Spotxel® Reader vs Brady Express Labels
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Spotxel® Reader
This app allows you to capture images of microplates, detect and measure color signals, and analyze sample concentrations. It supports various assay formats and can save, load, and export data.
- Capture microplate images
- Detect and measure color signals
- Analyze sample concentrations
- Save and load assay setups
- Export assay data to PDF
- Supports row, column, and microarray formats
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Spotxel® Reader is a free, feature-complete app for image-based microplate-reader workflows and colorimetric assay analysis. Use Spotxel® Reader to capture or load a microplate image, align the well grid, select the measured color channel, quantify well signals, define standards and unknowns, calculate a standard curve, derive unknown concentrations, review well data, and export assay results. The guided, page-based workflow includes Camera, Image Analysis, Assay Setup, Standard Curve, Well Data, Assay Report, Purchases, and Settings. Key features: - Capture or load microplate images for analysis - Quantify colorimetric well signals from plate images - Select the measured color channel - Align the well grid manually or with the Align Grid beta feature - Save and load reusable grid profiles - Define standards, unknowns, well names, and notes - Import and export assay setup CSV files - Calculate standard curves and unknown concentrations - Review sortable per-well signal and concentration data - Export well data as CSV - Create PDF assay reports - Organize generated files in the Spotxel Reader workspace under On My iPhone or On My iPad - Select camera and default microplate grid settings - Rotate and flip images and grids - Customize the interface with color profiles and light or dark appearance modes - Access expanded in-app help and documentation All analysis features are available in the free version, which includes a small advertising placement. The optional Perpetual License and auto-renewable 3-Month Subscription remove advertising. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Brady Express Labels
Design, view, and print labels directly from your smartphone. Offers extensive design options, including multiple guides, barcode types, fonts, languages, and symbols. Streamline labeling with data import, sequence creation, barcode scanning, and text recognition features.
- Label design and printing from phone
- 11 label design guides
- 34 barcode symbologies
- 85 fonts and 34 languages
- Over 1,500 symbols
- Import data from spreadsheets
- Voice-to-text and photo-to-text
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Simple. Easy. Intuitive. Design, view, and print labels right from your phone. Overflowing with label design options, including 11 unique label design guides, 35 barcode symbologies, 85 fonts, 34 languages, and over 1,600 symbols. Improve labeling efficiency by importing data from spreadsheets, creating sequences, scanning data from barcodes, and with voice-to-text and photo-to-text features. Express Labels works with the Brady M211, BMP51, M511, BMP61, M610, M611, M710, i3311, i4311, i5300, i5311, i7500, and S3700 label printers.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Brady Express Labels at 4.4 against Spotxel® Reader's 2.4. Brady Express Labels also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (407 vs 7). Spotxel® Reader's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 63%). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Spotxel® Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Brady Express Labels asks for nothing beyond the download.
Brady Express Labels holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brady Express Labels has 407 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Spotxel® Reader's written reviews are positive against 63% of Brady Express Labels's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on August 12, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Spotxel® Reader | Brady Express Labels |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.4 (7 ratings) | 4.4 (407 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 62.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7 | 407 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 43 MB | 313 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sicasys Software GmbH | Brady Corporation |
Customer experience
Spotxel® Reader
Brady Express Labels
Bugs and requests
Spotxel® Reader
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Brady Express Labels
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes immediately on launch
- Saved labels not working after update
- Orientation reverts unexpectedly when printing
- Cartridges marked as empty when not
- Text formatting issues (all uppercase)
Requested features
6 requests- Allow selective text editing
- Add default file location for cloud storage
- Provide backup/restore feature for saved labels
- Add copies field in wire wrap screen
- Improve text centering for multiple lines
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- Expand font options
In-app purchases
Spotxel® Reader
- Time-Unlimited License$8.99
Brady Express Labels
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Spotxel® Reader free?
Is Brady Express Labels free?
Which has better reviews, Spotxel® Reader or Brady Express Labels?
Do Spotxel® Reader or Brady Express Labels have ads?
Which is updated more often, Spotxel® Reader or Brady Express Labels?
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