BarnTools
BarnTools builds cellular IoT barn monitoring systems (BarnTalk) for swine and poultry growers, offering a connected gateway, environmental sensors, and a recurring connectivity subscription to detect feed, water, and temperature events in real time.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersWest Des Moines, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What BarnTools does
BarnTools, LLC is an Iowa-based agricultural IoT company that builds wireless barn monitoring systems for the swine and poultry industries. Its flagship BarnTalk platform centers on a cellular-connected Gateway that aggregates up to 24 wireless environmental sensors (temperature, humidity, water meter, dry contact, feed bin) over a proprietary LoRa 915 MHz network, and routes alarms via push, SMS, or phone call. The company sells hardware directly ($1,249 Gateway, $199-$599 sensors) plus a required annual connectivity subscription ($585/yr for the first gateway, +$210 for the second) and a $15/month TotalCare extended warranty. Recent product expansion includes BinTalk Pro with computer vision-based volumetric feed sensing and Smart Event Detection, the Barn360 biosecurity platform for movement tracking and quarantine enforcement, and integrations with BinTrac load cells and MTech feed management software.
BarnTools serves a mix of independent growers and large vertically-integrated producers (Murphy Family Farms, Aviagen, Iowa Select Farms, Mountaire Farms), reaching 7,000+ growers across 10,000 sites with 100,000+ active sensors deployed. Distribution combines direct phone-based sales, a dealer network (Dealer Resource Hub, Find My Dealer), enterprise account executives for integrators, and a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront for SMB self-serve. The company is led by co-founders Michael Hansen (CEO) and Jim Ryken, raised $3.3M via an August 2022 SEC Form D exempt offering, and received a strategic investment and partnership from Munters in September 2022 to expand into broader foodTech markets.
BarnTools firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BarnTools
- Legal name
- BarnTools, LLC
- Website
- https://barntools.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- BarnTools builds cellular IoT barn monitoring systems (BarnTalk) for swine and poultry growers, offering a connected gateway, environmental sensors, and a recurring connectivity subscription to detect feed, water, and temperature events in real time.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BarnTools industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Livestock and Poultry Barn Monitoring IoT
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Animal Production (115210), Veterinary Services (54194)
- SIC
- Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Livestock Monitoring & Wearables (Activity, Rumination, Health Sensors) (AFAAAIAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Livestock Precision Monitoring Software (Herd/Flock Analytics, Health Alerts) (AFAAAFAM), Feeding & Nutrition Systems (TMR Mixers, Feeders, Bunk Management) (AFAAAIAE)
Keywords
Where BarnTools is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- West Des Moines
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
BarnTools business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- BarnTalk Connectivity Subscription: Recurring annual subscription required for the BarnTalk alarm service covering built-in cellular connectivity and data costs. Pricing: $585/year for the 1st Gateway (covers 1–2 barns) and +$210/year for the 2nd Gateway (covers 3–4 barns). Enterprise pricing available via quote for larger fleets. The limited hardware warranty is contingent on an active monthly subscription.
- Hardware Sales (Gateways, Sensors, Accessories): Direct one-time sale of BarnTalk Gateway ($1,249), BinTalk Pro feed sensor ($599), temperature/humidity/outdoor temperature sensors ($199 each), dry contact sensor ($324), wireless water meter (from $224), radio module for BinTrac ($456), and accessories (batteries, antennas, cables, weatherproof case). Sold via Shopify storefront and authorized dealers with a 60-day satisfaction guarantee.
- BarnTalk TotalCare Extended Warranty: Recurring monthly add-on ($15/month) that provides complete coverage for any damage to the Gateway and connected sensors, including lightning, water, fire, and physical damage — no questions asked. Sold as a subscription tied to the hardware.
- Enterprise Solutions & Site Design Services: For large operations, BarnTools provides custom site layout and design assistance, enterprise-grade mounting hardware installation (often via in-house crews), and bespoke enterprise pricing for large-scale deployments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | BarnTalk Connectivity: 1st Gateway $585/year (covers 1-2 barns); 2nd Gateway +$210/year (covers 3-4 barns); Enterprise pricing via quote |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hardware unit pricing: Gateway $1,249; BinTalk Pro $599; Sensors $199–$324; Water Meter from $224; Accessories $5–$456 |
| Subscription | Monthly | BarnTalk TotalCare Extended Warranty: $15/month |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
BarnTools product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BarnTools designs, sells, and supports a cellular IoT barn monitoring platform called BarnTalk, anchored by a plug-and-play multi-carrier Gateway that pairs with up to 24 wireless LoRa-based sensors per site to monitor temperature, humidity, water flow, feed bin levels, and equipment status. The offering spans hardware (gateways, sensors, BinTalk Pro vision-based feed sensor), recurring services (annual connectivity subscription, TotalCare extended warranty), and the new Barn360 biosecurity software module, sold direct, through dealers, and via enterprise sales to swine and poultry growers and integrators.
Product overview
BarnTools offers the BarnTalk wireless barn monitoring platform, anchored by the BarnTalk Gateway — a cellular-connected hub that pairs with up to 24 wireless environmental sensors (Wireless Indoor Temperature Sensor, Wireless Outdoor Temperature Sensor, Wireless Humidity Sensor, Wireless Water Meter, Wireless Dry Contact Sensor) and up to 8 BinTalk Pro feed bin sensors over a LoRa 915 MHz network. The product suite is rounded out by the BinTalk Pro (with Smart Event Detection) feed bin sensor, the new Barn360 Biosecurity platform for real-time movement tracking, quarantine enforcement, and policy distribution, and the Precision Feed vision-based volumetric feed inventory solution for integrators. Supporting hardware includes the BarnTalk Radio Module for BinTrac RM-200B (which integrates third-party BinTrac load cells), batteries (Gateway, Sensor), antennas (BarnTalk, High Power SET, High Power, LPDA), antenna cables (Regular 25/50/100 ft, High Power 25 ft), and a Weather Resistant Gateway Case. Recurring services include the annual BarnTalk Connectivity Subscription ($585/year for the first Gateway, +$210/year for the second) and the BarnTalk TotalCare extended warranty plan ($15/month). The platform targets poultry and swine growers, integrators, and feed mills, and is currently in use by 7,000+ growers across 10,000+ sites with 100,000+ active sensors deployed.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BarnTalk: Wireless alarm and barn monitoring system/platform with cellular connectivity; the company's flagship product line that includes the BarnTalk Gateway and related wireless sensors (temperature, humidity, water meter, dry contact, BinTalk feed sensor, etc.).
- BinTalk
- Barn360
- Barn360 Biosecurity
Products and services
- BarnTalk Gateway Cellular-connected alarm gateway that serves as the central hub of the BarnTalk platform, pairing with up to 24 wireless sensors via a LoRa 915 MHz network (~700 ft range) and transmitting alerts via push notification, SMS, or phone call. Features certified multi-carrier SIM, IP65 housing, 30+ hour lithium-ion battery backup, self-testing every 2 minutes, and two internal Dry Contact circuits. Priced at $1,249.
- BinTalk Pro Vision-based wireless feed bin sensor with four cameras, 1M+ pixel equivalents, and Smart Event Detection, providing 15-minute volumetric readings with 99% accuracy via HD Mapping Technology and farm-tested algorithms that detect low feed, empty bins, feed outages, and no-flow events. Supports bin sizes up to 12' diameter and 30' tall. Priced at $599; limit of 8 per Gateway.
- Wireless Indoor Temperature Sensor Wireless IP67-rated sensor that monitors indoor barn temperatures across 14°F to 122°F (accuracy ±1°F) and connects to the BarnTalk Gateway with a 2–3 year replaceable lithium battery life. Recommended at one sensor per room or every 100 ft. Priced at $199.
- Wireless Outdoor Temperature Sensor Wireless sensor with an 8-foot probe lead for monitoring external temperatures, refrigerator/freezer temps, and indoor temps across a wider -22°F to 122°F range. Connects to the BarnTalk Gateway with a 2–3 year replaceable battery life; limit of 1 per Gateway. Priced at $199.
- Wireless Humidity Sensor Wireless IP67-rated sensor that measures barn humidity from 0% to 99% RH (accuracy ±2%) and connects to the BarnTalk Gateway with a 2–3 year replaceable battery life. Recommended at one per room or every 100 ft. Priced at $199.
- Wireless Water Meter Ultrasonic IP68-rated wireless water meter with no moving parts, available in 1/2", 3/4", 1", 1 1/4", and 1 1/2" sizes, measuring flow from 0.1 to 80 GPM with a permanent lithium battery (8+ year life). Supports zero-flow, below/above three-day average, and leak detection alarms. Pricing starts from $224.
- Wireless Dry Contact Sensor Wireless sensor that monitors power, generators, controllers, feed lines, water pressure switches, and any equipment with a power relay, with an 8–12 month backup battery. Connects to the BarnTalk Gateway within ~700 ft. Priced at $324.
- BarnTalk Radio Module for BinTrac RM-200B Hardware accessory module that wires into existing BinTrac RM-200B load cell readouts and wirelessly transmits weight data from third-party BinTrac load cells to the BarnTalk Gateway and the BarnTalk mobile app every 15 minutes. Priced at $456.
- Barn360 Biosecurity Real-time biosecurity management platform that serves as the single source of truth for biosecurity, with automated Movement Tracking (tracked across the network even when devices are offline), Biosecurity Quarantine (required downtime enforced per movement type rather than per person), and Policy Distribution (every phone and tablet runs the latest rules).
- BarnTalk Connectivity Subscription Annual subscription covering BarnTalk's built-in, plug-and-play cellular connectivity and data costs. Priced at $585/year for the first Gateway (covering 1–2 barns) and +$210/year for a second Gateway (covering 3–4 barns), with enterprise pricing for larger fleets. Provides certified multi-carrier connectivity, the self-testing heartbeat, and alarm routing.
- BarnTalk TotalCare Extended Warranty Extended warranty subscription priced at $15/month that provides complete coverage for any and all damage to the BarnTalk Gateway and any sensors connected to it, including lightning, water, fire, and physical damage — no questions asked.
- Precision Feed Vision-based volumetric feed inventory solution for integrators providing real-time bin weights and usage tracking, built on the BinTalk Pro sensor platform with bin locator and mapping technology. Integrates with MTech software solutions for feed consumption trend analysis and enterprise-wide feed bin mapping across complex managers, production managers, feed mills, and growers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% volumetric accuracy and 15-minute data updates for BinTalk Pro feed sensors (vs. 4-hour industry standard)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use BarnTools
Customer profileNamed customers21 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
BarnTools technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability4 records
Feature7 records
BarnTools partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- BinTrac (RM-200B radio module integration)coreBarnTools sells the BarnTalk Radio Module for BinTrac RM-200B ($456), which wires into existing BinTrac load cell readouts and wirelessly transmits bin weight readings to the BarnTalk Gateway every 15 minutes. This integration brings legacy BinTrac feed scale customers into the BarnTalk platform, allowing them to monitor feed weights via the BarnTalk mobile app without replacing installed hardware.
- MTechcoreMTech's software solutions integrate with BinTalk's bin track feature to enable monitoring of feed consumption trends over time. The combined solution provides enterprise-wide feed bin mapping, allowing complex managers, production managers, feed mills, and growers to make data-driven decisions about feed ordering and delivery schedules.
- Microsoft AzurecoreMicrosoft Azure serves as BarnTools' cloud storage provider, hosting the data and services that power the BarnTalk platform, mobile app, and Web Portal. BarnTools shares user data with Microsoft Azure solely to provide the BarnTools service, and the third party has only the access necessary to perform specific tasks on BarnTools' behalf.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
BarnTools competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sensaphone: Direct competitor in remote monitoring and alarm systems, including agricultural and rural applications. Sensaphone's dialer-based and cellular monitoring products are the most direct legacy substitute that BarnTalk displaces; multiple BarnTools customers (e.g., David Traetow) explicitly switched from Sensaphone.
- Hotraco Agri: Direct competitor providing automation and climate control systems for poultry and swine barns. Hotraco offers comparable barn monitoring, environmental control, and feeding/weighing solutions for the same end customers, particularly in European and international markets.
- Fancom (CTB): Direct competitor in climate and process automation for pig and poultry houses. Fancom, part of CTB (a Berkshire Hathaway company), provides integrated climate control, feeding, and monitoring systems that overlap directly with BarnTalk's environmental alarm and integrator dashboard offerings.
- Nedap Livestock Management: Direct competitor providing livestock management solutions (pig and poultry identification, feeding, and barn management) for large integrators globally. Nedap is a comparable enterprise-focused platform serving the same swine and poultry integrator customers with overlapping monitoring and management software capabilities.
- BinTrac (AGI): Direct competitor in feed bin monitoring using load cell technology, now part of AGI (Ag Growth International). BinTrac feed scales directly compete with BinTalk/BinTalk Pro; BarnTools offers a backward-compatible radio module ($456) specifically to integrate installed BinTrac RM-200B hardware.
- Hired Hand Green: US-based direct competitor manufacturing climate control systems and environmental monitoring equipment for poultry houses. Hired Hand's poultry house controllers and environmental monitors are a direct alternative to BarnTalk in the US broiler, breeder, and layer segments.
Broad incumbents
- Munters: Global leader in climate solutions for agriculture and food production, and BarnTools' strategic investor and partner. Munters' climate and digital solutions directly overlap with BarnTalk's environmental monitoring, but at a much broader portfolio scale spanning global poultry/swine houses, greenhouses, and food processing.
- Big Dutchman: Global incumbent and broad livestock equipment leader offering feeding systems, climate control, and barn management for poultry and swine. Big Dutchman overlaps with BarnTools across environmental monitoring and feed management, but as part of a much larger equipment portfolio including housing and feeding hardware.
- Hog Slat: Major US swine equipment manufacturer with a growing portfolio of environmental controllers, scales, and barn management products. Hog Slat shares BarnTools' deep US swine distribution and grower customer base, making it a comparable channel and product alternative for the swine segment.
Emerging players
- MTech Systems: Enterprise feed mill and production management software provider that integrates directly with BinTalk for feed consumption trend analysis. MTech addresses the same integrator customer segment (feed mills, production managers) for feed bin mapping and is a partner/ecosystem participant rather than direct hardware competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BarnTools social profiles
Digital presenceBarnTools compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
BarnTools financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BarnTools leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
BarnTools funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BarnTools M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BarnTools
What does BarnTools do?
BarnTools designs, sells, and supports a cellular IoT barn monitoring platform called BarnTalk, anchored by a plug-and-play multi-carrier Gateway that pairs with up to 24 wireless LoRa-based sensors per site to monitor temperature, humidity, water flow, feed bin levels, and equipment status. The offering spans hardware (gateways, sensors, BinTalk Pro vision-based feed sensor), recurring services (annual connectivity subscription, TotalCare extended warranty), and the new Barn360 biosecurity software module, sold direct, through dealers, and via enterprise sales to swine and poultry growers and integrators.
Is BarnTools a public or private company?
BarnTools is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was BarnTools founded?
BarnTools was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is BarnTools based?
BarnTools is headquartered in West Des Moines, United States, in the North America region.
How does BarnTools make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. BarnTalk Connectivity Subscription is the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales (Gateways, Sensors, Accessories), barnTalk TotalCare Extended Warranty and enterprise Solutions & Site Design Services.
Who are BarnTools's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sensaphone, Hotraco Agri, Fancom (CTB), Nedap Livestock Management, BinTrac (AGI) and Hired Hand Green. Broad incumbents are Munters, Big Dutchman and Hog Slat. MTech Systems is listed as an emerging player.
Does BarnTools have an API?
Yes. BarnTools' Terms of Use include an "application programming interface" as part of its defined "Services," in association with both the BarnTools website/application and the BarnTalk remote monitoring system. The Terms state that Customers are granted access to "website application, application programming interface, or other services available digitally associated with the BarnTalk system, software, and application, and all hardware and Order Form deliverables." No public developer documentation, API type (REST/GraphQL/webhooks), authentication method, rate limits, or sandbox availability are provided in the source material.
What industry is BarnTools in?
BarnTools's product category is Livestock and Poultry Barn Monitoring IoT. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAAAIAG, Livestock Monitoring & Wearables (Activity, Rumination, Health Sensors), with a secondary code of AFAAAFAM, Livestock Precision Monitoring Software (Herd/Flock Analytics, Health Alerts). Its NAICS code is 115210 and its SIC code is 3523.