# NIRLab vs Axon

The clearest difference is monetization model: NIRLab at free against Axon's subscription. NIRLab also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Axon's advantage is ratings volume (1.3K vs 1). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

NIRLab holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Axon has 1.3K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NIRLab | Axon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nirlab/id1593193933/reviews)** | [4.8 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/axon/id1662804571/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 112 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NIRLAB Forensics Sarl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1590334637) | [Axon Enterprise, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/427882668) |

## What reviewers say

### NIRLab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nirlab/id1593193933)

Instantly identify substances using near-infrared spectra. This app is part of a comprehensive data management system for field-based analysis. A compatible infrared spectrometer is necessary for data acquisition.

**Highlights:** Instant substance identification, Near-infrared spectra analysis, Field data acquisition, Complete data management ecosystem, Quality monitoring

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Axon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/axon/id1662804571)

This app allows public safety professionals to securely manage digital evidence and records on the go. It streamlines workflows, enables field evidence review, and facilitates secure community evidence submission. Users can also write and search records directly from their mobile devices.

**Highlights:** Evidence management (search, playback, metadata), Records management (write, submit, search), Secure evidence submission from community members, Field evidence review and analysis, Dictation support for report writing, Biometric security integration

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NIRLab free?

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

### Is Axon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NIRLab or Axon?

NIRLab is rated higher. NIRLab averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Axon averages 4.8 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do NIRLab or Axon have ads?

Neither NIRLab nor Axon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NIRLab or Axon?

NIRLab ships an update every 2 weeks, and Axon every 2 weeks. Most recently, NIRLab was updated on October 27, 2026 and Axon on October 29, 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.*