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Agriculture · head to head

CattleMax vs Datamars Livestock

CattleMax logo

CattleMax

Agriculture

Cattle herd management software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Datamars Livestock logo

Datamars Livestock

Agriculture

EID tag, weigh scale and livestock data platform behind the Tru-Test brand

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; Datamars Livestock the software exists to sell tags, readers and scales, so its feature depth in breeding, financials and grazing planning is well short of dedicated herd management systems.
  • They diverge on capability: CattleMax covers Individual animal records, Datamars Livestock covers EID and visual tag management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CattleMax and Datamars Livestock actually diverge.

Attributes where CattleMax and Datamars Livestock differ
AttributeCattleMaxDatamars Livestock
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Ios, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, Windows
Founded2003Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (On request), 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 Datamars Livestock

  • EID and visual tag management
  • Weigh session capture
  • Average daily gain
  • Auto-drafting
  • Traceability records
  • Bluetooth reader sync
  • Treatment and animal events

What people use each for

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

CattleMax

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

Datamars Livestock

  • A beef finisher drafting cattle to a target weight automatically at the crushnot CattleMax
  • A sheep producer tracking lamb growth rates by sire to inform ram selectionnot CattleMax
  • A New Zealand farm needing NAIT-compliant movement records generated from the same scans used for weighingnot CattleMax
  • A grazier comparing average daily gain across mobs on different paddocks or supplementsnot 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

Datamars Livestock

  • The software exists to sell tags, readers and scales, so its feature depth in breeding, financials and grazing planning is well short of dedicated herd management systems.
  • A migration to new cloud software is scheduled from January 2026 for Tru-Test indicator and reader customers, which puts historical Data Link desktop records at risk if they are not exported deliberately before support changes.
  • Hardware lock-in is real: the automatic capture that makes the platform useful depends on Datamars and Tru-Test devices, and a farm with Gallagher scales gets a much thinner experience.
  • Software being bundled with hardware means it has never been priced or sold on its own merits, so there is no published cost, no clear upgrade path and no leverage if the bundling arrangement changes.
  • Traceability support is country-specific and uneven, so a farm outside the main New Zealand, Australian, UK and North American markets may find its national scheme is not directly supported and needs manual file preparation.

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

Datamars Livestock

On request
  • Datamars Livestock$undefined/year
    • Historically bundled with purchase of Datamars and Tru-Test hardware
    • Tag, reader and weigh indicator hardware is the actual cost
    • Cloud platform terms changing with the January 2026 migration

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 Datamars Livestock if

  • You need eid and visual tag management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want weigh session capture.
Datamars Livestock review

Questions people ask

Is CattleMax or Datamars Livestock better?
Neither clearly leads. CattleMax starts at On request and Datamars Livestock at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CattleMax or Datamars Livestock?
CattleMax starts at On request and Datamars Livestock at On request.
Does CattleMax or Datamars Livestock run on more platforms?
CattleMax runs on Web, Windows, Ios, Android. Datamars Livestock runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
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 Datamars Livestock is typically brought in for.
What can CattleMax do that Datamars Livestock cannot?
CattleMax covers Individual animal records, Breeding management, Calving records, Health & treatment tracking. Datamars Livestock covers EID and visual tag management, Weigh session capture, Average daily gain, Auto-drafting.

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
Datamars Livestock: Do I have to pay for the software?

It has historically been included with purchase of Datamars and Tru-Test hardware. The January 2026 cloud migration is the point at which to confirm what the ongoing terms are.

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
Datamars Livestock: What happens to my Data Link records?

They need to be migrated to the new cloud platform. Export your historical weigh sessions before the transition rather than assuming everything carries across.

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
Datamars Livestock: Will it work with Gallagher scales?

Not natively in the way it works with Tru-Test hardware. You lose the automatic session sync that is the main reason to use it.

Datamars Livestock: Does it handle NAIT and NLIS?

Yes, for New Zealand and Australia respectively, generating movement and identification records from the same EID scans used for weighing.

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