Software · head to head
Farmers Business Network (FBN) vs CattleMax
Farmers Business Network (FBN)
Software
Farmer-to-farmer network and marketplace
- From
- $700/year
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Farmers Business Network (FBN) the Internet Archive's capture of Farmers Business Network's homepage on 2 January 2021 stated core FBN membership is free, with fees applying only to add-on services such as FBN Direct input purchases, crop marketing advisory, brokerage, financing and insurance, each offered by separately licensed FBN subsidiary entities.; CattleMax priced by active animal count, so the bill grows with the herd rather than with usage
- They diverge on capability: Farmers Business Network (FBN) covers Seed performance analytics, CattleMax covers Individual animal records.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Farmers Business Network (FBN) and CattleMax actually diverge.
| Attribute | Farmers Business Network (FBN) | CattleMax |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $700/year | $99/year |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android | Web, Windows, Ios, Android |
| Founded | 2014 | 2003 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Farmers Business Network (FBN)
- Seed performance analytics
- Input price transparency
- Direct input purchasing
- Yield analytics
- Crop marketing tools
- Farm financing
- Agronomic insights
- Farmer network access
Only in CattleMax
- Individual animal records
- Breeding management
- Calving records
- Health & treatment tracking
- Weight management
- EPD/genetic data
- Custom reporting
- Photo management
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.
Farmers Business Network (FBN)
- Input purchasingnot CattleMax
- Seed selectionnot CattleMax
- Price comparisonnot CattleMax
- Farm financingnot CattleMax
- Market insightsnot CattleMax
CattleMax
- Cow-calf herd records and reproduction trackingnot Farmers Business Network (FBN)
- Weights, treatments and performance history per animalnot Farmers Business Network (FBN)
- Registered cattle records for breed association reportingnot Farmers Business Network (FBN)
- Unlimited users on one operation's accountnot Farmers Business Network (FBN)
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Farmers Business Network (FBN)
- The Internet Archive's capture of Farmers Business Network's homepage on 2 January 2021 stated core FBN membership is free, with fees applying only to add-on services such as FBN Direct input purchases, crop marketing advisory, brokerage, financing and insurance, each offered by separately licensed FBN subsidiary entities.
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Farmers Business Network (FBN)
$700/year- FBN Membership$700/year
- Access to FBN Analytics
- Seed performance data
- Chemical price transparency
- FBN DirectFree
- Transparent input pricing
- Direct-to-farm delivery
- Seed & crop protection
CattleMax
$99/year- Starter$99/year
- Up to 50 head
- Basic animal records
- Calving records
- Standard$199/year
- Up to 200 head
- Breeding management
- Health records
- Professional$399/year
- Unlimited animals
- Advanced genetics
- EPD tracking
Which should you pick?
Choose Farmers Business Network (FBN) if
- You need seed performance analytics.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want input price transparency.
Choose CattleMax if
- You need individual animal records.
- You work on Web, Windows, Ios, Android.
- You also want breeding management.
Questions people ask
- Is Farmers Business Network (FBN) or CattleMax better?
- Neither clearly leads. Farmers Business Network (FBN) starts at $700/year and CattleMax at $99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Farmers Business Network (FBN) or CattleMax?
- Farmers Business Network (FBN) starts at $700/year and CattleMax at $99/year.
- Does Farmers Business Network (FBN) or CattleMax run on more platforms?
- Farmers Business Network (FBN) runs on Web, Ios, Android. CattleMax runs on Web, Windows, Ios, Android.
- What is Farmers Business Network (FBN) best used for?
- Farmers Business Network (FBN) is most often used for input purchasing, seed selection, price comparison, farm financing. Of those, input purchasing and seed selection are not what CattleMax is typically brought in for.
- What can Farmers Business Network (FBN) do that CattleMax cannot?
- Farmers Business Network (FBN) covers Seed performance analytics, Input price transparency, Direct input purchasing, Yield analytics. CattleMax covers Individual animal records, Breeding management, Calving records, Health & treatment tracking. Both handle SSL, Cloud deployment, Web support, Ios support.