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iNaturalist Classic

iNaturalist Classic

Connect with Nature

4.6K ratings
469 reviews
📚 Education
🔧 Utilities
Free

Details

  • Released
  • Updated
  • February 25, 2011
  • September 6, 2025

Features

Developer

iNaturalist
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iNaturalist Classic video #1 for iPhone
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🔄6+ apps
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❓5 answered
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About

Record and identify species encounters with a simple interface. Contribute to scientific research and learn about biodiversity. Connect with other nature enthusiasts and explore the natural world.

✓Identify species globally
✓Record species sightings
✓Contribute observations to science
✓Add observations to projects
✓Learn about biodiversity
✓Connect with nature enthusiasts
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What users say

Summarized from real user reviews of iNaturalist Classic. Based on 4.6K reviews and a 4.6/5 average, it highlights the 6 positives and 5 negatives reviewers mention most about this Education app.

Positive things

  • 👍Helpful for identifying plants, animals, and fungi
  • 🤝Supportive community of experts
  • 🌱Contributes to citizen science and research
  • 🔍Accurate identification suggestions
  • 🌐Works well globally
  • 📚Expands knowledge of local biodiversity

Negative things

  • 🐛Occasional crashes or bugs
  • 🔍Difficulty finding/sorting observations
  • 🔒Privacy concerns around data sharing
  • 🤖Concerns about AI/ML identification accuracy
  • 💬Negative interactions with some community members
See all reviews

What's New in iNaturalist Classic

3.3.9

September 6, 2025

We added analytics to help us better understand how users are interacting with iNaturalist Classic.

User reviews

Most RecentHighest RatedLowest Rated

iNaturalists

iNaturalists is GREAT, FANTASTIC, FACINATING! Also fun and a great way to contribute to the science of nature all around us. Just take some pictures of wildlife/nature around you. Post it on iNaturalists. Find out intereasting things. If you choose get connected to like minded nature lovers , citizen scientist , and scientists
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Scorpion-HawkScorpion-Hawk

Excellent

I love inaturalist and other than ID books never use anything else. I highly recommend.
JJSouthendJJSouthend

Classic is sometimes better!

I’ve been using iNaturalist & Seek for over 3 years. While the new iNaturalist app is alright, this one is my #1 go-to for any IDs I want to upload or contribute to. It’s faster, uploads are more stable, and is exactly how I like to manage observations. I really only use the newer version for the integrated Seek-like IDing feature and for filtering observations.

I think I’d be devastated if this one was suspended…
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breadbeesbreadbees

Evaluating plant types

Reliable IDs and helpful data.
Sam's friend in ClevelandSam's friend in Cleveland

Science!

You don’t need a fancy degree to get involved and contribute to monitoring and preserving earths natural wonders. Love this app!
Arrowthrower5668Arrowthrower5668
See 464 more reviews

Developer apps

Seek by iNaturalist
Seek by iNaturalist

Identify plants & animals

📚 Education

(31K)

Free
iNaturalist
iNaturalist

Discover nature around you

📚 Education

(577)

Free
See developer apps

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

3 issues

Login issues or inability to create account

Bug

Slow upload speeds or observation syncing

Bug

Inconsistent performance between mobile and web versions

Bug
✨

Requested Features

5 requests

Ability to follow other users and see their observations

Feature

More filtering and sorting options for observations

Feature

Offline mode for taking photos and uploading later

Feature

Easier location input for observations

Feature

Private/personal project functionality

Feature

FAQ

What does iNaturalist Classic do?

iNaturalist Classic is an application designed to help you record your encounters with biodiversity. It allows you to identify species, keep a record of what you see, and contribute your observations to scientific projects. The app also facilitates learning about the natural world and connecting with other nature enthusiasts.

What are the key features of iNaturalist Classic?

Key features include the ability to identify species from anywhere in the world (when online), maintain a personal record of species you've encountered, and contribute your observations to scientific research. You can also manually add observations to projects, learn about biodiversity, and connect with other nature lovers.

Is iNaturalist Classic free to use?

Yes, iNaturalist Classic is freely available. Its nonprofit mission is supported by generous donations from its community of users.

What is the best way to use iNaturalist Classic?

This classic version offers a simple interface for recording biodiversity encounters, particularly for users already familiar with the iNaturalist platform. For an enhanced experience with more features and ongoing updates, the new, redesigned iNaturalist app is recommended.

How does iNaturalist Classic contribute to science?

By sharing your observations of species, you contribute valuable data to scientific research and conservation efforts. These observations can be added to various projects, helping scientists and researchers understand biodiversity patterns and trends.