# eBird vs areoHDR

The clearest difference is review sentiment: areoHDR at 100% against eBird's 37%. areoHDR also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.8). eBird's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (803 vs 4). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. areoHDR sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. eBird asks for nothing beyond the download.

areoHDR holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: eBird has 803 ratings behind it against 4, 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 areoHDR's.

eBird ships an update monthly, areoHDR every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | eBird | areoHDR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (803 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird/id988799279/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/areohdr/id6738591240/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **803** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 36.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#150** | — |
| Size | 81 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cornell University](https://appshunter.io/developer/382072985) | [Holger Isenberg](https://appshunter.io/developer/1781325312) |

## What reviewers say

### eBird

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

**Currently charting:** #150 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


### areoHDR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/areohdr/id6738591240)

Experience real images from the Mars Perseverance Rover in high dynamic range (HDR) and color calibrated for human vision. Navigate through sols and images, zoom in, and access a Mars calendar. The free version offers access to the latest 200 sols.

**Highlights:** High Dynamic Range (HDR) Mars images, Color calibrated for human vision, Navigate sols and images, Zoom and rotate controls, Mars calendar feature, Access to latest 200 sols (free)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mars 2020 monthly renewing | $1.99 | per month |
| Mars 2020 1 week non-renewing | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is eBird free?

eBird is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is areoHDR free?

areoHDR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, eBird or areoHDR?

areoHDR is rated higher. eBird averages 3.8 out of 5 from 803 ratings, while areoHDR averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do eBird or areoHDR have ads?

Neither eBird nor areoHDR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, eBird or areoHDR?

eBird ships an update monthly, and areoHDR every 2 months. Most recently, eBird was updated on October 19, 2026 and areoHDR on October 7, 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.*