Comparison

BroodMinder Bees vs Apiary Tools

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

Head to head
About

BroodMinder Bees

This app collects data from specialized monitoring devices for beekeepers. It allows users to view and configure hive information, supporting both online and offline data collection. It serves as a replacement for previous versions of the application.

Highlights
  • Collects data from BroodMinder devices
  • Uploads data to MyBroodMinder account
  • Online and offline data collection
  • View hive temperature, humidity, and weight
  • Configure device settings
Features
Read full description

BeesApp collects data from BroodMinder devices and uploads it to your account in MyBroodMinder. It allows for both online and offline data collection, viewing, and configuration. This app replaces both BroodMinder Lite and BroodMinder Apiary. The BroodMinder is a professional-grade monitor expressly designed for the apiarist. Drawing on our many years of consumer and scientific product design, we have created a devices that accurately log hive temperature, humidity, and weight once every hour.

About

Apiary Tools

Manage your bee hives with this comprehensive tool. Track inspections, log hive details, set reminders for essential tasks, and utilize built-in calculators for feeding and treatments. Share access with others and keep an inventory of your beekeeping equipment.

Highlights
  • Hive and apiary record keeping
  • Detailed inspection logging with photos
  • Shared hive access for collaborators
  • Customizable task reminders
  • Beekeeping math calculators
  • Equipment inventory tracking
  • Swarm reporting
Features
Read full description

Apiary Tools is a simple, powerful app for keeping track of your bees. Whether you run one backyard hive or manage dozens across multiple yards, it keeps your records, reminders, and beekeeping math in one place. KEEP A RECORD OF EVERY HIVE Log your apiaries, hives, and queens, and build a full inspection history with notes and photos. See how each colony is doing over time instead of trying to remember it all. INSPECTIONS MADE EASY Record what you saw on each visit: brood pattern, stores, temperament, queen sightings, mite counts, treatments, and more. Log what you treated with and the dose, so the season's treatment history is in the record. Add photos so you can compare a frame week to week. IN YOUR LANGUAGE The whole app works in 21 languages besides English, including Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Japanese, Hindi, Arabic, and Hebrew, with proper right-to-left layout. WORKS WITHOUT SIGNAL Bee yards are not known for good reception. Anything you log offline is saved on the device and syncs itself the moment you are back in range. SHARE HIVE ACCESS Give helpers, family members, mentors, or beekeeping partners access to specific hives or apiaries. Let others add inspections, notes, and photos without sharing your login. NEVER MISS A FOLLOW-UP Set reminders for treatments, feedings, and checks, and get a notification when something is due. Stay on schedule through the whole season. KNOW WHAT IS BLOOMING Enter your ZIP or postcode and see your region's beekeeping year: the main flow, the summer dearth, the fall flow, and the forage plants behind each. The forage range map draws the 1, 2, and 3 mile rings your bees actually work, with the acreage inside each. BEEKEEPING CALCULATORS Twenty-one free tools, so you can stop doing the math by hand: - Sugar syrup ratios for spring and fall feeding - Varroa mite counts, natural drop counts, oxalic dosing, and a treatment comparison - Splits, queen rearing, grafting, and post-swarm timelines - Honey yield, moisture, label generator, and mead - Overwinter feed and pollen patties GUIDES Two dozen practical guides on varroa treatment options, when to treat, winter stores, labeling requirements with a searchable 50 state reference, and selling honey where you live. TRACK YOUR GEAR Keep a simple inventory of your equipment and supplies so you know what you have before the season starts. REPORT AND LOG SWARMS Record swarm calls and captures, and keep notes on where they came from and where they ended up. BUILT FOR REAL BEEKEEPERS - Works on your phone, in the yard, with a clean and fast interface - Light and dark mode - Sign in with Apple, Google, or email - Your data stays organized and private Apiary Tools is free. Every feature is free, there is no subscription and nothing is locked behind a paywall. If you want to chip in for the running costs there is an optional tip in the menu, and it unlocks nothing. Download it, add your first hive, and bring order to your beekeeping season!

Screenshots

BroodMinder Bees4 screens
Apiary Tools4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Apiary Tools at 5.0 against BroodMinder Bees's 4.4. Apiary Tools also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Apiary Tools holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of BroodMinder Bees's written reviews are positive against 100% of Apiary Tools's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BroodMinder Bees ships an update every 6 weeks, Apiary Tools weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
BroodMinder Bees versus Apiary Tools: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBroodMinder BeesApiary Tools
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (9 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings9 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size295 MB51 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperIF, LLCMark VerHill

Customer experience

BroodMinder Bees

All ratings9 ratings
Positive77.8%
Neutral11.1%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative0.0%

Apiary Tools

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

BroodMinder Bees

No in-app purchases

None

Apiary Tools

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BroodMinder Bees free?
BroodMinder Bees is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Apiary Tools free?
Apiary Tools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, BroodMinder Bees or Apiary Tools?
Apiary Tools is rated higher. BroodMinder Bees averages 4.4 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Apiary Tools averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.
Do BroodMinder Bees or Apiary Tools have ads?
Neither BroodMinder Bees nor Apiary Tools shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BroodMinder Bees or Apiary Tools?
BroodMinder Bees ships an update every 6 weeks, and Apiary Tools weekly. Most recently, BroodMinder Bees was updated on September 10, 2026 and Apiary Tools on September 21, 2026.

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