eBird vs Bird Data
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
eBird
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.
- 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
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eBird Mobile makes it easy to record the birds you see in the field, and seamlessly link these observations with eBird--a global online database of bird records used by hundreds of thousands of birders around the world. This free resource makes it easy to keep track of what you see, while making your data openly available for scientific research, education, and conservation. eBird Mobile is the only app that passes information directly from the iOS device to your eBird account on the web. Features - Enter bird observations from any location around the world. - Full global taxonomy based on The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. - Common names available in local languages (e.g., Portuguese names in Brazil or in Portugal). - Checklists customized for your location and time of year, showing most likely species based on eBird data. - Rare species flagged during data entry and on the checklist. - "Record as you go" functionality for incremental list keeping and counting while birding. - GPS enabled location plotting to ensure accuracy. - Map tools that enable selecting from hundreds of thousands of eBird "Hotspots." - Full offline functionality, enabling use in places with limited or no Internet connection. - Trip and Day list functionality that makes it easy to keep track of your species list on a particular outing. - Support for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. - Entire app translated to German, Mandarin, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Turkish, and Dutch.
Bird Data
This app consolidates multiple regional bird field guides into a single application. It offers scientific information, distribution maps, photos, and sounds for numerous bird species. Users can also access eBird data and record bird sounds for identification.
- Consolidated regional bird guides
- Scientific information and distribution maps
- Photos and sounds for most species
- eBird Hot Spot and sighting database integration
- Sound recorder for field recordings
- Taxonomy and native language navigation
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Bird Data combines the Bird Data field guides for Colombia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil and Guyana (including Suriname and French Guiana) into one app, as was required by Apple guidelines. The user interface and memory usage for the individual apps has not changed. Each guide has scientific information and distribution maps centered for that country for all species. Photos and sounds are included for most species. Media (images and sounds) can be downloaded individually or in bulk. Bird species can be navigated through taxonomy or native language (English, Spanish or Portuguese). Bird Data uses the latest IOC taxonomy. Also included is a map feature that ties into the eBird Hot Spot and sighting database. See where your target species have been seen recently, or explore sightings at nearby locations. Also included is a sound recorder for recording birds in the field for later identification, or for taking notes. The application is free, but a donation is appreciated.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: eBird at 3.8 against Bird Data's 3.0. eBird also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (803 vs 1). Bird Data's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Bird Data sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. eBird asks for nothing beyond the download.
eBird holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: eBird has 803 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
eBird ships an update monthly, Bird Data every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and July 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | eBird | Bird Data |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (803 ratings) — better | 3.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 36.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 803 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #119 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 81 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cornell University | Tom Friedel |
Customer experience
eBird
Bird Data
Bugs and requests
eBird
Reported bugs
5 issues- 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
5 requests- 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
Bird Data
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
eBird
No in-app purchases
Bird Data
- $7.99 (USD) Donation$7.99
- $19.99 (USD) Donation$19.99
- Peter Boesman Recordings$28.99
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- $49.99 (USD) Donation$49.99
Questions
Is eBird free?
Is Bird Data free?
Which has better reviews, eBird or Bird Data?
Do eBird or Bird Data have ads?
Which is updated more often, eBird or Bird Data?
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