Comparison

eBird vs NYS BMP Guide

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

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
Currently charting
Read full description

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.

About

NYS BMP Guide

This app provides the New York State Voluntary Forestry Best Management Practices for Water Quality Field Guide. It's a practical resource for professionals and landowners involved in timber harvesting and land management to protect erosion and water quality.

Highlights
  • Forestry Best Management Practices
  • Water Quality Protection
  • Erosion Control
  • Timber Harvest Operations
  • Field Guide Resource
Features
Read full description

This App is the online version of the New York State Voluntary Forestry Best Management Practices for Water Quality BMP Field Guide. This guide is a practical tool for loggers, foresters, woodlot owners, and others involved in timber harvest operations and field work concerning erosion and water quality.

Screenshots

eBird4 screens
NYS BMP Guide4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: NYS BMP Guide at 100% against eBird's 37%. NYS BMP Guide also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.8) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). eBird's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 37 months) and ratings volume (830 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

NYS BMP Guide holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: eBird has 830 ratings behind it against 1, 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 100% of NYS BMP Guide's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

eBird ships an update every 2 months, NYS BMP Guide every 37 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
eBird versus NYS BMP Guide: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametereBirdNYS BMP Guide
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (830 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews37.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings830 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 37 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#178 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size81 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCornell UniversityWATERSHED AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL OF THE NEW YORK CITY WATERSHEDS, INC.

Customer experience

eBird

All ratings824 ratings
Positive67.6%
Neutral9.7%
Negative22.7%
Written reviews369 reviews
Positive37.1%
Neutral18.2%
Negative44.7%

NYS BMP Guide

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

NYS BMP Guide

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

eBird

No in-app purchases

None

NYS BMP Guide

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is eBird free?
eBird is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NYS BMP Guide free?
NYS BMP Guide is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, eBird or NYS BMP Guide?
NYS BMP Guide is rated higher. eBird averages 3.8 out of 5 from 830 ratings, while NYS BMP Guide averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do eBird or NYS BMP Guide have ads?
Neither eBird nor NYS BMP Guide shows ads.
Which is updated more often, eBird or NYS BMP Guide?
eBird ships an update every 2 months, and NYS BMP Guide every 37 months. Most recently, eBird was updated on November 11, 2026 and NYS BMP Guide on November 3, 2026.

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