# AI Shell & Snail Identifier — Also IDs crab & sea slug

> Also IDs crab & sea slug (iPhone/iPad app by AKIHIRO MATSUYAMA.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-shell-and-snail-identifier/id6810399341 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [AKIHIRO MATSUYAMA](https://appshunter.io/developer/6789115438)
- Category: Education, Reference
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 68 MB
- Languages: American English, French (France), German (Germany), Japanese, Korean, European Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified, China), European Spanish, Vietnamese
- Released: 2026-09-14
- Data updated: 2026-09-14
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-shell-and-snail-identifier/id6810399341/reviews.md

## What is AI Shell & Snail Identifier?

Point your camera at a shell you picked up, a snail in the garden, or something you spotted in a tide pool — the on-device AI suggests its closest match and keeps a running guide of what you've found.

Never pick up or take home protected or living creatures without checking local rules, and never handle spiny or unfamiliar animals. Watch tide-pool life from a short distance and leave it where you found it.

【Photo identification covers 63 species】
Shells (Asari clam, Hamaguri clam, Turban shell, Scallop and more) / Land snails from around the world (Giant African snail, Burgundy escargot and more) / Tide-pool hermit crabs, sea stars and urchins (Coconut crab and more) / Crabs (Japanese river crab, Giant spider crab and more) / Sea slugs (Sea hare, Chromodoris and more).
Anything outside this list can't be identified correctly from a photo. Rather than force a guess, the app honestly says "couldn't identify this." It never pretends to know something it doesn't. A full list of everything this guide can identify is built into the app.
As a guide, it still covers 76 species in total — a handful of newly-added species are readable now though photo identification isn't available for them yet.

【No false confidence】
- Up to three candidates, never a single flat answer.
- Every candidate comes with one of three confidence levels (close match / similar / possibly similar).
- When confidence is too low, no candidates are shown at all.
- The same photo always gives the same answer, every time.

【Readable without ever taking a photo】
All 76 species come with original write-ups — appearance, how to tell it apart from lookalikes, habits, a fun fact, and observation tips — each with a cited source (Wikipedia, Japanese and English). You can browse the whole guide without snapping a single photo.

【No server, so no running costs】
Recognition runs entirely on the device. That means no server bill and no monthly fee for you either.
Photos and records stay on this device only — nothing is ever sent out. No account required, no ads.

【Pricing】
The app itself is free, with a limited number of free identifications each month. Unlimited identification and the quiz mode unlock with a one-time ¥200 purchase (regional pricing applies).
One purchase unlocks all 76 species — this is not a subscription, and there are no further charges no matter how often you use it.
Switching phones is safe: "Restore Purchases" brings your unlock back.

【About the training data】
The recognition model was trained only on photos shared under CC0, CC BY, or public domain licenses — never anything requiring share-alike attribution (CC BY-SA, etc.). A full photographer credit list is available from the app's settings.

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (One-Time) | $0.99 | one-time |



## Version history (last 1 release)

### 1.0.0 — 2026-09-14

No release notes.

## More apps by AKIHIRO MATSUYAMA

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All apps by AKIHIRO MATSUYAMA: https://appshunter.io/developer/6789115438

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-14.*