Top 5 Google Lens Alternatives You Can Use (2018)

With Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) blurring the lines between the real and the virtual, every tech visitor, from major corporates like Google and Facebook to startups like Magic Bound and WaveOptics, are trying their easily at the emerging new technology. Google has been working on AR for a while now too, merely its earlier project, 'Goggles', was discontinued equally far back as in 2014. Undeterred by the setback, the visitor recently announced yet another service that promises to revolutionize the way nosotros search for information well-nigh the physical stuff effectually us on the web. Called Google Lens, the software was announced before this twelvemonth at the company's annual I/O developer conference in San Francisco, California.

The characteristic will exist integrated with Google Assistant well as Google Photos, but will just be bachelor on the two second-gen Pixel devices correct now before being more widely available in the months to come. Then, in case y'all want to try out something like without buying a Pixel 2, you can endeavour these Google Lens alternatives on your smartphone:

1. CamFind

CamFind is i of the oldest and nigh well-known image search apps, and it's available for costless both on Android and iOS. The app isn't obviously an exact replica of Google Lens, insofar as it doesn't exercise AR, but it is, quite simply, the side by side best thing. CamFind lets you take a photo of any object around you lot and then upload information technology to its servers with just a single tap. It then uses it's proprietary CloudSight image recognition API to non only tell you what information technology is, simply besides suggest websites that could provide yous with more info on the subject. From what we saw, these search results also include related images and local shopping results from e-commerce sites such as Amazon.

While the couple things we tried worked great (a computer keyboard and a hatchback vehicle), the company also says that CamFind is capable of correctly identifying movies from their posters. Not only that, one time the app identifies a picture show, it will patently bring up trailers, showtimes, and even suggest local theaters that are screening the movie. You lot can also marking a item search as favorite if you want to refer back to information technology in the future.

Top 5 Google Lens Alternatives You Can Use Right Now

'Live Stream' and 'Popular' are ii of the other features that allow users to view other searches in real-time. While 'Popular' showcases searches that have been marked as a 'Favorite' by other users, 'Live Searches' shows you new uploads in existent-time. Even so, both these features are turned off by default and, demand to exist enabled manually if you want to share your searches with other users. That being the instance, users concerned about their privacy can residuum bodacious. On the other hand, if you want to advertise your searches to the rest of the world, you can also share them on social media or ship them to your WhatsApp contacts from within the app.

Install: Android, iOS (Free)

2. Image Search

Image Search is another super-popular app that volition identify images by uploading them to Google's Reverse Epitome Search Engine. You can select any epitome on your phone, only unlike CamFind, it doesn't permit you take pictures direct, and so you will need to snap the photo earlier you lot open up this app. Having said that, it'southward actually non much of a problem when y'all retrieve almost it, although, the fact that it simply supports Google right out the box could be a bit of a negative for some. While the app does let you create your own custom search engines, many non-tech-savvy users may find the process a bit too cumbersome and unintuitive.

As can be seen to a higher place, the results can be a bit of a hit or miss, simply information technology's not really the app's problem if Google's algorithm is notwithstanding struggling to recognize a dimly-lit hoarding. Overall, Image Search is a good app, and being based on Google's prototype search algorithm means information technology works well mostly. What I also liked a lot was the inclusion of the Night Way that looks expect a lot libation and more sophisticated than the stark white screens that greet you when yous use virtually of these apps. It'due south non perfect, and nowhere near as intuitive as CamFind, just it volition still work as a Google Lens alternative until we tin can go the real deal on our phones.

Install: Android (Free)

3. Search by Prototype

Search by Image is nevertheless some other reverse image search app that displays reverse search engine results from Google Images and TinEye. To do a reverse epitome search through this app, all you need to do is select the picture from your phone by opening up the app and selecting the "+" sign on the landing screen. Thereafter, cull whether y'all want to upload an image from your gallery or have a new photograph to search on the internet. Irrespective of whichever option you lot choose, you'll get the option to crop, resize or flip an epitome before actually uploading it.

Both 'Search past Image' and 'Paradigm Search' are rated fairly similarly on the Play Store, which isn't surprising, given how they both employ Google's image search results, merely personally, I felt this app was more intuitive and had a better UI than the previous 1. As mentioned already, Google is the default search engine for this detail app as well, simply you lot tin can change it to TinEye if yous like, although, choosing Google will also permit you use Google SafeSearch to block out disturbing images.

Install: Android (Free)

4. Paradigm Search – PictPicks

Known earlier as Image Search Viewer, PictPicks is yet another app that you tin can try if yous're looking for a Google Lens alternative on your smartphone. The app comes with Google'southward Material Design interface, making it quite pleasing to use, and in my opinion, has 1 of the most user-friendly UIs among the apps on this listing. Like the ones above it, PictPicks also uses Google image search to deliver its results, but rather than throw you over to Google'due south webpage, the app shows the related images through its ain user-interface.

Top 5 Google Lens Alternatives You Can Use Right Now

PictPick has got a pretty high rating with over 100,000 installs on the Play Shop, and one time y'all've played around with it for a while, information technology'south not difficult to understand why. It comes with all the features you'd expect from Google Prototype Search, which means yous can filter your images by size, color, type and time, and too turn on SafeSearch if yous don't want to be bombarded with NSFW visuals. Y'all tin can also apply the results to search for other similar images, share them via Bluetooth or WhatsApp, and also fix the images as your wallpapers or contact photos.

Install: Android (Free)

five. Contrary Prototype Search

Last simply definitely not the least, Reverse Epitome Search is one more option that you lot can try if you lot're looking to get more than information about an paradigm or looking to verifying the source of photographs, WhatsApp images, Instagram photos, screenshots and memes. Like only about all the other apps on this listing, this one also uses Google's image search functionality, so you've got access to all the familiar functions, including SafeSearch.

Unlike some of the apps on this list, this particular app comes with a camera interface that lets you click an paradigm before uploading it, making the procedure a bit more seamless and intuitive. You can also share the images or your search results on social media, via messaging apps or through Bluetooth. Overall, it's a pretty good app that does what it promises, and is well worth a effort if you're looking for a Google Lens alternative on your Android smartphone.

Install: Android (Free)

SEE Too: How to Get Pixel 2 Launcher on Whatsoever Android Device

The Best Google Lens Alternatives

Google Lens will hopefully turn out to be better-implemented than its ill-fated predecessor, Google Goggles. From what we've seen at the I/O developer conference, it certainly seems like something that might very well finally kickstart the AR revolution that has, thus far, been restricted to gamers who fabricated Pokemon Go one of the biggest success stories terminal twelvemonth. Whether Google Lens can actually popularize AR among mainstream smartphone users remains to be seen, merely the search giant needs to roll out the service to a wider user-base sooner rather than afterward.