negative30.5%
Written reviews78 reviews
Positive28.2%
Neutral26.9%
Negative44.9%

DuckSmart

All ratings41 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Ducks Unlimited

Reported bugs

37 issues
  • Bird ID doesn't work for many species
  • Sunrise feature is lackluster
  • Log book moved to the internet is not user friendly
  • Cannot write a report (button won't click)
  • Journal is 'under construction' and unusable
Show 32 more
  • Lost all journal entries after deletion
  • Lost harvest information after logging out/in
  • Journal appears to have lost data
  • Location for sunset erased
  • Takes forever to load any page
  • Error occurred while communicating with the server
  • Log doesn't work (linked to account but unusable)
  • Buttons and links frequently don't work
  • Cannot view past journal entries
  • Journal wouldn't accept new hunt information
  • Cannot delete journal entries
  • Journal is glitchy, group count shows 0
  • App crashes when opening
  • Migration map doesn't work, reports don't load, crashes continuously
  • Cannot post migration reports
  • Cannot look at the map
  • App crashes when checking migration reports
  • App crashes when choosing a bird to ID
  • Cannot use duck ID reference without crashing
  • App crashes when opening
  • App crashes as soon as I open it
  • Audio doesn't work
  • Sunrise/Set times not available
  • Audio doesn't work in duck ID section
  • Audio doesn't work
  • Journal has issues with multiple bird species
  • Third bird entered didn't register, fourth used second species' data
  • Migration map always crashes on iPads and iPhones
  • Journal not updated for current season
  • App doesn't work on new iOS
  • WMA option won't scroll down to Tennessee
  • Audio doesn't work

Requested features

17 requests
  • Add YouTube to DuckDuckGo
  • Add swan to species list
  • Make membership card available in Apple Wallet
  • Add more Canadian content (seasons, bag limits)
  • Sync reports
Show 12 more
  • Update flyway migration reports
  • Reproduction rates estimation
  • Projected food plot outlooks
  • Add DU store in app
  • Allow searching by date range
  • Sort reports by distance from location
  • Specify distance from city/town or current location for reports
  • Add more reports for season numbers (species count)
  • Add 2016-17 Journal update
  • Add notification for local events
  • Divide bird tracking by species taken that year
  • Add Alaska to locations page

DuckSmart

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Ducks Unlimited

No in-app purchases

7 purchases

DuckSmart

Subscriptions7
  • Ambasador Monthly Price14 Days trial$8.991 Month
  • DuckSmart Pro Monthly14 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • DuckSmart Corporate Extra Seat$29.991 Year
Show 4 more
  • Ambassador Access14 Days trial$34.991 Year
  • DuckSmart Pro Yearly14 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • DuckSmart Group$249.991 Year
  • DuckSmart Corporate - 5+ Users$249.991 Year

Questions

Is Ducks Unlimited free?
Ducks Unlimited is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DuckSmart free?
DuckSmart is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Ducks Unlimited or DuckSmart?
DuckSmart is rated higher. Ducks Unlimited averages 3.4 out of 5 from 141 ratings, while DuckSmart averages 4.9 from 43 ratings.
Do Ducks Unlimited or DuckSmart have ads?
Both Ducks Unlimited and DuckSmart show ads.
Which is updated more often, Ducks Unlimited or DuckSmart?
Ducks Unlimited ships an update every 5 weeks, and DuckSmart weekly. Most recently, Ducks Unlimited was updated on November 1, 2026 and DuckSmart on November 5, 2026.

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