Buyer's guide reference
The 2026 Beekeeping App Landscape
An objective overview of the leading beekeeping apps in 2026 — what each one is for, and how to choose between them. This page is a reference, not a sales pitch: it credits each app for what it does well, including where competitors are the stronger pick.
The apps covered here are the ones most beekeepers actually compare in 2026: HiveSense, HiveTracks, HiveBook, Apiary Book, BeeKeepPal, BeePulse, b.tree, Hive Pal, and APiLOG. They differ less in whether they can log an inspection — almost all do that — and more in offline behavior, sensor support, voice entry, scale, data ownership, and team access.
How to choose a beekeeping app
Eight questions separate the field. Rank them by what your operation actually needs — a remote-yard hobbyist and a 500-colony commercial keeper will weight these very differently.
Offline capability
Apiaries are often out of cell range. Some apps store everything locally and treat the cloud as an optional backup (true offline-first); others are cloud-first and degrade or block when the connection drops. If you inspect in remote yards, weigh this first.
Voice entry
Hands-free dictation matters when your hands are gloved and sticky. The relevant distinctions are whether voice exists at all, and whether transcription runs on-device (works in airplane mode, keeps audio private) or sends audio to a server.
BLE sensor integration
If you run hive scales, temperature, or humidity sensors (BroodMinder, BEEP, a standalone Bluetooth scale, or a general-purpose temperature logger), check whether the app reads them directly over Bluetooth and places readings on the same timeline as your inspections — or whether sensor data lives in a separate vendor portal.
Multi-apiary and scale
Most modern apps handle multiple apiaries. The harder question is how they behave at scale: a sideliner with 50 hives and a commercial operation with 1,000 colonies and a field crew have very different needs around routing, bulk actions, and reporting.
Data export and ownership
Your records are a multi-year asset. Confirm you can export structured data (CSV/PDF) and that you are not locked in. Privacy-minded keepers also care whether data is stored locally, synced to a vendor cloud, or both.
Team roles
Family operations, partnerships, clubs, and commercial crews need shared access — ideally with roles (viewer, technician, admin) so the right people can edit the right records. Many consumer apps are single-user only.
Price
Models range from genuinely free and open-source, to free-with-paid-tiers, to subscription-only. The cheapest sticker price is not always the best value once sensors, team seats, or export are factored in. Read what the free tier actually includes.
Platform (iOS / Android / Web)
Confirm the app exists on the device you and your team actually use. Some apps are iOS-only, some Android-only, and some pair a mobile app with a web dashboard for desk-side review and reporting.
Feature matrix
How the leading apps compare across the eight buyer questions. Cells describe capabilities categorically where a precise public claim is not available.
| App | Offline-first | Voice-to-text | BLE sensors | Multi-apiary | Team roles | Data export | Free tier | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiveSense | Yes | On-device | Yes | Yes | Pro plan | Yes | Up to 5 hives | iOS & Android |
| HiveTracks | Yes (mobile app) | Not published | Not published | Yes | Pro (admins, members) | CSV (Pro) | Free mobile app; Pro $69.99/yr | iOS, Android, Web |
| HiveBook | Yes | Not published | Not published | Pro (free: 1 apiary) | Premium plan | CSV/PDF (Pro) | 5 hives, 1 apiary | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Apiary Book | Not published | Voice Assistant | Not published | PRO | Not published | CSV | 1 apiary, 9 hives | Web; store listings unreachable (Sep 2026) |
| BeeKeepPal | Mobile: “no data necessary” (vendor) | Audio recordings | Not published | Yes | Pro Team (+3 users) | CSV | 2 beehives | iOS, Android, Web |
| BeePulse | Yes (mobile app) | Voice inspections (3/month free, unlimited on Pro) | No third-party sensors; own WiFi/GSM scales | Yes | Not published | Pro plan (CSV/PDF) | 3 apiaries, 20 hives | Web + browser-installed app (iOS, Android) |
| b.tree | No | Browser dictation (Chrome/Edge, online; being deprecated) | Not published (hive scales via API) | Yes | Multiple users (roles not published) | CSV | 5 hives, 2 apiaries | Web (PWA); iOS & Android stores |
| Hive Pal | Yes | AI voice (Whisper; self-hostable) | Not published (hive scales supported) | Yes | Apiary sharing (edit or read-only) | Yes | Open / free | Web (installable PWA); self-hostable |
| APiLOG | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Professional plan | Yes | Up to 2 hives | Web app (any browser) |
Checked against each vendor’s own published material on 27–28 September 2026; feature sets change. Verify current details with each vendor before purchasing.
Who each app is for
One honest paragraph each — including the cases where a given app, HiveSense included, is not the right tool.
HiveSense
Best for serious hobbyists and sideliners who want a single offline-first timeline that unifies inspections, on-device voice notes, and direct BLE sensor reads (BroodMinder, BEEP, and standard Bluetooth weight scales), with strong attention to privacy and data ownership. It is available on iOS and Android, and it is not aimed at >300-hive commercial coordination where dedicated operations platforms lead.
HiveTracks
One of the longest-running names in the category (since 2010). Its free mobile app logs inspections, treatments and to-dos, and its help centre says it is designed to work offline and sync later. HiveTracks Pro ($69.99/yr) adds a desktop dashboard, a map, CSV export and groups for families, mentors, businesses and clubs. It also runs a biodiversity programme for businesses.
HiveBook
A local-first app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: records stay on the device, iCloud backup is optional, and its AI features run on-device. It also covers finance, tax and compliance records. The free tier covers 5 hives and 1 apiary; unlimited hives are on Pro and team collaboration on Premium.
Apiary Book
Running since 2015, with more than 25,000 monthly active users by its own count. It is translated into 19 languages and has a hands-free Voice Assistant, QR and NFC hive tags, tools for beekeeping associations, and a mentorship programme on PRO. A fit for keepers who want a broad, multilingual app with a community around it. Its App Store and Google Play links did not open a listing on 28 September 2026; the web app was online.
BeeKeepPal
An apiary management app for beginners and experienced beekeepers, with inspection-based recommendations, task reminders, and production and financial records. A fit for keepers who want hive records and the business side in one place.
BeePulse
A web and mobile beekeeping platform with a free plan, whose browser-installed mobile app works offline in the apiary. It offers voice inspections (3 a month free, unlimited on Pro). BeePulse also sells its own WiFi and GSM hive scales as an optional add-on, with readings shown next to your inspections; it says it does not work with other brands' scales or sensors.
b.tree
A cloud web app, running since 2014, built for professional apiaries, organic and migratory beekeepers, and apiary teams. Several users work on one shared database, records are table-first, and it covers queen rearing, wax-lot traceability, CSV export and an API. It only works with an internet connection; the vendor says no offline version is planned.
Hive Pal
A free, MIT-licensed web app you can use hosted or run on your own server. It installs as a PWA that keeps working when the signal drops. Its lead feature is AI voice inspections: recordings are transcribed with Whisper and drafted into notes by open-source models you can host yourself. It also offers apiary sharing by invite link, read-only shared views, and hive scale monitoring.
APiLOG
A voice-first web app: record inspections hands-free or upload voice and video, and its AI extracts structured data. QR and NFC hive tags, an AI assistant, and role-based team collaboration on the Professional plan. Runs in any browser on phone, tablet or desktop, with offline logging that syncs later. No sensor integration, by design.
Where HiveSense fits
For transparency: this guide is published by HiveSense, so here is a plain statement of where it fits rather than a pitch. HiveSense is an offline-first app for serious hobbyists and sideliners. Its distinguishing combination is on-device voice-to-text (Whisper, which works in airplane mode and keeps audio private), direct BLE reads from BroodMinder, BEEP, and standard Bluetooth scales, and a unified timeline that puts sensor readings and inspection notes in one place — with an emphasis on data ownership.
Practical details: the free tier covers up to 5 hives with no time limit and no credit card. Pro is $5.99/mo (unlimited hives, BLE sensor reads, team collaboration, AI insights, and advanced analytics). The interface is available in 5 languages (English, German, Spanish, French, Polish). It is available on iOS and Android.
It is not the right tool for everyone. Keepers on Apple devices who want finance, tax and compliance records beside their hives may prefer HiveBook. And large commercial operations coordinating hundreds of colonies and a field crew are usually better served by dedicated cloud-based commercial operations software, which is built for that scale.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best offline beekeeping app?
Several apps are built offline-first, meaning records are stored on the device and the cloud is optional. HiveBook is an offline-first app for iPhone, iPad and Mac that keeps records on the device, with optional iCloud backup. Hive Pal also works offline and is openly developed. HiveSense is offline-first and adds on-device voice transcription and, on its paid Pro plan, direct BLE sensor reads on the same offline timeline. Cloud-first platforms are powerful but generally expect a connection for the full experience. The "best" choice depends on whether you also need sensors, voice, or team sharing.
Which beekeeping apps work on Android?
Many do. HiveTracks, BeeKeepPal, and b.tree offer Android apps (some also have a web dashboard). Apiary Book lists an Android app, but its Google Play link returned "not found" on 28 September 2026; its web app was online. APiLOG is a web app that runs in any browser, including on Android, with no store install. Hive Pal is a web app you can install on an Android phone as a PWA. BeePulse runs in the browser and installs on Android as an app from the browser. HiveBook runs on Apple devices only (iPhone, iPad, Mac). HiveSense is available on both iOS and Android.
Which apps support Bluetooth (BLE) hive sensors?
Direct in-app BLE sensor integration is still relatively uncommon. HiveSense reads BroodMinder, BEEP, and any hive scale that implements the standard Bluetooth Weight Scale profile directly over Bluetooth and shows readings alongside inspections. BeePulse sells its own WiFi and GSM hive scales, whose readings appear in the same app as inspections, and says it does not work with other brands' scales or sensors. If sensors matter to you, verify exactly which devices an app reads before buying hardware.
Which beekeeping app is best for large or commercial operations?
For operations running hundreds to thousands of colonies with a field crew, look toward cloud-based platforms designed for coordination, roles, and reporting — HiveTracks Pro offers groups with admin and member roles for businesses and clubs, and dedicated commercial operations software (e.g. MyApiary-style platforms) also serves this market. Offline-first apps aimed at hobbyists and sideliners, including HiveSense, are excellent at the individual-yard level but are not built to be a commercial dispatch and labor-tracking system.
Are there free beekeeping apps?
Yes. Several apps offer a free tier or are free to use. HiveBook's free tier covers 5 hives and 1 apiary. Hive Pal is openly developed and free. Apiary Book, BeeKeepPal, b.tree, and APiLOG offer free tiers or free use with optional paid features. HiveSense is free for up to 5 hives with no time limit and no credit card, with a paid Pro plan ($5.99/mo) for larger apiaries, sensor reads, and team features. Always read what a free tier actually includes before relying on it.
How do I choose a beekeeping app?
Rank eight questions by what your operation actually needs: offline capability, voice entry, BLE sensor integration, multi-apiary and scale, data export and ownership, team roles, price, and platform. A remote-yard hobbyist and a 500-colony commercial keeper will weight these very differently. If you inspect in remote yards, weigh offline capability first, and always read what a free tier actually includes before relying on it.
Further reading
If offline, voice, and sensors are your priorities
HiveSense is free for up to 5 hives — offline-first, with on-device voice. No credit card. Direct BLE sensor reads are on Pro, $5.99/mo.
