Privacy Policy for

AI Plant Recognize

Privacy Policy — AI Plant Recognize

Last updated: October 6, 2026
Developer: Oana Rinaldi
Contact: oanarinaldi@gmail.com

Summary

AI Plant Recognize (“the App”) helps you identify plants, flowers, trees, and houseplants; get care guides; run an AI health check; browse a plant database; and save plants to My Garden with optional watering reminders. Everything is saved on your device. We do not require an account and there are no ads. The App is free to use with your own keys; optional Pro plans and credits let you identify plants without any keys, through our small server described below.

Information We Do Not Collect

We do not collect, store, or sell:

  • Name, email, or contact details (unless you email us for support)
  • Plant photos, plant names, identification results, garden collections, or care data on our servers
  • Location data
  • Usage analytics or advertising identifiers
  • Payment card details (purchases are handled entirely by Apple)

Data Stored on Your Device

The following data is stored locally on your iPhone:

  • Plant photos you take or pick for identification or health checks
  • Identification results (common name, scientific name, confidence, and alternate matches)
  • Care guide details and plant profiles you view or save
  • My Garden collection — plants you own, notes, and related settings
  • Watering reminder preferences per plant
  • App settings, including which identification mode and API keys you choose to use

This data stays on your device unless you choose to use features that send data to third parties, as described below.

Camera and Photo Library

The App requests camera access when you snap a plant photo, and photo library access when you pick an existing image. Photos used for identification, health checks, or My Garden are stored locally on your device.

Notifications

The App can send optional local watering reminders for plants in My Garden. These notifications are scheduled on your device only. We do not use push notifications or remote servers for reminders.

Data Sent to Third Parties (Only When You Use Those Features)

When you use certain features, data is sent directly from your device to third-party services. We do not receive or store this data.

  • Pl@ntNet — In free mode, plant photos are sent from your device to the Pl@ntNet plant database to identify species. Pro mode does not use Pl@ntNet. Pl@ntNet’s terms and privacy practices apply: https://plantnet.org/
  • Perenual — In free mode, plant searches and profile lookups may be sent to the Perenual plant database for care information and browsing. Perenual’s terms and privacy practices apply: https://perenual.com/
  • OpenAI — If you add an OpenAI API key in Settings and use AI mode, images and related prompts are sent directly from your device to OpenAI for richer identification results and the AI health check. In Pro mode, they are sent to OpenAI through our server using the App’s own key, as described above. OpenAI’s privacy policy applies: https://openai.com/policies/privacy-policy
  • Google Gemini — If you add a Google Gemini API key in Settings and use AI mode, images and related prompts are sent directly from your device to Google for richer identification results and the AI health check. Google’s privacy policy applies: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Optional Pro Plans and Credits

If you choose Pro mode and buy a monthly plan or a credit pack, identifications go through our server instead of using your own keys. This is the only time the App talks to a server we run. In that case:

  • Your photo is sent from your device to our server, which forwards it to OpenAI to identify the plant, write the care guide and check its health. The result is returned to your device. We do not store the photo or the result.
  • A plant name you open in Explore while in Pro mode is sent the same way to OpenAI to build its profile. We do not store the name.
  • Account record: to keep your credit balance, our server stores a random account ID created by the App (not linked to your name, email, or Apple ID), your plan and its renewal date, your remaining credits, and the Apple transaction IDs of your purchases, so that each purchase is credited once and refunds are handled.
  • Usage record: for each scan we store the date, whether it succeeded, how many credits it used, and the number of AI tokens it cost. No photo, plant name, or result is kept.
  • Purchases are processed by Apple. We receive Apple’s signed confirmation of the purchase, never your payment details.
  • Pro mode is notice-based: before your first Pro photo is sent, the App tells you where it goes and asks you to continue.

The random account ID is kept in your iCloud Keychain so your credits follow you after a reinstall. You can delete your Pro account and all of its server data at any time in the App: Profile → Pro Plans & Credits → Delete Pro account & data. This does not cancel an App Store subscription; manage or cancel that in your Apple ID settings.

API Keys

Your own OpenAI, Google Gemini, Pl@ntNet, and Perenual API keys are stored in the iOS Keychain on your device. A key is sent only to the service you chose (OpenAI or Google) when you use AI mode. Keys are not sent to us. Free mode uses Pl@ntNet and Perenual without requiring those AI keys. Pro mode needs no keys at all.

Analytics and Tracking

We do not use analytics SDKs. We do not track you across apps or websites. The App does not display advertisements.

Children's Privacy

The App is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

Data Retention and Deletion

Your plant photos, identification history, My Garden collection, and reminder settings remain on your device until you delete them in the App or uninstall the App. Uninstalling the App removes locally stored data. Your API keys are removed from the Keychain when you delete them in Settings or uninstall the App. If you used Pro mode, your account record and usage records stay on our server until you delete them from the App (Profile → Pro Plans & Credits → Delete Pro account & data) or email us; Apple transaction IDs are kept, unlinked from any account, only so a purchase cannot be credited twice.

Plant Care Disclaimer

Plant identification, care guides, pet-safety and toxicity information, and AI health checks are for general informational purposes only. They are not a substitute for professional botanical, veterinary, or horticultural advice. Always verify toxicity information before placing plants near pets or children, and use your judgment when caring for plants.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top will change when we do. Continued use of the App after changes means you accept the updated policy.

Contact

Questions about this policy: oanarinaldi@gmail.com