Both PlantNet (Pl@ntNet) and iNaturalist are excellent, 100% free apps for identifying plant life, but they serve different user goals. Choose PlantNet if you want a simple, ad-free digital field guide, and iNaturalist if you want to contribute to citizen science and track your findings in the wild.
There is no single "official" number one, as the top spot depends on what you need from the app—but three apps consistently rank as the best overall depending on your specific goals:
Plant netting usually costs between $2 and $60 depending on the size, material, and mesh type. Basic lightweight nets for small home gardens start around $2, while mid-range reusable UV-resistant nets or large animal barriers run between $20 and $60.
For some plants PlantNet provided the correct identification higher on the list. For other plants iNaturalist came out on top. Saraca indica was number one on PlantNet, but for one student iNaturalist did not return that plant in the top ten.
iNaturalist is 100% free to use. There are no hidden fees, paywalls, or premium subscriptions required to use the website or its mobile apps. The platform is a non-profit initiative dedicated to citizen science and is supported entirely by grants and donations.
My workflow is usually to take a photo with PlantNet, see what it thinks, then upload it to my reference collection in iNaturalist (and get a second opinion from that). The fact is that iNaturalist is far better for cataloging species and has far better community interaction.
Observations made by iNaturalists users may be used in all kinds of future studies – you never know how your pictures could give back to the scientific community.
What are the disadvantages of iNaturalist? Whilst it is possible to add observations to iNaturalist without photos or sound recordings, this is not recommended (see below). Of course not all wildlife is easy to photograph! Whilst it is very good, the automatic identification feature is not always correct.
Yes, the Pl@ntNet App is completely free to download and use. It is an ad-free, community-driven citizen science project that does not require subscriptions to identify plants.
The best plant care apps depend on your specific needs, but overall favorites include Planta for smart watering schedules, PlantNet for identification, and Plantora for a robust free experience.
PlantNet is a free, crowd-sourced app that instantly identifies thousands of plant species using artificial intelligence and your smartphone camera. It helps gardeners, hikers, and nature enthusiasts recognize unknown plants, manage weeds, and actively contribute to global biodiversity research.
Welcome to Plantora, the completely free plant identification app for all your plant care needs! Our goal is to assist you in nurturing your plants, ensuring their best possible growth, and enhancing the beauty they bring to your life.
If your plant app isn't working properly or is failing to diagnose your sick plant, a few common issues are likely the cause.
The overall accuracy at genus level (i.e. genus correctly identified as the top suggestion) was as follows: PlantNet = 97%, LeafSnap = 95%; PlantSnap = 17%; iNaturalist Seek = 93%; Google Lens = 72%.
iNaturalist is a reliable tool, but its accuracy depends on how the data is categorized. It serves as a highly trusted citizen science platform used by researchers globally, though casual users must understand its limitations.
I've looked into the reviews for PlantNest, and unfortunately, they have received very negative feedback from customers. It seems many people have had similar issues. Have you tried reaching out to them via email or through their website? I understand your frustration.
Yes, Pl@ntNet offers plant disease and pest identification. While primarily known for identifying healthy plant species, it includes a feature dedicated to diagnosing common diseases.
Logged-in users can delete their accounts: From the mobile app, under the Profile edition, the last button “Delete my account.” From the website at https://identify.plantnet.org/account/, the red “Delete my account” button.
iNaturalist is a great resource that's easy to use, and contributes to citizen science! Just take a photo of what you found, and iNaturalist will come up with a list of suggestions for what you might have found. Once you've shared your photo and ID, other users can view it and confirm what you've found!
Both iNaturalist and Seek are free. Seek is more for just identifying while iNaturalist is for citizen science identifying.
For the last 6 years, most of iNaturalist's revenue has come from a combination of philanthropies such as the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, donations from the iNaturalist community, and in-kind support from companies like Google and Amazon.
Popular Science Sources
iNaturalist is a 501c3 nonprofit organization based in the USA (Tax ID 92-1296468).
iNaturalist is 100% free to use. There are no upfront fees, subscriptions, or paywalls required to use the mobile apps or website.