In most areas adults of C. hortensis can be distinguished by the pale colouration of the lip around the shell aperture, whereas it is typically brown in C. nemoralis.

[4][5] Both have a lip that is brown near the columella becoming pale towards the suture, and they have fine growth ridges on the shell whereas in both Cepaea species it is smooth.

Also its occurrence along the coast of northeastern North America should be considered native, since archaeological deposits reveal it to have been present at least 7850 years ago, so before the presence of Viking explorers.

[7] The range of C. hortensis extends further north in Scotland than that of C. nemoralis and it is the only Cepaea species in Iceland and northern parts of Scandinavia (up to 67° 30' N).

[15] The two Cepaea species share many of the same habitats, such as woods, dunes and grassland, but the white-lipped snail tolerates wetter and colder areas.