KiposThe short answer
Choose Kipos for a stronger plant record. Greg keeps care tracking, unlimited plants and photo identification free. PlantIn is the closest paid match and has 19 languages. PictureThis puts identification first, while Planta adds more care actions, shared care and a community. Planty still suits an English-speaking iPhone user who wants toxicity information beside identification and reminders.
Why people look for a Planty alternative
Planty's description lists a 3-day trial followed by $6.99 a week, $9.99 a month or $39.99 a year. The current purchase list also shows weekly offers up to $8.99 and an annual offer at $29.99.
Free use is limited for identification, care plans and diagnosis. A developer response on the App Store says users can still add plants to the virtual garden without a limit by searching for the plant name.
Planty is English-only on iPhone and requires iOS 16. Its tools cover a lot of ground, but several rivals offer Android, more languages, a more defined free tier or a different kind of plant history.
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 |
| PictureThis | Identifying an unknown plant fast | Pro $39.99/year; 7-day trial; family plan $49.99 | A few identifications; care and diagnosis need Pro | iPhone, iPad (iOS 15 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 |
| Planty (for reference) | Identification, disease checks, reminders, toxicity information and a virtual garden | $6.99 to $8.99/week, $9.99/month or $29.99 to $39.99/year | Limited scans and care tools; plants can be added by search | iPhone (iOS 16 or later) |
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
-
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
-
PictureThis
Best for naming an unknown plant fast, then reading how to care for it.
- Price
- Pro $39.99/year; 7-day trial; family plan $49.99
- Free
- A few identifications; care and diagnosis need Pro
- Platforms
- iPhone, iPad (iOS 15 or later), Android
- Languages
- 28
PictureThis is an identifier first. Point the camera at a leaf and it returns a species name with care notes and a diagnosis tool behind it. The developer, Glority, claims a database of more than 400,000 species and 98 percent identification accuracy.
Care reminders exist, but identification remains the center of the app. Pro costs $39.99 a year, the family plan is $49.99, and the 7-day trial converts to a paid subscription unless you cancel.
Where it wins
- Fast identification from a large species database
- Diagnosis and care guides on species pages
- 28 languages
Where it falls short
- Care scheduling is secondary to identification
- The free version allows only a small number of identifications
- No growth phase or garden-wide care score is advertised
-
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
How to choose
Start with the part of Planty you want to change.
- A garden record with phases and completed care: Kipos.
- Free tracking, unlimited plants and identification: Greg.
- A similar toolset with 19 languages and Android: PlantIn.
- Identification backed by a larger claimed database: PictureThis.
- More care actions, shared care and community: Planta.
Kipos is for people who used Planty mainly as a virtual garden and reminder log. It adds phases, photos and dated care, but drops diagnosis, toxicity information, light scanning and Android support.
Questions people ask
How much does Planty cost in 2026?
Planty's US listing shows weekly prices from $6.99 to $8.99, a $9.99 monthly plan and annual offers at $29.99 or $39.99.
What is free in Planty?
Plant identification, care plans and diagnosis have free limits. The developer says plants can still be added to the virtual garden without a limit by searching by name.
Is there a free Planty alternative?
Greg keeps care tracking, unlimited plants, photo identification and its community free.
Which alternative is most like Planty?
PlantIn has the closest mix of identification, diagnosis, light measurement and care plans. It also supports Android and 19 languages.
Does Planty work on Android?
The Planty listing from Must Have Apps is for iPhone. Greg, Planta, PlantIn and PictureThis have Android apps.
Can I move my plants from Planty to another app?
None of these apps advertise a Planty import. You will need to scan or search for each plant again.
Is Kipos a Planty replacement?
For reminders and a virtual plant record, yes. Kipos does not include disease diagnosis, toxicity information or a light scanner.