Mold Scanner vs Mold Identifier
Mold Identifier and AI Scanner is an iOS app that reads a photo of one spot and returns a Low, Medium, or High risk score. It is free to download with one free scan per day, then $4.99 per week or a $19.99 one-time unlock for more. Mold Scanner is an AI-assisted visual screening tool with 266 guided photo prompts across 19 rooms. Quick uses 38 prompts and Standard uses 129. Its local report can show submitted photos, visible cues, camera limitations, and conservative next steps; processing time varies.
The short version
These two apps answer different questions. Mold Identifier and AI Scanner assigns a Low, Medium, or High risk score to one submitted photo. Mold Scanner guides photo capture across 19 rooms and returns a local visual screening report describing visible cues and camera limits.
Neither is a lab. Both screen only what a submitted photo can show. They cannot see hidden growth, identify a species, confirm active mold, or establish that mold is present.
Side by side
Mold Scanner
- 266 guided photo prompts across 19 rooms. Quick uses 38 prompts and Standard uses 129.
- Structured report: visible cues, camera limitations, and conservative next steps.
- Local visual screening report for reviewing visible cues and camera limits.
- AI-assisted visual screening; processing time varies, no lab kit and no hardware.
- Calls itself a screen, not a diagnosis. No health-risk claims.
- Pre-launch. Access today is the waitlist at moldscanner.ai.
Mold Identifier
- Single-spot photo identification on iOS.
- Returns a Low, Medium, or High risk score for the one surface you photograph.
- One free scan per day on the free tier.
- Free to download, with $4.99 per week or a $19.99 one-time unlock in-app.
- Reads one spot only. No whole-home walkthrough.
- Available now on iPhone.
The spec table
| Feature | Mold Scanner | Mold Identifier |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Guided whole-home walkthrough, room by room | Single spot per photo |
| Output | Visual screening report: visible cues, camera limitations, and conservative next steps | Low, Medium, or High risk score for the photographed surface |
| Local report | Submitted photos, visible cues, camera limitations, and conservative next steps. Not evidence that mold exists | Not a stated feature |
| Speed | AI-assisted visual screening; processing time varies | Single-photo app result |
| Platform | Website and waitlist (pre-launch) | iOS |
| Free tier | Website and waitlist | One free scan per day |
| Price | Website and waitlist | Free, with $4.99/week or $19.99 one-time unlock in-app |
| Hardware or kit | None required | None required |
| Framing | Screening tool, not a diagnosis | Photo risk score, not a lab diagnosis |
Mold Identifier pricing and features reflect its published App Store listing at time of writing. See Sources below.
Single spot vs whole home
This is the core difference. Mold Identifier and AI Scanner is good at the thing it does: you point your phone at a surface and it scores the risk Low, Medium, or High. The limit is that it reads one spot at a time. If the patch you noticed is the only problem, that is enough. Mold rarely stays in one place, though, because it follows moisture, and moisture travels.
Mold Scanner expands the capture flow to 266 guided photo prompts across 19 rooms. Quick uses 38 prompts and Standard uses 129. The broader prompt set helps users review more visible surfaces, but it does not replicate an inspector, locate a water source, or assess anything outside the submitted photos.
The report you get
A single-spot app gives you a risk score on a surface. Useful, but it stops there. Mold Scanner returns a structured report: visible cues, camera limitations, and conservative next steps. The report stays on your device unless you export it.
The local report is for reviewing a visual screen. It can show the submitted photos, visible cues, camera limitations, and conservative next steps, but it is not laboratory evidence, a legal or liability assessment, or proof that mold exists.
Price and honest framing
On price, Mold Identifier and AI Scanner is free to download with one free scan per day, then $4.99 per week or a $19.99 one-time unlock if you want more. A weekly plan adds up fast if you forget to cancel, so the one-time unlock is the more honest comparison for ongoing use. Mold Scanner is pre-launch, so today the way in is the waitlist at moldscanner.ai.
On framing, one honest note for both. A photo result is a screen, not a medical result and not a lab diagnosis. Mold Scanner says this plainly: it is a screening tool, it makes no health claims, and it tells you it cannot see hidden mold inside walls, ducts, or subfloors. For symptoms, see a qualified physician. For high-stakes property, confirm with a lab sample or a licensed inspector.
Which one to pick
You want a quick single-spot risk read on iPhone today
You noticed one patch, you have an iPhone, and you want a fast Low, Medium, or High read on that surface right now. The free tier gives you one scan per day. Treat the result as a screen, then look closer where it flags risk.
You want to screen the whole home and walk away with a report
You want a guided AI-assisted visual screen across the home instead of one submitted photo. The local report can show submitted photos, visible cues, camera limitations, and conservative next steps. It does not identify a water source or establish whether mold is present. Join the waitlist for first access.
Plenty of people end up wanting both: a quick single-spot check the moment they spot something, then a whole-home screen once they realize mold rarely stays put. Whichever you start with, confirm anything serious with a lab sample or a licensed inspector.
Screen your whole home, not just one spot
Mold Scanner provides 266 guided photo prompts across 19 rooms, including a 38-prompt Quick flow and a 129-prompt Standard flow. It is AI-assisted visual screening only, and processing time varies.
Join the waitlistFrequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Mold Scanner and Mold Identifier?
Mold Identifier and AI Scanner is an iOS app that reads a photo of one spot and returns a Low, Medium, or High risk score. Mold Scanner is an AI-assisted visual screening tool with 266 guided photo prompts across 19 rooms. Quick uses 38 prompts and Standard uses 129. Its local report can show submitted photos, visible cues, camera limitations, and conservative next steps; processing time varies. Neither photo tool confirms mold or replaces sampling.
How much does Mold Identifier cost?
Mold Identifier and AI Scanner is free to download with one free scan per day. To scan more it offers in-app purchases of $4.99 per week or a $19.99 one-time unlock. It is iOS only. Mold Scanner is pre-launch, so the way to access it today is the waitlist at moldscanner.ai.
Is a Low, Medium, or High risk score from a photo accurate?
Treat a photo risk score as a screen, not a lab diagnosis. A camera cannot assess hidden areas, identify a species, or establish a health risk. Use the result to decide where to look closer, then use a licensed inspector or lab for anything serious or high-stakes.
Which should I use, Mold Scanner or Mold Identifier?
Mold Identifier and AI Scanner is a single-spot iPhone option with one free scan per day. Mold Scanner is for a guided AI-assisted visual screen of submitted photos across the home. Its local report states the camera limitations, and processing time varies.
Can either app replace a professional mold inspection?
No. Both are screening tools. Neither can see hidden mold inside walls, ducts, or under flooring, and neither can name the species from a photo. A professional inspection can investigate beyond camera-visible surfaces and collect samples when needed. Bring in a licensed inspector or lab for anything serious or high-stakes.