# Monarch Watch vs BeeMachine

The clearest difference is rating: BeeMachine at 5.0 against Monarch Watch's 4.7. Monarch Watch's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

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 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 9 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Monarch Watch ships an update monthly, BeeMachine every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Monarch Watch | BeeMachine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monarch-watch/id1622788215/reviews) | **[5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beemachine/id1628232687/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **9** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 86 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The University of Kansas](https://appshunter.io/developer/726307325) | [Brian Spiesman](https://appshunter.io/developer/1628232689) |

## What reviewers say

### Monarch Watch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monarch-watch/id1622788215)

Contribute to citizen science by tracking monarch butterflies. Log tagging, recovery, and calendar data with automatic image capture and field data import. Save data offline for later submission.

**Highlights:** Monarch tagging data submission, Recovery and calendar data logging, Automatic tag image capture, Streamlined data entry, Offline data saving, Educational materials

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### BeeMachine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beemachine/id1628232687)

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.

**Highlights:** AI-powered bee identification, Log and map bee sightings, Learn about bee species, Contribute to scientific research, Explore bee diversity

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Monarch Watch free?

Monarch Watch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BeeMachine free?

BeeMachine is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Monarch Watch or BeeMachine?

BeeMachine is rated higher. Monarch Watch averages 4.7 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while BeeMachine averages 5.0 from 9 ratings.

### Do Monarch Watch or BeeMachine have ads?

Neither Monarch Watch nor BeeMachine shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Monarch Watch or BeeMachine?

Monarch Watch ships an update monthly, and BeeMachine every 2 months. Most recently, Monarch Watch was updated on September 18, 2026 and BeeMachine on September 2, 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.*