Plant care apps without a subscription: an honest comparison (2026)

Most popular plant apps are subscriptions, and most of them start with a free trial that turns into a charge. In the store reviews we analysed, the most common complaint across the category was an unexpected charge after a trial (32% of 2,072 negative reviews), and the second was a free tier too limited to use (28%). If you just want reminders to water your monstera without a subscription, here's what exists, what it costs, and what each one is good at.

How we compared

• Prices come from each app's US App Store "In-App Purchases" list or its own website, read on October 20, 2026. App Store prices change often and can differ by region; check the listing before you buy.
• "No subscription" here means: completely free, one-time purchase available, or a free tier that's actually usable for care.
• We didn't test every app in depth. Where we haven't checked something, we say so.

Quick table

The free apps

PlantNet

A non-profit research project. Identification is free with no in-app purchases. It's an ID tool, not a care app: no watering reminders or plant journal. Pick it if you mostly want to know what a plant is.

Flora Incognita

A research project focused on monitoring plant biodiversity. Its FAQ says the app "is completely free of charge and advertising" and that it can distinguish over 30,000 vascular plants, "including wild herbs, trees, grasses, cacti, palms, ferns, and some cultivated plants". It also notes that "cultivated varieties and cultivars are rarely supported", so it's strongest outdoors (Flora Incognita FAQ). Pick it if you identify plants on walks.

Plantempo

Its App Store listing says: "No subscription, no in-app purchases, no ads" (App Store, site). It learns watering timing from the weather and your soil checks. On-device identification needs iOS 27 and Apple Intelligence, so ID won't work on every iPhone. Pick it if you want free, smart reminders and have a recent iPhone.

Leafic

A newer iOS app (launched May 2026) with no in-app purchases listed today (App Store). It does ID and diagnosis and shows confidence scores and top matches, which we like. Its release notes mention "a gentle daily limit" (App Store); the size isn't published. As with any new free app, pricing could change later. Pick it if you want a free ID-plus-diagnosis app on iPhone.

Cheap or one-time purchase

Foliage

The free tier includes plants, care schedules (water, fertilise, prune and more) and a journal. Pro adds unlimited plants, statistics and custom icons, at $9.99 a year, $0.99 a month, or $19.99 once (App Store, site). At the time of writing, neither the listing nor Foliage's site said how many plants the free tier allows. Its site also says there are no accounts and no ads. Pick it if you want a low-cost lifetime unlock.

Ploi

Ploi's free tier includes every feature, including learning schedules, ID, care guides and family sharing, for up to 10 plants and 100 photos (20 plants for accounts made before August 2026). Pro removes the limits for $59.99 a year or $5.99 a month (pricing, FAQ). Pick it if you have 10 plants or fewer and want lots of features free.

Lifetime options from bigger apps

Some well-known apps sell a one-time "lifetime" purchase alongside their subscriptions (US App Store, read October 20, 2026):

• PlantIn: "Lifetime Premium Plant Care" $49.99 (App Store)
• Plant App: "Lifetime Plant Identifier Subs" $49.99 (App Store)
• Plant Parent: "Plant Parent Lifetime" $59.99 (App Store)

These apps also offer weekly or yearly plans and free trials, and paywalls can differ from person to person because apps test different screens. If you want the lifetime option, look for the word "lifetime" and a one-time price before you tap anything, and check Settings → your name → Subscriptions afterwards to confirm nothing recurring was started.

Subscription apps people often ask about

To be complete: Planta ($35.99/yr is its most-listed yearly price; App Store), Greg ($29.99/yr; App Store), PictureThis ($39.99 Pro), and Blossom ($59.99–$79.99/yr) are subscription apps. Many people pay for them happily. Their free tiers are more limited for care: Greg's App Store description lists smart watering reminders as paid, and Blossom lists unlimited reminders as Premium. If you're already in one and want out, see our guides on cancelling a PictureThis trial and Blossom's price increase.

How to pick

• Just want to know what a plant is? PlantNet or Flora Incognita. Both free.
• Want free reminders for a few plants? Plantempo (free) or Ploi (free up to 10 plants).
• Big collection, want to pay once? Foliage's $19.99 lifetime ties for the cheapest one-time purchase we found: PlantIn also lists a $19.99 "Lifetime Special Offer" (App Store). The bigger apps' regular lifetime options cost $49.99–$59.99.
• Whatever you choose: read the price screen slowly, and check your subscriptions list the day you install.

Coming soon (not available yet): Leafkept

This is our app, so read this section as what it is: a plan, not a review. Leafkept is not in the App Store yet. It's coming to iPhone and iPad first, with Android later.

What we're committing to:

• Care first. Reminders and plant care are free. Plant ID is a free extra.
• No free trials and no previews of paid features that turn into charges.
• Features never move from free to paid. What's free at launch stays free.
• Plus: $24.99/year, price locked for existing subscribers, or $39.99 one-time for lifetime.
• Your data stays on your phone.

Will it beat the free apps above? Maybe not for everyone. If Plantempo or PlantNet already does what you need, keep using them. We're building for people with larger collections who want a full care app at a price they can see up front.