Comparison

What Is This Thing vs Tool Identifier

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

What Is This Thing

Instantly identify any object by snapping a photo. Get detailed information, history, and even estimated value for collectibles. Save your discoveries and explore the world around you.

Highlights
  • AI-powered photo recognition
  • Detailed descriptions and history
  • Estimated value for coins and antiques
  • Care tips for plants
  • Save and organize discoveries
  • Works with camera or gallery photos
Features
Read full description

What Is This Thing? - AI Object Identifier Ever stared at a mystery object and asked "what is this thing?" Now you have the answer. Snap a photo and AI tells you exactly what it is in seconds, plus the story, history, and details behind it. The smartest way to identify anything. No typing, no guessing. Just point, tap, and discover. WHAT YOU CAN IDENTIFY • Coins & Currency: a powerful coin identifier and penny scanner. Recognize rare coins, foreign currency, error coins, and collectibles with historical context and estimated value. • Plants, Trees & Wood: identify houseplants, flowers, garden varieties, tree species, and wood types. Get instant care tips, growing conditions, and species details. • Insects, Bugs & Spiders: curious about that crawler on your wall? Instantly identify insects, spiders, beetles, ants, and more, with safety information and surprising facts. • Tools, Hardware & Everyday Objects: from vintage tools in your grandfather's garage to modern gadgets you don't recognize. Identify anything around the house, workshop, or car. • Antiques & Collectibles: discover the history behind vintage items, artwork, jewelry, ceramics, and old artifacts. Know what you have before you sell, keep, or display. • Rocks, Minerals & Shells: found something interesting on a hike or beach? Identify rocks, gemstones, fossils, minerals, shells, and feathers with detailed properties. • Plus thousands more: car parts, kitchen utensils, fabrics, mushrooms, electronics, paintings, and any object you don't recognize. KEY FEATURES • Instant AI-powered photo recognition • Detailed descriptions with history and origin • Estimated value for coins and antiques • Care tips for plants and animals • Save and organize every discovery • Beautiful collection of your identified items • Works with any photo, from camera or gallery • Clean, ad-free experience HOW IT WORKS 1. Open the app and tap the camera 2. Point at any object, or pick a photo from your gallery 3. AI identifies it in seconds 4. Read fascinating details, history, and facts 5. Save it to your personal collection of discoveries WHO IT'S FOR Collectors who want to know what they own. Curious minds who refuse to stay confused. Hikers, parents, antique hunters, plant lovers, and anyone who's ever picked something up and thought "I wonder what this is." If you've ever tried to describe something to a search engine and given up, this is built for you. WHY IT'S DIFFERENT We focus on giving you context, not just a name. Every identification comes with a short story: what it is, where it comes from, and why it matters. Like having a personal expert for every object on Earth, right in your pocket. START IDENTIFYING TODAY Download What Is This Thing? and turn every unknown object into a discovery. The world is full of mysteries. Start solving them. __________ Privacy Policy: https://meliann.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-For-What-Is-This-Thing-266476f8f0418082849af310dacf6b55 Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Tool Identifier

Instantly identify tools, parts, or equipment from a photo. Get detailed information, usage guides, and value estimates to use tools with confidence. Perfect for DIYers, homeowners, students, and professionals.

Highlights
  • AI-powered tool identification from photos
  • Detailed tool information and characteristics
  • Step-by-step usage guides
  • Confidence scores for matches
  • Professional value estimates
  • Identification history
  • Tool knowledge quizzes
Features
Read full description

Snap a photo and find out what that tool, part, or piece of equipment is—fast. Tool Identifier – Toolium helps DIYers, homeowners, students, and pros identify tools from photos and learn how to use them. Stop guessing in the garage, workshop, jobsite, or hardware aisle. Get clear identification plus practical details so you can choose the right tool, understand what it does, and use it with confidence. Key features: - Instant AI-powered tool identification from a photo - Detailed tool info & characteristics to understand what you’re looking at - Step-by-step usage guides to help you use tools correctly - Confidence scores for every match so you can judge how certain the result is - Professional value estimates to get a helpful sense of what a tool may be worth - Identification history to revisit past scans anytime - Customizable units for measurements that fit your preferences - Fun quizzes to test your tool knowledge and learn as you go How it works: - Take a photo (or use one you already have) - Review matches with confidence scores - Explore characteristics, usage guides, and value estimates - Save results automatically in your history Built for real-world tool recognition: - Useful for tools, equipment, supplies, and parts - Designed for quick scanning and easy-to-read results - Great for learning, organizing, and making smarter decisions We respect your privacy and aim to keep your experience straightforward and transparent. Download Toolium and identify tools from photos in seconds.

Screenshots

What Is This Thing4 screens
Tool Identifier4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Tool Identifier at 5.0 against What Is This Thing's 4.5. What Is This Thing's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (15 vs 3). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. What Is This Thing sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days and Tool Identifier sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tool Identifier holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: What Is This Thing has 15 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

What Is This Thing ships an update every 2 months, Tool Identifier every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
What Is This Thing versus Tool Identifier: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWhat Is This ThingTool Identifier
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (15 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings15 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.616.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB70 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNicolas Gustavo MelianRoman Pieskov

Customer experience

What Is This Thing

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Tool Identifier

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

What Is This Thing

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly Plan3 Days trial$7.997 Days
  • Yearly Plan$24.991 Year
2 purchases

Tool Identifier

Subscriptions2
  • Premium 1 Week3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Premium 1 Year$29.991 Year

Questions

Is What Is This Thing free?
What Is This Thing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tool Identifier free?
Tool Identifier is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, What Is This Thing or Tool Identifier?
Tool Identifier is rated higher. What Is This Thing averages 4.5 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Tool Identifier averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do What Is This Thing or Tool Identifier have ads?
Neither What Is This Thing nor Tool Identifier shows ads.
Which is updated more often, What Is This Thing or Tool Identifier?
What Is This Thing ships an update every 2 months, and Tool Identifier every 6 months. Most recently, What Is This Thing was updated on November 5, 2026 and Tool Identifier on October 31, 2026.

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