The Beekeeping Diary Alternative for iPhone and Android Beekeepers
Offline-first. Native iOS and Android apps. Direct BLE sensor integration with BroodMinder and BEEP. On-device voice-to-text inspections. HiveSense is the modern alternative to Beekeeping Diary for beekeepers who want sensors and voice in the same app.
Free for up to 15 hives. Works offline. No credit card.
What Beekeeping Diary does, and where HiveSense differs
This page compares HiveSense with Beekeeping Diary at beekeeping-diary.eu, built by Elbee Solutions in Bulgaria. It is not the Google Play app “Beekeeping Diary: Hive Log”, which is a different product. Beekeeping Diary is a hive journal for Android and the web. New accounts get a 45-day trial, then a free plan (limits in the table below). Its BeeAI feature analyses each hive from your logged inspection records and returns a health score and a plan.
The differences are platform, sensors and language. The Android app is an APK downloaded from its site, not from Google Play, and there is no iOS app: iPhone users open the web app in Safari. Beekeeping Diary says it has no IoT sensor integration, and it does not publish a voice-to-text feature. Its interface is in Bulgarian and English.
HiveSense is the alternative for beekeepers who want native app polish, real-time BLE sensor data alongside their notes, and hands-free voice-to-text — all working offline. If you keep your phone in your bee suit and a refractometer in your truck, this is the workflow.
Feature comparison
| Feature | HiveSense | Beekeeping Diary |
|---|---|---|
| Works fully offline | Yes | Yes |
| Free tier | Up to 15 hives | 3 apiaries, 10 hives each (after a 45-day trial) |
| iOS native app | Yes | No (web app in Safari) |
| Android native app | Yes | Yes (APK from its site; not on Google Play) |
| AI hive analysis | Sensor-driven | From logged inspections (OpenAI API) |
| Voice-to-text inspections | Yes | Not published |
| On-device voice AI (no cloud) | Yes | Not published |
| BLE sensor support (BroodMinder, BEEP) | Yes | No (no IoT sensor integration) |
| Hive weight tracking | Live BLE scale | Not published |
| Multi-language | 5 languages | Bulgarian and English |
| Team collaboration | Pro plan | Not published |
| No subscription required (free tier) | Yes | Yes |
Beekeeping Diary column based on beekeeping-diary.eu and its own blog, checked 28 September 2026. “Not published” means the vendor does not state it either way. Feature sets change; verify with the vendor.
Further reading
Compare HiveSense to every major beekeeping app
Side-by-side comparisons with HiveTracks, Apiary Book, MyBroodMinder, APiLOG and more.
How HiveSense works offline
Local SQLite database, on-device voice AI, BLE sensor reads — everything works at the apiary without signal.
BroodMinder companion app
Direct BLE reads for T2, TH, and W devices alongside your inspection records.
Frequently asked questions
Why would I switch from Beekeeping Diary?
Beekeeping Diary (beekeeping-diary.eu, by Elbee Solutions in Bulgaria) is a free Android and web hive journal with AI analysis of each hive from your logged inspections. The reasons to add or switch to HiveSense are: a native iOS app (Beekeeping Diary has none; iPhone users use its web app), direct Bluetooth reads from BroodMinder and BEEP sensors (Beekeeping Diary says it has no IoT sensor integration), on-device voice-to-text for hands-free inspections (Beekeeping Diary does not publish a voice feature), and a 5-language interface (Beekeeping Diary is in Bulgarian and English). If your AI hive analysis is currently inferred from typed records, HiveSense layers real temperature and weight data on top of that picture.
Is HiveSense really free?
Yes. The free tier covers up to 15 hives with no time limit and no credit card — including offline mode, voice notes, queen tracking, and treatment schedules. Pro ($5.99/mo) adds unlimited hives, BLE sensor integration, team collaboration, and advanced analytics.
I am on Android. Does HiveSense work for me?
HiveSense is available on both iOS and Android. If you are Android-first, you can now run HiveSense natively — including offline mode, voice notes, and, on Pro, BLE sensor reads.
Does AI hive analysis work without manual data entry?
Yes, when you pair BLE sensors. Beekeeping Diary infers colony status from your logged inspection data. HiveSense can do that too, but also reads brood-nest temperature, humidity, and hive weight directly from BroodMinder and BEEP devices — so anomaly detection runs on physical sensor data even between your inspections.
Can I import my Beekeeping Diary data?
Beekeeping Diary does not publish how to export your records, so ask its developer. HiveSense does not currently have a one-click importer, but reach out to support@tryhivesense.com and we will help you bring structured records over. Many switchers use the migration as a chance to clean up records.
How does the offline experience compare?
Beekeeping Diary says it "works fully offline" (its own app comparisons, March and June 2026). HiveSense works offline too. The difference is architecture: HiveSense was offline-first from day one (every write goes to a local SQLite database first, sync is optional), and includes Local-Only Mode, which turns off cloud sync. If data privacy is a priority, that mode is worth knowing about.
Not ready to install? Grab the free guide.
Get our 2026 Beginner Beekeeping Starter Guide (PDF) — no app required. One email, then decide in your own time.
Try the modern iOS alternative today
Free for up to 15 hives. Works offline. No credit card.
See the full 2026 app comparison