Do I Need a BirdSnap Subscription for AI Bird Identification?
Quick Answer
Yes. AI bird species identification is a subscription-only feature. Free accounts can use the camera for live streaming, motion-triggered recording, and 3-day cloud storage, but the AI identification layer — which names the species visiting your feeder — requires an active BirdSnap AI Plan subscription.
What's Happening
BirdSnap offers a tiered feature model. The core camera functionality is free for all users, while AI-powered features require a subscription. Bird identification uses a computer vision model that processes each recorded clip and returns the species name when it meets the confidence threshold — this processing is a subscription feature.
What You Get — Free vs. Subscribed
| Feature | Free | Subscribed |
|---|---|---|
| Live streaming | ✓ | ✓ |
| Motion-triggered recording | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cloud storage | 3 days, ≤0.5 GB | 15 days, expanded |
| App access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Memory card recording | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI bird species identification | ✗ | ✓ |
| Extended recording duration (Auto, up to 3 min) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Activity zone intelligent detection | ✗ | ✓ |
How to Subscribe
Step 1 — Open the BirdSnap app and tap the profile icon in the bottom-right corner.
Step 2 — Tap BirdSnap AI Plan.
Step 3 — Choose your preferred billing period (monthly or annual) and complete the purchase through the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android).
Once your subscription is active, AI bird identification will be enabled on your next motion-triggered clip. If you have been watching unidentified clips accumulate in your Library, open a recent clip — the identification should now appear when you tap it.
Redeeming a Gift Code or Promo Code
If you received a gift code or promotional code for a BirdSnap subscription, see the related article on redeeming promo codes for step-by-step instructions.
When to Contact Support
If you have subscribed and bird identification is still not appearing in your clips, check that the subscription is linked to the same BirdSnap account as your camera. See the related article on identification not working after subscribing for a full troubleshooting guide.
- Email: support@birdsnap.com
- Phone: +1 573-514-4826
- Live chat: Available at BirdSnap.com
- In-app chat: Tap the chat icon in the BirdSnap app
- Facebook Messenger: Message us via our official Facebook page
Our support team is available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM U.S. Central Time.
