Is PlantoScan a good alternative to Pl@ntNet?

It depends on what you need. Both identify plants from a photo. PlantoScan adds care for the plants you own: water and fertilizer reminders, home screen widgets and household sharing. Pl@ntNet may suit you better if you mainly identify wild plants and want to contribute observations to a citizen-science project.

Pl@ntNet's store listings show: Free (no in-app purchases listed on the App Store) (as of Oct 2026). PlantoScan is free to download with in-app purchases. Check the store listing for current prices in your country.

How was this comparison made?

From each app's public App Store and Google Play listings and website, as of Oct 2026, linked under Sources. Species counts are the developers' own figures; we don't publish accuracy scores, ratings or download numbers.

Pl@ntNet Alternative: PlantoScan vs Pl@ntNet

PlantoScan is our app, so this page sticks to facts: what each developer states on its public store listings and website, as of Oct 2026, with links to check. Pl@ntNet is developed by Pl@ntNet consortium (Cirad, INRAE, Inria, IRD).

PlantoScan vs Pl@ntNet at a glance

PlantoScan

Developer: UpVision GmbH (Switzerland)
Platforms: iPhone, Android, web scanner
Store pricing label: Free download, in-app purchases
Species coverage (as stated): 100,000+ species, including 500+ mushrooms
Plant health / disease check: Yes — health checks for diseases and pests from a photo
Care reminders: Yes — water and fertilizer reminders, home screen widgets
Web: Yes — free web plant scanner (3 scans, no sign-up)
Other features named: AI plant chat, garden planner with planting calendar, frost alerts, light meter, household sharing, plant-sitter links, 15 in-app languages

Pl@ntNet

Developer: Pl@ntNet consortium (Cirad, INRAE, Inria, IRD)
Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Android, web
Store pricing label: Free (no in-app purchases listed on the App Store)
Species coverage (as stated): Website lists 84,710 species across 77 floras
Plant health / disease check: Not described in the store listing
Care reminders: Not described in the store listing
Web: Yes — identify.plantnet.org
Other features named: Citizen-science project: shared observations are reviewed by the community and used by researchers; regional floras

Plant identifier apps compared, from public store listings and websites, checked October 3, 2026
Feature	PlantoScan	Pl@ntNet
Developer	UpVision GmbH (Switzerland)	Pl@ntNet consortium (Cirad, INRAE, Inria, IRD)
Platforms	iPhone, Android, web scanner	iPhone, iPad, Android, web
Store pricing label	Free download, in-app purchases	Free (no in-app purchases listed on the App Store)
Species coverage (as stated)	100,000+ species, including 500+ mushrooms	Website lists 84,710 species across 77 floras
Plant health / disease check	Yes — health checks for diseases and pests from a photo	Not described in the store listing
Care reminders	Yes — water and fertilizer reminders, home screen widgets	Not described in the store listing
Web	Yes — free web plant scanner (3 scans, no sign-up)	Yes — identify.plantnet.org
Other features named	AI plant chat, garden planner with planting calendar, frost alerts, light meter, household sharing, plant-sitter links, 15 in-app languages	Citizen-science project: shared observations are reviewed by the community and used by researchers; regional floras

Last checked October 3, 2026 from each app's public App Store and Google Play listings and websites (see sources below). Features and prices change — check the store listing before you decide.

When Pl@ntNet may suit you

You mainly identify wild plants and want to contribute observations to a citizen-science project.
You want a free app from a research consortium, with regional floras.

What PlantoScan adds

Care for the plants you own: water and fertilizer reminders, home screen widgets and household sharing.
Health checks for diseases and pests from a photo.
Houseplants, garden plants and 500+ mushrooms in one scanner (never eat a wild mushroom based on an app).
A garden planner with planting calendar and frost alerts.

See every feature on the PlantoScan features page or compare all four apps in the plant identifier app comparison.

Sources

Try PlantoScan

Identify plants from a photo, check their health and get water and fertilizer reminders. Free on iPhone and Android.

Get PlantoScan

Or try the web scanner first →

Frequently asked questions

Is PlantoScan a good alternative to Pl@ntNet?: It depends on what you need. Both identify plants from a photo. PlantoScan adds care for the plants you own: water and fertilizer reminders, home screen widgets and household sharing. Pl@ntNet may suit you better if you mainly identify wild plants and want to contribute observations to a citizen-science project.
Is Pl@ntNet free?: Pl@ntNet's store listings show: Free (no in-app purchases listed on the App Store) (as of Oct 2026). PlantoScan is free to download with in-app purchases. Check the store listing for current prices in your country.
How was this comparison made?: From each app's public App Store and Google Play listings and website, as of Oct 2026, linked under Sources. Species counts are the developers' own figures; we don't publish accuracy scores, ratings or download numbers.