Nature's Notebook vs BeeMachine
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Nature's Notebook
Record observations of plant and animal life cycles, such as flowering and migration. Mark observation sites, create species lists, and log seasonal changes in nature.
- Record plant and animal life cycle events
- Mark observation sites
- Create species lists
- Log seasonal observations
- Citizen science program
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Nature's Notebook is a program for observing and recording plant and animal life cycle events, like flowering and bird migration. Use this app to mark your sites, create a list of plants and animals, and going into the field to record observations throughout the seasons. Find out more at www.usanpn.org/nn/guidelines.
BeeMachine
Identify bee species using AI-powered computer vision. This free app allows you to log your sightings, map them, and contribute to scientific research on bee populations. It's a fun way to learn about local pollinators and their diversity.
- AI-powered bee identification
- Log and map bee sightings
- Learn about bee species
- Contribute to scientific research
- Explore bee diversity
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Identify bee species using computer vision. BeeMachine is a free community science app and a fun way to learn about the different bee species in your neighborhood or anywhere your adventures take you. Save your sightings, map them, and explore the diversity of bees. BeeMachine was developed by a small team of scientists and enthusiasts to provide expert-level identification skills for all. Your sightings will help scientists understand trends in bee populations and help us conserve these essential pollinators. Privacy Policy: https://beemachine.ai/page/privacy-policy Terms of Service: https://dev.beemachine.ai/page/terms-of-use
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: BeeMachine at 100% against Nature's Notebook's 40%. BeeMachine also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.1). Nature's Notebook's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
BeeMachine holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Nature's Notebook's written reviews are positive against 100% of BeeMachine's.
Nature's Notebook ships an update every 3 weeks, BeeMachine every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on July 7, 2026 and September 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Nature's Notebook | BeeMachine |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.1 (26 ratings) | 5.0 (9 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 26 — better | 9 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 47 MB | 62 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | National Phenology Network | Brian Spiesman |
Customer experience
Nature's Notebook
BeeMachine
In-app purchases
Nature's Notebook
No in-app purchases
BeeMachine
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Nature's Notebook free?
Is BeeMachine free?
Which has better reviews, Nature's Notebook or BeeMachine?
Do Nature's Notebook or BeeMachine have ads?
Which is updated more often, Nature's Notebook or BeeMachine?
Other comparisons
