Comparison

SmartLab35 vs ProLab Film Developer

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

Head to head
About

SmartLab35

Features
Read full description

With the innovative photo enlarger, you can create prints from your film negatives in a completely new way. This is possible for colour and black and white photos. In black and white mode, you can set an exposure time of up to 999 seconds. You can set the intensity of the enlarger to up to -4.0 f-stops. For multi-grade paper, you can select the gradation from 00.0 to 5.0. Use the function buttons to control the enlarger. Use the FOCUS light to adjust the sharpness of your image. Use the SAFE light to insert the paper. Start and pause the exposure with the centre button. In colour mode, you can set an exposure time of up to 999 seconds. You can control the colour gradation of your image by setting the intensity of the individual colour channels. In the options menu, you can choose between CMY and RGB colour systems. Control the enlarger with the function buttons. You can use the FOCUS light to adjust the sharpness of your image. Start and pause the exposure with the centre button.

About

ProLab Film Developer

Achieve consistent color film development at home with real-time adjustments for temperature and chemistry. This app eliminates guesswork by actively recalculating development times based on changing conditions, ensuring repeatable results without expensive equipment.

Highlights
  • Real-time time compensation
  • Chemistry tracking
  • Dynamic Time-Temperature Engine
  • Push processing support
  • Guided workflow
  • Supports major C-41 kits
Features
Read full description

No sous-vide. No guesswork. Just consistent colour film development. ProLab is a precision colour film development tool with real-time time compensation and chemistry tracking. ProLab Film Developer is the smarter way to develop colour film at home. Most home colour film development goes wrong for two reasons: temperature drift and tired chemicals. Every other app ignores that. ProLab Film Developer doesn’t. It’s the only app that actively adjusts your development time in real time, based on what’s actually happening, not what should be happening. Real-time time and temperature correction Built around a Dynamic Time-Temperature Engine, ProLab continuously recalculates your development time as conditions change. Temperature drops? Time is adjusted. Chemistry weakening? Compensated. No guessing. No assumptions. No expensive setup. No barriers. You don’t need a sous-vide. You don’t need a lab. Just a tank, a thermometer and a bowl. This is consistent, repeatable colour development without the cost or complexity. What makes it different • Real-time time compensation based on live temperature input • Chemistry tracking with exhaustion awareness • Intelligent adjustments based on actual usage, not theory • Built-in push processing for 1 and 2 stops • Clean, guided workflow from start to finish Supports major home C-41 kits, including Cinestill, Bellini, Rollei, Adox, Fuji and more. Built by a photographer, not a developer This was made to solve a real problem in home film processing. If your temperature moves and your timing doesn’t, you’re already off. Get it right. Every time.

Screenshots

SmartLab354 screens
ProLab Film Developer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SmartLab35 at Free against ProLab Film Developer's $7.99. SmartLab35 also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

SmartLab35 is free to download; ProLab Film Developer costs $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SmartLab35 ships an update every 5 weeks, ProLab Film Developer every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
SmartLab35 versus ProLab Film Developer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmartLab35ProLab Film Developer
PriceFree — better$7.99
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Paid
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB189 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSANTIAGO FRANCISCO RAMIREZ SONNTAGJames Maher

In-app purchases

None

SmartLab35

No in-app purchases

None

ProLab Film Developer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SmartLab35 free?
SmartLab35 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ProLab Film Developer free?
ProLab Film Developer costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do SmartLab35 or ProLab Film Developer have ads?
Neither SmartLab35 nor ProLab Film Developer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SmartLab35 or ProLab Film Developer?
SmartLab35 ships an update every 5 weeks, and ProLab Film Developer every 3 months. Most recently, SmartLab35 was updated on September 23, 2026 and ProLab Film Developer on September 18, 2026.

Other comparisons