Do I Need a Subscription for My BirdSnap Smart Feeder to Work at All?
Quick Answer
No. Your BirdSnap feeder works fully as a camera without any subscription. Free accounts get live streaming, motion-triggered recording, push notifications, and 3 days of rolling cloud storage at no cost. A subscription adds AI bird identification, extended cloud storage, and longer recording durations — but the feeder will see and record birds just fine without one.
What's Happening
BirdSnap uses a tiered model: core camera functionality is free and always available, while AI-powered and extended-storage features are unlocked through the BirdSnap AI Plan subscription. This means you can start watching birds immediately after setup without entering any payment information.
What You Get for Free
| Feature | Available for free? |
|---|---|
| Download and use the BirdSnap app | ✓ |
| Live streaming from your feeder | ✓ |
| Motion-triggered video recording | ✓ |
| Push notifications when birds arrive | ✓ |
| Cloud video storage — rolling 3-day window | ✓ |
| Memory card recording (with card inserted) | ✓ |
| Share your camera with family and friends | ✓ |
| Two-way audio (speak through the speaker) | ✓ |
| Night vision | ✓ |
| Motion detection sensitivity adjustment | ✓ |
What Requires a Subscription
| Feature | Requires subscription |
|---|---|
| AI bird species identification | ✓ |
| Extended cloud storage (up to 15 days) | ✓ |
| Auto recording mode (up to 3 minutes per clip) | ✓ |
| Activity zone intelligent push alerts | ✓ |
Memory Card as a Free Storage Alternative
If you want more than 3 days of video history without subscribing, inserting a Class 10 memory card (up to 128 GB) gives you as much local recording history as the card can hold, free of charge. You can read the content of the memory card using a card reader on a computer. When the card fills up, the camera automatically overwrites the oldest recordings to keep recording continuously.
When to Contact Support
If features that should be available for free (live stream, notifications, recording) are not working after setup, the issue is most likely a WiFi or pairing problem rather than a subscription issue. Contact support with your camera's serial number and a description of what is not working.
- 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.
