# Project Monarch Science vs Birdfy

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Project Monarch Science at none against Birdfy's 17. Birdfy's advantage is rating (4.1 vs 3.7) and ratings volume (3.6K vs 18). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Birdfy sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $2.39 per month. Project Monarch Science asks for nothing beyond the download.

Birdfy holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Birdfy has 3.6K ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Project Monarch Science's written reviews are positive against 48% of Birdfy's.

Project Monarch Science ships an update weekly, Birdfy every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Project Monarch Science | Birdfy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-monarch-science/id6460006970/reviews) | **[4.1 (3.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/birdfy/id6463374220/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 18 | **3.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 45.5% of reviews | **48.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 83 MB | 279 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cellular Tracking Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/1588087267) | [NETVUE, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1530898976) |

## What reviewers say

### Project Monarch Science

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-monarch-science/id6460006970)

This app transforms your smartphone into a receiver for tiny tracking devices attached to monarch butterflies. By crowdsourcing data, it helps scientists monitor butterfly migration patterns in unprecedented detail, aiding conservation efforts.

**Highlights:** Crowdsourced tracking network, Monarch butterfly migration monitoring, Detailed movement data, Habitat conservation insights, Utilizes Bluetooth frequency, Citizen science participation

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Birdfy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/birdfy/id6463374220)

Monitor your backyard for feathered visitors with real-time live streaming and automatic video capture of bird activity. Organize your recordings by species, share your discoveries with a global community, and even track the entire nesting and hatching process.

**Highlights:** Real-time bird visitor tracking, Automatic video capture of bird moments, Categorized video clips by bird species, Community sharing of bird observations, Nesting and hatching process tracking, AI-powered bird and animal identification

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

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Collection Storage Basic mo. | $2.39 | per month |
| MVR - Basic - Monthly | $2.39 | per month |
| MVR - Plus - Monthly | $3.59 | per month |
| Collection Storage Plus mo. | $4.69 | per month |
| Hummingbird Recognition mo. | $4.69 | per month |
| Bird Recognition Basic mo. | $5.89 | per month |
| Collection Storage Pro mo. | $7.09 | per month |
| MVR - Pro - Monthly | $7.09 | per month |
| Collection Storage Basic ann. | $23.49 | per year |
| MVR - Basic - Annual | $23.49 | per year |
| MVR - Plus - Annual | $35.49 | per year |
| Hummingbird Recognition ann. | $45.99 | per year |
| Collection Storage Plus ann. | $46.95 | per year |
| Bird Recognition Basic ann. | $57.99 | per year |
| Collection Storage Pro ann. | $70.99 | per year |
| Hummingbird Reco. Lifetime | $85.99 | one-time |
| Bird Recognition Lifetime Plan | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Intuitive app layout
- 🎥 Great video quality
- 🐦 Excellent for bird watching
- 💡 Useful community features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🔌 Connectivity issues
- 🤖 Inconsistent bird identification
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate/use
- 💰 Paywall for advanced features

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to delete devices
- Unreliable live view and video uploads
- Unexpected app logout and account deletion

**Requested features**

- Batch editing for misidentified birds
- Favorites/frequently spotted section
- Landscape mode support
- Customizable notification sounds
- Motion detection sensitivity adjustments


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Project Monarch Science free?

Project Monarch Science is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Birdfy free?

Birdfy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Project Monarch Science or Birdfy?

Birdfy is rated higher. Project Monarch Science averages 3.7 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while Birdfy averages 4.1 from 3.6K ratings.

### Do Project Monarch Science or Birdfy have ads?

Neither Project Monarch Science nor Birdfy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Project Monarch Science or Birdfy?

Project Monarch Science ships an update weekly, and Birdfy every 10 days. Most recently, Project Monarch Science was updated on September 21, 2026 and Birdfy on September 26, 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.*