# iNaturalist vs Camera Dictionary

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iNaturalist at none against Camera Dictionary's 1. iNaturalist also leads on ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#88 vs unranked). Camera Dictionary's advantage is update cadence (daily vs fortnightly). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Camera Dictionary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. iNaturalist asks for nothing beyond the download.

iNaturalist ships an update fortnightly, Camera Dictionary daily. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iNaturalist | Camera Dictionary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (711 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inaturalist/id6475737561/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **711** | — |
| Positive reviews | 48.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | **#88** | — |
| Size | 220 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 26.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [iNaturalist](https://appshunter.io/developer/421397031) | [Yuanjing ZHAO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1894646089) |

## What reviewers say

### iNaturalist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inaturalist/id6475737561)

**Currently charting:** #88 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Identify plants, animals, and fungi using your camera or imported photos. Get AI-powered species suggestions and connect with a global community of nature enthusiasts to learn more about the natural world and contribute to scientific conservation efforts.

**Highlights:** AI species identification, Record species observations, Contribute to scientific data, Explore biodiversity, Connect with nature enthusiasts

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Faster and more intuitive UI
- 👍 Improved features from website
- 💡 Batch upload and sorting options
- 🚀 Responsive and smooth performance
- 👍 Easier to navigate and use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs with observation time and location
- 🔍 Difficulty finding advanced editing options
- 🔍 Overly complex UI for basic tasks
- 🔍 Removal of useful features like map view
- 🔍 Too much reliance on AI identification

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes when suggesting IDs on audio clips
- Inconsistent tap responsiveness in search menu
- Observation time not accurately filling based on upload time
- Map showing incorrect observation locations
- Crashes and performance issues on some devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to type in address/coordinates for location
- Option to add observations to projects during upload
- Batch editing/uploading of observations
- More precise search filters (e.g. aquatic, parasitic, migratory)
- Bring back colored observation markers on map


### Camera Dictionary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/camera-dictionary/id6762550519)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Permanently Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iNaturalist free?

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

### Is Camera Dictionary free?

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

### Do iNaturalist or Camera Dictionary have ads?

Camera Dictionary shows ads; iNaturalist does not.

### Which is updated more often, iNaturalist or Camera Dictionary?

iNaturalist ships an update fortnightly, and Camera Dictionary daily. Most recently, iNaturalist was updated on October 25, 2026 and Camera Dictionary on October 24, 2026.

---

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