What PlantSnap does

PlantSnap, Inc. is a Denver, Colorado-based mobile software company that operates a consumer-facing plant identification application. The company's flagship product uses machine learning and computer vision to identify over 650,000 plant, tree, flower, cactus, succulent, and mushroom species from user-submitted photographs, reporting a 96% success rate on species in its database and over 475 million plants identified cumulatively. The application is distributed globally through Apple's App Store and Google Play and has accumulated more than 42 million downloads, with 500,000+ new snaps added daily to its global database. The iOS version includes proprietary auto-detect and augmented reality features to guide users in capturing optimal photographs for identification.

The company's product surface extends beyond identification into an AI-powered Plant Care assistant offering personalized watering schedules, light condition guidance, and disease diagnosis (e.g., identifying Black Spot Disease on rose leaves), as well as a Plant Encyclopedia, a location-based social Community, and a global SnapMap visualization. PlantSnap monetizes through a freemium model: basic identification and community access are free, while PlantSnap Premium is offered as a subscription with promotional discounts (50% OFF) for unlimited identification, advanced care features, and premium community functionality. Revenue is supplemented by third-party advertising served through MaxOnline, with all financial transactions routed through Apple and Google payment systems.

PlantSnap is incorporated in Delaware and governed under Colorado law. The company has raised approximately $11 million across multiple financing rounds (2017-2021), including a $7 million round in December 2019 and crowdfunding raises via StartEngine. In June 2020 it announced a partnership with Snapchat to integrate plant identification into Snapchat's visual search, extending its technology reach to a substantially larger user base. PlantSnap has been recognized as Apple's App of the Day (2018 Europe and global), a top 5 paid app of 2018, and a winner of Huawei's global app contest (2020). Leadership includes CEO Matt Giblin and Chairman Dan Johnson, with the company operating with a lean team of 1-10 employees.

Name

PlantSnap

Legal name

PlantSnap, Inc.

Website

https://plantsnap.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PlantSnap is a Denver-based mobile consumer app that uses AI-powered computer vision to identify over 650,000 plant species from photos. It serves plant hobbyists, indoor plant owners, and outdoor explorers through a freemium model with a premium subscription tier and advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobile Plant Identification Software

NAICS

Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Native, Pollinator & Drought-Tolerant Garden Installations (HSAIAFAL)

Keywords

• Plant identification app
• Mobile plant recognition
• Computer vision botany
• Plant care assistant
• AI gardening tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Premium Subscription: PlantSnap offers a premium subscription tier (PlantSnap Premium) that provides access to paid features including advanced plant identification, unlimited snaps, and enhanced community features. The subscription is processed through Apple App Store and Google Play payment systems.
2. App Store Sales: Revenue generated from direct app downloads through Apple's App Store and Google Play, with the app previously available as a paid download before transitioning to freemium model.
3. Advertising: The company uses third-party advertising networks including MaxOnline to serve targeted advertisements on the platform. Location data may be used for advertising targeting if users consent.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PlantSnap is a mobile application that uses AI and computer vision to instantly identify plants, trees, flowers, cacti, succulents, and mushrooms from user-submitted photos, drawing on a database of 650,000+ species and 475M+ images. The app also delivers personalized plant care tips, disease diagnosis, and a social community for plant lovers, monetized through a freemium subscription model (PlantSnap Premium).

Product overview

PlantSnap is a mobile-first plant identification platform built around a core AI-powered app. The main PlantSnap App serves as the central product, using computer vision and machine learning to identify 650,000+ plant species from photos. The platform includes several integrated modules: PlantSnap Premium (subscription tier with enhanced features), the Plant Encyclopedia (taxonomic database with plant information), Plant Care (AI-powered care assistant with personalized tips), Community (social sharing and discussion features), and the Explore Map/SnapMap (global visualization of plant sightings). The ecosystem also includes a Photo Contest program and educational blog content. The iOS version includes auto-detect and augmented reality features for optimal photo capture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PlantSnap Premium: Premium subscription tier offering enhanced features and functionality within the PlantSnap app

Products and services

• PlantSnap Mobile App A mobile plant identification application that uses AI-powered image recognition to identify plants, trees, flowers, cacti, succulents, and mushrooms from user-captured or uploaded photos. Built for individual consumers — from beginners to plant enthusiasts — and distributed via the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% success rate for species in database
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SnapchatcoreTechnology or Integration · 11 June 2020Snapchat partnered with PlantSnap for visual search capabilities, allowing Snapchat users to identify plants and trees through the Snapchat camera. This integration brought PlantSnap's plant identification technology to Snapchat's massive user base, enabling visual search functionality within the Snapchat platform.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PictureThis: PictureThis is a leading AI-powered plant identification mobile app with a freemium subscription model serving consumer gardeners and indoor plant owners — PlantSnap's closest direct competitor in feature set, monetisation, and target audience.
• iNaturalist (Seek by iNaturalist): iNaturalist and its consumer-focused Seek app offer AI-driven plant (and broader species) identification backed by a large community-science dataset. Direct competitor on the identification and community features PlantSnap monetises.
• Pl@ntNet: Pl@ntNet is a widely-used free plant identification app developed by a French research consortium. It directly competes on the same plant-identification use case as PlantSnap, though its monetisation is limited and research-driven.
• Flora Incognita: Flora Incognita is a research-backed AI plant identification app originating from German universities, focused on European wild plants. Comparable use case, audience, and AI/CV technology to PlantSnap, though with a narrower regional emphasis.
• Leafsnap: Leafsnap was an early pioneer in mobile plant/tree identification using computer vision, originally developed by Columbia University and the University of Maryland. Direct comparable in vision-based plant identification, though narrower in scope (trees primarily).
• Garden Answers: Garden Answers is a plant identification app for consumer gardeners with community Q&A features. Direct overlap with PlantSnap on consumer plant identification and gardening support.

Broad incumbents

• Google Lens: Google Lens is a general-purpose visual recognition tool embedded in Google Photos, Android, and Chrome that includes plant identification as one of many capabilities. It is a free, well-funded incumbent that competes at the top of PlantSnap's funnel.

Emerging players

• Plantix: Plantix is a mobile crop disease and pest identification app aimed at farmers and smallholders, using computer vision on a large agricultural image dataset. Comparable in CV-based plant identification, but oriented toward crop health rather than consumer gardening.
• Blossom (plant care app): Blossom is a plant care and identification app for indoor plant owners, with similar care-reminder and identification features to PlantSnap. Comparable on the plant-care assistant and indoor-plant-owner user segment.
• Babylon (Plant.id): Plant.id provides AI plant identification technology and APIs used by third-party apps and developers, including Babylonia's horticulture applications. Comparable on the underlying plant-identification CV engine that PlantSnap could license or compete with.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/plantsnap

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds11 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PlantSnap