Source: PotPal's own source code for version 1.3.5 and its privacy policy, checked 2026-10-14. This page contains no accuracy percentage because we have not measured one and will not borrow one.
What happens to your photo
- The photo is shrunk on your phone. Only the smaller copy is sent.
- It goes to PotPal's server for one identification request. An AI model looks at the photo and returns a species name, the light and pot it can see, and care information.
- You see the species, with alternatives when there are any. The server can return up to three other species the photo might show.
- You confirm or edit. A confirmation screen lets you change the name and the details before the plant is saved.
- If it fails, you pick by hand. A failed or empty result opens the species picker and carries your photo along.
What the percentage next to a species means
The species choices can show a percentage. That number is the model's own estimate for that one photo, not a measured accuracy rate, and a model's self-assessed confidence is often unreliable. PotPal does not use it to accept or block anything automatically. Your confirmation is the gate, not a score.
What protects you when it is wrong
- The species only sets a starting range. PotPal's watering window begins from a seasonal baseline for the species and is then adjusted for light, pot and soil. It is an estimate you can overrule.
- Your soil check wins. When the soil is still damp, tap Not dry yet and the reminder moves back. A wrong species therefore costs you a reminder at an odd time, not a drowned plant, if you check the soil.
- Plants outside the built-in table get cautious defaults. The built-in watering table covers 25 common houseplants. Anything else still works with more careful defaults plus your soil checks.
What it is not
- It is not a disease diagnosis. PotPal describes what it sees and offers suggestions.
- It is built for indoor and balcony plants, not for naming every plant you meet outdoors.
Practical tips for the photo
These are our suggestions, not measured results: one plant per photo, leaves in view, ordinary daylight. If the first result looks wrong, retake the photo or pick one of the alternatives.
Privacy and limits
Identification needs the photo to leave your phone. According to PotPal's privacy policy, it is used only for that one request and is not retained or used for training. The free plan allows 10 identifications a day, and PotPal Pro removes the limit.