Best Agriculture Apps for 2024 (Update)

Editor’s note: Senior Online Editor Matt Hopkins has been compiling his list of the best mobile apps in agriculture since 2010. In the slideshow below you’ll find more than 30 apps worthy of downloading in 2024. Inclusion on the list is based on research and evaluation of new or recently updated farming apps available for Androids, iPhones, and iPads. The list also includes several older apps that may have been off your radar but still deserve your attention. In addition, Hopkins shares insight from industry experts on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is impacting the development and use of agricultural apps.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in agriculture is booming. Just consider how spending on AI technologies and solutions alone is expected to grow from $1.7 billion in 2023 to $4.7 billion in 2028, according to Markets&Markets. That’s some serious financial horsepower fueling innovation from leading agricultural companies, as well as the nearly 300 AI-based agricultural startups in the U.S., according to recent analysis.

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The AI explosion in agriculture is impacting mobile app development, too, especially as it relates to data. Specifically, AI is allowing apps to work with much larger datasets for analysis, says Reinder Prins, Marketing Lead at Leaf Agriculture, which focuses on data infrastructure in agriculture through API services that are used to power many agtech apps.

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“Without AI, the number of data points that can be used by an app while keeping a good user experience is relatively limited,” Prins says. “With AI, the number of different data points that can be connected and analyzed at the same time is much larger. This allows for new and novel mobile apps to be developed with features that cannot be created without AI. Especially for the large number of IOT in-field sensors now available, being able to tie all the different data points together to form robust analysis is key.”

Agricultural apps are incorporating multiple, different data types, such as weather data, machinery data, IOT sensor data, and satellite imagery, Prins says. “Without AI it becomes impossible to tie all these different data types together and turn the resulting analysis into a useful outcome,” he says.

The fusion of AI with mobile app development has ushered in a new era of efficiency and data-centric practices in the agricultural sector. This is playing out, according to industry experts, in a number of different ways, including:

  • Precision Agriculture: AI enables apps to offer real-time data analysis, helping farmers optimize resource usage like water, fertilizers, and pesticides for higher yields and reduced costs.
  • Crop Monitoring and Pest and Disease Detection: AI-driven mobile apps have the capability to identify potential issues such as pest infestations, diseases, or nutrient deficiencies at an early stage. They analyze data from diverse sources like satellite imagery and sensors to provide timely alerts to farmers and suggest interventions.
  • Weather Predictions: AI-powered weather forecasting apps provide accurate, location-specific data, helping farmers make informed decisions regarding planting, harvesting, and irrigation.
  • Market Insights: AI assists in market analysis, helping farmers make informed decisions on when and where to sell their products for the best prices.
  • Data Integration: AI streamlines data from various sources, such as sensors, drones, and IoT devices, into a single app, providing a holistic view of farm operations.

While these enhancements are impressive on their own, they’re likely just scratching the surface when it comes to what’s possible with AI and mobile apps in agriculture.

Key Trends to Watch in 2024

Sustainability is one area that will continue to benefit from AI-powered mobile apps, says Lior Goren Ruck, Vice President of Products at Prospera, which offers the Insights by Prospera mobile app.

“Sustainable farming practices are increasingly important,” she says. “AI will help by optimizing resource use and minimizing environmental impact. Mobile apps will incorporate AI to guide farmers on sustainable practices, such as reduced chemical usage, water conservation, and soil health management.”

Smart spraying will further the sustainability efforts in agriculture, adds Selin Erkök, Marketing Director at agtech startup Doktar, which leverages AI in several of its mobile apps. “AI significantly contributes to the optimization of pesticide utilization by ensuring precise application, which in turn mitigates waste and minimizes the environmental footprint,” she says.

AI’s ability to scale data standardization will also become increasingly important in 2024 and beyond.

“I think that gathering more standardized and accurate data will be an even higher priority for app developers in 2024 in order to keep improving the role of AI in agriculture,” says Leaf’s Prins. “Every AI model requires data to operate, and the more data available, the better potential analysis and results become.”

Mobile apps that use constant AI learning, based on constantly gathered data, will start to have an even bigger impact in 2024, Prins says. “In-field operations such as planting, spraying, and harvesting require the operators to constantly make adjustments, such as adjusting gauge-wheel depth, increasing fan speed, lowering a boom, and increasing droplet size,” he says. “AI models that learn constantly and that can access a huge database of images as examples, will be able to learn which conditions and which results relate to certain adjustments that can or should be made to a machine. Apps that offer this information will be invaluable to growers who have been battling to get enough qualified staff to operate their machines.”

Erkök also sees the agriculture sector experiencing a notable expansion in data collection, automation, and crop health monitoring through mobile apps in 2024. “The rising digitalization within this sector will generate a wealth of data encompassing a wide range of farming activities,” she says. “AI-powered mobile apps will play a pivotal role in standardizing field data collection, thereby ensuring data consistency and reliability.

“This standardization will significantly enhance the accuracy and quality of insights delivered to farmers. Furthermore, these AI-driven mobile apps will enable continuous monitoring of crop health, diminishing the necessity for manual oversight and supplying invaluable data that aids in maintaining optimal crop health.”

AI-powered mobile apps will also continue to play a pivotal role in precision agriculture in 2024, says Prospera’s Goren Ruck. “These apps will likely offer more advanced predictive analytics, enabling farmers to make data-driven decisions on resource allocation, crop management, and pest control,” she says.

2024 List of Apps for Agriculture

I’ve once again researched and evaluated the newest farming apps available for Androids, iPads, iPhones, and more. The apps listed in the slideshow – many of which are AI-powered – were either introduced or significantly updated in 2023. I’ve also included several older apps that may have been off your radar but are still worthy of downloading. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect to find in the slideshow, which will receive updates throughout the year.

  • Total Apps Featured: 40
  • Recently Added: FarmCommand, Libra Cart, AGvisorPRO, Traction Mobile, Gripp
  • Number of New Apps: 11
  • Most Common Type: Precision Ag, Farm Management, Customer Service

Want more agriculture apps? Be sure to check out these other lists. If you have a favorite new app that is on my list or one that is not, tell me about it at [email protected] or post a comment below.

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