App on 3 lists
Merlin Bird ID
Cornell University · Free · Reference · 4.9 (113,778 ratings)
What it does
Hold your phone up to a singing bird and it names it. Free. From 7 apps that made the cut out of 400+ we screened.
Record the bird singing outside the window, and it tells you who it is. From 5 apps for a slow Saturday morning.
Instead of a field guide: record a bird singing and Merlin names it. From 6 things you used to pay for, now free on your iPhone.
Alternatives to Merlin Bird ID
The closest alternatives to Merlin Bird ID are Focus Train, Splitwise, Tile, Sunshine, Google Translate, Waze, Coffee Pal, Substack, Yoga | Down Dog, Paprika, LiveMarquee, Hoopla, Map Poster and Kanopy — 14 apps from the 3 lists Merlin Bird ID appears on, each answering the same moment a different way.
Focus TrainEvery focus session is a train ride. Look away and it just waits.
SplitwiseAdd the bill once and it works out who owes who. No awkward math.
TileRing the tracker on your keys, or see on a map where they were last.
SunshineTracks how much daylight you actually got, with nothing to press.
Google TranslatePoint your camera at a menu or a sign and read it in your language.
WazeLive traffic and accurate ETAs, rerouted around crashes as they happen.
Coffee PalPhotograph today's cup; it's filed by date, method and where you made it.
SubstackLong reads, podcasts and videos from the independent writers you follow.
Yoga | Down DogA new yoga practice every time you press start, fit to your level and time.
PaprikaSave recipes from any website, scale them, and make a grocery list.
LiveMarqueeInstead of renting an LED sign: your phone scrolls the message, no ads.
HooplaInstead of buying the audiobook: borrow it free with your library card.
Map PosterInstead of a custom map print: your photos light up every city you've been.
KanopyInstead of renting the movie: stream films free through your library.
Price and ratings
| App | Price | App Store rating | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merlin Bird ID | Free | 4.9 (113,778) | Reference |
| Focus Train | Free | 5.0 (5) | Productivity |
| Splitwise | Free | 4.0 (28,750) | Finance |
| Tile | Free | 4.8 (1,019,176) | Lifestyle |
| Sunshine | Free | 5.0 (7) | Health & Fitness |
| Google Translate | Free | 4.3 (83,905) | Reference |
| Waze | Free | 4.8 (3,194,718) | Navigation |
| Coffee Pal | Free | 5.0 (3) | Photo & Video |
| Substack | Free | 4.9 (545,629) | News |
| Yoga | Down Dog | Free | 4.9 (327,048) | Health & Fitness |
| Paprika | $4.99 | 4.9 (53,963) | Food & Drink |
| LiveMarquee | Free | 5.0 (8) | Utilities |
| Hoopla | Free | 4.8 (1,389,993) | Book |
| Map Poster | Free | 4.8 (6) | Photo & Video |
| Kanopy | Free | 4.8 (152,075) | Entertainment |
Merlin Bird ID and its alternatives, as the App Store listed them on 2026-10-13.
Merlin Bird ID is free to download from the iOS App Store and holds 4.9 out of 5 from 113,778 ratings, checked on 2026-10-13. Prices and ratings go stale; the App Store is the live source. It is listed there as “Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab”.
Official site ↗Appears on
- 7 apps that made the cut out of 400+ we screenedEverydayMerlin Bird ID · Focus Train · Splitwise · Tile · Sunshine · Google Translate · Waze
- 5 apps for a slow Saturday morningEverydayMerlin Bird ID · Coffee Pal · Substack · Yoga | Down Dog · Paprika
- 6 things you used to pay for, now free on your iPhoneMoneyMerlin Bird ID · LiveMarquee · Hoopla · Map Poster · Kanopy · Google Translate