Softwr

Agriculture · head to head

CattleMax vs Herdwatch

CattleMax logo

CattleMax

Agriculture

Cattle herd management software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Herdwatch logo

Herdwatch

Agriculture

Farm & herd management made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Herdwatch has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CattleMax priced by active animal count, so the bill grows with the herd rather than with usage; Herdwatch annual pricing amounts not displayed, calculated dynamically based on farm type and herd size
  • They diverge on capability: CattleMax covers Individual animal records, Herdwatch covers Animal registry.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CattleMax and Herdwatch actually diverge.

Attributes where CattleMax and Herdwatch differ
AttributeCattleMaxHerdwatch
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Ios, AndroidIos, Android, Web
Founded20032014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Agriculture).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CattleMax

  • Individual animal records
  • Health & treatment tracking
  • Weight management
  • EPD/genetic data
  • Custom reporting
  • Photo management
  • Breed associations
  • RFID tags

Only in Herdwatch

  • Animal registry
  • Movement records
  • Medicine & treatment records
  • Compliance reports
  • Weight tracking
  • EID tag reading
  • BCMS (UK)
  • AIM/ICBF (Ireland)

Both cover

  • Breeding management
  • Calving records
  • EID readers
  • Excel export
  • SSL
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Ios support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CattleMax

  • Cow-calf herd records and reproduction trackingnot Herdwatch
  • Weights, treatments and performance history per animalnot Herdwatch
  • Registered cattle records for breed association reportingnot Herdwatch
  • Unlimited users on one operation's accountnot Herdwatch

Herdwatch

  • Livestock records for cattle and sheepnot CattleMax
  • Calving and breeding records on a phone in the fieldnot CattleMax
  • Medicine and treatment records for compliancenot CattleMax
  • Pasture and grassland managementnot CattleMax

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CattleMax

  • Priced by active animal count, so the bill grows with the herd rather than with usage
  • The Registered plan costs more than Commercial at every band, from $16 against $12 a month
  • Operations above 2,000 animals move to custom pricing
  • Support is Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm Central only
  • Cows and calves count separately toward the animal limit

Herdwatch

  • Annual pricing amounts not displayed, calculated dynamically based on farm type and herd size
  • Free trial available but actual subscription costs vary by farm size
  • Pricing shown excluding VAT

Pricing, plan by plan

CattleMax

On request
  • Commercial Plan$15/month
    • For herds focusing on cow-calf market
    • Track reproduction and performance data
    • Unlimited users
  • Commercial Plan Annual$12/month
    • Same as Commercial Plan
    • 20% discount when billed annually
  • Registered Plan$20/month
    • For herds focusing on selling registered cattle
    • Collect data for breed association
    • Unlimited users
  • Registered Plan Annual$16/month
    • Same as Registered Plan
    • 20% discount when billed annually

Herdwatch

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic herd records
    • Animal movements
    • Simple reports
  • Premium$12.5/month
    • Unlimited animals
    • Breeding management
    • Medicine records
  • Complete$20/month
    • Everything in Premium
    • Financial tracking
    • Farm mapping

Which should you pick?

Choose CattleMax if

  • You need individual animal records.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Ios, Android.
  • You also want health & treatment tracking.
CattleMax review

Choose Herdwatch if

  • You need animal registry.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want movement records.
Herdwatch review

Questions people ask

Is CattleMax or Herdwatch better?
Neither clearly leads. CattleMax starts at On request and Herdwatch at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CattleMax or Herdwatch?
Herdwatch has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for CattleMax and Free for Herdwatch.
Does CattleMax or Herdwatch run on more platforms?
CattleMax runs on Web, Windows, Ios, Android. Herdwatch runs on Ios, Android, Web.
Can I use Herdwatch for free?
Yes. Herdwatch has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CattleMax starts at On request.
What is CattleMax best used for?
CattleMax is most often used for cow-calf herd records and reproduction tracking, weights, treatments and performance history per animal, registered cattle records for breed association reporting, unlimited users on one operation's account. Of those, cow-calf herd records and reproduction tracking and weights, treatments and performance history per animal are not what Herdwatch is typically brought in for.
What can CattleMax do that Herdwatch cannot?
CattleMax covers Individual animal records, Health & treatment tracking, Weight management, EPD/genetic data. Herdwatch covers Animal registry, Movement records, Medicine & treatment records, Compliance reports. Both handle Breeding management, Calving records, EID readers, Excel export.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CattleMax: What are CattleMax's pricing tiers?

CattleMax offers two plan types with identical tier structures by active animals (up to 50, 100, 250, 500, 750, 1,000, 1,500, or 2,000+). Commercial Plan costs $15/month ($12/month annual). Registered Plan costs $20/month ($16/month annual). All plans include unlimited users, free support, and bank-level security.

Source
Herdwatch: What pricing options are available for Herdwatch?

Herdwatch offers a 6-month promotional plan at $49 with full access to all Complete features and no long-term commitment. Pricing is customized based on your farm type and herd size, with both annual and monthly options available.

Source
CattleMax: What is the difference between CattleMax Commercial and Registered plans?

Commercial Plan is for herds focusing on the cow-calf market. Registered Plan is for herds focusing on selling registered cattle and collecting breed association data. Both include unlimited users and identical security/support features.

Source
Herdwatch: Can I try Herdwatch before purchasing a subscription?

Yes. Herdwatch offers a free digital calving book to new registrants and allows users to try the app free before committing to a subscription, with full access to features during the trial period.

Source
CattleMax: Can I try CattleMax before paying?

Yes, CattleMax offers a 21-day free trial with no credit card required. The trial includes full access to all plan features for evaluation.

Source
Herdwatch: What free features does Herdwatch provide?

Herdwatch provides a free subscription tier that includes a free digital calving book for tracking calving events. This free option allows basic record-keeping without requiring immediate payment.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on CattleMax

More on Herdwatch

Keep looking

Other head to heads