Skinive Review: AI Skin Check for Moles, Acne and Rashes

Skinive is an AI skin-check app that photographs moles, spots and rashes and keeps a dated history to compare. Outside the US it is sold as CE-marked Class I medical device software that flags possible conditions and skin cancer risk; its US App Store listing, updated in October 2026, says it does not identify, diagnose or treat conditions and is not a skin cancer or melanoma detector. Basic checks are free; Premium costs $49.99 a year on the US App Store as of October 2026. Its results are risk hints, not a diagnosis.

Below we look at what Skinive checks, what its CE mark does and doesn't mean, how its accuracy numbers were produced, what each plan costs, how it compares with SkinVision, and when to see a dermatologist instead.

Is there a better alternative?

That depends on what you want the app for. Skinive is built to look at a specific spot or rash. If what you actually want is a read on your overall skin and a routine that fits it, Pori (iPhone, iOS 17+) is the closer match: a selfie returns a 0–100 skin score with Hydration & Moisture, Pores & Texture, Pigmentation & Tone and Anti-aging & Elasticity, a skin-age estimate, and a morning and evening routine, and its Pro ingredient scanner flags each ingredient in a product for your skin type. Pori is not a medical device, so it won't assess a mole or name a rash. For a free rash lookup, see our Aysa review; for mole-only apps, see our SkinVision review.

What does Skinive check?

Skinive checks visible spots and rashes through your phone camera. Its App Store description lists the condition groups it looks for:

• Moles, with a tracker for changes in size, shape, color and appearance, plus reminders
• Acne, eczema and dermatitis, psoriasis and rosacea
• Warts and papillomas, herpes and lichen, fungal conditions and other rashes
• For some lesions, AI risk information linked to melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma

The Skinive website says the app covers "60+" skin conditions, while the company's 2026 accuracy report lists 55 conditions in 10 groups. Other features include a real-time AI camera, a UV index check for your location, a sun timer widget on the US version, and, on Premium, PDF reports you can bring to a dermatologist.

The US listing is titled "AI Skin Analyzer: Mole Checker" and requires iOS 17.6 or later on iPhone. The website also links to an Android version on Google Play.

Is Skinive a medical device?

Yes, in the EU, at the lowest risk class. Skinive's international App Store listing calls it "CE-marked Class I medical device software," and its FAQ says the same. Skinive's own clinical evidence page adds that this is a manufacturer's declaration under EU MDR, not certification by a notified body, and that the app is not intended to diagnose melanoma, skin cancer or other conditions. That class matters. A 2026 review in the International Journal of Dermatology comparing US and European consumer skin cancer platforms explains that Class I devices are self-certified by the maker, while Class IIa requires an independent notified body to assess the product. The same paper warns that a CE mark "certifies regulatory conformity with safety and performance standards, not clinical effectiveness."

Among the US platforms the authors reviewed, only MoleScope held FDA clearance, and Skinive doesn't claim FDA clearance anywhere we checked. Availability is also murky: Skinive's FAQ says the app is available worldwide "with the exception of the US and Canada," yet a US App Store listing exists with US prices. That US listing doesn't mention the CE mark and frames the app more narrowly: it says Skinive does not identify, diagnose or treat acne, eczema or rashes, is not a skin cancer or melanoma detector or screening tool, and is meant for information, awareness and personal tracking. If you're in North America, read the listing and the app's terms before paying.

How accurate is Skinive?

The headline numbers are strong, but they come from the company's own testing. Independent results are lower and measure something different. Here's what's published as of October 2026:

A few things to note about that table. The accuracy report itself says it "is not an external clinical study," and Skinive's clinical evidence page calls it technical validation rather than clinical evidence. The independent evaluation asked a harder question (does the app name the right condition?) and found that the first answer was right about half the time. The Egyptian study used Skinive MD, the clinician version, and excluded very dark skin (Fitzpatrick type V), so it says little about the consumer app on deeper skin tones. Skinive's FAQ claims "an accuracy rate of over 90%, which is on par with professional dermatologists," which leans on the more favorable numbers.

The wider evidence on consumer skin cancer apps is a reason for caution. A 2020 BMJ systematic review found the studies "small and of poor methodological quality" and concluded that current apps "cannot be relied on to detect all cases of melanoma or other skin cancers." For more context, see is AI skin analysis accurate.

How much does Skinive cost?

Skinive is free to download, and its FAQ says basic functions are free. The US listing says Premium adds extended skin and mole tracking, advanced comparison tools, AI-assisted camera features, PDF export and an ad-free experience. Prices differ by region:

The international column comes from Skinive's international App Store listing. The free tier shows ads, according to the Premium feature list. If you only need an occasional check, compare the weekly price with SkinVision's per-check price below.

Skinive vs SkinVision: which should you use?

Pick Skinive for breadth and SkinVision for a more tightly regulated mole check, if you live where SkinVision is offered. SkinVision looks only at moles and spots for skin cancer risk, while Skinive also tries to name common rashes.

Accuracy figures in that table come from the 2026 regulatory review; SkinVision's price, class and restrictions come from its App Store listing. Note that Skinive's higher numbers are company-reported, while SkinVision's range includes independent studies, so the two aren't directly comparable. Our mole checker roundup covers more options.

What happens to your photos?

Skinive keeps your photos so it can track changes. Its FAQ says data is "stored on secure cloud servers with trusted service providers." That's a reasonable trade-off for a mole tracker, but it's different from apps that discard the image after analysis. Read the privacy policy before uploading photos of sensitive areas.

How do you get a more useful result from Skinive?

Give the app the clearest picture you can, and use it to track change rather than to get a one-off verdict. A few habits help with any photo-based skin app:

1. Use steady, even light. Daylight from a window beats overhead bulbs or a flash; our guide to lighting for skin photos explains why.
2. Fill the frame with the spot and keep the camera parallel to the skin, so the shape isn't distorted.
3. Photograph the same spot the same way each time, so the mole tracker compares like with like.
4. Write down what the photo can't show: how long the spot has been there, whether it itches, bleeds or hurts, and whether it has changed.
5. Export the PDF report if you have Premium, and bring it with those notes to your appointment.

None of this makes the app a diagnosis. It just makes the history you bring to a clinician more complete.

When should you see a dermatologist instead?

See a dermatologist whenever a spot or rash worries you, whatever an app says. Skinive's international listing says its results "are not a final diagnosis," and the US listing says it is not a substitute for professional medical evaluation. The American Academy of Dermatology's ABCDEs of melanoma are a good checklist: asymmetry, an irregular border, varied color, a diameter usually over 6 millimeters, and a spot that is evolving. The AAD advises seeing a dermatologist immediately if a mole shows these signs, and booking a visit for any spot that is new, looks different from the others, or is changing, itching or bleeding.

For rashes, get care for one that covers most of your body, blisters, spreads fast, hurts, comes with fever, or involves the eyes, mouth or genitals, as the AAD's rash guide lists. Trouble breathing or swallowing, or swelling of the lips or eyes, needs emergency care.

Our verdict on Skinive

• Good for: a broad first look at a spot or rash, mole tracking with photo history, and a PDF to take to an appointment, if you're in a region where it's offered.
• Less good for: anyone who wants independent proof of accuracy, people in the US and Canada given the mixed availability signals, and anyone counting on it to rule out skin cancer.

Skinive covers more conditions than most rivals and publishes more numbers than most, which is to its credit. Read those numbers for what they are, use the app to decide how soon to book an appointment, and let a dermatologist make the call.

We did not test Skinive hands-on. This review is based on Skinive's App Store listings and website, checked in October 2026, and the published studies linked above. Nothing here is medical advice.