# eBird vs NYS BMP Guide

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.

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

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | eBird | NYS BMP Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (830 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird/id988799279/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nys-bmp-guide/id1527127965/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **830** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 37.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 37 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#180** | — |
| Size | 81 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cornell University](https://appshunter.io/developer/382072985) | [WATERSHED AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL OF THE NEW YORK CITY WATERSHEDS, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1527127967) |

## What reviewers say

### eBird

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

**Currently charting:** #180 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


### NYS BMP Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nys-bmp-guide/id1527127965)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


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