Customer Reviews (500)

Nevergonafade2 • 2025-03-27T14:15:01-07:00

I just love it.

Baronkriel • 2025-03-27T11:05:12-07:00

Will amend my review to 5 stars when bug is fixed—trying to leave a note in the notes section…of the notes section…it turns into a huge white field. I managed to scroll down and hit save, but the notes are not saving.

Cbales2006 • 2025-03-26T09:17:12-07:00

Has been great for planning my first ever garden. And seeing results right off bat.

Summary of Key Insights

The Planter: Garden Planner app is generally well-received, particularly by beginner gardeners. Its strengths lie in its user-friendly interface, wealth of information on companion planting and plant care, and helpful garden planning tools. The app's ability to visualize garden layouts and provide guidance on plant compatibility is highly valued. However, users frequently request more customization options, a larger plant database (especially flowers), and improvements to multi-bed management and calendar integration. Some users have reported issues with functionality, such as data loss and bugs. The overall sentiment is positive, with a high percentage of 5-star ratings.

Strengths:

  • Ease of use and intuitive interface.
  • Comprehensive information on companion planting and plant care.
  • Helpful garden planning tools and visualization.
  • Responsive developers who address user feedback.
  • Ability to add custom plants.

Weaknesses:

  • Limited plant database, especially flowers and specific varieties.
  • Lack of customization options for garden layouts and bed shapes.
  • Difficulties managing multiple garden beds.
  • Inadequate calendar integration and reminders.
  • Occasional bugs and data loss issues.
  • Free version limitations.

Overall Sentiment: Positive

Quantitative Metrics:

  • Overall Rating: 4.69 (estimated based on review distribution)
  • Score Distribution:
    • 5-star: 77.2% (386/500)
    • 4-star: 12.8% (64/500)
    • 3-star: 5.4% (27/500)
    • 2-star: 1.4% (7/500)
    • 1-star: 3.2% (16/500)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: Not explicitly stated, but based on the content of the reviews, it appears to cover at least the past year, potentially longer.
  • Analysis Methods: The analysis involved manual review and categorization of the provided user reviews. This included sentiment analysis (identifying positive, negative, and neutral comments), keyword extraction (identifying frequently mentioned features, issues, and requests), and thematic analysis (grouping related comments into broader themes).

Key User Pain Points

  • Limited Plant Database: Many users complain about the lack of certain plants, especially flowers, herbs, and specific varieties of vegetables. This forces users to add custom plants or use placeholder plants, diminishing the app's visual planning capabilities.
  • Limited Customization: Users desire more control over garden layouts, including the ability to create non-rectangular beds, adjust grid sizes, and manage the spacing between plants more precisely.
  • Multi-Bed Management: A common complaint is the difficulty in managing multiple garden beds. Users want to see all beds on one screen, easily switch between beds, and manage planting schedules across multiple beds.
  • Calendar Integration: Users want better calendar integration, including reminders for planting, transplanting, and harvesting. They also want the ability to sync the app's calendar with their phone's calendar.
  • Bugs and Data Loss: Several users have reported bugs, such as notes not saving, the app crashing, or losing their garden plans. This significantly impacts user trust and satisfaction.
  • Free Version Limitations: Some users feel that the free version is too limited, particularly the restriction to a single garden bed. This can deter potential users from trying the app and discovering its full potential.
  • Lack of Clear Guidance/Tutorials: Some users, especially beginners, find the app not intuitive and need to read help files for basic tasks.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Expanded Plant Database: More flowers, herbs, fruit trees, and specific varieties of vegetables.
  • Improved Customization:
    • Ability to create non-rectangular garden beds (L-shaped, U-shaped, round, etc.).
    • Adjustable grid sizes to match specific garden dimensions.
    • Ability to add plants in between squares for companion planting or root crops.
  • Multi-Bed View: A single screen to view and manage all garden beds.
  • Enhanced Calendar Integration:
    • Reminders for planting, transplanting, and harvesting.
    • Syncing with external calendar apps (e.g., Google Calendar, Apple Calendar).
    • A "through time" feature to see what squares would be empty during what times of the year.
  • Watering Schedule/Reminders: Integration for watering schedules.
  • Native Plant Recommendations: Integration for native plants.
  • Vertical Planting Options: Options for vertical gardening.
  • Ability to Print Garden Layouts and Calendars: Option to print out the garden layout and calendar.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • User-Friendly Interface: Many users praise the app's ease of use and intuitive design, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced gardeners.
  • Comprehensive Plant Information: The app provides a wealth of information on plant care, companion planting, and potential pests and diseases.
  • Companion Planting Guidance: The app's ability to identify companion and combative plants is highly valued, helping users create more successful and productive gardens.
  • Visual Garden Planning: The app's garden planning tools allow users to visualize their garden layouts and experiment with different arrangements.
  • Customizable: The ability to add custom plants and varieties is a valuable feature for users who grow less common plants.
  • Responsive Developers: Users appreciate that the developers are responsive to feedback and actively working to improve the app.
  • Cross-Platform Accessibility: The app is available on both iOS and macOS, allowing users to plan their gardens on multiple devices.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Address Bugs and Data Loss Issues: Investigate and fix reported bugs, particularly those related to data loss and crashing. Implement robust data backup and recovery mechanisms.
  • Expand Plant Database: Prioritize adding commonly requested plants, such as flowers, herbs, and popular vegetable varieties. Consider crowd-sourcing plant information from users.
  • Improve Multi-Bed Management: Implement a multi-bed view that allows users to see and manage all their garden beds on one screen.

Medium Priority:

  • Enhance Calendar Integration: Add reminders for planting, transplanting, and harvesting. Allow users to sync the app's calendar with their phone's calendar.
  • Increase Customization Options:
    • Allow users to create non-rectangular garden beds.
    • Provide more granular control over grid sizes and plant spacing.
  • Develop Clear Guidance/Tutorials: Add tutorials or tooltips to guide new users through the app's features and functionalities.

Low Priority:

  • Add Watering Schedule/Reminders:
  • Integrate Native Plant Recommendations:
  • Develop Vertical Planting Options:
  • Enable Printing of Garden Layouts and Calendars:

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • AI-Powered Plant Identification: Develop an AI-powered plant identification feature that allows users to identify plants in their yard using their phone's camera.
  • Community-Based Plant Database: Create a community-based plant database where users can contribute plant information and photos.
  • Personalized Garden Plans: Offer personalized garden plans based on user's location, growing conditions, and preferences.
  • Smart Garden Integration: Integrate with smart garden devices to automate watering and other tasks.

Trends and Observations

  • Beginner-Friendliness is Key: The app is particularly popular among beginner gardeners, suggesting a strong need for accessible and easy-to-use gardening tools.
  • Companion Planting is a Major Draw: The companion planting feature is a major selling point, indicating a strong interest in sustainable and organic gardening practices.
  • Visual Planning is Highly Valued: Users appreciate the ability to visualize their garden layouts, suggesting a demand for visually appealing and interactive gardening tools.
  • Mobile Accessibility is Important: The app's availability on mobile devices is a major advantage, allowing users to plan their gardens on the go.
  • Subscription Model Concerns: Some users express concerns about the subscription model, preferring a one-time purchase option.

Conclusion

The Planter: Garden Planner app is a valuable tool for gardeners of all skill levels, particularly beginners. Its strengths lie in its user-friendly interface, comprehensive plant information, and helpful garden planning tools. By addressing the key user pain points and implementing the frequently requested features, the developers can further enhance the app's value and attract a wider audience. The positive overall sentiment and high percentage of 5-star ratings suggest that the app has a strong foundation for future growth. Focusing on bug fixes, expanding the plant database, and improving multi-bed management should be the top priorities.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/planter-garden-planner/id1542642210?uo=2