Seek by iNaturalist

Seek by iNaturalist

Identify plants & animals

31K ratings
1066 reviews
#117 in free Education
📚 Education
📷 Photo & Video
Free

Details

Released
March 9, 2018
Updated
September 30, 2026
Seek by iNaturalist screenshot #1 for iPhone
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Seek by iNaturalist screenshot #3 for iPhone
Seek by iNaturalist screenshot #4 for iPhone
Seek by iNaturalist screenshot #5 for iPhone
Seek by iNaturalist screenshot #6 for iPhone
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About

Identify plants, animals, and fungi using your phone's camera. Learn about the organisms around you and earn badges for your discoveries. It's a fun, kid-safe way to explore nature and expand your knowledge of the living world.

✓Image recognition for plant and animal identification
✓Learn about local species
✓Earn badges for observations
✓Kid-safe and privacy-focused
✓Uses iNaturalist data
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What users say about Seek by iNaturalist

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What's New in Seek by iNaturalist

2.18.2

September 30, 2026

Minor updates and bug fixes

Charts

Top Free

📈 117+6

Education

This app rose +6 positions in Education chart.

Last updated on October 22, 2026.

Events

Read more about Identify over 80,000 species!

Identify over 80,000 species!

Seek now uses location for even more accurate IDs

Mar 4, 2025 — Mar 18, 2025

User reviews

not reliable or accurate

when the app is functioning once in a blue moon its been helpful, but more often than not it is wildly inaccurate. It has told me my succulents were trees or bugs or birds, I have not been able to identify a plant that i didn’t already know using this app in months.

What happened?

This app does not work well on newer model iPhones. The camera does not focus and I am unable to identify insects or plants.

Awhile ago I would have given this app a 5

I don’t know what happened, but a while ago I believe they updated the software or system used to identify everything. Soon after that, I found that it was near impossible for me to correctly identify almost anything. It used to be very accurate and easy for me to get the most accurate identification, but now I struggle to get anything. And often, when I double check because it seems wrong, it is wrong. So sad that this amazing app seems to be broken.
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Love!

Love this app so much but wish it would be updated !

So…

Not sure how this app has soo many good reviews. I’ve taken pictures of caterpillars and this app says its a common house ant. Really? Ive taken pictures of spiders and it has said it’s a moth. Pretty unreliable. It is a free app tho, so at least you dont waste money on it

Developer apps

Featured on

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

4 issues

Camera freezes/crashes

Bug

Incorrect species identification

Bug

Observations not saving properly

Bug

Slow performance on older devices

Bug
✨

Requested Features

6 requests

Allow manual species entry

Feature

Add option to post observations to iNaturalist later

Feature

Implement search/sorting for observations

Feature

Integrate flashlight for low-light conditions

Feature

Provide feedback/correction options for misidentifications

Feature

Sync observations across devices

Feature

FAQ

What does Seek by iNaturalist do?

Seek uses image recognition technology to identify plants, animals, and fungi you encounter. It helps you learn about the organisms around you by providing information based on millions of wildlife observations. You can also earn badges for making different types of observations and participating in challenges.

How do I use the Seek Camera?

Simply open the Seek Camera within the app and point it at living things you want to identify. The app will then use its image recognition capabilities to suggest what the organism might be. You can add species to your observations and learn more about them.

Is Seek by iNaturalist free to use?

Yes, Seek by iNaturalist is a free application. It does not have any in-app purchases or advertisements, making it accessible for everyone to use for nature exploration and learning.

Is this app suitable for children?

Yes, Seek is designed to be kid-safe. It does not require registration and does not collect any user data by default. If you choose to sign in with an iNaturalist account, you must be over 13 or have parental permission.

How does the app identify species?

The app's image recognition technology is powered by observations submitted to iNaturalist.org and partner sites, which are then identified by the iNaturalist community. This extensive database allows Seek to provide accurate identification suggestions for a wide variety of organisms.