# IDEXX VetConnect® PLUS vs LaboRef

The clearest difference is update cadence: IDEXX VetConnect® PLUS at every 2 months against LaboRef's every 40 months. LaboRef's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

IDEXX VetConnect® PLUS ships an update every 2 months, LaboRef every 40 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IDEXX VetConnect® PLUS | LaboRef |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (537 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idexx-vetconnect-plus/id791228999/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **537** | — |
| Positive reviews | 36.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 40 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 81 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [IDEXX Laboratories](https://appshunter.io/developer/791229002) | [LABOklin Labor fuer klinische Diagnostik GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1102850109) |

## What reviewers say

### IDEXX VetConnect® PLUS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idexx-vetconnect-plus/id791228999)

Access complete patient diagnostic results for viewing and interpretation on your mobile device. Receive customizable notifications for test results and easily monitor patient status 24/7. View historical data and trends with optimized reports and images for on-the-go analysis.

**Highlights:** Instant patient status updates, Customizable results notifications, Optimized mobile results viewing, Side-by-side historical trend analysis, Pathology and cytology report viewing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📱 Convenient access to lab results on-the-go
- 🚀 Fast result notifications and updates
- 👍 User-friendly interface (older versions)
- 📊 Trending and graphing capabilities
- ⭐ Excellent customer support availability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent forced logouts and session issues
- 📉 Significant functionality loss in recent updates
- ❌ Poor iPad/tablet optimization and responsiveness
- 🔍 Search functionality removed in recent versions
- 📱 Portrait-only mode limiting on larger screens

**Reported bugs**

- Connection error in 'All Complete' tab with non-functional retry button
- Unable to login after recent updates despite valid credentials
- App won't connect or display results after upgrades
- Constant session logouts preventing notifications
- Error messages on iPad preventing access

**Requested features**

- Search functionality for patients
- iPad/tablet optimized version
- Landscape mode support
- Reference ranges displayed without extra clicks
- Email results directly to clients


### LaboRef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/laboref/id1102850110)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IDEXX VetConnect® PLUS free?

IDEXX VetConnect® PLUS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is LaboRef free?

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

### Do IDEXX VetConnect® PLUS or LaboRef have ads?

Neither IDEXX VetConnect® PLUS nor LaboRef shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IDEXX VetConnect® PLUS or LaboRef?

IDEXX VetConnect® PLUS ships an update every 2 months, and LaboRef every 40 months. Most recently, IDEXX VetConnect® PLUS was updated on November 1, 2026 and LaboRef 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.*