Quick answer: Zoos and aquariums use two quite different kinds of software. Animal management tools keep records of each animal’s health, husbandry, breeding and behaviour; the main one is Species360’s ZIMS, alongside ZooEasy, PMx and Noldus’s The Observer XT. Visitor management tools sell tickets, memberships, food and merchandise; options checked in October 2026 include Gateway’s Galaxy, Aluvii, Gatemaster, RocketRez and DigiTickets. Six products from our 2020 list have closed, changed purpose or could not be confirmed.
Every zoo has to keep detailed records of its animals: where each one came from, its health and treatments, what it eats, and its family tree. Doing that on paper becomes impossible as a collection grows. Good records also support breeding programmes, because keepers can check how closely two animals are related (their inbreeding coefficient) before pairing them. On the visitor side, the same zoo is also an attraction that needs ticketing and retail systems like a theme park or museum.
How to choose zoo software
- Separate the two jobs. Decide whether you are buying an animal records system, a visitor ticketing system or both. Very few products do both well.
- Data sharing. For animal records, being able to share data with other institutions matters, especially for studbooks and cooperative breeding programmes. Shared data is the main purpose of Species360’s ZIMS.
- Regulation. Zoos are regulated by national authorities (in India, the Central Zoo Authority, which works under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change). Make sure your records system can produce the inventory and health reports your regulator asks for.
- Visitor peaks. Ticketing systems must cope with school holidays and weekends. Ask about timed entry, online booking, capacity limits for animal encounters and offline back-up at the gate.
- Memberships and donations. Many zoos are charities or public bodies, so membership renewals and donations are as important as ticket sales.
- Local payments and support. Several visitor systems here are built for the US or UK. Check payment methods, currency and support hours for your country.
Zoo and aquarium software compared
| Product | Type | Best for | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Species360 ZIMS | Animal records | Zoos and aquariums sharing data with other institutions | Species360 membership; check vendor |
| ZooEasy | Pedigree and animal records | Breeders and organisations focused on breeding | Subscription; free trial |
| PMx | Population genetics and pedigree analysis | Studbook keepers and conservation breeding programmes | Distributed through the Species Conservation Toolkit Initiative; check terms |
| The Observer XT | Behaviour research | Researchers coding animal behaviour | Check vendor |
| Galaxy (Gateway Ticketing) | Visitor ticketing and admissions | Large zoos, aquariums and attractions | Check vendor |
| Aluvii | Visitor ticketing and point of sale | Cloud-based all-in-one for leisure venues | Subscription; free trial |
| Gatemaster | Visitor ticketing and point of sale | Zoos needing memberships, donations and encounter bookings | Check vendor |
| RocketRez | Attraction ticketing and operations | Attractions wanting ticketing, retail and staffing in one | Check vendor |
| DigiTickets | Visitor ticketing and point of sale | UK-style attractions, including zoos and aquariums | Check vendor |
Animal management software
1. Species360 ZIMS
The Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) is run by Species360, a non-profit membership organisation that unites zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens and wildlife organisations to share animal data for conservation. ZIMS has modules for husbandry, medical records, studbooks, animal care and welfare, and aquariums, and staff can be trained through LearnZIMS courses. The original article said ZIMS also tracks employee details; it is designed for animal records, so do not rely on it for staff management.
2. ZooEasy
ZooEasy is pedigree and animal management software for breeders and organisations, used to keep animal records and improve breeding results. It is sold by subscription with optional modules and services, and it offers a free trial. ZooEasy suits smaller collections and breeding organisations; the original article’s description of it as a way to build “your own customised zoo software” overstated it, as it is a ready-made product with configurable modules.
3. PMx
PMx is software for demographic and genetic analysis and management of pedigreed populations, developed by Jonathan Ballou (Smithsonian), Robert Lacy (Chicago Zoological Society) and J.P. Pollak (Cornell University). Species360 now hosts it through the Species Conservation Toolkit Initiative (SCTI), alongside a simpler version called PMx Lite. Studbook keepers can export data from ZIMS to PMx. Species360’s guidance says PMx support comes from SCTI rather than Species360, and that the latest version should be used because new ZIMS exports do not work with older ones.
4. The Observer XT (Noldus)
The Observer XT, from Noldus, is event-logging software for coding and analysing behaviour. Noldus lists it among its animal behaviour research tools, along with EthoVision video tracking. It suits zoo researchers and welfare scientists studying how animals use enclosures or respond to changes, rather than day-to-day record keeping.
Visitor and ticketing software
5. Galaxy (Gateway Ticketing Systems)
Galaxy is Gateway Ticketing Systems’ admissions platform for theme parks and waterparks, tours and attractions, zoos and aquariums, museums, and ferries and buses. Gateway lists on-site and online ticketing and admission control, membership, pass and donor management, food and beverage and retail, CRM and reporting, and group sales. It is designed for large, busy venues.
6. Aluvii
Aluvii is cloud-based software for leisure venues, including zoos and aquariums, waterparks, ski resorts and museums. Its zoo and aquarium page describes selling tickets, food, merchandise and memberships from one platform, with online and on-site booking and recurring billing for memberships and season passes. Aluvii is based in Utah, in the US, and offers a free trial.
7. Gatemaster
Gatemaster has supplied point-of-sale ticketing software since 1994, according to the company. Its zoo pages cover season passes, animal show tickets, donations, memberships with photo uploads and renewals, and capacity scheduling for wildlife encounters, plus access control at entry. The original article said Gatemaster has no ongoing fees; we could not confirm that on its current site, so ask for a quote.
8. RocketRez
RocketRez sells attractions ticketing software with point of sale, inventory, event management, retail and dining, staffing, reporting, memberships, dynamic pricing and online travel agency connections. The original article quoted a range of customer revenues that the current site does not state, so it has been removed.
9. DigiTickets
DigiTickets provides online ticket booking and EPOS (electronic point of sale) software for attractions and events, with self-service kiosks, staff scheduling and payment services. Zoos and aquariums are one of the industries it lists, alongside theme parks, farm parks, museums and heritage railways.
Products removed from our earlier list
- The Animal Welfare App (OERCA): its web address now shows only a login screen, with no product information, so we could not confirm it is still offered to new users.
- Versai: its website now displays a message saying the site has been hacked. We could not verify the product and recommend not visiting that address.
- ActiveZoo: its website did not respond during our checks.
- FocusPoint 360: its domain now redirects to a parked page.
- Zootrition: diet and nutrition software developed at the Saint Louis Zoo. Its website did not respond, and we could not confirm that it is still maintained.
- Zoptiks: still exists, but it is now an educational “virtual zoo” with 3D wildlife and virtual field trips, not management software for zoos. The original article’s pricing has been removed.
Frequently asked questions
What is ZIMS?
ZIMS (Zoological Information Management System) is the animal records system run by Species360, a non-profit whose member zoos, aquariums and wildlife organisations pool their animal data for conservation and research.
Can one system handle both animals and visitors?
Rarely. Animal records systems and visitor ticketing systems serve different staff and needs, so most zoos run one of each.
What is a studbook?
A studbook is the official record of every animal of a species held in a breeding programme, including its parents, births, deaths and transfers. Studbook keepers use it, often with software such as PMx, to plan pairings that keep the population genetically healthy.
Is there free zoo management software?
Most products here are paid. Some, such as ZooEasy and Aluvii, offer free trials. Check the current terms with each vendor.
If you are planning a visit rather than running a zoo, see our guides to the National Zoological Park in Delhi, the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad and Mumbai’s Byculla Zoo. Zoos running events may also find our event management software guide useful.
Product details were checked in October 2026 against each vendor’s or organisation’s official website, including Species360’s ZIMS and SCTI pages. Features and availability change, so confirm details with the vendor before you buy.
