BirdNET vs Merlin Bird ID:Which is searched more?

Name: BirdNET vs Merlin Bird ID: Which is searched more?
Creator: Brandwave
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In August 2026, Merlin Bird ID had more branded searches than BirdNET among bird identification apps worldwide. Merlin Bird ID was estimated to have 54.2K branded searches compared to BirdNET’s 27.1K, and held a 9% Share of Search versus BirdNET’s 4.5%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.

Share of Search among bird identification apps worldwide in August 2026Which is more popular in search, BirdNET or Merlin Bird ID?

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Which is more popular in search, BirdNET or Merlin Bird ID?

Compare the apps used to identify birds. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

BirdNET and Merlin Bird ID among bird identification apps worldwide, by month

Month	Merlin Bird ID	BirdNET
Oct 2025	6.5%	4.9%
Nov 2025	5.6%	5.1%
Dec 2025	6%	4.5%
Jan 2026	6.6%	4.9%
Feb 2026	8.7%	5.3%
Mar 2026	10%	5%
Apr 2026	14%	5.7%
May 2026	18.1%	6%
Jun 2026	17.7%	5.9%
Jul 2026	14.2%	5.8%
Aug 2026	9%	4.5%
Sep 2026	—	—

How has the BirdNET and Merlin Bird ID comparison changed over the last 12 months?

3 findings

Merlin Bird ID was ahead of BirdNET in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
Across the 11 months ending August 2026, BirdNET’s estimated Share of Search among bird identification apps worldwide moved from 4.9% to 4.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 27.1K.
Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Merlin Bird ID’s estimated Share of Search among bird identification apps worldwide moved from 6.5% to 9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 36.2K to 54.2K.

How did search popularity change for bird identification apps worldwide in August 2026?

2 changes

In August 2026, Merlin Bird ID lost estimated Share of Search among bird identification apps worldwide, from 14.2% to 9%.
In August 2026, BirdNET lost estimated Share of Search among bird identification apps worldwide, from 5.8% to 4.5%.

How each brand is measured

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using BirdNET’s and Merlin Bird ID’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.