Softwr

Agriculture · head to head

Herdwatch vs Netafim NetBeat

Herdwatch logo

Herdwatch

Agriculture

Farm & herd management made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Netafim NetBeat logo

Netafim NetBeat

Agriculture

Irrigation and fertigation control that only runs on Netafim NetMCU controllers in the field

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Herdwatch has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Herdwatch annual pricing amounts not displayed, calculated dynamically based on farm type and herd size; Netafim NetBeat netBeat runs on Netafim NetMCU hardware, so a grower with a functioning controller from another manufacturer has to replace working equipment to adopt it rather than adding software.
  • They diverge on capability: Herdwatch covers Animal registry, Netafim NetBeat covers NetMCU controller.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Herdwatch and Netafim NetBeat actually diverge.

Attributes where Herdwatch and Netafim NetBeat differ
AttributeHerdwatchNetafim NetBeat
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsIos, Android, WebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2014Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Herdwatch

  • Animal registry
  • Movement records
  • Breeding management
  • Medicine & treatment records
  • Compliance reports
  • Calving records
  • Weight tracking
  • EID tag reading

Only in Netafim NetBeat

  • NetMCU controller
  • NetRTU remote units
  • Irrigation model
  • Fertigation control
  • Flow and pressure monitoring
  • Soil moisture integration
  • Remote valve control
  • Alerts and reporting

What people use each for

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

Herdwatch

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

Netafim NetBeat

  • A new orchard planting Netafim drip that wants scheduling and fertigation designed in from the startnot Herdwatch
  • A grower under a water allocation who needs per-block application records for the regulatornot Herdwatch
  • A vine operation trying to reduce fertiliser cost by dosing to crop stage rather than a fixed programmenot Herdwatch
  • A block with a persistent emitter clogging problem where flow deviation alerts find it before yield dropsnot Herdwatch

Where each one falls short

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

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

Netafim NetBeat

  • NetBeat runs on Netafim NetMCU hardware, so a grower with a functioning controller from another manufacturer has to replace working equipment to adopt it rather than adding software.
  • NetRTU units communicate over Netafim’s own LoRa implementation, which means expanding sensing later means buying Netafim radios rather than the cheapest compatible sensor on the market.
  • No pricing is published in any market and the platform is sold as part of a system design, so growers cannot compare the software cost against rivals without commissioning a design.
  • Netafim is majority owned by Orbia, a Mexican-listed polymers and infrastructure group, so the digital product competes for investment against pipe manufacturing and building materials rather than being the parent’s core business.
  • Availability and support depth vary sharply by country: strong in Israel, India, Australia and parts of Europe, much thinner in North America, so a grower’s experience depends on whether a competent local Netafim team exists.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Netafim NetBeat

On request
  • NetBeat$undefined/year
    • Requires NetMCU field controller
    • NetRTU remote terminal units per monitored or controlled point
    • Monitor, analyse and automate modules

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Netafim NetBeat if

  • You need netmcu controller.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want netrtu remote units.
Netafim NetBeat review

Questions people ask

Is Herdwatch or Netafim NetBeat better?
Neither clearly leads. Herdwatch starts at Free and Netafim NetBeat at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Herdwatch or Netafim NetBeat?
Herdwatch has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Herdwatch and On request for Netafim NetBeat.
Does Herdwatch or Netafim NetBeat run on more platforms?
Herdwatch runs on Ios, Android, Web. Netafim NetBeat runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Herdwatch for free?
Yes. Herdwatch has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Netafim NetBeat starts at On request.
What is Herdwatch best used for?
Herdwatch is most often used for livestock records for cattle and sheep, calving and breeding records on a phone in the field, medicine and treatment records for compliance, pasture and grassland management. Of those, livestock records for cattle and sheep and calving and breeding records on a phone in the field are not what Netafim NetBeat is typically brought in for.
What can Herdwatch do that Netafim NetBeat cannot?
Herdwatch covers Animal registry, Movement records, Breeding management, Medicine & treatment records. Netafim NetBeat covers NetMCU controller, NetRTU remote units, Irrigation model, Fertigation control.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Netafim NetBeat: Can I use NetBeat with a controller I already own?

No. It requires Netafim’s NetMCU controller, with NetRTU units for distributed sensing and valve control.

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
Netafim NetBeat: Is NetBeat sold as a standalone subscription?

Not in practice. It is quoted as part of an irrigation system design by a local Netafim office, with no published rate card.

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
Netafim NetBeat: Who owns Netafim?

Orbia, the Mexican-listed materials and infrastructure group, holds the majority. That shapes how much investment the digital line attracts.

Netafim NetBeat: Does it handle fertigation as well as irrigation?

Yes, injection scheduling and dosing run off the same crop and soil model as water application.

Share

Related pages

More on Herdwatch

More on Netafim NetBeat

Keep looking

Other head to heads