Comparison

Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector vs Raptor ID

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

Head to head
About

Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector

This app works with a specialized hardware module to detect, record, and identify bats by their ultrasonic echolocation calls. It offers real-time listening, spectrogram visualization, and automatic species identification for outdoor enthusiasts, citizen scientists, and researchers.

Highlights
  • Listen to bat echolocation calls
  • View real-time spectrograms
  • Automatic bat species identification
  • Record full spectrum .wav files
  • Map bat recording locations
  • Transfer recordings to computer
Read full description

Using the Echo Meter Touch 2 Pro plug-in module, this app allows you to listen to record and automatically identify bats by their ultrasonic echolocation calls. The module and this companion app reveal the silent and often times invisible world of bats, providing outdoor enthusiasts, citizen scientists, and researchers an affordable and informative way to interact with these important creatures. There are two models: Echo Meter Touch 2 (EMT 2) is intended for nature enthusiasts and batting hobbyists and Echo Meter Touch 2 Pro is designed for bat professionals and features a higher quality microphone, adjustable gain, and higher sample rate. The Echo Meter Touch Ultrasonic Module senses ultrasonic signals, digitizes the signal, and transmits the ultrasonic data to the app on your iOS device. LISTEN TO BAT’S ECHOLOCATIONS EMT2 translates bat echolocations into frequencies that are audible to humans using two technologies. Wildlife Acoustics’ patented Real Time Expansion (RTE) allows you to listen to bats in real time with unparalleled fidelity. RTE maintains the timing and tonality of the original echolocations. Heterodyne (HET) listening via manual and automatic tuning is also available, for those accustomed to that way of hearing bats. VIEW THE ECHOLOCATIONS ON A SPECTROGRAM A real-time spectrogram shows the frequencies and timing of the echolocations. Scroll back in time and zoom in on previous "bat passes." SEE MOST LIKELY BAT SPECIES IN REAL-TIME*** The Auto ID feature analyzes the echolocation calls and suggests the two most likely bat species matches in real time. This is the same technology used in our professional Kaleidoscope Pro Bat Auto Identification software. Currently, the app can identify 26 species in North America, 25 in Europe and 57 in the neotropics. For more information on Kaleidoscope and a full list of species, visit our website. RECORD .WAV FILES Activate triggered recording mode to automatically save bat passes to full spectrum .wav files for analysis on a computer or to view on your iDevice. Or use manual record mode to control start and stop of recording. View the recording spectrogram and add voice or text notes. Listen to the recording using RTE, HET, or traditional Time Expansion Playback (playback at fractional speed to make the ultrasound audible). SEE YOUR PATH AND RECORDING LOCATIONS View in satellite or road map view. View identified species codes directly on the map. Go to the recording's spectrogram from the map view. Transfer to your computer to view in Google Earth. Your iDevice must have GPS capability or you must use a Bluetooth GPS receiver for this functionality. *Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.* TRANSFER RECORDINGS TO YOUR COMPUTER The EMT 2 can transfer the .wav recordings to your computer over a Wi-Fi network or using a USB cable. SHARE RECORDINGS VIA EMAIL OR MMS MESSAGING And import and open files that have been shared with you. ***Because bats vary their echolocation calls in response to a wide variety of needs, no automated identification can achieve 100% accuracy in species identification. Auto-ID, though largely accurate, should not be relied on as a basis for scientific research. Auto-ID is intended for use in analyzing recordings of single bats in free flight in low clutter environments. Auto-ID will not work well on recordings of roost emergence, multiple or captive bats, bats in high clutter environments, or bat social calls. Auto-ID does not include every possible bat for each of the covered regions. Echo Meter is a registered trademark of Wildlife Acoustics, Inc.

About

Raptor ID

This app provides expert-level identification for North America's diurnal raptors. It features nearly 1000 annotated photos and videos to help users identify birds in flight, catering to both beginners and experienced birdwatchers.

Highlights
  • 1000+ annotated photos
  • Identification videos in flight
  • Range maps with eBird links
  • Species vocalizations
  • Expert Q&A forum
Features
Read full description

The first raptor identification app designed for mobile devices; "HawkWatch International's Identification Guide to Raptors" puts expert hawk identification content in the palm of your hand. In this guide to North America's 34 species of diurnal raptors, you'll find nearly 1000 annotated photos, and cutting edge identification video for each species, geared toward helping you identify raptors in flight. If you're just getting started with birding, this app covers the basics; if you're already an expert hawk watcher, this app covers all the variation that can lead to identification confusion, even among the most seasoned birders. • Developed by HawkWatch International in partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology • Comprehensive identification content created by Jerry Liguori and Brian Sullivan • ~1000 annotated photos covering plumage, age/sex, and geographic variation • Cutting edge ID-focused video showing each species in flight, including voice-over ID tips from Jerry Liguori • Range maps with links to interactive seasonal eBird maps • Vocalizations for each species • 'Ask the authors' raptor ID question forum

Screenshots

Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector4 screens
Raptor ID4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector at none against Raptor ID's shown. Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Raptor ID's advantage is review sentiment (84% vs 59%). On price, rating, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector against 4.5 for Raptor ID. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 139 and 44 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 59% of Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector's written reviews are positive against 84% of Raptor ID's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector ships an update every 2 months, Raptor ID every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector versus Raptor ID: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEcho Meter Touch Bat DetectorRaptor ID
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (139 ratings)4.5 (44 ratings)
Positive reviews59.0% of reviews83.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings139 — better44
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size127 MB766 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWildlife AcousticsHawkWatch International

Customer experience

Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector

All ratings139 ratings
Positive86.3%
Neutral3.6%
Negative10.1%
Written reviews61 reviews
Positive59.0%
Neutral6.6%
Negative34.4%

Raptor ID

All ratings44 ratings
Positive86.4%
Neutral6.8%
Negative6.8%
Written reviews31 reviews
Positive83.9%
Neutral3.2%
Negative12.9%

In-app purchases

None

Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector

No in-app purchases

None

Raptor ID

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector free?
Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Raptor ID free?
Raptor ID is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector or Raptor ID?
Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector and Raptor ID are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 139 and 44 ratings respectively.
Do Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector or Raptor ID have ads?
Raptor ID shows ads; Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector does not.
Which is updated more often, Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector or Raptor ID?
Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector ships an update every 2 months, and Raptor ID every 5 months. Most recently, Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector was updated on September 22, 2026 and Raptor ID on August 20, 2026.

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