Comparison

eBird vs COtrip Planner

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

COtrip Planner

This app provides real-time traffic and traveler information for Colorado's highways. It offers zoomable maps, road condition updates, camera feeds, and specific features for truckers. It does not cover county or city streets.

Highlights
  • Real-time traffic speeds and road conditions
  • Road maintenance, construction, and closure alerts
  • Live camera images and video streams
  • Trucker-specific resources
  • Winter weather condition updates
  • Hands-free route condition announcements
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The COtrip app is the Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT) official real-time traffic and traveler information app. The COtrip app provides statewide travel information for Colorado’s interstates, U.S. routes and state highways. It does not include information for county roads or city streets. Features: - Zoomable and mobile-friendly map display - Traffic speeds and road conditions - Real-time updates on road maintenance, construction, restrictions and road closures - Camera images and live streaming video - Trucker mode with resources specific to commercial motor vehicle operators - Winter weather conditions (seasonal) - Plow tracker - Hands-free, eyes-free feature to announce upcoming road conditions that will impact your route Please Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can decrease device battery life. Drop the Distraction The primary responsibility of every driver is the safe operation of their vehicle. While traveling, mobile communication devices should be used only when the motor vehicle is at a complete stop off the traveled portion of the roadway. Do not text and drive (it's against the law) or use this app while driving. For more information about distracted driving in Colorado and safety tips, visit https://distracted.codot.gov. Feedback We welcome your feedback on this app. Please send your suggestions, questions or concerns in an email to cdot_cotrip@state.co.us. For tutorials and more information, visit COtrip.org. CDOT Privacy Policy: https://codot.gov/topcontent/privacypolicy

Screenshots

eBird4 screens
COtrip Planner4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: eBird at 3.8 against COtrip Planner's 2.8. eBird also leads on review sentiment (37% vs 14%). COtrip Planner's advantage is iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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

eBird holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 827 and 786 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of eBird's written reviews are positive against 14% of COtrip Planner's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

eBird ships an update every 2 months, COtrip Planner every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
eBird versus COtrip Planner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametereBirdCOtrip Planner
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (827 ratings) — better2.8 (786 ratings)
Positive reviews37.1% of reviews — better14.2% of reviews
Number of ratings827 — better786
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#169#113 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size81 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCornell UniversityColorado Department of Transportation

Customer experience

eBird

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

COtrip Planner

All ratings786 ratings
Positive40.3%
Neutral6.0%
Negative53.7%
Written reviews169 reviews
Positive14.2%
Neutral8.9%
Negative76.9%

User reviews

eBird

From 827 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 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

Room to improve

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

COtrip Planner

From 786 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Quick and easy access to road conditions and rest areas
  • 🚀 Vital for winter travel planning
  • 🚀 Useful for truckers

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Unreliable and outdated information
  • 🐛 Difficult to navigate and use
  • 🐛 Cameras often not working
  • 🐛 Lack of real-time updates
  • 🐛 Complicated and cluttered interface

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

COtrip Planner

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Login and account issues
  • Inconsistent and missing data

Requested features

5 requests
  • Bring back the old, simpler version
  • Improve map interface and readability
  • Add more real-time data and alerts
  • Restore trip planning and route optimization features
  • Improve camera coverage and reliability

In-app purchases

None

eBird

No in-app purchases

None

COtrip Planner

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is eBird free?
eBird is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is COtrip Planner free?
COtrip Planner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, eBird or COtrip Planner?
eBird is rated higher. eBird averages 3.8 out of 5 from 827 ratings, while COtrip Planner averages 2.8 from 786 ratings.
Do eBird or COtrip Planner have ads?
Neither eBird nor COtrip Planner shows ads.
Which is updated more often, eBird or COtrip Planner?
eBird ships an update every 2 months, and COtrip Planner every 6 weeks. Most recently, eBird was updated on November 1, 2026 and COtrip Planner on November 3, 2026.
Which is more popular, eBird or COtrip Planner?
eBird currently peaks at #169 in the App Store charts, and COtrip Planner at #113. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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