# eBird vs Chirp

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chirp at 100% against eBird's 37%. Chirp also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.8) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months). eBird's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chirp sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. eBird asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chirp holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: eBird has 824 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 Chirp's.

eBird ships an update every 2 months, Chirp every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | eBird | Chirp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (824 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ebird/id988799279/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chirp-bird-identifier/id6759074885/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **824** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 37.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#151** | — |
| Size | 81 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cornell University](https://appshunter.io/developer/382072985) | [Caret Works](https://appshunter.io/developer/1776915790) |

## What reviewers say

### eBird

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

**Currently charting:** #151 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


### Chirp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chirp-bird-identifier/id6759074885)

Identify birds instantly using AI-powered photo recognition. Collect discovered species in a personal catalog, track your progress, and compete on a global leaderboard. Turn any outdoor activity into a nature exploration game.

**Highlights:** AI Photo Identification, BirdDex Collection, Bird of the Day, Global Leaderboard, Personal Aviary, Offline Access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly $7.99 | $7.99 | per month |
| Yearly $29.99 7-day Trial | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly $39.99 3-day Trial | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is eBird free?

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

### Is Chirp free?

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

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

Chirp is rated higher. eBird averages 3.8 out of 5 from 824 ratings, while Chirp averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do eBird or Chirp have ads?

Chirp shows ads; eBird does not.

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

eBird ships an update every 2 months, and Chirp every 3 days. Most recently, eBird was updated on October 22, 2026 and Chirp on October 15, 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.*