# Cat Scanner vs Picture Insect

The clearest difference is ads: Picture Insect at none against Cat Scanner's shown. Picture Insect also leads on review sentiment (76% vs 49%) and chart position (#58 vs unranked). Cat Scanner's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cat Scanner sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per 7 days and Picture Insect sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Cat Scanner against 4.6 for Picture Insect. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Picture Insect has 45K ratings behind it against 6.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 49% of Cat Scanner's written reviews are positive against 76% of Picture Insect's.

Cat Scanner ships an update fortnightly, Picture Insect every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cat Scanner | Picture Insect |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cat-scanner/id1447491786/reviews) | **[4.6 (45K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picture-insect-bug-identifier/id1461694973/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6.9K | **45K** |
| Positive reviews | 49.2% of reviews | **75.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | **#58** |
| Size | 148 MB | 158 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Siwalu Software GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1447489157) | [Next Vision Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1532006906) |

## What reviewers say

### Cat Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cat-scanner/id1447491786)

Instantly identify cat breeds by taking a photo, recording a video, or uploading an image. The app also recognizes mixed breeds and even identifies which cat breeds humans resemble. Join a community to share results, interact with other cat lovers, and compete in gamified challenges.

**Highlights:** Cat breed identification from photos, Video and gallery image scanning, Mixed breed recognition, Human resemblance to cat breeds, Community social feed, Gamified challenges and rankings, Offline scanning (premium)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All Access | $1.49 | per 7 days |
| All Access | $2.99 | per month |
| Cat Scanner Premium | $13.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate cat breed identification
- 👍 Fun and entertaining app
- 🤖 Able to scan different animals, not just cats

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent and inaccurate results
- 💤 App crashes or freezes frequently
- 📺 Excessive ads that disrupt user experience
- 🤖 Struggles to differentiate between cats and other animals

**Reported bugs**

- Scan results change drastically with each attempt
- App crashes when trying to view past scan results
- Unable to follow or interact with other users

**Requested features**

- Ability to block or report users
- Improved accuracy and consistency in breed identification
- Option to disable ads or pay for ad-free version
- Support for video scanning in addition to photos


### Picture Insect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picture-insect-bug-identifier/id1461694973)

**Currently charting:** #58 Top Grossing · Education, #195 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Instantly identify thousands of insect species using AI by simply taking a photo. Access a comprehensive encyclopedia of insects, learn about hazardous bites, and get pest control tips. Record your findings and share them with a community of enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** AI insect identification, 4,000+ species recognition, Insect encyclopedia, Hazardous bite information, Pest detection and control, Observation recording

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Picture Insect Premium | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Month Premium | $5.99 | per month |
| Picture Insect Month Pro | $9.99 | per month |
| Picture Insect Quarter Premium | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| Picture Insect Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Picture Insect Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Picture Insect Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Unlock an eBook | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate identification
- 🔍 Helpful information provided
- 📚 Great for learning about insects
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🤖 Useful AI assistant

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent accuracy
- ℹ️ Lacking detailed information on some insects
- 💰 Subscription required for full features
- 🤔 Unclear subscription process
- 🔍 Struggles with certain photos/backgrounds

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription issues (unable to cancel, unexpected charges)
- App crashes or freezes on some devices
- Inaccurate identifications for certain insects

**Requested features**

- Add option to report incorrect identifications
- Provide more detailed information on insects (toxicity, behavior, etc.)
- Improve camera integration and photo quality requirements
- Implement regional/location-based identification
- Allow users to contribute/add new insect data


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cat Scanner free?

Cat Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Picture Insect free?

Picture Insect is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Cat Scanner or Picture Insect?

Picture Insect is rated higher. Cat Scanner averages 4.6 out of 5 from 6.9K ratings, while Picture Insect averages 4.6 from 45K ratings.

### Do Cat Scanner or Picture Insect have ads?

Cat Scanner shows ads; Picture Insect does not.

### Which is updated more often, Cat Scanner or Picture Insect?

Cat Scanner ships an update fortnightly, and Picture Insect every 5 weeks. Most recently, Cat Scanner was updated on October 20, 2026 and Picture Insect on October 23, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*