PlantMD
Built for saving a plant that's already sick.
- Names the problem and how to treat it
- Shows a confidence rating on every diagnosis
- Tracks the recovery with a health score
PlantIn alternative
PlantIn alternative for the plant that's actually dying. PlantMD reads one photo, names the likely cause, shows how confident it is, and gives you treatment steps you can start today.
PlantIn identifies plants and writes care plans, and you can message a botanist when you're stuck. PlantMD reads the plant itself and answers in seconds.
Head-to-head
PlantMD vs. PlantIn: side-by-side comparison
Both apps take a photo of a plant. PlantIn uses it to identify the plant and build a care routine around it. PlantMD uses it to work out what's gone wrong with the plant in front of you.
PlantIn
Built for identifying plants and keeping a care routine going.
- Identifies plants and mushrooms
- Care plans, reminders, and weather alerts
- Ask the Botanist puts a human on your question
PlantIn's botanists answer questions no app can, and its care plans are thorough. Neither one helps at 11pm when the leaves are going soft and you need to know why tonight.
What each app is built to do
| Feature | PlantMDFor sick plants | PlantInFor care routines |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Saving a plant that's sick or declining. | Identifying plants and keeping a care routine going. |
| What one photo returns | The likely problem, a plant health score, a confidence rating, and treatment steps. | The species, and a problem diagnosis with care guidance around it. |
| Confidence rating | Shown on every diagnosis, so you know how firmly to act before you change anything. | The listing describes diagnosis and care guidance, without a stated confidence score. |
| Treatment | Step-by-step instructions for the named problem, written for the plant you photographed. | Care guidance, plus a botanist you can ask for a custom answer. |
| Who answers you | The AI answers in seconds, at whatever hour you notice the problem. | Ask the Botanist puts a human expert on the question and replies later. |
| Tracking recovery | Each plant keeps a health score and a check-up history, so you can see whether the treatment worked. | Notes and progress tracking inside the app. |
| Care schedule | A weekly plan per plant, delivered as lock-screen reminders. | Personalized care plans, care notifications, and weather alerts. |
| Extra tools | Streaks, XP, and a community of plant parents. | Light meter, watering calculator, and mushroom identification. |
| Devices | iPhone. | iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. |
| Price | Free to download, and the first scan is free. Premium is $49.99 a year. | Free to download. PlantIn Premium is $39.99 a year, $10 less than PlantMD Premium. |
Prices and features were checked on the PlantIn App Store listing and the PlantMD App Store listing.
Which app fits your plants?
Pick PlantMD when the problem is the plant in front of you and you want the answer now, not after someone reads your message.
- A named cause instead of a shortlist
- A confidence rating on every diagnosis
- Treatment steps and a health score to check them against
- An answer in seconds, at any hour
Pick PlantIn when you want a human in the loop. Ask the Botanist gets you a person, the care plans go deeper on species you have never grown, it costs $10 a year less, and it runs on iPad and Apple Watch as well as iPhone.
Switching from PlantIn
Cancel under Subscriptions in iOS Settings, not inside the app. Access runs to the end of the period you have already paid for, so there's no rush to cancel and reinstall on the same day.
There's nothing to export. PlantMD builds your collection as you scan each plant, and the first scan is free.
Frequently asked questions
Is PlantIn free?+
PlantIn is free to download, with a Premium subscription at $39.99 a year. Its App Store listing also shows shorter and discounted plans that it offers inside the app.
How do I cancel my PlantIn subscription?+
Open Settings on your iPhone, tap your name, then Subscriptions, and cancel PlantIn there. Apple handles the billing, so cancelling inside the app or deleting it does not stop the renewal.
Which one costs less?+
PlantIn, at $39.99 a year against $49.99 for PlantMD Premium. Price is not the reason to pick PlantMD. A plant you're trying to save is.
Does PlantMD identify plants as well as diagnose them?+
Yes. Identification runs as the first step of every scan, so the species arrives alongside the diagnosis instead of as a separate lookup.
Can PlantMD tell me why my plant is dying?+
That's what it's for. Photograph the plant and PlantMD names the likely cause, rates how certain it is, and gives you steps to follow. It reads the plant rather than asking you to describe it.
Get a straight answer about your plant
Photograph the plant you're worried about and see what PlantMD finds. The first scan is free.
Compare PlantMD with PictureThis.
Your plants deserve a second opinion
Stop guessing. Get a clear diagnosis and a plan in seconds. Your first scan is free.
