# Whale Alert vs OpenBirding

The clearest difference is review sentiment: OpenBirding at 100% against Whale Alert's 44%. OpenBirding also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Whale Alert's advantage is ratings volume (606 vs 4). 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.

OpenBirding holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Whale Alert has 606 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Whale Alert's written reviews are positive against 100% of OpenBirding's.

Whale Alert ships an update every 3 months, OpenBirding weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Whale Alert | OpenBirding |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (606 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whale-alert/id911035973/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openbirding/id6755897167/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **606** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 44.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 132 MB | 89 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Conserve.IO](https://appshunter.io/developer/651453353) | [Adam Jackson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1857064726) |

## What reviewers say

### Whale Alert

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whale-alert/id911035973)

This app helps protect whales by reducing ship strikes. It allows users to report whale sightings, access real-time alerts about whale activity and regulations, and view an interactive map of whale presence. It also provides tools for identifying whale species and connecting with response teams.

**Highlights:** Interactive whale sighting map, Real-time whale activity alerts, Report live, dead, or injured whales, Whale identification guide, Connect with first responders, Collision risk monitoring, Marine rules and speed zones

**In-app purchases:** none


### OpenBirding

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openbirding/id6755897167)

Discover birding locations with this app, featuring offline maps and eBird life list integration. Save favorite spots and custom locations for easy access, all within a clean design tailored for birdwatchers.

**Highlights:** OpenStreetMap base map, Offline hotspot packs, eBird life list import, Save favorite hotspots, Save custom locations, Intuitive design for birders

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Whale Alert free?

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

### Is OpenBirding free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Whale Alert or OpenBirding?

OpenBirding is rated higher. Whale Alert averages 4.7 out of 5 from 606 ratings, while OpenBirding averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Whale Alert or OpenBirding have ads?

Neither Whale Alert nor OpenBirding shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Whale Alert or OpenBirding?

Whale Alert ships an update every 3 months, and OpenBirding weekly. Most recently, Whale Alert was updated on October 23, 2026 and OpenBirding on October 6, 2026.

---

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