# Bird QR vs eBird Alert!

The clearest difference is review sentiment: eBird Alert! at 100% against Bird QR's 26%. eBird Alert! also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.4) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). Bird QR's advantage is ratings volume (66 vs 8) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

eBird Alert! holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bird QR has 66 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of Bird QR's written reviews are positive against 100% of eBird Alert!'s.

Bird QR ships an update every 3 months, eBird Alert! every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bird QR | eBird Alert! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.4 (66 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bird-qr/id814140941/reviews) | **[4.8 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird-alert/id6745479305/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **66** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 25.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 38 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 18.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CELLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/325078031) | [Colin Rafferty](https://appshunter.io/developer/1809866831) |

## What reviewers say

### Bird QR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bird-qr/id814140941)

Enhance your reading experience with this app that brings bird identification books to life. Access high-definition bird songs, calls, and supplementary information directly from your device. It also connects you to valuable ornithology resources and other helpful birding tools.

**Highlights:** Access bird songs and calls, Stream supplementary content, Link to Merlin Bird ID app, Discover new book titles, Instant access to All About Birds website

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Works with calendar/books
- 💡 Fun concept for learning
- 👍 Useful for bird identification

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ No sound issues
- ❌ App stopped working
- ❌ Crashing frequently
- ❌ Ad issues
- ❌ Requires phone not on silent

**Reported bugs**

- No sound when playing calls/songs
- App crashes after scanning QR code
- App freezes on ad screen
- App stops working after initial use
- Spinning wheel/loading icon persists

**Requested features**

- Fix the app so audio works
- Make app work when phone is on silent
- Remove or fix ad issues
- Add search functionality
- Make app work with other QR readers


### eBird Alert!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird-alert/id6745479305)

Discover rare bird sightings in your vicinity based on community-submitted checklists. Customize your search by distance, recency, and location. Access identification details and photos to aid your bird spotting.

**Highlights:** Find nearby rare bird sightings, Customize sighting proximity and recency, Filter by county or view all local birds, Open sighting locations in maps, View sighting comments, Access bird identification details and photos

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bird QR free?

Bird QR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is eBird Alert! free?

eBird Alert! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bird QR or eBird Alert!?

eBird Alert! is rated higher. Bird QR averages 2.4 out of 5 from 66 ratings, while eBird Alert! averages 4.8 from 8 ratings.

### Do Bird QR or eBird Alert! have ads?

Neither Bird QR nor eBird Alert! shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bird QR or eBird Alert!?

Bird QR ships an update every 3 months, and eBird Alert! every 3 weeks. Most recently, Bird QR was updated on October 23, 2026 and eBird Alert! on October 30, 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.*