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Agriculture · head to head

CattleMax vs Traction

CattleMax logo

CattleMax

Agriculture

Cattle herd management software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Traction logo

Traction

Agriculture

Modern marketplace for farm equipment

From
$950/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CattleMax priced by active animal count, so the bill grows with the herd rather than with usage; Traction limited to farm accounting and field data, less comprehensive than full farm management ERPs
  • They diverge on capability: CattleMax covers Individual animal records, Traction covers Equipment marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CattleMax and Traction actually diverge.

Attributes where CattleMax and Traction differ
AttributeCattleMaxTraction
Starting priceOn request$950/year
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile
Founded20032019

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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
  • Breeding management
  • Calving records
  • Health & treatment tracking
  • Weight management
  • EPD/genetic data
  • Custom reporting
  • Photo management

Only in Traction

  • Equipment marketplace
  • Parts sourcing
  • Dealer management
  • Price analytics
  • Lead generation
  • DMS systems
  • Website builders
  • CRM platforms

Both cover

  • 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 Traction
  • Weights, treatments and performance history per animalnot Traction
  • Registered cattle records for breed association reportingnot Traction
  • Unlimited users on one operation's accountnot Traction

Traction

  • Equipment buying/sellingnot CattleMax
  • Inventory managementnot CattleMax
  • Market analysisnot CattleMax
  • Lead generationnot 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

Traction

  • Limited to farm accounting and field data, less comprehensive than full farm management ERPs
  • Integration capabilities are limited to John Deere and Climate FieldView platforms

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

Traction

$950/year
  • Basic$950/year
    • Farm accounting
    • Field records
    • Basic reporting
  • Plus$1950/year
    • Farm accounting
    • Field records
    • Advanced reporting
  • Pro$3950/year
    • Farm accounting
    • Field records
    • Advanced reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose CattleMax if

  • You need individual animal records.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Ios, Android.
  • You also want breeding management.
CattleMax review

Choose Traction if

  • You need equipment marketplace.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want parts sourcing.
Traction review

Questions people ask

Is CattleMax or Traction better?
Neither clearly leads. CattleMax starts at On request and Traction at $950/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CattleMax or Traction?
CattleMax starts at On request and Traction at $950/year.
Does CattleMax or Traction run on more platforms?
CattleMax runs on Web, Windows, Ios, Android. Traction runs on Web, Mobile.
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 Traction is typically brought in for.
What can CattleMax do that Traction cannot?
CattleMax covers Individual animal records, Breeding management, Calving records, Health & treatment tracking. Traction covers Equipment marketplace, Parts sourcing, Dealer management, Price analytics. Both handle SSL, Cloud deployment, Web support, Ios support.

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
Traction: Does Traction Ag integrate with John Deere equipment?

Yes. Traction Ag integrates with the John Deere Operations Center, allowing farmers to automatically pull in field data for application, tillage, seeding, and harvest records.

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
Traction: What is the starting price for Traction Ag?

Traction Ag offers three pricing tiers: Basic starts at $950 per year, Plus costs $1,950 per year, and Pro costs $3,950 per year.

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
Traction: Does Traction Ag offer a free trial?

Yes. Traction Ag offers a 30-day free trial providing access to farm accounting, field operations, and agronomy features.

Source
Traction: What is the main difference between Traction Ag and other farm management software?

Traction Ag is the only farm management solution uniquely built for the cloud, integrating actual accounting numbers with field operations to provide real-time financial analysis.

Source
Traction: Can Traction Ag manage multiple farms?

Yes. Traction Ag includes multi-entity access under one login, allowing farmers to manage multiple farms and see field profitability tracking across all operations.

Source
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