# Monarch SOS vs Project FeederWatch

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Monarch SOS at 100% against Project FeederWatch's 33%. Monarch SOS also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.0) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Project FeederWatch's advantage is ratings volume (68 vs 18). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Monarch SOS holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 18 and 68 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Monarch SOS's written reviews are positive against 33% of Project FeederWatch's.

Monarch SOS ships an update every 5 weeks, Project FeederWatch every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Monarch SOS | Project FeederWatch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monarch-sos/id956347677/reviews)** | [3.0 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-feederwatch/id1439222765/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 18 | **68** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 176 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Naturedigger LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/658672412) | [Cornell University](https://appshunter.io/developer/382072985) |

## What reviewers say

### Monarch SOS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monarch-sos/id956347677)

Identify monarch butterflies and their host plants with this comprehensive field guide. Learn about their life cycle, threats, and conservation efforts. Compare look-alike species and stay updated on migration news.

**Highlights:** Monarch identification guide, Life cycle stages, Confusing look-alike comparison, Milkweed species identification, Conservation efforts information, Migration news updates

**In-app purchases:** none


### Project FeederWatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/project-feederwatch/id1439222765)

Easily report bird sightings from your feeder for scientific research. Track your statistics, access past counts, and learn about local feeder birds. Contribute to a large database that aids conservation efforts.

**Highlights:** Report winter bird sightings, Track sighting statistics, Access past count archives, Contribute to bird population database, Discover best food and feeder types, Identify and learn about feeder birds

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 👍 Straightforward tracking
- 👍 Neat data summaries
- 👍 Good support responsiveness
- 👍 Convenient app access

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Unexpected payment required
- 🐛 Data loss and disappearing counts
- 🐛 App freezes and crashes
- 🐛 Login issues and errors
- 🐛 Inconsistent data saving

**Reported bugs**

- Birds saved then disappear
- Counts get lost
- Entries not saved consistently
- Part of data not recorded
- App deletes counts

**Requested features**

- Fix data loss issues
- Improve app stability
- Resolve login problems
- Add offline data entry
- Provide taxonomic sort option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Monarch SOS free?

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

### Is Project FeederWatch free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Monarch SOS or Project FeederWatch?

Monarch SOS is rated higher. Monarch SOS averages 4.6 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while Project FeederWatch averages 3.0 from 68 ratings.

### Do Monarch SOS or Project FeederWatch have ads?

Neither Monarch SOS nor Project FeederWatch shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Monarch SOS or Project FeederWatch?

Monarch SOS ships an update every 5 weeks, and Project FeederWatch every 2 months. Most recently, Monarch SOS was updated on October 16, 2026 and Project FeederWatch on October 23, 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.*