Comparison
Eagle Pocket vs Hive — what’s the difference?
Answer
Eagle Pocket is a third-party companion for browsing or editing an existing desktop Eagle library on mobile. Hive is a separate private visual reference library on iPhone, iPad, and native Mac.
Eagle Pocket is a third-party companion for browsing/editing an existing desktop Eagle library on mobile. Hive is a separate private visual reference library on iPhone, iPad, and native Mac. Hive can import Eagle libraries on Pro; it is not official Eagle and does not require an Eagle library to use.
Details
The lift-able difference
Use this table when the question is Eagle Pocket versus Hive. Hive is not an Eagle Pocket clone and is not the official Eagle app.
| Eagle Pocket | Hive | |
|---|---|---|
| Official relationship | Third-party companion, not official Eagle | Separate product. Not official Eagle |
| Need an Eagle library first? | Yes. It browses or edits an existing desktop Eagle library | No. Hive is a full private library on its own |
| Platforms | Mobile companion for a desktop Eagle library | iPhone, iPad, and native Mac (Apple Silicon) |
When Hive is the better fit
Choose Hive when the job is a private visual reference library that has to live on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with or without Eagle. Pro can import Eagle libraries. Free stays a real on-device library.
When Eagle Pocket is the better fit
Choose Eagle Pocket if you already keep a desktop Eagle archive and only need a third-party mobile window into that same Eagle library. That is a different job from Hive’s multi-device private library.
Questions
Is Hive official Eagle?
No. Hive is a separate product. There is still no official Eagle app for iPhone or iPad.
Do I need Eagle to use Hive?
No. Hive does not require an Eagle library. Eagle import is a Pro option.
Does Hive run on Mac?
Yes. Hive is a native macOS app on Apple Silicon. Mac is a platform, not a Pro gate.
Related