The shell colour is variable, from whitish grey to horny brown, often with dark spots, slightly translucent, finely and rather regularly striated.

This snail is native to various European countries around the Mediterranean, including[3] south-east France, southern Switzerland, north-west Croatia, Italy, and Slovenia.

It has been introduced and is becoming rapidly established in Great Britain, Austria, Czech Republic,[4] Hungary,[3] Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States.

Hygromia cinctella was described as new to Britain by writer Alex Comfort based on specimens he had found in the Paignton area of Devon in April 1950.

Hygromia cinctella has so far been discovered at two sites in Ireland; waste ground west of Cork City and a garden near Lisburn where it appears to be persisting.