Abert'S Towhee
Merlin Bird ID alternative
Merlin for serious birding. Snappit for family nature adventures.
Merlin Bird ID by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a superb, free birding app. Snappit is something different: a family nature game where birds are one part of a whole collection — 990+ birds plus 8,000+ other species, all turned into collectible cards kids love.
Free to downloadFree snaps every day990+ birds + 8,000+ other speciesAges 4+No ads
Birds you can identify and collect with Snappit
A peek at the bird cards waiting in the Snappit field guide — and the same app covers mammals, insects, plants, and fungi too.
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Abyssinian Ground Hornbill
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Acadian Flycatcher
Acorn Woodpecker
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African Collared-Dove
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African Green Pigeon
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African Jacana
What Snappit brings to family birdwatching
Merlin and Snappit are different tools for different needs. Merlin is built for birders; Snappit is built for families where a bird sighting is one moment in a bigger nature adventure.
Birds plus everything else
Snappit identifies birds, mammals, insects, plants, and fungi in one app — 990+ birds and more than 8,000 other species in a single field guide.
A card game kids want to play
Every bird becomes a Pokémon-style collectible card with rarity tiers from common to legendary, traits, themed collections, and badges.
Facts written for young readers
Species facts are short, friendly, and made to read together. Rated ages 4+, with no ads, no chat, and no social feed.
Venue guides for wildlife trips
Guides for thousands of parks, 500+ zoos, and dozens of aquariums show what species you might spot before you go.
A live map of family finds
A live world map of snaps and a daily discovery challenge keep the whole family looking up, not just scrolling.
Snappit vs Merlin Bird ID at a glance
Merlin is one of the best free apps in all of nature tech, backed by world-class bird science. Here’s an honest look at where each app shines.
| Snappit | Merlin Bird ID | |
|---|---|---|
| What it identifies | Birds, mammals, insects, plants, and fungi — 990+ birds plus 8,000+ other species | Birds only, with regional bird packs and world-class depth from the Cornell Lab |
| Sound ID (identify by song) | Not available — Snappit identifies by photo only | Outstanding Sound ID that recognizes birds from their songs and calls |
| How identification works | Photo-based AI identification with kid-friendly facts on every result | Photo ID, Sound ID, and step-by-step questions backed by bird science |
| Price | Free to download with free daily snaps; optional subscription for unlimited | Completely free, from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology |
| Designed for | Families and kids aged 4+ — a collecting game with no ads or social feed | Birders of all levels who want serious identification help and a life list |
| Keeps kids motivated | Collectible cards, rarity tiers, badges, and a daily discovery challenge | A life list and ID tools aimed at birders rather than gamified play |
| Places to explore | Venue guides for thousands of parks, 500+ zoos, and dozens of aquariums | Regional bird packs tailored to where you are birding |
Feature comparison based on publicly available information as of June 2026. Features and pricing change — always check the latest app store listings.
Merlin alternative FAQ
- Not exactly — they serve different needs. Merlin is a superb, free birding app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and for serious bird identification it is hard to beat. Snappit is a family nature app where birds are one part of a whole collection alongside mammals, insects, plants, and fungi. Many families use both.
- No. Snappit identifies by photo only and does not have sound identification. If identifying birds by song matters to you, Merlin’s Sound ID is outstanding and free — we genuinely recommend it for that.
- Because of what happens after the identification. Each bird becomes a collectible card with rarity tiers, facts are written for young readers, and badges and a daily challenge keep kids asking to go back outside. It is built for ages 4+ with no ads and no social feed.
- The Snappit field guide includes more than 990 birds, plus over 8,000 other species across mammals, insects, plants, and fungi — more than 9,000 species in total on the web field guide.
- Snappit is free to download and includes free identifications every day; an optional subscription unlocks unlimited snaps. Merlin is completely free, supported by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
- Snappit includes venue guides for thousands of parks, 500+ zoos, and dozens of aquariums, each with species checklists, so you can plan a trip around what your family wants to find.
Keep exploring
Make your next bird sighting the start of a collection
Download Snappit free on iPhone or Android — identify birds and everything else you find, and watch your family’s nature collection grow.