What Is the Difference Between iPeak and iPeak Plus Lateral Flow Readers?

iPeak and iPeak Plus are two lateral flow readers from IUL's MedIUL division, and the split between them comes down to detection chemistry and cassette format. iPeak is the fluorescence reader for fluorescence-labeled lateral flow tests. iPeak Plus is a colorimetric reader built for larger cassettes, reading up to 7 lines per strip and up to 5 strips in a single cassette. If your assay is fluorescence-based, iPeak is the relevant instrument; if you run colorimetric tests in large cassettes and need multi-strip, multi-line readout, iPeak Plus is the one to look at.

The core difference: fluorescence vs. colorimetric

The two readers are not interchangeable versions of the same device — they read different signal types.

Both sit under MedIUL, IUL's line of lateral flow test readers for in-vitro diagnostics (IVD). The shared "iPeak" name signals a common family, but the Plus extends the platform in a specific direction: colorimetric reading of physically larger, denser cassettes.

When iPeak Plus is the right choice

iPeak Plus is positioned for labs whose tests produce a visible colorimetric signal rather than a fluorescent one, and whose cassettes are large enough that a standard reader format would not fit. The published specifications — up to 7 lines in one strip and up to 5 strips in one cassette — point to two practical situations:

• Multiplex panels. A single strip carrying several test lines means one cassette can report multiple analytes at once, so a reader that resolves all 7 lines matters for panel-style assays.
• Higher throughput per cassette. Five strips in one cassette lets you process more tests per insertion instead of feeding strips one at a time.

If neither of those describes your workflow, the extra capacity of the Plus may not be the deciding factor — the detection chemistry still is.

What to check before choosing

Because the source material does not publish full specifications for either reader, confirm these points against your own assay before deciding:

1. Label type. Fluorescence-labeled test → iPeak. Colorimetric → iPeak Plus. This is the first filter and the one that rules out the other instrument.
2. Cassette dimensions. iPeak Plus is explicitly described as handling large cassettes. Measure your cassette against the reader's accepted format rather than assuming.
3. Line and strip count. If your assay needs more than a single read line, or you want multiple strips read in one pass, the Plus specifications are the relevant benchmark.
4. IVD context. Both are IVD-oriented readers. If your use is research or non-IVD, confirm fit with IUL directly.

Where these fit in IUL's portfolio

IUL has operated since 1987 and today runs two main divisions: microbiology lab solutions (IUL Micro) and lateral flow readers (MedIUL), plus an OEM arm. The iPeak family belongs to MedIUL. That matters for buyers because it tells you the support and regulatory framing around these readers is the diagnostics side of the business, not the classical microbiology instrument side.

For the microbiology lab side — automated colony counting, air sampling, and similar devices — the relevant products are separate, such as SphereFlash AI colony counting software and the Spin Air air sampler. Don't conflate those with the iPeak readers when scoping a purchase.

Practical next step

Match your assay first, then the hardware: fluorescence or colorimetric, then cassette size, then line/strip count. If your answer lands on colorimetric plus large cassettes plus multi-line or multi-strip readout, iPeak Plus is the intended fit. If it lands on fluorescence, iPeak is. For exact cassette tolerances and validated assay compatibility, request the current specifications from IUL, since the public product pages summarize capabilities rather than list full technical limits.