iNaturalist
An app that lets a community of naturalists help identify your photos.
What iNaturalist does
iNaturalist is a free app for recording any living thing you find. Post a photo or a sound recording, get species suggestions from its AI, and then real people in the community confirm or correct the ID. Your observations can feed into science and conservation.
iNaturalist is where a lot of nature IDs get settled. You post a photo (or a sound recording) of a plant, insect, bird or anything else alive, and the app suggests what it might be. Then other people, from hobbyists to experts, look at your observation and add their own IDs.
That community step is the big difference. A good photo can end up confirmed to species, and those records can help science and conservation. You keep a record of every species you've seen and get a notification when someone adds an ID or asks a question. The current app replaced the older one, which is still in the App Store as iNaturalist Classic.
A few things to know. Reviewers note your location is public by default, so check your privacy settings before posting from home. Cultivated plants and hybrids often only get a genus-level answer. And a community ID is still not a safety check, so never use it to decide whether something is safe to eat or touch.
Alternatives to iNaturalist
Who it's for
Skip it if: Anyone who wants a quick, private ID with no sign-up (Seek fits better).
Pricing
Free planiNaturalist is free. Its store listing doesn't mention any in-app purchases.
Prices can vary by country. Checked 19 Oct 2026.
What people like
- Free
- Real people check IDs
- Covers every kind of living thing
- Your sightings can help research
Watch out for
- Location is public unless you change it
- Confirmed IDs can take time
- Hybrids and garden plants often stop at genus
Want a nature app for your own crew? Build your own.
Describe your app idea and Bilt builds it. Free to start, on your phone in minutes.
Try this idea: “an app where my friends and I post photos of plants and bugs we find and help each other name them”
Questions people ask
Is iNaturalist free?
Yes. iNaturalist is free on iPhone and Android.
Who identifies my observations?
The app's AI suggests a species, then other people in the iNaturalist community can agree or suggest a different ID.
Can other people see where I took my photo?
Reviewers note locations are public by default. Check the app's location privacy options before posting from places like your home.
What's the difference between iNaturalist and Seek?
Seek is for quick, private IDs with no account. iNaturalist is for sharing observations with a community and with science.