# The Warbler Guide vs Raptor ID

The clearest difference is price: Raptor ID at Free against The Warbler Guide's $12.99. Raptor ID also leads on update cadence (every 5 months vs every 13 months). The Warbler Guide's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.0). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Raptor ID is free to download; The Warbler Guide costs $12.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for The Warbler Guide against 4.5 for Raptor ID. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 46 and 50 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of The Warbler Guide's written reviews are positive against 84% of Raptor ID's.

The Warbler Guide ships an update every 13 months, Raptor ID every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Warbler Guide | Raptor ID |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $12.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.5 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-warbler-guide/id950923317/reviews) | **[4.5 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raptor-id/id1033944000/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 46 | **50** |
| Positive reviews | 79.5% of reviews | **83.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 647 MB | 766 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Princeton University Press](https://appshunter.io/developer/767575160) | [HawkWatch International](https://appshunter.io/developer/1033943999) |

## What reviewers say

### The Warbler Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-warbler-guide/id950923317)

Identify birds by sight or song with this comprehensive guide. Features 3D models, detailed ID points, and a vast library of songs and calls to help you quickly and confidently identify warblers in the field.

**Highlights:** Bird identification by sight and song, Interactive 3D bird models, Extensive warbler song library, Visual and audio comparison tools, Detailed ID points and master pages, Age and sex determination guide

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Raptor ID

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raptor-id/id1033944000)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Warbler Guide free?

The Warbler Guide costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Raptor ID free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Warbler Guide or Raptor ID?

Raptor ID is rated higher. The Warbler Guide averages 4.5 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while Raptor ID averages 4.5 from 50 ratings.

### Do The Warbler Guide or Raptor ID have ads?

Raptor ID shows ads; The Warbler Guide does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Warbler Guide or Raptor ID?

The Warbler Guide ships an update every 13 months, and Raptor ID every 5 months. Most recently, The Warbler Guide was updated on October 29, 2026 and Raptor ID on October 21, 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.*