The best nature apps turn the iPhone into a digital field guide: PictureThis and PlantNet identify plants from a photo, Merlin recognizes bird songs, and iNaturalist connects you to a global citizen-science community.
This comparison focuses on apps and prices in the German App Store. Availability and prices can differ in other regions.
The best nature apps turn the iPhone into a digital field guide: PictureThis and PlantNet identify plants from a photo, Merlin recognizes bird songs, and iNaturalist connects you to a global citizen-science community. With the right apps there is no need to carry heavy identification books, and this list also includes garden-care and stargazing tools. March 2026: Greg and Seek were added, alongside SkyView and Windy.com. The iPhone becomes a nature guide: identify plants, recognize bird songs, explore the night sky and plan your garden without bulky books. It is aimed at walkers, hikers, hobby gardeners and anyone who wants to understand the nature around them better, including naturalists, garden owners and amateur biologists.
Flora Incognita is an AI plant identification app developed at TU Ilmenau and is both free and ad-free. It is a strong choice for walkers who want reliable species-level identification without a subscription or advertising.
PlantNet identifies plants from a photo and is a free, scientifically grounded project. It relies on a community and verified observations, making it a good fit for users who want identification backed by research, and the app is free.
Merlin Bird ID identifies birds by photo or by song and comes free from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It is aimed at beginners and experienced birders alike, guiding identification through photos, sounds and simple questions, and the app is free.
Greg identifies plants and then keeps them healthy with personalized care reminders. It suits people who bring unknown plants home and need watering and care prompts, combining identification with ongoing care, and the app is freemium.
PictureThis recognizes plants from a photo across more than 10,000 species and adds care information. It is one of the most approachable identifiers for flowers and trees, aimed at everyday gardeners, and the app is freemium.
Planta is a plant-care assistant with watering reminders and step-by-step care guides. It is aimed at houseplant owners who want the app to tell them what to do and when, rather than just identifying a plant, and it is freemium.
iNaturalist helps you discover and identify wildlife and plants and share observations with a worldwide community. It is the main citizen-science platform in the list, with identifications confirmed by other naturalists, and the app is free.
Seek, from iNaturalist, is a discovery app that identifies animals and plants through the camera. It is aimed at families and beginners who want instant identification without posting observations publicly, and the app is free.
SkyView is an augmented-reality star map that overlays stars, planets and satellites on the camera view. It makes stargazing approachable by pointing the phone at the sky, and the app is available as a one-time purchase for €2,99.
Some apps were not returned for this store region.
Download price only. In-app purchases and subscriptions may cost extra.
App library · United States App Store. Prices and availability reflect the last check.
Loading apps…
PlantNet, Seek, Flora Incognita and PictureThis compared — free scientific IDs, kid-safe camera walks, accuracy on wild plants and houseplant recognition.
Planta, Plant Parent, PictureThis and PlantNet compared — watering schedules based on real conditions, photo diagnosis of sick leaves and free plant identification.
Stellarium, SkyView, Sky Map, Star Walk 2 and Sky Tonight compared — point your phone up to identify stars, planets and constellations, online or off.
