# The NIHSS vs Botanic

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The NIHSS at none against Botanic's 2. The NIHSS also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). Botanic's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Botanic sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. The NIHSS asks for nothing beyond the download.

The NIHSS ships an update every 7 months, Botanic every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The NIHSS | Botanic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Size | 190 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pace Online](https://appshunter.io/developer/1481576155) | [Meltem Yesil](https://appshunter.io/developer/1881678625) |

## What reviewers say

### The NIHSS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-nihss/id1608774216)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Botanic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/botanic-ai-plant-identifier/id6778524311)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Botanic: AI Plant Identifier | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Botanic: AI Plant Identifier | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The NIHSS free?

The NIHSS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Botanic free?

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

### Do The NIHSS or Botanic have ads?

Neither The NIHSS nor Botanic shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The NIHSS or Botanic?

The NIHSS ships an update every 7 months, and Botanic every 3 weeks. Most recently, The NIHSS was updated on November 3, 2026 and Botanic on October 31, 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.*