12 Best Identifier Apps to Harness Your Phone Camera [2023]

In today’s world, most people carry a smartphone with them. And to a majority of smartphone users, the camera of their phone has great significance.

From capturing moments in the form of photos to using Augmented Reality, people use their mobile phone cameras for various purposes.

However, it has another amazing use. Smartphone cameras can serve as a visual search engine and help you identify things you encounter in your daily life.

To make things clearer, if you ever come across something unknown while on the street on in your home, you can take out your smartphone and find out what it is. While your phone camera can do so, it needs assistance to perform such tasks.

And luckily, there are numerous identifier apps available in the Play Store and the App Store to provide that assistance. This article will list some of the best identifier apps to harness your phone camera. But before that, let’s understand image recognition apps.

What Are Image Recognition Apps?

Image recognition apps are applications that help users identify images, objects, persons, animals, locations, and so on, using Artificial Intelligence. This type of app utilizes machine learning and AI to recognize a wide range of images.

Image recognition technology is currently pointing toward a bright future and performing many complex tasks gradually becoming more and more conceivable with each passing day.

These include searching visual content, implementing autonomous navigation, and many more.
Using image recognition apps, users can make their phone camera identify specific images from a huge data set, and that too, without any human intervention.

Use Cases of Image Recognition in Daily Life

Whether you are aware of it or not, you see the use of image recognition in your day-to-day life. Here are some of those use cases:

#1. Gaming

Image recognition has revolutionized the gaming industry. At present, this technology has allowed gamers to use their actual location as an arena and embark on virtual adventures.

#2. Healthcare

Image recognition is proving to be a blessing to the healthcare industry. Using this technology, robots can perform microsurgical procedures with utmost precision.

Also, image recognition helps detect patients’ emotions in real-time to understand how they feel during hospitalization or before discharge.

#3. Security

Be it an organization, a bank, or a smartphone – security is an important factor to consider. Image recognition helps implement biometric devices, CCTV cameras, facial recognition, etc., to ensure our security wherever we are.

Now that we have a brief understanding of what image recognition apps and their use cases are let us now see some of the most amazing options to consider:

Calorie Mama AI

Calorie Mama AI is a calorie counter app that helps users automatically count calories easily by simply taking pictures of their foods. This image identifier uses AI technology to assess your food photo and try to detect what the food item might be.

Once detected, you can confirm the food to record your calorie intake. Besides counting calories, the app also provides training plans that top personal trainers have created. The best thing about Calorie Mama is that it gets more precise with its detection and suggestions the more you use it.

Although Calorie Mama is free to install, it has extra features like auto-logging additional nutrients, custom calorie goals, macro/micronutrient goals, etc., for premium users. Subscriptions are available at $9.99/month and $29.99/year for both iOS and Android users.

Coinoscope: Coin identifier

Coinoscope is a visual search engine that identifies coins using your smartphone camera. After clicking a coin’s picture, the app displays users a list of similar coins.

When you tap on a coin from the list, Coinoscope will launch your browser and show you additional info. If you don’t know the coin value, tap on ‘Estimate value’ to get an approximate idea.

Coinoscope is a free application with in-app purchases for iOS and Android devices.

FaceApp: Face Editor

FaceApp is an app that allows users to edit their portraits using AI technology. This app helps turn your selfies into cool portraits with options to use lots of AI filters, effects, backgrounds, etc. The filters are so photorealistic that the results look almost perfect.

FaceApp comes equipped with features like adding beard/moustache, smoothening wrinkles, makeup filters, enlarging/minimizing facial features, using the color lens, swapping gender, and more.

You can also morph yourself into your favorite celebrity, place yourself in your favorite movie scene, increase/decrease your weight, etc.

FaceApp is available for free, but the features are limited in the free version. To unlock the full features, users can opt for in-app purchases for iOS and Android devices.

Google Lens

Google Lens is an easy way to search for things and identify objects, animals, places, etc., that you might come across every day. It also helps users explore surrounding landmarks and find similar things.

Also, Google Lens can scan QR codes and barcodes fast and hassle-free. Besides using your camera to recognize things, it can also provide search results using images from the gallery or the internet. In addition, Google Lens helps you scan a text and translate it instantly on the spot.

As of now, Google Lens is available to install for free on both the App Store and the Play Store.

Image Analysis Toolset – IAT

Image Analysis Toolset is an app that helps you identify and analyze images. From identifying image elements to logos to landmarks – the app can do it all. It comes with the OCR feature that aids you in digitizing the text on a picture.

Also, the app has a calorimeter, allowing you to detect all colors within a specific image and view their representation. Plus, it offers facial insights too. That means users can identify multiple faces and their facial attributes and emotions within a photo.

But among all, perhaps its coolest feature is its censorship risk meter which helps determine whether a picture is likely to face censorship if uploaded online.

Image Analysis Tool is a free app with in-app purchases for Android devices.

LeafSnap Plant Identification

LeafSnap Plant Identification is the perfect solution for all your plant identification needs. If you are a plant enthusiast and ever encounter an unknown yet beautiful or strange-looking plant, LeafSnap can recognize it accurately.

Presently, LeafSnap is capable of identifying 90% of all known plant/tree species in the world.

Apart from recognizing, the app lets you track your tasks, keep track of all the plants in your collection, maintain a journal/diary with images, etc.

You can install LeafSnap Plant Identification for free right now and later opt for in-app purchases to unlock its full potential for iOS and Android devices.

PictureThis – Plant Identifier

With a database of over 1,000,000 plants and an accuracy rate of 98%, PictureThis is a solid choice for identifying unknown plants. Apart from that, the app provides plant suggestions, toxic plant warnings, step-by-step plant care tips, and more.

PictureThis can automatically diagnose your sick plant and give you information about how to treat it. Also, there is the option to chat with an expert if you want one-on-one consultation anytime, anywhere.

At the time of publication, PictureThis is free to install for iOS and Android devices and offers in-app purchases.

Rock Identifier: Stone ID

Rock Identifier is a great way to detect rocks, crystals, and minerals by simply clicking a photo. In seconds, you will see detailed info regarding the rock you have captured. At present, it has a database of more than 6,000 kinds of rocks with a beautiful, intuitive UI.

You can save your favorite rocks in Rock Identifier’s collection and add additional info like the place of production, price, size, etc., along with local photos. Also, Rock Identifier provides a one-on-one consultation facility with an expert geologist if needed.

Users can install Rock Identifier for free for both Android and iOS devices. In-app purchases unlock extra features like new skins, full text, no ads, etc.

Reverse Image Search Tool

Reverse Image Search Tool is a useful app that empowers users to find similar images on the internet. If you are unsure about a picture’s authenticity or originality, you can use this app to check whether that image is already available on the internet or not.

Reverse Image Search Tool also allows users to edit their image before searching on Google, Yandex, or Tineye search engines.

Currently, Reverse Image Search Tool is a free application with in-app purchases for both Android and iOS devices.

Snapchat

Snapchat is a good way to capture and share your special moments with your loved ones. Besides decorating your portrait with lenses, filters, etc., you can utilize its AR lenses to dive into the exciting world of Augmented Reality.

Also, there are features like stories, chat, spotlight, map, memories, friendship profile, and more to enhance your experience.

Snapchat is a free-to-install app for Android and iOS devices with in-app purchases for unlocking more features.

TapTapSee

TapTapSee is a noble initiative to help users with blindness or visual impairment identify various objects. True to its name, the app lets users click a picture of anything by simply double-tapping their phone screen, and TapTapSee will tell them what it is.

However, for the spoken identification to work, Talkback has to be on. Besides, users can also identify images from their gallery.

As of now, TapTapSee is available for free for Android and iOS but with limited features. Full features only come with in-app purchases.

Vivino: Buy the Right Wine

Vivino is the perfect image identifier app for wine connoisseurs worldwide to buy and enjoy their wine to the fullest.

Simply take a snap of a wine label or restaurant, and the app will provide all the necessary information regarding that wine, including ratings, unbiased reviews, price, food pairing suggestions, and so on.

Other useful features of Vivino are quick comparing, wine list scanner, taste profile, taste characteristics, etc. You can also buy wine directly from its marketplace for greater convenience.
Currently, Vivino is available to install for free on the App Store and the Play Store.

Final Words

As you can see, image identifier apps can make your life easier by recognizing photos and providing necessary information. Here we gave you a list of the best identifier apps to harness your phone camera. So, what are you waiting for? Try them out today and behold the power of AI.

Now you may read about the top reverse image search tools to find an image’s original source.