🧸 Early learning (ages 2-6) · 🔭 Science, nature and the world
Seek by iNaturalist
By iNaturalist (nonprofit). Visit Seek by iNaturalist
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
A free nature camera app made with children in mind. A child points the phone at a plant, bug, bird or mushroom and Seek tries to name it, stepping down the tree of life from group to species. Kids earn badges for different kinds of living things and can join monthly observation challenges. There is no sign-up, and observations stay on the device unless a teen or parent links an iNaturalist account. It is the iNaturalist team's recommended choice for young children.
Our take: The safest first nature-ID app for young kids; pair it with an adult before anyone touches or tastes what it names.
| Ages it suits | about 5-12 (App Store: made for ages 9-11) |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | No account needed and the maker calls it safe for children. Logging in to post to iNaturalist is only for users 13+ or with parental permission, per iNaturalist's terms. (terms) |
| Price | Free. Free, no subscriptions or paywalls (Oct 2026). The maker warns that paid look-alike apps advertise on searches for its name. |
| Works on | iPhone and iPad, Android |
| Account | No account needed |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | An on-device computer vision model, trained on iNaturalist community photos, names organisms in real time through the camera. |
What's good
- No account, no ads, no purchases
- Location blurred and data kept on the device
- Badges and challenges get kids outside
- Works without internet
Watch for
- IDs can be wrong; never use it to judge if a plant or mushroom is safe to touch or eat
- Older, less accurate model than iNaturalist
- Copycat paid apps in app stores
- Camera and location permissions
Data and privacy
The maker says no registration is involved and no user data is collected; location is blurred and the precise spot is never stored or sent to iNaturalist. Observations stay on the device unless the user logs in with an iNaturalist account. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
Independent tests rate Seek among the weaker plant identifiers: a peer-reviewed study of six apps found none above about 88% accuracy with Seek behind the leaders, and a University of Maryland Extension test also placed it below PictureThis and iNaturalist. Its model is older than iNaturalist's online model.
In the Big Index
- On the list Top 20 AI sites for learning for kids (2026)
- On the list 13 AI science and nature apps for curious kids
- On the list 17 free AI tools a family can try this weekend
- On the list 20 best sites for STEM projects at home
Alternatives to Seek by iNaturalist
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Adafruit Circuit Playground Express
Adafruit Industries · ages about 8+ with adult help
A low-cost, flexible first electronics board for kids 8+ with a helper; kids who want a guided kit may prefer a subscription box.
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Adafruit Learning System
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A top free resource for families building electronics together; kids should not work through it alone.
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Algodoo
Algoryx Simulation AB · ages about 8 and up
A great creative sandbox for curious kids and science classes; parents should supervise use of the public sharing site and forum.
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Babble Dabble Do
Ana Dziengel · ages about 3-12
Great for families and teachers who want craft projects with a design or science twist; an adult should pick and prep the projects.
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Birdbuddy (AI bird feeder)
Bird Buddy Inc. · ages family use; kids with a parent's account
A fun family science gadget for bird-curious kids if parents accept the subscription and default model training; skip it if you want an offline camera.
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BirdNET
Cornell K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics and Chemnitz University of Technology · ages about 9 and up with a parent
A good pick for a curious older child with a parent who is comfortable sharing recordings for science; Merlin is friendlier for beginners.
Where these facts come from
- https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app
- https://help.inaturalist.org/en/support/solutions/articles/151000169914-what-is-the-difference-between-inaturalist-and-seek-by-inaturalist-
- https://help.inaturalist.org/en/support/solutions/articles/151000189329-is-inaturalist-free-are-there-any-subscription-costs-to-use-it-
- https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/privacy
- https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/terms
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/seek-by-inaturalist/id1353224144
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.inaturalist.seek
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10075466/
- https://extension.umd.edu/resource/snap-it-or-scrap-it-putting-plant-id-apps-test
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.