# Bee Notes vs Apiary Tools

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Bee Notes | Apiary Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bee-notes/id1557953046/reviews) | [5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apiary-tools/id6777284314/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 77 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Johannes Charra](https://appshunter.io/developer/1557733427) | [Mark VerHill](https://appshunter.io/developer/6777284316) |

## What reviewers say

### Bee Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bee-notes/id1557953046)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Support coffee | $0.99 | one-time |
| Full version | $0.99 | one-time |


### Apiary Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apiary-tools/id6777284314)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A Jar of Honey | $4.99 | one-time |
| Two Jars of Honey | $9.99 | one-time |
| Three Jars of Honey | $14.99 | one-time |
| Five Jars of Honey | $24.99 | one-time |
| A Case of Honey | $49.99 | one-time |
| A Whole Hive | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*