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Agriculture · head to head

Herdwatch vs Raven Slingshot

Herdwatch logo

Herdwatch

Agriculture

Farm & herd management made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Raven Slingshot logo

Raven Slingshot

Agriculture

Seamless field data connectivity

From
$600/year
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; Raven Slingshot requires cell network connectivity, limiting utility in areas with poor cellular coverage
  • They diverge on capability: Herdwatch covers Animal registry, Raven Slingshot covers Wireless data transfer.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Herdwatch and Raven Slingshot actually diverge.

Attributes where Herdwatch and Raven Slingshot differ
AttributeHerdwatchRaven Slingshot
Starting priceFree$600/year
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsIos, Android, WebCloud, Mobile
Founded20141956

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Raven Slingshot

  • Wireless data transfer
  • Field mapping
  • As-applied maps
  • Equipment connectivity
  • Cloud storage
  • Raven equipment
  • John Deere
  • Case IH

Both cover

  • SSL
  • Cloud deployment
  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Herdwatch

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

Raven Slingshot

  • Data transfernot Herdwatch
  • Prescription deliverynot Herdwatch
  • As-applied recordsnot Herdwatch
  • Fleet managementnot 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

Raven Slingshot

  • Requires cell network connectivity, limiting utility in areas with poor cellular coverage
  • Ecosystem is agriculture-specific, with limited applicability to other field operations

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

Raven Slingshot

$600/year
  • Standard$600/year
    • Data transfer
    • Field management
    • Basic analytics
  • Premium$1200/year
    • All Standard features
    • Remote support
    • Advanced analytics

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 Raven Slingshot if

  • You need wireless data transfer.
  • You work on Cloud, Mobile.
  • You also want field mapping.
Raven Slingshot review

Questions people ask

Is Herdwatch or Raven Slingshot better?
Neither clearly leads. Herdwatch starts at Free and Raven Slingshot at $600/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Herdwatch or Raven Slingshot?
Herdwatch has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Herdwatch and $600/year for Raven Slingshot.
Does Herdwatch or Raven Slingshot run on more platforms?
Herdwatch runs on Ios, Android, Web. Raven Slingshot runs on Cloud, Mobile.
Can I use Herdwatch for free?
Yes. Herdwatch has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Raven Slingshot starts at $600/year.
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 Raven Slingshot is typically brought in for.
What can Herdwatch do that Raven Slingshot cannot?
Herdwatch covers Animal registry, Movement records, Breeding management, Medicine & treatment records. Raven Slingshot covers Wireless data transfer, Field mapping, As-applied maps, Equipment connectivity. Both handle SSL, Cloud deployment, Ios support, Android support.

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
Raven Slingshot: What does Raven Slingshot do?

Raven Slingshot is a wireless data management and logistics solution that enables prescription file delivery to field equipment, real-time machine data uploads to the cloud, and seamless data flow between farm management software and field equipment without manual downloads.

Source
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
Raven Slingshot: How does Slingshot work with farm management software?

Slingshot provides an open ecosystem API designed to work with software developed by other companies, enabling growers, retailers, agronomists, and software vendors to share agronomic data securely.

Source
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
Raven Slingshot: Does Slingshot require internet connectivity?

Raven Slingshot uses high-speed connectivity via cell technology and cloud-based data transfer for real-time data uploads and prescription delivery to equipment.

Source
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