# Insect Identifier vs BugKnow

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BugKnow at 100% against Insect Identifier's 10%. BugKnow also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). Insect Identifier's advantage is ratings volume (1.3K vs 15) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Insect Identifier sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days and BugKnow sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $39.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

BugKnow holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Insect Identifier has 1.3K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 10% of Insect Identifier's written reviews are positive against 100% of BugKnow's.

Insect Identifier ships an update every 5 weeks, BugKnow every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Insect Identifier | BugKnow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/insect-identifier-scan-bugs/id1543946563/reviews) | **[4.7 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bugknow-bug-identifier/id6773239750/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | 9.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 20 MB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RLAM FZCO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1712678414) | [SenseWake Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1857548431) |

## What reviewers say

### Insect Identifier

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/insect-identifier-scan-bugs/id1543946563)

Identify thousands of insects, bugs, pests, and butterflies using your phone's camera. Simply point and scan to learn about wildlife around you through a rich database. Upgrade for unlimited identifications and detailed information.

**Highlights:** Identify thousands of insects and bugs, High accuracy image recognition, Discover butterflies and wildlife, Rich database information, AI-powered learning engine, Unlimited scans with Premium

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| identify bug bites by photo | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Insect Bug Scanner Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Insect Scanner Premium 1 month | $19.99 | per month |
| Insect Scanner Premium 1 year | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick ID and minimal ads
- 👍 Awesome app
- 👍 Tick identification

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Couldn't identify small insects
- 🐛 Misidentified insects
- 🐛 Always says 'unknown'
- 🐛 Doesn't work at all
- 🔒 Difficult to unsubscribe

**Reported bugs**

- Fails to identify common insects
- Misidentifies insects
- Subscription issues and cancellation problems

**Requested features**

- Improve accuracy for small insects
- Expand insect database
- Add more user-friendly features


### BugKnow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bugknow-bug-identifier/id6773239750)

Instantly identify insects, spiders, and other arthropods with a photo. Get detailed species profiles, check bites, assess pest severity, and build a personal bug collection. Connect with a community for identification help.

**Highlights:** Instant bug identification via photo, Detailed species profiles, Bite and sting reference checker, Pest severity assessment, Personal bug collection, Community identification help

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bugknow Annual Plan | $39.99 | per year |
| BugKnow VIP Annual | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Insect Identifier free?

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

### Is BugKnow free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Insect Identifier or BugKnow?

BugKnow is rated higher. Insect Identifier averages 3.1 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while BugKnow averages 4.7 from 15 ratings.

### Do Insect Identifier or BugKnow have ads?

Neither Insect Identifier nor BugKnow shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Insect Identifier or BugKnow?

Insect Identifier ships an update every 5 weeks, and BugKnow every 3 months. Most recently, Insect Identifier was updated on October 11, 2026 and BugKnow on October 7, 2026.

---

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