# eBird vs COtrip Planner

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.

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

eBird holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 830 and 786 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of eBird's written reviews are positive against 14% of COtrip Planner's.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | eBird | COtrip Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.8 (830 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird/id988799279/reviews)** | [2.8 (786 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cotrip-planner/id1582530559/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **830** | 786 |
| Positive reviews | **37.1% of reviews** | 14.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #171 | **#120** |
| Size | 81 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cornell University](https://appshunter.io/developer/382072985) | [Colorado Department of Transportation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1858414476) |

## What reviewers say

### eBird

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

**Currently charting:** #171 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


### COtrip Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cotrip-planner/id1582530559)

**Currently charting:** #120 Top Free · Reference (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable and outdated information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

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Login and account issues
- Inconsistent and missing data

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked 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 830 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 6, 2026 and COtrip Planner on November 3, 2026.

### Which is more popular, eBird or COtrip Planner?

eBird currently peaks at #171 in the App Store charts, and COtrip Planner at #120. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*