iNaturalist records what you saw. Nature By Name helps you remember it.
iNaturalist is great at what it does. You photograph something, upload it, and the image model and the community tell you what it is. Your record joins a dataset scientists use.
It also identifies species for you, by design. You can log hundreds of species and still reach for your phone every time the same warbler shows up.
Nature By Name gives those observations somewhere to go next. Import your species list, build a deck from what you have already seen, and practise the ones you still cannot name on your own.
iNaturalist: identify and record
You find something, photograph it and upload it. The suggestion and the community confirm what it is, and your observation becomes part of a global record. Learning the name yourself is optional.
Nature By Name: practise after the walk
You see photos of species recorded near you and name them from memory. The ones you miss come back sooner. The ones you know come back weeks later. Over time you need the phone less.
Side by side
| iNaturalist | Nature By Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Record observations and get them identified | Learn to name species yourself |
| Practice and review | None. Identification is done for you | Scheduled recall with FSRS, plus a list of the species you keep missing |
| Your observations | The source of your life list | Import a public iNaturalist species list and study it |
| Photos | Observation photos documenting each record | Up to four photos per card from different observers, credited to each |
| Trip preparation | Browse what has been recorded at a place | Build a deck for that place and practise before you go |
Using them together
They are not really competitors. iNaturalist is where you record what you see. Nature By Name is where you learn to recognise it.
Import your iNaturalist species list, then study the species you have observed but cannot yet name. Next time you are outside, more of them will be familiar before you reach for the camera.
Every photo here comes from iNaturalist observers under open licences, with their names on it.
Reach for iNaturalist when
- You want to identify something you just found
- You want to contribute observations to research
- You want to see what has been recorded anywhere in the world
- You want to join projects and talk with experts
Reach for Nature By Name when
- You want the names to stay after the observation
- You want to practise the species you have already seen
- You are preparing for a trip and want to know what you will meet
- You want to know which species keep tripping you up
What people ask for
“When I travel, it would be great to be able to use iNaturalist to learn the local biota before I get there.”
iNaturalist Forum. Read the post
“I was joking the other day that I should make ‘flashcards’ to reinforce my learning of common plant galls.”
iNaturalist Forum. Read the post
“I enjoy making IDs to test my skills, but it would be nice to be able to do that on items that are already research grade without knowing what they are.”
iNaturalist Forum. Read the post
Learn the species you observe.
Other comparisons: Merlin · Anki · eBird · Seek · BirdWise · Field guides