The HiveLog Alternative That Lives on Your Phone
HiveSense is a native iOS and Android app for hive records. Log inspections and mite counts with zero bars, say your notes out loud instead of typing them, and keep up to 15 hives on the free tier.
Free for up to 15 hives. Works offline. No credit card.
First: which HiveLog?
If you searched for HiveLog you have probably noticed more than one product with that name. hivelog.io is a browser-based record keeper for inspections, mite counts, treatments and queens, which you can install to your home screen. HiveLog AI, promoted on beefamily.net, is built around photographing a brood frame and getting a mite-count estimate back. And the App Store also carries “HiveLog: Apiary and Bee Log”, an iPhone and iPad app from a different developer.
They are different tools with different strengths. We compare HiveSense against the first two below, using only what each one publishes on its own site.
Where HiveLog is strong, and where HiveSense is different
hivelog.io is simple and runs in any browser, so you can use it from a laptop as easily as a phone. Its Premium plan is $45 a year, cheaper than HiveSense Pro. It exports CSV and JSON. If you manage a couple of hives and do your record keeping at a desk, that is a reasonable setup.
HiveLog AI does something HiveSense does not: it estimates mites from a photo. If a camera-based count is what you want, it is built for that. HiveSense does not count mites from photos. You run the wash or the sugar roll and log the number yourself.
HiveSense is built for the person standing at the hive. It is a native app with an on-device database, so a full inspection saves in a dead-zone out-yard and syncs later. Voice notes are transcribed on the phone by a Whisper speech model, so you can log a mite count or a queen sighting without taking your gloves off. On Pro, it also reads BroodMinder and BEEP sensors and standard Bluetooth weight scales directly, with no gateway.
Feature comparison
| Feature | HiveSense | HiveLog (hivelog.io) | HiveLog AI (beefamily.net) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native iOS + Android apps | Yes | Web app you can install (PWA); native apps listed as “coming soon” | Web app |
| Log inspections with no signal | Yes | Offline for viewing past data | Caches locally, syncs later |
| Manual mite-count logging (wash, sugar roll) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI mite counting from a frame photo | No | No | Yes |
| Voice notes transcribed on the phone | Yes | No | Not listed |
| Treatment records | Pro | Premium | Not listed |
| Bluetooth hive sensors | Pro — BroodMinder, BEEP, BLE weight scales | No | No |
| Data export | CSV + PDF (Pro) | CSV + JSON (Premium) | Not listed |
| Shared apiaries / team | Up to 25 members (Pro) | Apiary sharing (Premium) | Not listed |
| Free tier | 15 hives, 5 apiaries | 2 hives | 1 hive, 3 photo analyses/month |
| Paid plan | $5.99/mo or $59.99/yr | $45/yr | Starter $3/mo · Pro $9/mo |
Based on hivelog.io (home, features, pricing and mite-tracking pages) and beefamily.net as published on 22 September 2026. “Not listed” means we could not find it on their site, not that it is missing. Their products may have changed since.
Varroa tracking in HiveSense, plainly
- Every inspection has a varroa count field. Type it, or say it in a voice note and the app fills it in for you to review.
- Counts sit on the hive's timeline next to brood, stores, temperament and queen status, so you see the trend across a season.
- Treatment records (product, dosage, method, start and end dates) are on Pro.
- Need the arithmetic? The free varroa calculator turns a wash or sugar-roll count into an infestation percentage, no app required.
Further reading
Varroa tracker app
How mite counts and treatments live in HiveSense.
Voice notes for hive inspections
What you say, what gets filled in, and what happens with no signal.
Moving off a spreadsheet, and exporting back to one
What HiveSense exports, and what it does not import yet.
Compare HiveSense to other beekeeping apps
Side-by-side comparisons across the market.
Frequently asked questions
Which HiveLog is this page comparing?
Several products use the HiveLog name, so it is worth being precise. hivelog.io is a web-based hive record keeper you can install to your home screen. HiveLog AI, promoted on beefamily.net, is a photo-first tool that estimates mite counts from brood-frame pictures. There is also an iPhone app called "HiveLog: Apiary and Bee Log" from a different developer (DF Tech Consulting AB). The table on this page compares HiveSense with the first two, using what each product published on its own site on 22 September 2026.
Does HiveSense count mites from a photo like HiveLog AI?
No. HiveSense does not do camera-based mite counting. You run the alcohol wash, sugar roll or sticky board yourself and log the number — by tapping it in or by saying it ("counted 8 varroa") in a voice note. If automated photo counting is the feature you want most, HiveLog AI is built around it and HiveSense is not.
Why would I pick HiveSense over hivelog.io?
Three practical reasons. HiveSense is a native iOS and Android app built to log inspections with zero signal, not only to view past data offline. It transcribes voice notes on the phone, so you can log with gloves on. And the free tier covers 15 hives rather than 2. hivelog.io is simpler, runs in any browser including a laptop, and its paid plan is cheaper per year ($45 vs $59.99), so it can be the better fit for a small yard managed from a desk.
Can I move my records from HiveLog to HiveSense?
hivelog.io exports CSV and JSON on its Premium plan. HiveSense has no one-click importer, so there is no automatic path today. Email support@tryhivesense.com with your export and we will help you bring your hives and inspection history across.
Is HiveSense free?
Yes, for up to 15 hives and 5 apiaries with no time limit — including voice notes, offline logging, mite counts in inspections and queen tracking. Pro ($5.99/mo or $59.99/yr) adds unlimited hives, treatment logging, Bluetooth sensors, CSV/PDF export, backup, AI insights and team members.
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.
Your records work with zero bars
Free for up to 15 hives. Voice notes transcribed on the phone. Pro is $5.99/mo.
See the full 2026 app comparison