Comparison

Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab vs Bird ID

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

Head to head
About

Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab

Easily identify birds by sight or sound using advanced machine learning. Explore birds in your region, track your sightings, and learn about species with photos, sounds, and range maps. This free app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology helps build your birding skills.

Highlights
  • Identify birds by photo
  • Identify birds by sound
  • Answer simple questions for ID
  • Explore birds by region
  • Track bird sightings
  • View range maps and photos
  • Bird of the Day feature
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

What's that bird? Ask Merlin—the world’s leading app for birds. Just like magic, Merlin Bird ID will help you solve the mystery. Merlin helps you identify birds you see and hear. Merlin is unlike any other bird app—it's powered by eBird, the world’s largest database of bird sightings, sounds, and photos. Merlin offers four fun ways to identify birds. Answer a few simple questions, upload a photo, record a singing bird, or explore birds in a region. Whether you’re curious about a bird you’ve seen once or you’re hoping to identify every bird you can find, the answers are waiting for you with this free app from the renowned Cornell Lab of Ornithology. WHY YOU’LL LOVE MERLIN • Expert ID tips, range maps, photos, and sounds help you learn about the birds you spot and build birding skills. • Discover a new bird species each day with your own personalized Bird of the Day • Get customized lists of birds you can find where you live or travel - anywhere in the world! • Keep track of your sightings—build your personal list of the birds you find MACHINE LEARNING MAGIC • Powered by Visipedia, Merlin Sound ID and Photo ID uses machine learning to identify birds in photos and sounds. Merlin learns to recognize bird species based on training sets of millions of photos and sounds collected by birders at eBird.org, archived in the Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. • Merlin delivers the most accurate results thanks to experienced birders, who curate and annotate sightings, photos, and sounds, who are the true magic behind Merlin. AMAZING CONTENT • Merlin has bird photos, songs, and calls, and identification help for anywhere in the world, including Mexico, Costa Rica, South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, India, Australia, Korea, Japan, China, and more. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s mission is to interpret and conserve the Earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds and nature. We are able to offer Merlin for free thanks to the generosity of Cornell Lab members, supporters, and citizen-science contributors.

About

Bird ID

Instantly identify bird species by uploading or capturing a photo. Access an extensive encyclopedia, ask AI-powered questions about birds, and keep a history of your discoveries. Works offline for birdwatching anywhere.

Highlights
  • AI-powered bird recognition from photos
  • Extensive bird encyclopedia
  • Ask AI bird-related questions
  • Identification history log
  • Offline identification mode
  • Intuitive user interface
Features
Read full description

Introducing Bird ID: Identify Birds - the ultimate app for bird enthusiasts, nature lovers, and curious minds. Discover the incredible world of birds with the power of advanced image recognition technology, instantly identifying various species simply by capturing or uploading a photo. Enhance your knowledge and explore the fascinating realm of these feathered creatures through accurate and reliable results. App Highlights: Bird Recognition Made Easy: Capture or upload a photo of any bird, and Bird ID: Identify Birds will swiftly analyze it using its powerful image recognition algorithms. In a matter of seconds, receive precise identifications of the bird species, uncovering intriguing details about the avian marvel you've encountered. AI Bird Expert: Unleash the potential of our AI bird expert, capable of answering all your bird-related queries. Simply ask any question about birds, their behavior, habitats, or characteristics, and our expert system will provide you with accurate and reliable answers. Deepen your understanding of these magnificent creatures and unravel the mysteries of the avian world. Extensive Bird Encyclopedia: Our app boasts an extensive database of birds, curated from reputable sources. Access detailed information about each identified species, including physical characteristics, habitat, behavior, and more. Expand your understanding and become an expert on a wide range of bird species. Identification History: Bird ID: Identify Birds allows you to maintain a history of all the birds you've identified. Effortlessly revisit previous identifications to review details or compare species. Keep track of your birding adventures and build your personal birding journal. Intuitive Interface: Bird ID: Identify Birds provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making navigation through the app seamless. The clean and visually appealing design enhances your overall experience, making bird learning a delight. Access Without Internet: Enjoy Bird ID: Identify Birds no matter where your birdwatching adventures take you, even without an internet connection. Our offline mode ensures you can identify birds in the depths of a forest or atop a remote mountain. Bird ID: Identify Birds is the ultimate go-to app for identifying and learning about the diverse world of birds. Expand your understanding of the fascinating creatures that grace our skies and unleash your inner ornithologist. Download Bird ID: Identify Birds today and embark on an educational and captivating journey into the realm of birds. Privacy: https://birdid.ardasen.com/privacy.html Terms: https://birdid.ardasen.com/terms.html

Screenshots

Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab4 screens
Bird ID4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab at 4.9 against Bird ID's 4.1. Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). Bird ID's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 77%) and device support (3 vs 1). On price and monetization model 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. Bird ID sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab has 111K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 77% of Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab's written reviews are positive against 100% of Bird ID's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab ships an update monthly, Bird ID every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab versus Bird ID: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMerlin Bird ID by Cornell LabBird ID
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (111K ratings) — better4.1 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews77.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings111K — better9
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#21 — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size311 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCornell UniversityArda Sen

Customer experience

Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab

All ratings111,272 ratings
Positive97.5%
Neutral1.0%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews1,879 reviews
Positive77.4%
Neutral7.5%
Negative15.2%

Bird ID

All ratings9 ratings
Positive77.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative22.2%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Sound ID not working in some cases
  • Inability to download bird packs due to storage issues
  • Repeated email confirmation requests
  • Incorrect bird identifications in certain locations
  • Inability to edit or delete past sightings

Requested features

7 requests
  • Allow manual addition of birds to life list
  • Improve search functionality to find specific birds
  • Add more bird packs for underrepresented regions
  • Improve sound ID accuracy and reliability
  • Provide option to save recordings without location
Show 2 more
  • Add more details and filters to bird information
  • Improve user interface for better navigation

Bird ID

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Bird ID

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription3 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab free?
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bird ID free?
Bird ID is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab or Bird ID?
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab is rated higher. Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab averages 4.9 out of 5 from 111K ratings, while Bird ID averages 4.1 from 9 ratings.
Do Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab or Bird ID have ads?
Bird ID shows ads; Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab does not.
Which is updated more often, Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab or Bird ID?
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab ships an update monthly, and Bird ID every 3 months. Most recently, Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab was updated on September 24, 2026 and Bird ID on August 19, 2026.

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