BioDex vs ForestForay
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BioDex
This app aids natural history collection workers and taxonomists in sorting and archiving museum specimens. It identifies species by comparing specimen photos to a database, initially focusing on butterflies.
- Specimen identification
- Species comparison
- Museum specimen archiving
- Butterfly identification
- Ergonomic layout
- Active development
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Made to assist Taxonomists and workers in natural history collections, BioDex aims to empower people who want to contribute to the process of sorting and archiving museum specimens. After photographing a specimen, the app displays a list of the most similar species along with example images for cross reference. We are currently focused on identifying species of Butterflies but are working adding more families of Lepidoptera and other Insect groups in the future. HIGHLIGHTS - specifically designed use in collections - fast identification results - ergonomic layout for repeated use - active development to add new species and taxonomic groups ABOUT Developed by ETH Library Lab and ETH Entomological Collection. Native App developed by Propulsion Academy Zurich https://www.librarylab.ethz.ch/ https://usys.ethz.ch/en/research/collections/entomological-collection.html
ForestForay
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Your All-in-One AI Nature Scanner & Field Guide! ForestForay is the ultimate outdoor companion for hikers, gardeners, foragers, and rockhounds. While we specialize in pro-grade plant and tree identification, ForestForay is built to scan the entire ecosystem. Instantly identify plants, flowers, weeds, trees, mushrooms, birds, insects, mammals, and even rocks & minerals! Whether you are backpacking through deep backcountry trails, identifying wildflowers on a weekend hike, picking out interesting stones, or diagnosing a sick houseplant in your living room, ForestForay provides pro-grade tools to explore, track, and interact with the natural world. KEY FEATURES THE ULTIMATE MULTI-SCANNER Point your camera at any plant, tree, mushroom, bird, insect, or rock. Get instant taxonomic classifications, binomial (Latin) names, family data, geological facts, and ecological guides. HORTICULTURAL DISEASE DIAGNOSTICS & CARE Is your houseplant or garden crop looking sick? Scan it to instantly diagnose early blights, fungal rusts, and pest damage. Get organic treatment suggestions and watering guides to revive your garden. PET TOXICITY WARNINGS Keep your furry companions safe. Scan wild plants and fungi on your hikes to check if they are hazardous or toxic to dogs, cats, or horses if ingested. PRIVATE GPS JOURNAL & MAP Mark your outdoor discoveries on a private map. Drop precise geotag pins where you spotted rare flowers, wildlife, or edible mushrooms. Your trail journal is saved securely on your device. OFFLINE SCAN QUEUE No cell service? No problem. The app queues your photos locally on remote trails and processes the identifications automatically once you return to coverage. CHOOSE YOUR PATH: - Free Explorer: Ad-supported. Earn free scans by watching rewarded ads. - Naturalist Pro ($3.99/mo or $29.99/yr): Enjoy ad-free unlimited scans, private GPS maps, offline queue, and full gardening diagnostics. Includes a 7-day free trial! Start your outdoor journey today and turn your next hike into a professional naturalist expedition! Privacy Policy: https://forestforay.com/privacy Terms of Service: https://forestforay.com/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BioDex at none against ForestForay's 2. BioDex also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16.4). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. ForestForay sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. BioDex asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | BioDex | ForestForay |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | — | Every 2 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 88 MB | 85 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ETH Zurich | Dustan Sept |
In-app purchases
BioDex
No in-app purchases
ForestForay
- Monthly1 Month trial$3.991 Month
- Annual7 Days trial$29.991 Year









