Comparison

@BactLAB vs Labscope

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

@BactLAB

Easily count bacterial colonies on food safety test plates using your smartphone. This app leverages AI and cloud technology to promote operational efficiency and improve quality of life for those involved in food health and safety.

Highlights
  • AI-powered colony counting
  • Cloud storage for count data
  • Count report generation (PDF/email)
  • Supports multiple CompactDry™ test types
  • Arbitrary adjustment function for counts
Features
Read full description

The safety and security of foods are important for humans to live. The examination of bacteria in foods and drinking water can be easily available to everyone. The product supports human life in any place and region. Making it easy bacterial counting, by using a familiar mobile device for everyone around the world, trying to promote operational efficiency using the global cloud and AI, adding value to CompactDry™ to play a role in the improvement of the QOL, keeping these ideas in mind we have developed the application for everyone engaging on health and safety of food. You can easily determine the bacterial (colony) count cultured in CompactDry™ using your smartphone. Targeted Products ( 7 Types ) CompactDry™ TC ( General Bacteria ) CompactDry™ TCR ( General Bacteria ) CompactDry™ EC ( E.coli / Coliforms ) CompactDry™ CF ( Coliforms ) CompactDry™ YM ( Yeast / Fungus ) CompactDry™ YMR ( Yeast / Fungus ) CompactDry™ ECO ( E.coli ) Primary Functions Colony counter - Colony count arbitrary adjustment function equipped - Cloud storage function for count data Count report [ pdf / email ] Uniform management of data by company (*Optional) Remarks - Regarding the colony counting process, the processing with the initial AI model released in August 2018 had implemented counting technology image processing that combines "image processing" and "machine learning (Deep Learning)" for colony position detection. In the AI model released in July 2023, object detection AI network (machine learning model) [YOLOv4] that processes position (area) detection and class classification in one network is used as a backbone and implemented as a hard-tuning AI enabling business use by repeated inference verification tests specializing in colony detection (counting) . - The cloud image recognition technology used in this service employs artificial intelligence (AI) technology for image recognition system jointly developed by Shimadzu Diagnostics Corporation and Hitachi Solutions, Ltd. - Restrictions for input images in Colony Counter No warranty of accuracy is given for the following images. 1. Image resolution of less than 800 pix x 1200 pix. 2. The background color is not white. 3. Colored medium. 4. A viscous sample is added. 5. Food residues are contained. 6. Highly concentrated colonies. Other ・The count result of "0" does not mean a negative result. ・Detection range is between 1–250 cfu/plate. ・There are two types of misreads that can occur when using the @BactLAB™. - @BactLAB™ Application did not detect all of the colonies specific to the CompactDry™ plate. - The counter detected all the colonies but it categorized them incorrectly. - Please note that the specification or performance may be changed without notice. - The cloud image recognition technology utilized in this service employs the artificial intelligence (AI) technology for image recognition system jointly developed by Shimadzu Diagnostics Corporation and Hitachi Solutions, Ltd. - Please see here. https://corp.sdc.shimadzu.co.jp/english/products/global/bactlab/

About

Labscope

Transform your ZEISS microscope into a WiFi-enabled imaging system. Capture images and videos of microscopic samples, add annotations, and generate reports. Ideal for laboratories, universities, schools, and hobbyists, it facilitates digital learning and easy sharing.

Highlights
  • WiFi-enabled microscope imaging
  • Image and video capture
  • Annotations and report creation
  • Image processing
  • Network and direct sharing
  • Digital classroom system
Features
Read full description

With Labscope, you transform your ZEISS microscope and camera into a WiFi-enabled imaging system. Be it in the laboratory, university, school or even for your hobby - Labscope snaps images and records videos of your microscopic samples, easier than ever. You can create annotations and reports, do image processing and save the files to your Windows network, or simply share them with anyone. Anywhere. Moreover, with Labscope you can easily create a high-quality digital classroom system, showing students a fun way of learning. Benefit from more than 160 years of experience in microscopy and explore the freedom of mobile digital imaging. Easy. Precise. Efficient. Download Labscope and test all features with the built-in virtual microscope! For more information visit www.zeiss.com/labscope Intended use - Labscope Labscope for iOS is a microscope software for control, image acquisition, image processing and image analysis. Typical application fields of the software are general tasks and applications in microscopy or image acquisition, among others for education, routine and research. The software is not intended to directly or indirectly produce medical diagnostic results.

Screenshots

@BactLAB4 screens
Labscope4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Labscope at 100% against @BactLAB's 0%. Labscope also leads on rating (3.4 vs 1.7). @BactLAB's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 3 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Labscope sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. @BactLAB asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Labscope holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 1.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of @BactLAB's written reviews are positive against 100% of Labscope's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

@BactLAB ships an update every 2 months, Labscope every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
@BactLAB versus Labscope: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter@BactLABLabscope
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.7 (6 ratings)3.4 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB296 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShimadzu Diagnostics CorporationCarl Zeiss AG

Customer experience

@BactLAB

All ratings6 ratings
Positive16.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative83.3%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Labscope

All ratings5 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

@BactLAB

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

Labscope

One-time6
  • Multi Channel (Free Trial)Free
  • AI Cell Confluency(Free Trial)Free
  • AI Cell Counting(Free Trial)Free
Show 3 more
  • Multi Channel$449.99
  • AI Cell Counting$499.99
  • AI Cell Confluency$499.99

Questions

Is @BactLAB free?
@BactLAB is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Labscope free?
Labscope is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, @BactLAB or Labscope?
Labscope is rated higher. @BactLAB averages 1.7 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Labscope averages 3.4 from 5 ratings.
Do @BactLAB or Labscope have ads?
Neither @BactLAB nor Labscope shows ads.
Which is updated more often, @BactLAB or Labscope?
@BactLAB ships an update every 2 months, and Labscope every 3 months. Most recently, @BactLAB was updated on October 3, 2026 and Labscope on October 6, 2026.

Other comparisons