Softwr

Education · head to head

Flip vs PictureThis

F

Flip

Education

Empower student voice with video discussions

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PictureThis logo

PictureThis

Education

Commercial plant identification app with a short free trial that converts to an annual subscription

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Flip has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Flip the Internet Archive's capture of Flip's homepage on 28 June 2022 stated 'Flip is a free video discussion app', confirming the Microsoft-owned product (rebranded from Flipgrid) carries no subscription fee.; PictureThis the free trial converts to a paid annual subscription automatically, and a documented pattern of user complaints describes unexpected charges when the trial was not cancelled in time.
  • They diverge on capability: Flip covers Video responses, PictureThis covers Plant identification.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flip and PictureThis actually diverge.

Attributes where Flip and PictureThis differ
AttributeFlipPictureThis
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreePer year, sold via a short free trial that auto-renews
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidiOS, Android
Founded1975Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Flip

  • Video responses
  • Topics
  • Camera effects
  • Stickers
  • Text responses
  • Moderation
  • Mixtapes
  • AR camera

Only in PictureThis

  • Plant identification
  • Disease diagnosis
  • Care reminders
  • Plant care library
  • Toxicity warnings
  • My Garden tracking

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Flip

  • Video discussionsnot PictureThis
  • Student portfoliosnot PictureThis
  • Book talksnot PictureThis
  • Language practicenot PictureThis

PictureThis

  • A gardener who wants ongoing care reminders and disease diagnosis, not just a one-off identificationnot Flip
  • Someone willing to pay for a more polished interface than the free nonprofit alternativesnot Flip
  • A plant owner who wants toxicity warnings for pets and childrennot Flip
  • A buyer who reads the trial terms carefully and sets a reminder to cancel before it convertsnot Flip

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Flip

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Flip's homepage on 28 June 2022 stated 'Flip is a free video discussion app', confirming the Microsoft-owned product (rebranded from Flipgrid) carries no subscription fee.

PictureThis

  • The free trial converts to a paid annual subscription automatically, and a documented pattern of user complaints describes unexpected charges when the trial was not cancelled in time.
  • Cancellation has to be done through App Store or Play Store account settings, not by deleting the app, which catches users off guard.
  • It solves the same core identification problem that Seek, PlantNet and Merlin solve for free, so the paid tier is competing against genuinely free options for the same task.
  • Care guidance for uncommon or exotic species is criticised as generic rather than specific.
  • Being a commercial product from a company that publishes near-identical identification apps for other categories, its plant-specific depth is not obviously deeper than a dedicated botanical tool.

Pricing, plan by plan

Flip

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited groups
    • Unlimited topics
    • Video responses

PictureThis

On request
  • PictureThis Annual$39.99/year
    • Unlimited plant identifications
    • Disease diagnosis
    • Care reminders and guides

Which should you pick?

Choose Flip if

  • You need video responses.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want topics.
Flip review

Choose PictureThis if

  • You need plant identification.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want disease diagnosis.
PictureThis review

Questions people ask

Is Flip or PictureThis better?
Neither clearly leads. Flip starts at Free and PictureThis at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Flip or PictureThis?
Flip has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Flip and On request for PictureThis.
Does Flip or PictureThis run on more platforms?
Flip runs on Web, IOS, Android. PictureThis runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use Flip for free?
Yes. Flip has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PictureThis starts at On request.
What is Flip best used for?
Flip is most often used for video discussions, student portfolios, book talks, language practice. Of those, video discussions and student portfolios are not what PictureThis is typically brought in for.
What can Flip do that PictureThis cannot?
Flip covers Video responses, Topics, Camera effects, Stickers. PictureThis covers Plant identification, Disease diagnosis, Care reminders, Plant care library.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PictureThis: Is there a free version?

A limited free tier exists with restricted identifications and ads; full use requires the paid subscription.

PictureThis: How long is the free trial and does it auto-renew?

The trial is typically about seven days and auto-renews into the annual subscription unless cancelled beforehand through your App Store or Play Store settings.

PictureThis: Is PictureThis the same as PlantNet or Seek?

No. PlantNet and Seek are free nonprofit identification tools; PictureThis is a commercial subscription product with more built-in care features.

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