eBird vs Trek Central
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
Read full descriptionHide 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.
Trek Central
Customize your eBike's motor assist, track ride metrics, and get real-time range calculations. The app also provides suspension setup recommendations and service reminders for compatible Trek eBikes.
- Motor assist customization
- Activity tracking
- Real-time range calculation
- Navigation features
- Suspension setup recommendations
- Service reminders
Read full descriptionHide full description
The Trek Central app seamlessly connects with your bike so you can customize motor behavior, track your activities, get real-time range calculations, and use navigation features to figure out where you're going. You'll also get suspension set-up recommendations, service reminders, and more! YOUR PERFECT TUNE Use Trek Central to adjust how the assist from your motor feels. Adjust Max Power, Assist Factor, and Pedal Response to optimize YOUR ride. Turn it down to maximize range, get better traction, or make the bike easier to handle on tricky climbs. Crank it up if you want to go turbo-all-the-time. Note - Tuning options vary by model. TRACK YOUR RIDE You can leave your phone in your pocket or pack and still get all the data you want from your ride. With Auto Start enabled, all you have to do is start riding, and Trek Central will record all the metrics including distance, speed, elevation, power output, and more. You can also export your ride data to Strava or Komoot, and you can even share your rides to other Trek Central users. HOW FAR WILL YOU GO? See how far your Trek or Electra eBike will take you with real-time range calculations. Trek Central shows you how far you can go in each assist mode and will adjust accordingly as you adjust assist modes. You can even find your destination on the Range Cloud map to make sure you have enough battery to get there. Trek Central calculates range using advanced algorithms that factor in not only rider weight and battery capacity, but also topographic terrain data as well as historical rider behavior. DIAL IT IN Trek Central provides customized setup recommendations for your suspension settings and tire pressure. Select models like Fuel EXe 9.9 even incorporate Quarq TyreWiz and RockShox AirWiz sensors that let you know whether your pressure is high, low, or just right with a quick glance at Trek Central’s Ready to Ride screen. One-click connect pairs your sensors to your phone automatically when you connect to your bike. *Please note that the Trek Central app currently only works with Trek eBikes equipped with TQ or Hyena motors. Find Trek Central FAQs here - https://www.trekbikes.com/trek-central-faq/ Having trouble? Contact our support team for assistance at RiderSupport@Trekbikes.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Trek Central at 4.7 against eBird's 3.8. Trek Central also leads on ratings volume (2.9K vs 803). eBird's advantage is chart position (#133 vs unranked) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Trek Central holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 803 and 2.9K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 37% of eBird's written reviews are positive against 27% of Trek Central's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
eBird ships an update monthly, Trek Central every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | eBird | Trek Central |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (803 ratings) | 4.7 (2.9K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 36.6% of reviews — better | 26.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 803 | 2.9K — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #133 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 81 MB | 207 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Cornell University | Trek Bicycle |
Customer experience
eBird
Trek Central
User reviews
eBird
From 803 App Store ratingsWhat 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
Trek Central
From 2.9K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great app when it works
- 👍 Good for adjusting bike settings
- 🔋 Decent battery life
Room to improve
- 🐛 Constant connection issues
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Inaccurate data tracking
- 🔒 Poor password handling
- 👎 Limited functionality
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
Trek Central
Reported bugs
4 issues- Inability to connect to bike
- Elevation tracking not working
- Ride data not syncing correctly
- Frequent app crashes
Requested features
5 requests- Dark mode option
- Customizable dashboard
- Strava integration
- Apple Watch support
- Improved mapping and navigation
In-app purchases
eBird
No in-app purchases
Trek Central
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is eBird free?
Is Trek Central free?
Which has better reviews, eBird or Trek Central?
Do eBird or Trek Central have ads?
Which is updated more often, eBird or Trek Central?
Other comparisons















