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Agriculture · head to head

CattleMax vs Tucor

CattleMax logo

CattleMax

Agriculture

Cattle herd management software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tucor logo

Tucor

Agriculture

Decoder irrigation controllers with a yearly remote-access subscription priced separately for cellular and Ethernet

From
On request
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; Tucor nLPNet is a yearly subscription priced differently for cellular and Ethernet, so a site with no cabled network path is committed to the higher recurring rate for the life of the controller with no way to change it later without running fibre.
  • They diverge on capability: CattleMax covers Individual animal records, Tucor covers NLP-C controller.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CattleMax and Tucor actually diverge.

Attributes where CattleMax and Tucor differ
AttributeCattleMaxTucor
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Founded2003Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Windows, Ios, Android), 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 Tucor

  • NLP-C controller
  • Decoder diagnostics
  • Flow monitoring
  • MAD-based programming
  • Station prioritisation
  • Weather correction and water budget
  • NLPNet remote access
  • Cycle Manager

What people use each for

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

CattleMax

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

Tucor

  • A university retrofitting a conventional multi-wire system to two-wire without trenching a new cable to every valvenot CattleMax
  • A nursery or greenhouse needing 50 independent programmes on one controllernot CattleMax
  • A grounds team chasing a decoder fault on a mile-long loop who need it located rather than dug fornot CattleMax
  • An HOA that wants unscheduled-flow alarms after a contractor cut a lateralnot 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

Tucor

  • NLPNet is a yearly subscription priced differently for cellular and Ethernet, so a site with no cabled network path is committed to the higher recurring rate for the life of the controller with no way to change it later without running fibre.
  • Neither the controllers nor the subscriptions have published prices, so a multi-controller estate cannot budget a rollout without distributor quotes for each site.
  • Tucor runs two separate cloud portals, NLPNet and Cycle Manager, which is a confusing surface for a small vendor and means the answer to where a function lives depends on which product line you bought.
  • It is a small independent competing with Rain Bird, Hunter and Toro, so the installer and spares network is thinner and a site is more exposed if a distributor relationship in its region ends.
  • The product documentation is sparse compared with the major manufacturers, so specifying and commissioning depends heavily on the local distributor knowing the platform rather than on published material a consulting engineer can read.

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

Tucor

On request
  • NLPNet remote access$undefined/year
    • Yearly subscription required for remote access
    • Separate pricing for cellular and Ethernet connections
    • Priced per controller

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 Tucor if

  • You need nlp-c controller.
  • You work on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want decoder diagnostics.
Tucor review

Questions people ask

Is CattleMax or Tucor better?
Neither clearly leads. CattleMax starts at On request and Tucor at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CattleMax or Tucor?
CattleMax starts at On request and Tucor at On request.
Does CattleMax or Tucor run on more platforms?
CattleMax runs on Web, Windows, Ios, Android. Tucor runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
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 Tucor is typically brought in for.
What can CattleMax do that Tucor cannot?
CattleMax covers Individual animal records, Breeding management, Calving records, Health & treatment tracking. Tucor covers NLP-C controller, Decoder diagnostics, Flow monitoring, MAD-based programming.

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
Tucor: Is remote access included with the controller?

No. NLPNet is a separate yearly subscription, and it is priced differently depending on whether the controller connects over cellular or Ethernet.

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
Tucor: How many valves can one controller run?

The NLP-C addresses up to 500 decoders and 125 sensors across 20 points of connection, with up to 50 programmes.

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
Tucor: Can Tucor retrofit a conventional system?

Yes, converting a conventional multi-wire installation to two-wire decoder control is the main reason sites choose it.

Tucor: Who owns Tucor?

It is a privately held company founded in 1995, based in Harmony, Pennsylvania, and independent of the major irrigation manufacturers.

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