The PlantSnap app is a type of Automated Species Identification app specifically for flora that tell users the species of over 600,000 plants, flower, trees and other flora in the world. It also shows how to care for and grow each plant successfully giving gardening tips to users as you work.
The community itself is called ‘PlantSnappers’ and is packed with over 50 million people across more than 200 countries in the world.
Allowing users of the app to share pictures of their products, and any plants they may come across on their travels. The database for the app is constantly growing as people add more and more species.
PlantSnap is based on Snapchat, and they used the technology of the Snapchat camera to scan plants to their platform and identify all aspects of it.
PlantSnap aims to help educate future generations on environmental awareness so they can help to protect the planet from further harm.
PlantSnap App Review
This app is simple and easy to use. If you have ever used your phone to shoot a photo or taken a Snap on Snapchat, it’s essentially the same premise but with plant identification added.
You point your camera at a plant, take a picture or scan it and the database identifies the plant you are looking at and proceeds by giving you all the information that is on the database for that particular species.
This app identifies over 90 per cent of all plants and trees in the world so it is a comprehensive database and you will be hard-pressed to come across a plant it hasn’t got information on.
It’s more extensive than the iScape app, though that is targeted more at landscape gardeners than it is those looking for plant identification.


If you already know the name of the flora you want information on, you can use the ‘search’ feature to identify it and bring up all the information stored in the database for that particular plant.
The app also has an augmented reality aspect to it which allows you to move your device around to look at other things the app presents.
You can zoom in on the plant you have taken a picture of to see details of the leaves and flowers as well as other defining features with the augmented reality option.



You can crop your pictures once you have taken the snap to focus on the plant you want to identify. Then, it takes a few seconds for the app to analyse the picture before portraying the information about that plant – in some cases, the nearest type of plant to the one you are trying to identify.
You can then save the Snap to your collection so you can share it with other users or add information or notes on that particular species.
Pros and Cons
Pros
The obvious pro to this app is the sheer size of its database that is constantly growing with every user. And as far as I can tell, it’s also extremely accurate with its data too.
We shared the app with some plant enthusiasts and confirmed that the information the app shows is correct. So accuracy wise and information-wise, this app gets a big plus.
One thing this app has that similar apps don’t seem to have is the collections feature, this is handy because you can keep plant information in your collections part for future use.
So if you see a house plant you like, all you have to do is snap it and you have it on hand in case you ever want one for yourself.
Finally, I’d say one last obvious pro with this app is the ‘Explore’ aspect this gives you a list of ‘trending’ species. You can click on any of the trending flora and get information just as you would if you had tried to identify it yourself.
This also helps you to expand your knowledge of species in general educating you on things that may be blooming in season and other parts of the world.
Cons
One thing I did notice with PlantSnap is that the amount of information on any given plant varies massively. Common plants have a lot more detailed information than rarer plants, but it feels unbalanced because of that.
It could have some improvements with at least the basic level of knowledge that is provided for each species, and then maybe additional information that is more detailed for the species people know more about.
Although there is a free version of the app it is severely limited. The Pro version is a lot more pricey than you would expect for something that seems to be user content based for the most part.
It’s a smart idea – they let users use their technology, and then the database is built from people just living their lives. Some say that doesn’t seem like something you should have to pay for, but it’s a good example of user-generated content done well.
Features of the app



Collections:- One great feature I have already mentioned in the collections feature. This is an area where your Plant Snaps are saved for review whenever you want.
Augmented Reality:- PlantSnap has augmented reality that allows you to zoom in on any area of the plant you have snapped to see further details of leaves, stems and other defining features of the species you have snapped.
Explore:- You can explore other people’s snaps from around the world using the map, it is similar to Snapchat’s SnapMap. You can click on uploads from people within the community and see what other types of species are around the world, you may not know about in your own country.
Some other features of the app include:
- Identifying plants by image
- See key information about species.
- Search for plants by name.
- Learn how to take care of and grow plants.
- PlantSnappers Community.
Common Questions about PlantSnap
Is PlantSnap safe?
PlantSnap does not save any personal information or passes it on, so it is safe to use. You will need to give the app permission to access your Photos, though.
How does PlantSnap work?
It uses artificial intelligence technology to identify plants and other species of flora that it has in its database.
Is PlantSnap free?
PlantSnap has a free version as well as a pro version with extra features.
How much is PlantSnap pro?
PlantSnap Pro is $3.99. It is the most expensive of similar apps.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would say that PlantSnap is worth the fee if you are a nature lover. Its extensive database and abundance of information is a great way for you to expand your knowledge and get to grips with the flora of all kinds.
The app will continue to grow the longer people use it and the app has no shortage of users in its PlantSnapper community.
Its environmentally friendly message and its attempt to educate people of all ages on environmental issues that affect the world is bang on trend currently.
The app is easy to use, it is accurate and it really does bring to life a world of possibilities that we never really had the option to explore before.
If you are out on a hike, you can use it to see what plants may be poisonous and whether those old wives tails about plants like Dock leaves are true or not.
Overall I would definitely recommend this app because it is useful in many situations. Just being generally interested in the name of a plant is one aspect, but it also works for finding gardening tips on plants that you have you aren’t sure how to take care of. It really is a smart way to help protect the planet, snap by snap.