How popular isiNaturalist in search?
In August 2026, there were an estimated 246K branded searches for iNaturalist worldwide which is up 22.4% over the last 11 months. iNaturalist holds 40.8% estimated Share of Search among bird identification apps worldwide and is ranked 1st of 5 competitors for search popularity. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
iNaturalist40.8%
eBird33.4%
Picture Bird12.3%
Merlin Bird ID9%- BirdNET4.5%
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Which bird identification apps compete with iNaturalist?
Share of Search by month for iNaturalist, eBird, Picture Bird, Merlin Bird ID, BirdNET. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | iNaturalist | eBird | Picture Bird | Merlin Bird ID | BirdNET |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 36.2% | 36.2% | 16.3% | 6.5% | 4.9% |
| Nov 2025 | 37.7% | 37.7% | 13.9% | 5.6% | 5.1% |
| Dec 2025 | 33.6% | 40.9% | 15% | 6% | 4.5% |
| Jan 2026 | 30.1% | 44.9% | 13.5% | 6.6% | 4.9% |
| Feb 2026 | 32.3% | 39.3% | 14.5% | 8.7% | 5.3% |
| Mar 2026 | 37% | 37% | 11.1% | 10% | 5% |
| Apr 2026 | 34.9% | 34.9% | 10.5% | 14% | 5.7% |
| May 2026 | 30.1% | 36.8% | 9% | 18.1% | 6% |
| Jun 2026 | 36% | 29.5% | 10.8% | 17.7% | 5.9% |
| Jul 2026 | 35.2% | 28.9% | 15.9% | 14.2% | 5.8% |
| Aug 2026 | 40.8% | 33.4% | 12.3% | 9% | 4.5% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 40.8% | 246K | +22.4% | +5.6 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 33.4% | 201K | +21.8% | +4.5 points | |
| 3, held 3rd | 12.3% | 74K | -18.2% | -3.6 points | |
| 4, held 4th | 9% | 54.2K | -33.1% | -5.2 points | |
| 5, held 5th | 4.5% | 27.1K | -18.1% | -1.3 points |
40.8%
Held 1st. 246K estimated branded searches, +22.4% vs prior month. Share +5.6 points.
2.
eBird33.4%
Held 2nd. 201K estimated branded searches, +21.8% vs prior month. Share +4.5 points.
12.3%
Held 3rd. 74K estimated branded searches, -18.2% vs prior month. Share -3.6 points.
9%
Held 4th. 54.2K estimated branded searches, -33.1% vs prior month. Share -5.2 points.
5.BirdNET
4.5%
Held 5th. 27.1K estimated branded searches, -18.1% vs prior month. Share -1.3 points.
Compare search popularity between iNaturalist and its closest rivals
Every comparison with iNaturalist
4 comparisons
How has branded search demand for iNaturalist changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
4 findings
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for iNaturalist worldwide rose from 201K to 246K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, iNaturalist’s estimated Share of Search among bird identification apps worldwide increased from 36.2% to 40.8%.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, iNaturalist’s estimated Share of Search among bird identification apps worldwide peaked at 40.8% in August 2026 and was lowest at 30.1% in May 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, iNaturalist rose from 2nd to 1st among bird identification apps worldwide.
How did search popularity change for bird identification apps worldwide in August 2026?
5 changes
In August 2026, iNaturalist gained estimated Share of Search among bird identification apps worldwide, from 35.2% to 40.8%.
In August 2026, eBird gained estimated Share of Search among bird identification apps worldwide, from 28.9% to 33.4%.
In August 2026, Merlin Bird ID lost estimated Share of Search among bird identification apps worldwide, from 14.2% to 9%.
In August 2026, Picture Bird lost estimated Share of Search among bird identification apps worldwide, from 15.9% to 12.3%.
In August 2026, BirdNET lost estimated Share of Search among bird identification apps worldwide, from 5.8% to 4.5%.
How is iNaturalist measured?
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using iNaturalist’s name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for this branded term can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.
1 branded search term
- inaturalist
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