Why pick BarnHub over Barn Manager
Barn Manager is a polished SaaS with web and mobile apps, unlimited team users, and a Pro tier that syncs to QuickBooks Online. It costs $400/year (Essentials) or $700/year (Pro). For a multi-staff barn that actually uses team logins and direct QuickBooks sync, that's a fair trade. For a smaller operation — owner-operator, family barn, lesson barn run by one or two people — most of what you're paying for goes unused.
- No subscription. BarnHub is free with an optional one-time Pro upgrade. Barn Manager runs $400–$700/year.
- Your data, your iCloud. Records sync via Apple CloudKit between your own devices. Nothing lives on a third-party server.
- No login. Apple ID is the identity. There's no Barn Manager account to manage, no password resets.
- Works fully offline. The barn aisle has bad WiFi. BarnHub keeps working; cloud SaaS apps need a connection to load.
- No tracking. Apple's Data Not Collected label. No analytics, no telemetry, no behavioural data.
- Multi-language. 8 languages built in (English UK/AU, German, French, Spanish ES/MX, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese BR, Swedish).
What Barn Manager does that BarnHub doesn't (yet)
Two clear cases where Barn Manager is the right call:
- Many staff in the system at once. Barn Manager's plans include unlimited team users with shared scheduling. BarnHub today is one Apple ID per copy. CloudKit sharing for multi-user barns is on the roadmap, but not shipped.
- Direct QuickBooks Online sync. Barn Manager's Pro tier pushes invoices into QuickBooks. BarnHub exports CSV — your bookkeeper can pull it in, but it's not automatic.
- Structured competition scheduling. Barn Manager has competition events as a first-class concept. BarnHub does not.
How BarnHub compares to Barn Manager
| Feature | BarnHub | Barn Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Native iPhone & iPad apps | ✓ SwiftUI | ✓ iOS & Android |
| Native Mac app | ✓ SwiftUI | Web app in browser |
| Web app | — | ✓ |
| Works offline (barn aisle) | ✓ local-first | Cloud-hosted; needs connection |
| Account / login required | — Apple ID only | ✓ |
| Horse profiles + medical / feeding records | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shared calendar / scheduling | ✓ | ✓ |
| Feed / supplement / medication management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vendor / contact management | ✓ via clients | ✓ |
| Lists & reports (feed, packing, farrier) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Document storage | ✓ per horse & client | ✓ |
| Invoicing | ✓ PDF generator | ✓ Pro tier |
| QuickBooks Online sync | Planned (CSV export today) | ✓ Pro tier |
| CSV export | ✓ | ✓ |
| Unlimited team users | Planned via CloudKit sharing | ✓ |
| Competition / show scheduling | — | ✓ |
| Data lives on your devices | ✓ your iCloud | — SaaS-hosted |
| Pricing | Free, optional one-time Pro IAP | $400/yr (Essentials), $700/yr (Pro) |
Pricing
BarnHub
Free download with an optional one-time Pro upgrade for multi-client features. No annual fee, no per-seat upgrade. Sync runs through your iCloud.
Barn Manager
Essentials at $400/year (or $40/month, 14-day free trial). Pro at $700/year (or $70/month, 30-day free trial) with QuickBooks Online sync. Annual save 16%.
Frequently asked questions
Why use BarnHub instead of Barn Manager?
Barn Manager is a paid SaaS ($400–$700/year) with cloud-hosted records and unlimited team users. BarnHub is a free native Apple app where your data lives in your iCloud and there's no annual subscription. If you don't need a multi-user team or QuickBooks Online sync, BarnHub does the same daily barn-operations work without the subscription cost.
Does BarnHub support multiple staff users like Barn Manager?
Not yet. Barn Manager offers unlimited users on its plans. BarnHub today is one Apple ID per copy of the app — sync runs through your personal iCloud. Multi-user CloudKit sharing is on the BarnHub roadmap. For a barn that needs many staff members in the system simultaneously today, Barn Manager will fit better.
Does BarnHub integrate with QuickBooks?
Not directly. Barn Manager's Pro tier syncs invoices to QuickBooks Online. BarnHub generates PDF invoices and CSV exports of all transactions, which you can import into QuickBooks, Xero, or your bookkeeper's tool of choice. Direct QuickBooks integration is on the roadmap.
What about competition / show tracking?
Barn Manager has structured competition scheduling. BarnHub does not yet have a first-class shows feature — you can track entries informally with reminders and notes, but it isn't a dedicated module.
Will my data still work if I stop paying?
BarnHub has no subscription to stop. Records live on your devices and in your iCloud, and CSV export is built in. With a SaaS subscription, access to your data ends when the billing stops.