# eBird vs Raptor ID

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Raptor ID at 84% against eBird's 37%. Raptor ID also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.8) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). eBird's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Raptor ID holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: eBird has 803 ratings behind it against 44, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of eBird's written reviews are positive against 84% of Raptor ID's.

eBird ships an update monthly, Raptor ID every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and August 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | eBird | Raptor ID |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (803 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird/id988799279/reviews) | **[4.5 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raptor-id/id1033944000/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **803** | 44 |
| Positive reviews | 36.6% of reviews | **83.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Best chart rank | **#117** | — |
| Size | 81 MB | 766 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cornell University](https://appshunter.io/developer/382072985) | [HawkWatch International](https://appshunter.io/developer/1033943999) |

## What reviewers say

### eBird

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird/id988799279)

**Currently charting:** #117 Top Free · Reference (US App Store)

Easily record bird sightings in the field and contribute to a global database for scientific research and conservation. This app offers offline functionality, customized checklists, and GPS-enabled location plotting.

**Highlights:** Record bird observations globally, Global taxonomy and local common names, Location and time-based checklists, Rare species flagging, Offline functionality, GPS location plotting, Trip and day list tracking

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent for citizen science
- 🔍 Helpful for finding birds at hotspots
- 📚 Useful for tracking life lists
- 👍 Easy to use and submit checklists
- 🤝 Integrates well with Merlin Bird ID

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 📍 Issues with location tracking and mapping
- 🤔 Unintuitive user interface
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with location data

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to start a new checklist
- Inability to log in or access account
- Inconsistent behavior with bird pack downloads
- Checklist data not syncing across devices
- Explore feature not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add ability to upload photos and audio directly in the app
- Implement alphabetical sorting for checklists
- Improve syncing between app and website
- Add more advanced filtering and search options
- Provide offline access to bird information


### 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 eBird free?

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

### Is Raptor ID free?

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

### Which has better reviews, eBird or Raptor ID?

Raptor ID is rated higher. eBird averages 3.8 out of 5 from 803 ratings, while Raptor ID averages 4.5 from 44 ratings.

### Do eBird or Raptor ID have ads?

Raptor ID shows ads; eBird does not.

### Which is updated more often, eBird or Raptor ID?

eBird ships an update monthly, and Raptor ID every 5 months. Most recently, eBird was updated on September 25, 2026 and Raptor ID on August 20, 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.*