# @BactLAB vs Plasmids X

The clearest difference is rating: Plasmids X at 3.4 against @BactLAB's 1.7. Plasmids X also leads on review sentiment (33% vs 0%). @BactLAB's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Plasmids X sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. @BactLAB asks for nothing beyond the download.

Plasmids X holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 1.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of @BactLAB's written reviews are positive against 33% of Plasmids X's.

@BactLAB ships an update every 2 months, Plasmids X monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | @BactLAB | Plasmids X |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.7 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bactlab/id1413728981/reviews) | **[3.4 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plasmids-x/id1524584676/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **7** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **33.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shimadzu Diagnostics Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1413728860) | [Amin Mahpour](https://appshunter.io/developer/1524584678) |

## What reviewers say

### @BactLAB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bactlab/id1413728981)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Plasmids X

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plasmids-x/id1524584676)

Design, create, and analyze custom DNA plasmids with this intuitive molecular genetics tool. Supports importing, editing, and sharing plasmids, with powerful in silico analysis features for researchers and students.

**Highlights:** Create plasmids from sequences, Import from .dna and Genbank files, Edit plasmids by adding features, In silico analysis (sequence alignment, PCR, digestion), Share and collaborate on plasmids

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| A cup of coffee! | $1.99 | one-time |
| Split View Support | $1.99 | one-time |
| Manual Cloning | $3.99 | one-time |
| In-silico PCR Support | $3.99 | one-time |
| NCBI Entrez Support | $3.99 | one-time |
| Local Alignment Support | $3.99 | one-time |
| A box of joe! | $4.99 | one-time |
| BLAST Support | $4.99 | one-time |
| ApE File Support | $4.99 | one-time |
| Genbank Support | $4.99 | one-time |
| dna File Support | $5.99 | one-time |
| All Features | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is @BactLAB free?

@BactLAB is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Plasmids X free?

Plasmids X is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, @BactLAB or Plasmids X?

Plasmids X is rated higher. @BactLAB averages 1.7 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Plasmids X averages 3.4 from 7 ratings.

### Do @BactLAB or Plasmids X have ads?

Neither @BactLAB nor Plasmids X shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, @BactLAB or Plasmids X?

@BactLAB ships an update every 2 months, and Plasmids X monthly. Most recently, @BactLAB was updated on September 15, 2026 and Plasmids X on June 1, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*