# American Bee Journal vs BeePlus Beekeeping Manager

The clearest difference is price: American Bee Journal at Free against BeePlus Beekeeping Manager's $9.99. BeePlus Beekeeping Manager's advantage is review sentiment (84% vs 41%) and rating (4.7 vs 1.3). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

American Bee Journal is free to download; BeePlus Beekeeping Manager costs $9.99 up front. American Bee Journal sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per 3 months. BeePlus Beekeeping Manager asks for nothing beyond the download.

BeePlus Beekeeping Manager holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BeePlus Beekeeping Manager has 869 ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of American Bee Journal's written reviews are positive against 84% of BeePlus Beekeeping Manager's.

American Bee Journal ships an update every 6 months, BeePlus Beekeeping Manager every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | American Bee Journal | BeePlus Beekeeping Manager |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | [1.3 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/american-bee-journal/id518099492/reviews) | **[4.7 (869 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beeplus-beekeeping-manager/id1018655661/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 26 | **869** |
| Positive reviews | 40.9% of reviews | **84.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 66 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.2 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dadant & Sons Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/518099495) | [OmniChrome](https://appshunter.io/developer/450206151) |

## What reviewers say

### American Bee Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/american-bee-journal/id518099492)

This app provides comprehensive beekeeping information for hobbyists and commercial keepers. It features how-to articles, reader Q&A, market outlooks, and event listings. Access the digital version online or offline.

**Highlights:** How-to articles for all beekeeping levels, Reader Q&A section, Honey market outlook, Beekeeping event listings, Nationwide beekeeping news, Offline access to issues

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| American Bee Journal | $3.99 | per 3 months |


### BeePlus Beekeeping Manager

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beeplus-beekeeping-manager/id1018655661)

This app helps beekeepers manage their apiaries by tracking hive histories, honey production, queen information, and equipment usage. It offers detailed inspection logs, photo additions, and data syncing across devices. Plan your beekeeping tasks, monitor finances, and export records for easy sharing and printing.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive hive histories, Log honey production, Track equipment, Monitor finances, QR hive IDs, Detailed inspection logs, Data syncing between devices

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 📸 Ability to add photos
- 🗓️ Helpful for record keeping
- 🗺️ Useful mapping features
- 💰 Good value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Syncing issues between devices
- 🔀 Difficulty organizing/sorting hives
- 🤖 Lack of automation/voice features
- 🔍 Limited support/communication from developers
- 📂 Photos not stored within the app

**Reported bugs**

- Photos disappearing from the app
- App crashes when trying to edit certain features
- Inconsistent data sync between iPhone and iPad

**Requested features**

- Ability to archive/retire hives
- Queen breeding/tracking features
- Pollen/honey production tracking
- Automated syncing between devices
- More customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is American Bee Journal free?

American Bee Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is BeePlus Beekeeping Manager free?

BeePlus Beekeeping Manager costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, American Bee Journal or BeePlus Beekeeping Manager?

BeePlus Beekeeping Manager is rated higher. American Bee Journal averages 1.3 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while BeePlus Beekeeping Manager averages 4.7 from 869 ratings.

### Do American Bee Journal or BeePlus Beekeeping Manager have ads?

Neither American Bee Journal nor BeePlus Beekeeping Manager shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, American Bee Journal or BeePlus Beekeeping Manager?

American Bee Journal ships an update every 6 months, and BeePlus Beekeeping Manager every 2 months. Most recently, American Bee Journal was updated on September 20, 2026 and BeePlus Beekeeping Manager on September 25, 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.*