# Labs | Bio vs The Microbiologist's Handbook

The clearest difference is price: The Microbiologist's Handbook at Free against Labs | Bio's $1.99. The Microbiologist's Handbook also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

The Microbiologist's Handbook is free to download; Labs | Bio costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Labs | Bio ships an update monthly, The Microbiologist's Handbook every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Labs | Bio | The Microbiologist's Handbook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Size | 2 MB | 90 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Not Applicable](https://appshunter.io/developer/1743923679) | [The Microbiologist's Handbook Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1824109864) |

## What reviewers say

### Labs | Bio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/labs-bio/id6474491656)

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Microbiologist's Handbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-microbiologists-handbook/id6748052816)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Labs | Bio free?

Labs | Bio costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Microbiologist's Handbook free?

The Microbiologist's Handbook is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Labs | Bio or The Microbiologist's Handbook have ads?

Neither Labs | Bio nor The Microbiologist's Handbook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Labs | Bio or The Microbiologist's Handbook?

Labs | Bio ships an update monthly, and The Microbiologist's Handbook every 6 weeks. Most recently, Labs | Bio was updated on October 27, 2026 and The Microbiologist's Handbook on October 28, 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.*