iBird Pro Guide to Birds

There seems to be a lot of noise right now because iBird changed from a one-time purchase app to a subscription based model. As a customer of iBirdPro (and now Ultimate) for at least 10 years, as well as a software executive, I would like to add my perspective. First, this app is truly awesome. As an amateur bird watcher, I have received immense pleasure and value from it over the past many years. They keep adding more and more features at a tremendous rate, and it has all been useful. I actually did wonder how they could could sustain their business model by not going to an annual subscription model because it virtually impossible to continue in business like this without an ongoing revenue stream. Even advertising would be difficult to sustain because the ability to monetize bird watching is likely too limited. Mitch Waite has gone overboard to provide free transition periods, special promotions and such for existing customers who have to move to the new model. I personally and professionally think they have done too much. For those of you who are legacy customers who are being asked to move, please understand that you are now asking MW to decide to cripple their business or pander to you. If you like their app you shouldn’t be asking them to do this. This is a fantastic app. If you like it, then pay for it.

I have used this app *daily* for almost ten years and it is hands down my favorite. Ten years ago it was THE app to have for birding and at $14 it wasn't cheap. I was a poor college student at the time and wanted this app so badly, my brothers and I would wait for it to go on sale in the App Store so we could purchase it (which even $3.99 for an app is a lot for a young person). Now I am a professional guide and lead bird walks every week, and I still use this app in the field. For years I have recommended it to others. But someone asked me about it this past week, and while I told them what the app was and how wonderful it is, I also had to explain your ridiculous move to a paid subscription service and how I will no longer be using it come August. So while I didn't pay as much as some folks here to originally purchase the app, my loyalty and constant praise of it to others should be enough. I refuse and honestly can't afford to start paying for something that I've used for free for ten years. If y'all needed money that badly, I'm sure folks would have donated to a fundraiser or something. You obviously have a slew of loyal followers. But unfortunately you all chose this route instead and will lose most of those. What a bummer.

I’ve left my original review below for context. There were two things going on that relate more to Apple than iBird. First, in-app purchase are not part of family sharing. Thus, you have to repurchase on different devices. Second, any device using a family shared app but not using the purchaser’s Apple ID has to purchase the original app and the in-app items on its own. Thus, family sharing only works for the original app. In effect, it provides marketing for the developer to extend its sales. To the substance of iBird Pro. It’s the best birding app available. Buy it and put up with the App Store hoops. I had to buy in-app purchases a second time for my iPad after buying them for my iPhone. None of the in-app purchases are recognized on my wife’s iPhone and restoring purchases fails. Instead the app says she has to purchase the original iBird Pro on her phone (i.e., not really family shared)so she can purchase the in-app items — Again! The developer has not responded to my support email or to my post n the support forum. Neither did they respond to my original review. I appreciate the need to make money and how offering in-app purchases for enhancements to components that were once standard or for new components is a way to increase revenue but they need to be honest about family sharing and in-app purchases. It’s a good app and one I’ve used for years but the new version is buyer beware.