11 Best Plant Identification App in 2024
When you’re venturing in the woods or your own backyard vegetable garden, it’s likely that you’ll come across plants or flowers that you’re not aware of. While a traditional solution would be to get a plant or botany encyclopedia, there are easier ways available today. We’re talking about a mobile app that asks you to point the phone’s camera to the plant, and have a result ready within seconds. If you’ve ever looked for a plant identification app on the Google Play Store, you will know that there are hundreds of options to choose from. This can make the choice somewhat confusing.
Well, we’re going to narrow down the choices for you by talking about some of the best plant identification apps you can get for Android right now. While a majority of the apps mentioned in our list are free to download, some may require prior payment. Either way, a closer look at this list should help you find the plant identification app most suited for you.
With that in mind, let’s check out some of the best plant identification apps you can get right now.
Best Plant Identification App in 2024
1. PlantNet Plant Identification
We start off our list with PlantNet, one of the most recognizable identification apps out there. In addition to some of the commonly known plant species and flora, PlantNet also gives you detailed information on flowering plants, trees, grasses, conifers, ferns, vines, wild salads, or cacti. The data offered by the PlantNet Plant Identification app is driven by user-provided content, meaning it is always growing as more details come in.
The developers say that users can currently identify more than 20,000 species of plants using PlantNet. Users also have the option to filter recognized species based on genus or family. Users of PlantNet can also get a map view of the locations where they identified plants. Users will also find plenty of pictures of the plant they’re looking to identify. All you have to do is simply open the camera of your phone and point towards the plant or tree species to get all the details pulled up.
For an app that is based largely on user-generated data, the PlantNet Plant Identification app does an excellent job of helping you discover new plants or trees. What’s even better is the fact that this app is free to download and doesn’t have ads or in-app purchases. The app will work on devices running Android 4.1 and above.
Download it Now: Play Store
2. LeafSnap
The developers of LeafSnap describe this as an app that can let you discover wild plants or trees that you come across every day. This app uses advanced artificial intelligence to match the pictures you take with the existing database. Makers of the app also mention that since more data is added over time, the app is always getting smarter. Users can also identify nearby flowers, fruits, and trees using LeafSnap.
As for the database, the developer mentions that it covers up to 90% of the species surrounding us, so you should be able to identify species from your own garden or at the nearest park. LeafSnap has a very simple user interface as well, giving users the option to upload a picture from their gallery or capture a photo.
If you’re looking to get more info on a plant species that you already own, this app can also help you get reminders to water, fertilize, or prune the plants. Given the wide range of app features, we rate this among the best plant identification apps out there. LeafSnap is a free download on the Play Store and is backed by ads and in-app purchases. This nifty plant identifier app will work with devices running Android 4.3 and higher.
Download it Now: Play Store
3. FlowerChecker+
As the name indicates, FlowerChecker is designed to help you identify flowers located around you. However, it can also name plant species, making it a comprehensive app. As a bonus, users will also be able to identify mosses, lichen, and fungi using images, something that not all plant identification apps can offer.
What makes FlowerChecker+ stand out from the crowd of apps is the fact that it doesn’t use AI like most apps but relies on human resources to solve your queries. So whenever you place a request by choosing a photograph from your gallery, the team will usually get back to you with a result within a few hours, with a maximum time of 24 hours as per the developer.
You can also use this app for the re-identification of flowers that you may have already discovered and want a second opinion on. Overall, the unique way information is provided makes FlowerChecker+ one of the best identification apps on your smartphone. This app is paid and will set you back by $0.99. But in return, you get access to unlimited requests, and an ad-free experience FlowerChecker+ will work on devices running Android 4.1 and up.
Download it Now: Play Store
4. NatureID
NatureID is a comprehensive app that can offer multiple features in one location, making plant identification relatively easy. Getting started with NatureID is pretty simple, and all you have to do is capture a photo of a leaf or flower and let the app do the rest. Naturally, you can also use an existing photograph from your phone’s gallery to identify a plant. After a plant is identified, you can add it to the dedicated My Yard section within the app.
Here, users can choose to receive care information on the plants they own, including reminders to water them at regular intervals. NatureID also comes with a plant disease identifier that allows you to learn about issues plaguing your garden and fix them. Thanks to the updated algorithm used here, information is provided using factors like leaf shape with up to 95% accuracy in the results.
If you like to do more than just identify plants, the app also has a decent Plant Blog section that will offer necessary articles on taking care of your plants. Thanks to a combination of these features, NatureID can be classified under some of the top plant identification apps. The app is free to download but comes with in-app purchases. Users will need a phone or tablet running Android 7.0 or higher to use this app.
Download it Now: Play Store
5. PLANTECK
This app is meant to be an app to cover all your plant-related questions, including care information and obviously, flower/tree/plant identification. Using artificial intelligence, the app can reportedly provide results with 100% accuracy. In addition to showing the name of your plant-based on a photo, it can also give you deeper information including categorized details including scientific classification.
When a plant has been identified by this app, it will also reveal some related information such as the steps you should take to keep the plant healthy. Moreover, the user-friendly interface makes the entire process much easier. A global community of planters and gardeners are brought together in the Planteck community, providing necessary answers to the users’ questions about plants. If there’s a mystery plant in your backyard, this is certainly the app to check out.
The simplicity of this app also means that it can be used by children and adults alike. Planteck can come in handy in classroom situations as well. This app is free to download and doesn’t come with ads or in-app purchases. As for compatibility, this plant identification app will work on phones/tablets running Android 5.0 or higher. Be sure to have a closer look.
Download it Now: Play Store
6. PlantSnap
PlantSnap is among the popular plant identification apps you will come across, and with good reason. It has a vast database of plants that allows every request or photo you submit to get an answer almost immediately. There are over 600,000 varieties of flowers, leaves, succulents, cacti, mushrooms, and more on this app, covering the United States and the rest of the world.
PlantSnap has a decent Explore function that displays a “SnapMap” showing the plants that were just identified on the app around the world. There’s also a PlantSnappers Social Feed feature that lets you connect with people from 200 countries. Users can share a photo or other discoveries with their contacts, while also catching a glimpse of some of the rare plants in the wild.
In addition to getting the basic name and details of the plant or flower, PlantSnap also gives you details on its taxonomy, including scientific names for educational purposes. The app also has the ability to create a new library section for plants that you own. PlantSnap is a free download on the Play Store but has ads and in-app purchases. Plant enthusiasts will like to know that this app is updated quite frequently with new images and other features.
Download it Now: Play Store
7. Google Lens
Google needs no introduction in the field of AI or AR as the company has made giant strides in both fields over the past few years. Google Lens is an app unlike any other because it has a ton of features packed in. To start with, it can help you identify plants, trees, flowers, and even animals around you. For example, if you see a dog or a cat near you, Google Lens can help identify its characteristics almost right away.
This is also an excellent app to translate information in real-time using your camera utilizing the real-time translator to do the job. As you can expect from any Google app, Lens is extremely well designed and works perfectly on Android devices. While it may not be as accurate as some of the plant identification apps we’ve discussed today, it is certainly worth a try.
Users can also use an image from their photo gallery to learn the name of that flower or fruit. Overall, plant lovers will definitely like Google Lens thanks to the versatility and the large database it offers. Best of all, the app is completely free to download and has no ads or in-app purchases. This app will work on phones/tablets running Android 6.0 or higher.
Download it Now: Play Store
8. Blossom
Blossom is among the top apps to identify plants near you while also helping you take care of them in the long run. Users can identify plants, flowers, succulents, trees by using a photograph. The developers mention that the database includes around 10,000 types of plants, helping you identify the floras nearby or in your garden. This app also has a My Garden section where you can add all your existing plants.
Further, users can choose to receive reminders to water the plants or fertilize them, among other things. Makers of Blossom offer the app in a free and subscription format. The latter gives users access to unlimited plant searches, while also allowing unlimited reminders for your plants. Subscriptions are available in monthly and annual options.
We also like the fact that Blossom can provide information on the kind of sunlight that your plant may need. The user interface is fairly easy to navigate with users simply having to upload the images from their phone to identify the plant/tree. This app can also be used to identify the scientific name of a particular plant.
Download it Now: Play Store
9. iNaturalist
iNaturalist comes with the recommendation of several experts thanks to the information it can provide. This app also has a community of 400,000 users including scientists and researchers to discuss topics related to nature. It’s worth mentioning that this app is a joint initiative between the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society.
In addition to quickly identifying plants near you, iNaturalist also lets you receive suggestions and observations based on experts in the community. Users can also record their own observations using the app, helping others in the process. We also like the fact that discoveries can also be labeled with a location.
Perhaps the best part about this app is that it is completely free to download and use, and has no ads or in-app purchases. iNaturalist is updated frequently with new features and bug fixes. The developers mention that it works on devices running Android 6.0 and up.
Download it Now: Play Store
10. PictureThis
This is a snappy and accurate plant identification service that lets you find out names or information on the genus using an image from your gallery. Additionally, users will also find some of the best plant care tips to keep their personal plants healthy and free of issues. It can help you identify more than 10,000 species of plants, putting it among the best plant identification apps out there.
Among the other interesting app features is the ability to receive suggestions on plants from a network of horticulture specialists. PictureThis is also great for simply checking out the kind of plants that are being identified globally every day. The user interface is pretty smooth here with all features fairly easy to access. Users of this app can also receive alerts for plants that are considered poisonous to your pets.
Though the database of plants or trees is not as large as some of the other apps we’ve talked about so far, PictureThis can perform plant identification with 98% accuracy. This app is free to download and has ads + in-app purchases. It can work with devices running Android5.0 and up. Be sure to have a closer look.
Download it Now: Play Store
11. PlantSpot
PlantSpot is in line with a handful of the apps we’ve discussed here, in that it can help you identify a flower, plants, or trees based on factors like leaf shape among other things. The developer mentions that this app has a database of 250,000 individual plants, thus offering a quick resolution to your plant-related query. As with other apps in this genre, PlantSpot lets you keep track of the plants you own using a favorites section.
Among the other notable features of the app is its ability to send users reminders related to plant care, including for watering and fertilizing. Furthermore, PlantSpot can also offer recommendations on the plants you should check out next based on your interests. You can either use images from your smartphone gallery to identify a particular species, while you can also snap an image in real time.
There’s also a dedicated section called Diseases Library that makes you aware of some of the common diseases or issues that plants can go through during their lifetime. This is among the underrated apps out there though the features are certainly on par with the best. It’s free to download and has ads. There are no in-app purchases on PlantSpot.