ColonyIQ vs Apiary Tools

ColonyIQ is the most comprehensive beekeeping management app built specifically for queen breeders, serious hobbyists, and commercial operations. Whether you're running a small apiary or managing hundreds of colonies across multiple locations, ColonyIQ gives you the tools to track, analyze, and improve every aspect of your operation from egg to laying queen. Colony and Queen Management Keep detailed records for every colony and queen in your operation. Log inspections with hive health scores, varroa mite counts, brood pattern ratings, temperament, honey stores, and more. Attach photos directly to colonies, queens, inspections, and calendar events so you always know exactly which hive is which even when you're suited up in the field. Track each queen's lineage, genetics, emergence date, instrumental insemination records, and performance history. Replace queens and automatically maintain bidirectional links between colonies and their queens. Queen Rearing Calendar ColonyIQ's built-in queen rearing timeline calculator automatically generates a step-by-step schedule from your graft date including capping dates, emergence, mating flights, and the first day queens can be instrumentally inseminated, accurately set to Day 7-10, the real-world window used by professional II breeders. Set custom reminders for key milestones and never miss a critical rearing step again. Instrumental Insemination Tracking Designed by beekeepers for II breeders, ColonyIQ tracks every insemination event with donor drone batch data, date, semen source, techniques used, and outcomes. BLUP genetic scoring lets you quantify performance traits across generations and identify your best breeding stock. The pedigree viewer visualizes multi-generation lineage at a glance. Mite Management and Treatment Records Log alcohol wash and sugar roll mite counts with colony-level trending over time. Record every treatment including oxalic acid vaporization, ApiLife VAR, MAQS, Apistan, and any custom method with dosage, application dates, and efficacy notes. The beekeeping calendar includes pre-built treatment regiment templates with automatic follow-up reminders. NFC Smart Tags Tap any NFC sticker to instantly open the colony, queen, or apiary record it's linked to with no searching and no scrolling. Write new tags directly from within the app, reassign them in seconds, and manage your entire tag inventory from the NFC Manager dashboard. NFC scanning works even when the app is fully closed on both iOS and Android. Apiaries and Locations Organize your colonies by apiary with custom location names, GPS coordinates, and notes. Move colonies between locations and maintain a full movement history. Attach photos to apiary locations for easy identification in the field. Harvests and Production Tracking Record honey, wax, pollen, and propolis harvests with weights, grades, and notes. Track production per colony over time to identify your most productive genetics. Beekeeping Calendar and Reminders A full-featured beekeeping calendar lets you schedule inspections, treatments, queen rearing cycles, drone production batches, swarm prevention checks, and custom events. Set reminder notifications so nothing falls through the cracks during your busiest season. Vaccination and Biocontrol Records Track American Foulbrood vaccination events, Oxalic Acid Extended Release treatments using the Randy Oliver and Aluen Cap method, and any other biocontrol treatments with complete records for each colony. Offline Ready ColonyIQ is designed to work in remote apiaries with no cell service. Records sync automatically when you return to connectivity so you never lose data from a day in the field. Free and Pro Plans Get started free with core colony and queen tracking. Upgrade to ColonyIQ Pro for unlimited colonies, advanced genetics scoring, NFC tag support, full calendar features, and priority support. Subscribe directly through the app or at colonyiq.app.

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!