Plant Identification Apps Compared
Botanify vs PictureThis vs PlantNet vs iNaturalist and Seek: an honest look at price, features and who each app suits best
There are a lot of plant identification apps, and they are built for different people. Some are research projects for mapping wild plants, some are paid houseplant assistants, and some, like Botanify, try to cover everyday plant care for free. This page compares the four apps people ask about most, including where Botanify falls short.
Last checked: October 2026. Species counts and accuracy figures are each developer’s own claims, measured in different ways, so they are not directly comparable. Prices vary by country and promotion; check the app store for current pricing.
At a glance
| Botanify | PictureThis | PlantNet | iNaturalist / Seek | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. No ads, no subscription | Subscription, about $30–40/year in the US after a 7-day trial; very limited free use | Free | Free |
| Made by | Independent developer | Glority (commercial company) | French public research institutes (CIRAD, INRAE, Inria, IRD) | iNaturalist (non-profit) |
| Platforms | iOS, Android | iOS, Android | iOS, Android, web | iOS, Android, web (iNaturalist) |
| Species covered (claimed) | 20,000 plants | 400,000+ plants | About 77,000 plants | Plants, animals and fungi |
| Pet toxicity info | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Disease diagnosis from a photo | Yes, free | Yes, with subscription | No | No |
| Care tips and Q&A | Yes, AI plant expert | Yes | No | No |
| Community / human experts | No | No | Yes, community review of observations | Yes, large naturalist community confirms IDs |
| Best for | Houseplant and pet owners who want ID, care, pet safety and diagnosis free | People happy to pay for a polished all-in-one plant assistant | Wild plants, botany, and contributing to research | Nature walks, all wildlife, and citizen science |
Botanify
Botanify identifies 20,000 plant species from a photo, with 80% top-1 accuracy and 91% top-3 accuracy on its own held-out test set. Each plant profile includes care tips and toxicity notes for pets, you can diagnose a sick plant from a photo, and an AI plant expert answers care questions. Everything is free, with no ads or subscription.
Where Botanify falls short
- Smaller catalog. 20,000 species covers common houseplants and garden plants well, but PlantNet and PictureThis cover far more wild and regional species.
- No human experts. Answers come from the AI model and Botanify’s knowledge base, with no community of botanists to confirm a tricky ID.
- New and small. Botanify is built by one independent developer and has far fewer reviews than the established apps.
PictureThis
PictureThis is one of the most popular plant apps, with a large catalog, care reminders, toxic plant warnings and disease diagnosis. It is a commercial app: most features sit behind a subscription, and the free version allows very limited use. If you want a polished, all-in-one assistant and don’t mind paying, it is a strong choice.
PlantNet
PlantNet (Pl@ntNet) is a free, non-profit citizen science project run by French public research institutes since 2009. It is excellent for wild plants, trees and regional floras, and your observations can help botanical research. It focuses on identification, so it doesn’t offer houseplant care tips, pet toxicity information or disease diagnosis.
iNaturalist and Seek
iNaturalist is a free, non-profit platform where a large community of naturalists helps confirm identifications of plants, animals and fungi. Seek is its simpler companion app: it identifies species on your device, works without an account, and is popular with families. Neither is designed for houseplant care or pet safety.
Which plant identification app should you choose?
- You want everything free, including care tips, pet safety and disease diagnosis: Botanify.
- You want the biggest catalog in a polished paid app: PictureThis.
- You’re identifying wild plants or want to help research: PlantNet.
- You want to identify all kinds of wildlife, or have experts confirm your ID: iNaturalist or Seek.
Many plant lovers use more than one. Botanify for houseplants and pets alongside PlantNet or iNaturalist for walks is a good free combination.
Try Botanify
Botanify is free on iPhone and Android. Have a question first? See the FAQ.