Ever found yourself admiring a beautiful plant on a walk and wondering what it is? You’re not alone. Learning how to identify plants is not only fun but also deepens your connection with nature. Here’s a simple, beginner-friendly guide to help you start identifying plants like a pro.

Identifying plants is like unlocking a secret language of nature. Once you start, you’ll notice your surroundings in a whole new way — whether it’s a roadside weed or a rare woodland wildflower. All it takes is curiosity and a little observation.

Whether you’re a gardening enthusiast, a hiker, or just curious about the plants around you, plant identification apps make it easy to learn about flora with just a snap. Here are the 10 plant identification apps for Android and iOS, each offering unique features to help you discover nature’s wonders.

 

PictureThis – Plant Identifier

IOS Android

 

  • Instant identification with 98% accuracy.

  • Extensive plant database with over 10,000 species.

  • Care tips & reminders for your plants.

  • Community feature to ask experts for help.

Drawback: Free version has limited scans; premium unlocks full features.

 

PlantNet – Plant Identification

IOS Android

 

  • Open-source & free (no paid scans).

  • Collaborative project—users contribute to the database.

  • Covers wild plants, trees, and crops.

  • No ads in the basic version.

Drawback: Less user-friendly than some competitors.

 

iNaturalist (by National Geographic & California Academy of Sciences)

IOS Android

 

  • Identifies plants AND animals.

  • Community-driven—connects with scientists.

  • Great for citizen science projects.

  • Completely free with no paywalls.

Drawback: Identification may take longer than dedicated plant apps.

 

Seek by iNaturalist

IOS Android

 

  • Kid-friendly & educational.

  • No registration required.

  • Real-time AR identification.

  • Earn badges for discovering species.

Drawback: Smaller database than iNaturalist’s main app.

 

PlantSnap – Identify Plants

IOS Android

 

  • Over 600,000 plants in database.

  • Advanced AI recognition.

  • Global mapping feature to see nearby plants.

  • Supports 37 languages.

Drawback: Free version is very limited; premium is pricey.

 

LeafSnap – Plant Identification

IOS Android

 

  • Specializes in tree identification.

  • High-quality visual recognition.

  • Developed by Columbia University & Smithsonian.

  • Free to use.

Drawback: Mostly focused on North American trees.

 

Flora Incognita – Automated Plant Identification

IOS Android

 

  • No ads or premium upsells.

  • Detailed plant profiles with ecology info.

  • Supports offline identification.

  • Great for European wild plants.

Drawback: Limited to certain regions.

 

Final Thoughts

Each of these apps has unique strengths—whether you want quick scans (PictureThis), scientific contributions (iNaturalist), or a free experience (PlantNet). Try a few and see which one fits your plant-identifying needs best!