Comparison

Bee Notes 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

Bee Notes

A straightforward digital diary designed for beekeepers to meticulously record hive activities. Track crucial data like varroa checks, hive weight, queen information, and comb management. It offers a free tier for up to three hives with no advertisements.

Highlights
  • Track varroa checks and treatments
  • Record hive weight
  • Manage queen data
  • Log brood count
  • Monitor comb additions/removals
Features
Read full description

Bee Notes is a simple diary for beekeepers. Keep track of all your activities like - Varroa checks/treatments - Hive weight - Queen data - Brood count - Adding/removing combs (food, honey, brood) - etc. It's free for up to three hives, no ads whatsoever. Give it a try!

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

Bee Notes3 screens
Apiary Tools4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Apiary Tools at weekly against Bee Notes's monthly. Apiary Tools also leads on ratings volume (6 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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. Bee Notes sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Apiary Tools sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Bee Notes against 5.0 for Apiary Tools. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Apiary Tools has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bee Notes ships an update monthly, Apiary Tools weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Bee Notes versus Apiary Tools: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBee NotesApiary Tools
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings16 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size77 MB51 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJohannes CharraMark VerHill

Customer experience

Bee Notes

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Apiary Tools

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Bee Notes

One-time2
  • Support coffee$0.99
  • Full version$0.99
6 purchases

Apiary Tools

One-time6
  • A Jar of Honey$4.99
  • Two Jars of Honey$9.99
  • Three Jars of Honey$14.99
Show 3 more
  • Five Jars of Honey$24.99
  • A Case of Honey$49.99
  • A Whole Hive$99.99

Questions

Is Bee Notes free?
Bee Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Apiary Tools free?
Apiary Tools is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Bee Notes or Apiary Tools?
Bee Notes and Apiary Tools are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 6 ratings respectively.
Do Bee Notes or Apiary Tools have ads?
Neither Bee Notes nor Apiary Tools shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bee Notes or Apiary Tools?
Bee Notes ships an update monthly, and Apiary Tools weekly. Most recently, Bee Notes was updated on October 1, 2026 and Apiary Tools on October 5, 2026.

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