Comparison

HiveBloom vs Jot | Video Journal

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

HiveBloom

This app simplifies beekeeping by providing a digital journal for managing your hives. It helps you track colonies, record inspections, and stay organized, with features like cloud syncing and weather-based reminders. The free version supports up to two hives.

Highlights
  • Free management for up to 2 hives
  • Unlimited hive inspections
  • Apiary mapping and organization
  • Detailed hive health tracking
  • Cloud backup and syncing
  • Weather-based inspection reminders
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

HiveBloom: Free beehive management for healthier, happier bees Keep your colonies thriving with HiveBloom, the beekeeping journal that makes hive management clear and effortless. Whether you're tending a few backyard hives or managing a large apiary, HiveBloom helps you stay organized and connected to your bees. Free forever for up to 2 hives. - Free forever. Manage up to 2 hives with unlimited inspections at no cost. No trial, no credit card, no expiration. - Upgrade when you're ready. Unlock unlimited hives and premium features for only $59.99/year or $5.99/month. - Oversee every apiary. Add as many apiaries as you like and see them pinned on the map. - Track your hives. HiveBloom keeps your colonies organized in one place. - Protect your bees' health. Record detailed inspections and check the status of any hive at a glance. - Work together. Share apiaries so friends or fellow beekeepers can help manage your hives. - Always in sync. Your records are securely backed up and automatically synced to the cloud. - Stay on schedule. Get notified when it's time to inspect, with smart reminders based on your local weather. - Works offline. Keep logging even without a connection. - Quick access. Use QR codes or NFC tags on your hives for instant identification. View our terms of service at https://hivebloom.com/terms-of-service/

About

Jot | Video Journal

Record your day through video and written entries in a secure, private space. Automatically organizes your memories into folders for easy recall. A free and straightforward tool for journaling and capturing life's moments.

Highlights
  • Video recording
  • Written journaling
  • Automatic daily compilation
  • Folder organization
  • 100% secure
  • Free to use
Read full description

A simple and clean place to record, write, and remember. Capture a day in your life. Completely free with no in app purchases. Automatically compiles notes and recordings from throughout your day and places them in folders for you to remember every day. 100% secure. Write journals, todos, and more all in one place and look back on your journey to where you are today.

Screenshots

HiveBloom4 screens
Jot | Video Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Jot | Video Journal at none against HiveBloom's 4. Jot | Video Journal also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). HiveBloom's advantage is ratings volume (291 vs 2) and device support. On price and rating 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. HiveBloom sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Jot | Video Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Jot | Video Journal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HiveBloom has 291 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
HiveBloom versus Jot | Video Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHiveBloomJot | Video Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (291 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews88.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings291 — better2
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNo—
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — better—
Requires iOS16.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size91 MB59 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMartin FuhryLiam McKenna

Bugs and requests

HiveBloom

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Technical issue with no support response
  • Lost all entries and data after free trial
  • Issues with reloading records after phone death (resolved by support)
  • Harvest feature issue (resolved by support)

Requested features

9 requests
  • Ability to share notes/inspections read-only
  • Summary views for varroa counts, hive weights, gentleness over time
  • Line graphs for data visualization
  • Financial management features (recording sales, units)
  • Ability to modify dates to be in the past
Show 4 more
  • General notes per hive
  • Ability to mark defensive bees
  • Dark mode option
  • Advanced analytics dashboard

Jot | Video Journal

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

HiveBloom

Subscriptions4
  • HiveBloom Monthly$2.991 Month
  • HiveBloom Monthly Subscription1 Month trial$5.991 Month
  • HiveBloom Yearly$17.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • HiveBloom Yearly Subscription1 Month trial$59.991 Year
None

Jot | Video Journal

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HiveBloom free?
HiveBloom is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Jot | Video Journal free?
Jot | Video Journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HiveBloom or Jot | Video Journal?
Jot | Video Journal is rated higher. HiveBloom averages 4.8 out of 5 from 291 ratings, while Jot | Video Journal averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

Other comparisons