KiposThe short answer
Choose Kipos for a dated garden record. Greg includes photo identification and unlimited plant tracking in its free tier. PlantIn pairs identification with care plans, diagnosis and a light meter. Planta has the broadest reminder system, and Blossom offers a simpler care interface. PictureThis remains the specialist when quick identification is the main job.
Why people look for a PictureThis alternative
PictureThis Pro costs $39.99 a year in the US App Store, with a 7-day trial and a $49.99 family plan. The free download allows a small number of identifications before Pro is required.
Glority claims that PictureThis recognizes more than 400,000 species with 98 percent accuracy. Those are developer claims, not an independent test, but they show where the product puts its attention.
Care reminders and diagnosis are available, yet the scan stays at the center. A person with known plants may get more value from an app built around schedules, shared care or a dated record.
At a glance
| App | Best for | Price (US) | Free tier | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kipos | A living record of a small garden: phase, care history, photos | $9.99/month or $39.99/year; 7-day trial on yearly | First plant setup | iPhone (iOS 15.1 or later) |
| Greg | Free care tracking with a community that answers questions | Free; SUPER Greg $29.99/year | Care tracking, unlimited plants, identification, community | iPhone (iOS 16 or later), Android |
| PlantIn | Diagnosis, light measurement and care plans with a lifetime option | $29.99/year or $49.99 lifetime; weekly plans from $6.99 | Limited; most tools need Premium | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch (iOS 16.4 or later), Android |
| Planta | Diagnosis, a light meter, detailed reminders, shared care and community | $9.99/month, $19.99/3 months or $35.99/year | Basic reminders and logging | iPhone, iPad (iOS 18 or later), Android |
| Blossom | Simple reminders with identification and care tools | $59.99 to $79.99/year, $5.99/month or $4.99 to $7.99/week | Free download; current limits are not stated | iPhone (iOS 15.4 or later), Android |
| PictureThis (for reference) | Fast plant identification with care notes and diagnosis | $39.99/year; 7-day trial; family plan $49.99 | A small number of identifications | iPhone, iPad (iOS 15 or later), Android |
Prices are from the US App Store on September 14, 2026 and exclude tax. Some listings show several prices for one plan. A missing public claim is not proof that a tool does not exist.
The five apps
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Kipos
Best for a small garden or plant collection you want a record of, not only reminders for.
- Price
- $9.99/month or $39.99/year; 7-day trial on yearly
- Free
- First plant setup
- Platforms
- iPhone (iOS 15.1 or later)
- Languages
- English
Kipos is a garden tracker for iPhone. You add a plant by name, record where it lives and choose how often you water it. That interval drives the watering reminder. Photos, notes, growth phases and logged care stay with the plant.
Each plant has a card with its current growth phase, a dated care history, photos and notes. Completed care earns points, a streak adds a bonus, and every plant averages into one Garden Score. It is made for balcony pots, raised beds and small houseplant collections.
Kipos on the App StoreWhere it wins
- You set and can change the watering interval for each plant
- A growth phase on every plant, plus a dated history of completed care
- Feeding plans include fertilizer type, NPK ratio and dose
- Runs on iOS 15.1
Where it falls short
- No plant diagnosis, light meter, community or shared care
- iPhone and English only
- Launched September 2026, so there is no long public track record
- Free for plants, watering, reminders and sharing; custom care logs and full history need a subscription, with a 7-day trial on the yearly plan
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Greg
Best for free care tracking, unlimited plants and help from other growers.
- Price
- Free; SUPER Greg $29.99/year
- Free
- Care tracking, unlimited plants, identification, community
- Platforms
- iPhone (iOS 16 or later), Android
- Languages
- English
Greg keeps care tracking and unlimited plants free. It builds a watering plan from the species, pot size and conditions in your home. Its photo identification tool, PlantVision, is free too.
The community is the main difference. People post photos of struggling plants and other growers answer. SUPER Greg adds precision watering, a light gauge and seasonal adjustments for $29.99 a year, while the App Store also shows offers from $1.99 to $39.99.
Where it wins
- The free tier covers tracking, reminders and unlimited plants
- Its community answers plant questions
- Available on iPhone and Android
Where it falls short
- Advice quality depends on who answers; there is no structured diagnosis
- English only, with a 16+ App Store age rating because of chat and user content
- The more precise watering tools need SUPER Greg
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PlantIn
Best for a Planta-like toolset at $29.99 a year or a one-time price.
- Price
- $29.99/year or $49.99 lifetime; weekly plans from $6.99
- Free
- Limited; most tools need Premium
- Platforms
- iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch (iOS 16.4 or later), Android
- Languages
- 19
PlantIn identifies plants from a photo, diagnoses diseases, measures light with the camera, calculates watering and writes care plans that include fertilizing and pruning. It also has a mushroom identifier and a paid Ask the Botanist service.
Premium is $29.99 a year, and the App Store lists a $49.99 lifetime purchase with a $19.99 offer appearing at times. The weekly plans run from $6.99 to $17.99. The listing says little about what remains available without Premium.
Where it wins
- Diagnosis, light meter, watering calculator and care plans in one app
- A $29.99 yearly price and a lifetime purchase
- 19 languages and an Apple Watch app
Where it falls short
- The listing says little about the free tier
- Botanist answers cost extra
- Requires iOS 16.4
-
Planta
Best for people who want diagnosis, a light meter, detailed care reminders and a community in one app.
- Price
- $9.99/month, $19.99/3 months or $35.99/year
- Free
- Basic reminders and logging
- Platforms
- iPhone, iPad (iOS 18 or later), Android
- Languages
- 12 on iOS
Planta is the broadest care platform in this group. It identifies plants, creates schedules for watering and other care, measures light, diagnoses problems through Dr. Planta, keeps a journal and supports shared care.
The free version keeps basic reminders and logging. Identification, the light meter, diagnosis and unlimited plants need Premium. US pricing is $9.99 a month, $19.99 for three months or $35.99 a year, with other yearly offers in the listing.
Where it wins
- Diagnosis, light measurement, care schedules, journaling and community in one app
- Shared care for a household or other plant caretaker
- Available on iPhone and Android, with 12 iOS languages
Where it falls short
- Identification, the light meter, diagnosis and unlimited plants need Premium
- Requires iOS 18 on iPhone and iPad
- No lifetime purchase appears in the US listing
-
Blossom
Best for a clean reminder app with identification, diagnosis and a watering calculator.
- Price
- $59.99 to $79.99/year, $5.99/month or $4.99 to $7.99/week
- Free
- Free download; current limits are not stated
- Platforms
- iPhone (iOS 15.4 or later), Android
- Languages
- 5
Blossom identifies more than 30,000 plants and builds reminders for watering, fertilizing and repotting. It also has a light meter, a pot-size watering calculator, disease identification, weather alerts and guides for edible plants.
The interface keeps those tools easy to find, but the price is high. The yearly plan is listed from $59.99 to $79.99, and the weekly offers run from $4.99 to $7.99. The listing does not state what remains free after download.
Where it wins
- A clean interface with reminders that account for light and season
- Identification, light measurement and disease checks
- A watering calculator that accounts for pot size
Where it falls short
- The highest yearly price among the apps compared here
- Only 5 languages
- The listing does not describe a growth phase or detailed care history
How to choose
Start with the part of PictureThis you want to change.
- A dated record for plants you already know: Kipos.
- Free photo identification with unlimited plant tracking: Greg.
- Identification plus diagnosis, light measurement and care plans: PlantIn.
- Detailed reminders, shared care and community: Planta.
- A simpler reminder app with a watering calculator: Blossom.
Kipos is not an identification substitute for someone who scans unknown plants every week. It fits people who already know most of their collection and want photos, notes, phases and completed care to stay together.
Questions people ask
How much does PictureThis cost in 2026?
PictureThis Pro is $39.99 a year in the US App Store, with a 7-day trial. The family plan is listed at $49.99.
What is free in PictureThis?
The free download allows a small number of plant identifications. Ongoing identification, care and diagnosis need Pro.
Is there a free PictureThis alternative?
Greg includes photo identification, care tracking and unlimited plants in its free tier.
Which alternative is most like PictureThis?
PlantIn is the closest paid match. It identifies plants, diagnoses disease, measures light and builds care plans.
Which app is better for reminders?
Planta has the broadest named care schedule. Blossom is simpler, while Kipos ties reminders to a dated plant record.
Can I move saved plants from PictureThis to another app?
None of these apps advertise a direct PictureThis import. Saved plants need to be added again.
Is Kipos a PictureThis replacement?
Only if identification is not your main need. Kipos is built around plant history and user-set watering reminders, and it does not include diagnosis or a light meter.