# Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab vs Bird ID

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab | Bird ID |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (111K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merlin-bird-id-by-cornell-lab/id773457673/reviews)** | [4.1 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bird-id-identify-birds/id6451324788/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **111K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 77.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#20** | — |
| Size | 311 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cornell University](https://appshunter.io/developer/382072985) | [Arda Sen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1670665250) |

## What reviewers say

### Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merlin-bird-id-by-cornell-lab/id773457673)

**Currently charting:** #20 Top Free · Reference (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helpful for bird identification
- 🔒 Accurate bird identification
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Useful for beginners and experts
- 👍 Enjoyable and fun to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sound ID not always accurate
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🐛 Difficulty adding birds to life list
- 🐛 Limited bird packs for certain regions
- 🐛 Requires location access

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Bird ID

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bird-id-identify-birds/id6451324788)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $29.99 | per year |


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