# eBird vs Bird Data

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | eBird | Bird Data |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.8 (803 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird/id988799279/reviews)** | [3.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bird-data/id1435622317/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **803** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 36.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#140** | — |
| Size | 81 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cornell University](https://appshunter.io/developer/382072985) | [Tom Friedel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1330245790) |

## What reviewers say

### eBird

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

**Currently charting:** #140 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


### Bird Data

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bird-data/id1435622317)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| $7.99 (USD) Donation | $7.99 | one-time |
| $19.99 (USD) Donation | $19.99 | one-time |
| Peter Boesman Recordings | $28.99 | one-time |
| $49.99 (USD) Donation | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is eBird free?

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

### Is Bird Data free?

Bird Data is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, eBird or Bird Data?

eBird is rated higher. eBird averages 3.8 out of 5 from 803 ratings, while Bird Data averages 3.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do eBird or Bird Data have ads?

Neither eBird nor Bird Data shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, eBird or Bird Data?

eBird ships an update monthly, and Bird Data every 3 months. Most recently, eBird was updated on September 30, 2026 and Bird Data on July 18, 2026.

---

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