1. Home
  2. Topics
  3. Plant And Insect Identifier

Best Plant And Insect Identifier Apps

247+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.2 avg rating
19 free apps
Updated September 2026

Seek by iNaturalist is the household name in plant and insect identifier, but it's far from the only option. We track 247+ alternatives and competitors on iOS — many free, many higher-rated than you'd expect.

Compare top Plant And Insect Identifier Apps (September 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Seek by iNaturalistSeek by iNaturalistFree4.8★ (31K)NoNoSep 2026
2PlantNetPlantNetFree4.6★ (7K)NoNoSep 2026
3Picture Insect: Bug IdentifierPicture Insect: Bug IdentifierFree4.6★ (44K)NoYesSep 2026
4Smart Identifier: Plant+InsectSmart Identifier: Plant+InsectFree3.7★ (2.1K)NoYesAug 2026
5Plant Identifier & CarePlant Identifier & CareFree—YesYesSep 2026
6Plant Identifier: ScanoraPlant Identifier: ScanoraFree—NoYesJul 2026
7Insect Identifier: Bug IDInsect Identifier: Bug IDFree1.0★ (1)NoYesMay 2026
8Plant & Bug Identifier LeafariPlant & Bug Identifier LeafariFree4.9★ (13)NoYesSep 2026

Top Picks for Plant And Insect Identifier

Seek by iNaturalist#1

Seek by iNaturalist by iNaturalist

Identify plants & animals
Editor's Choice
📚 Education
4.8😊(31K ratings)
Free
#98in Education
Seek by iNaturalist screenshot 1
Seek by iNaturalist screenshot 2
Seek by iNaturalist screenshot 3

Identify plants, animals, and fungi using your phone's camera. Learn about the organisms around you and earn badges for your discoveries. It's a fun, kid-safe way to explore nature and expand your knowledge of the living world.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Accurate identification
  • 🌳 Helps connect with nature
  • 🎮 Fun and engaging challenges
  • 💰 Free with no ads
  • 📚 Provides species details
  • 🌍 Covers wide range of species

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent identification accuracy
  • 🔍 Difficulty focusing camera
  • 🤖 Struggles with small/moving objects
  • 🗂️ Lacks ability to edit/delete observations
  • 🗺️ Geographic limitations in species coverage
  • 🔋 Battery draining
PlantNet#2

PlantNet by Cirad-France

Plant Identification
Strong Contender
📚 Education
4.6😊(7K ratings)
Free
PlantNet screenshot 1
PlantNet screenshot 2
PlantNet screenshot 3
PlantNet screenshot 4
PlantNet screenshot 5
PlantNet screenshot 6

Identify plants by taking photos with your smartphone. Contribute to a global citizen science project to understand and preserve plant biodiversity. Recognizes thousands of wild and cultivated species.

What We Love

  • 🌟 Accurate plant identification
  • 📚 Extensive plant database
  • 🔍 Multiple identification options (flower, leaf, bark, etc.)
  • 🤝 Community-driven identification
  • 🆓 Free to use with no ads or subscriptions
  • 🌱 Helpful for gardening and plant enthusiasts
  • 🔍 Provides scientific and common names
  • 🌐 Works well globally

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Occasional identification errors
  • 🌍 Limited coverage of certain regions/countries
  • 🤖 Struggles with rare or unusual plants
  • 🤔 Confusing interface for some users
  • 📤 Difficulty uploading/accessing past photos
  • 🤖 Issues with account creation (perceived as a 'robot')
Picture Insect: Bug Identifier#3

Picture Insect: Bug Identifier by Next Vision Limited

Spider & Pest Identification
Worth Considering
📚 Education
4.6😊(44K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
#40in Education
Picture Insect: Bug Identifier screenshot 1
Picture Insect: Bug Identifier screenshot 2
Picture Insect: Bug Identifier screenshot 3
Picture Insect: Bug Identifier screenshot 4
Picture Insect: Bug Identifier screenshot 5
Picture Insect: Bug Identifier screenshot 6

Instantly identify thousands of insect species using AI by simply taking a photo. Access a comprehensive encyclopedia of insects, learn about hazardous bites, and get pest control tips. Record your findings and share them with a community of enthusiasts.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Accurate identification
  • 🔍 Helpful information provided
  • 📚 Great for learning about insects
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🤖 Useful AI assistant
  • 🌍 Covers wide range of species
  • 🔍 Provides multiple identification options
  • 🕷️ Helps identify dangerous/harmless insects

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent accuracy
  • ℹ️ Lacking detailed information on some insects
  • 💰 Subscription required for full features
  • 🤔 Unclear subscription process
  • 🔍 Struggles with certain photos/backgrounds
  • 🗺️ Biased towards North American species

More Plant And Insect Identifier apps to explore

FAQ about Plant And Insect Identifier

What are the best plant and insect identifier apps for iPhone?
Seek by iNaturalist tops our plant and insect identifier apps ranking as of September 2026, with a 4.8-star average from 31K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 19 of the top plant and insect identifier apps we rank are free to download, including Seek by iNaturalist and PlantNet.
Seek by iNaturalist has no ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of September 2026.
We track 247+ plant and insect identifier apps on the iOS App Store as of September 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
Seek uses image recognition technology to identify plants, animals, and fungi you encounter. It helps you learn about the organisms around you by providing information based on millions of wildlife observations. You can also earn badges for making different types of observations and participating in challenges.
Simply open the Seek Camera within the app and point it at living things you want to identify. The app will then use its image recognition capabilities to suggest what the organism might be. You can add species to your observations and learn more about them.