Comparison
LI-COR withdrew Image Studio Lite, once the most downloaded western blot software, and replaced it with the paid Empiria Studio. It later brought Image Studio back as a free download. So if you are looking for Image Studio Lite today, you have three realistic choices: Image Studio, Empiria Studio, or independent software such as Phoretix 1D. This guide sets out which one fits which lab, including where LI-COR's own software is the better choice.
On this page
- What happened to Image Studio Lite
- The three options in one paragraph each
- Comparison table
- When LI-COR's software is the right choice
- When Phoretix 1D is the right choice
- Price and licensing
- Frequently asked questions
What happened to Image Studio Lite
Image Studio Lite was a free version of LI-COR's Image Studio that researchers used to quantify western blots from Odyssey imagers and from other sources. LI-COR discontinued it in 2021 and pointed users to Empiria Studio, which is licensed. LI-COR's Image Studio Lite page now says Lite is no longer available and that Image Studio Software has been brought back for free in response to user feedback.
The current free version is Image Studio 6.2. It runs on Windows 10 and 11 and on recent macOS releases, and LI-COR describes it as optimized for its own imagers.
The three options in one paragraph each
Image Studio (free). Image Studio acquires and analyzes images in one program for LI-COR imagers, including the Odyssey M, Odyssey F, Odyssey XF, C-DiGit and Pearl Trilogy. It also imports third-party TIFF, PNG and JPEG files. Version 6.2 added analysis templates and batch analysis for plate, grid, morphology and In-Cell Western analyses. LI-COR's documentation does not list western lane analysis among the template types.
Empiria Studio (licensed). Empiria Studio is LI-COR's guided analysis software for western blots, gels, multiwell plates, slides and small animal images acquired on LI-COR imagers. It walks users through antibody validation, linear range determination and housekeeping protein validation, then calculates fold change and replicate statistics. It analyzes up to 26 lanes, and its quantitative western blot experiments take up to three images and four targets.
Phoretix 1D (licensed). Phoretix 1D is independent 1D gel and western blot analysis software from TotalLab. It reads images from any imager, has no lane limit, and automates lane and band detection, background subtraction, molecular weight calibration and normalization. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and ARM computers, and adds 21 CFR Part 11 controls through AuditSafe.
Comparison table
| Criterion | Image Studio 6.2 | Empiria Studio 3.3 | Phoretix 1D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Licensed per user | Licensed per computer |
| Images it is built for | LI-COR imagers; imports third-party TIFF, PNG and JPEG | LI-COR imagers | Any imager: 8-bit to 16-bit and higher TIFF, multi-page and multiplex TIFF, Bio-Rad .scn, IMG, JPEG, PNG, BMP |
| Lanes per analysis | Set by the user | Up to 26 | No limit; several lane boxes per image |
| Guided validation (antibody, linear range, housekeeping protein) | No | Yes | No |
| Saturated band warning | See LI-COR documentation | See LI-COR documentation | Highlights saturated bands |
| Normalization | Normalization channel | Total protein, housekeeping protein, pan-target | Reference band, most intense band, total lane volume, housekeeping channel |
| Fold change and replicate statistics | Not listed | Yes | No; one-click CSV export for Excel or Prism |
| Reusable analysis settings for western blots | Templates cover plate, grid, morphology and In-Cell Western | Guided workflows per experiment | Saved protocols; under a minute per image |
| Band matching and dendrograms | Not listed | Not listed | Yes: similarity matrix, UPGMA and neighbor-joining |
| Operating systems | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS (Intel and Apple silicon), Linux, ARM |
| 21 CFR Part 11 | Separate Image Studio 21 CFR Part 11 edition, client/server, installed by LI-COR | Not listed on LI-COR's regulatory page | With AuditSafe: audit trails, electronic signatures, user permissions, image authenticity checks; IQ/OQ available |
Competitor facts checked against LI-COR documentation on 3 November 2026. Vendor features change, so confirm current specifications with each supplier.
When LI-COR's software is the right choice
If every image in your lab comes from an Odyssey or another LI-COR imager, start with LI-COR's own software. Image Studio is free and acquires and analyzes in one place. Empiria Studio adds things Phoretix 1D does not have: guided antibody, linear range and housekeeping protein validation, and fold change and %CV calculated across replicates.
LI-COR also publishes multi-user reproducibility data for Empiria's automatic lane finding and background subtraction. For a single-vendor research lab focused on publication-ready western blots, that is a strong package at a low price.
When Phoretix 1D is the right choice
Phoretix 1D is built for labs where that single-vendor assumption breaks.
You own more than one imager. A ChemiDoc in one room and an Odyssey in another usually means two analysis packages and two sets of settings. Phoretix 1D reads both, natively opens Bio-Rad .scn files, and applies one saved protocol to every image.
Your gels are bigger than 26 lanes. Phoretix 1D has no lane limit and takes several lane boxes per image, so multi-tier gels and several blots in one scan are analyzed together.
Several people share one analysis computer. A Phoretix 1D license covers a computer, not a person, with no limit on users and support and updates included.
You work on Linux, or offline. Phoretix 1D runs on Linux and ARM as well as Windows and macOS, and activates online or offline for air-gapped computers.
You need 21 CFR Part 11 or EU Annex 11 records. Combined with AuditSafe, Phoretix 1D records who did what and when, enforces electronic signatures and user permissions, and checks image authenticity, with in-person IQ/OQ available.
You quantify more than western blots. The same software analyzes SDS-PAGE, DNA and RNA gels, Northern and Southern blots, thin-layer chromatography, lateral flow tests and zymograms.
Analysis of our Western Blots was performed in approximately 30 seconds using the fully automated process. The program is easy to navigate; analyses were performed with confidence by myself and by graduate students after a five minute demonstration.
Price and licensing
Image Studio is free. Empiria Studio is sold per user, with each license tied to that user's LI-COR account. LI-COR lists it at $323 for one user and $1,213 for five, which includes a year of updates, then an optional annual renewal. A free trial is available.
Phoretix 1D is licensed per computer, with unlimited users on that computer, and includes unlimited technical support, training and updates. Multi-license and site-wide pricing is available. Contact TotalLab for a quote, or start a free trial on your own images.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still download Image Studio Lite?
No. LI-COR states that Image Studio Lite is no longer available. The current free download is Image Studio 6.2, from licorbio.com.
What replaced Image Studio Lite?
LI-COR replaced it with Empiria Studio, a licensed program, and later reinstated Image Studio Software as a free download. Independent software such as Phoretix 1D is a third option, especially for labs with more than one imager.
Can Image Studio analyze images from other imagers?
Yes. Image Studio imports third-party TIFF, PNG and JPEG images, although LI-COR describes it as optimized for its own imagers.
Can Phoretix 1D analyze Odyssey images?
Yes. Export a 16-bit TIFF from your LI-COR software and open it in Phoretix 1D. Multi-page and multichannel TIFFs open with each page as a channel.
Does Phoretix 1D check the linear range?
Phoretix 1D highlights saturated bands, which catches the most common cause of non-linear signal. It does not run a linear range experiment. If you need one, load a dilution series and check that band volume rises in proportion to the amount loaded.
Does Phoretix 1D calculate fold change across replicate blots?
No. Phoretix 1D normalizes band volumes within a blot and exports them to CSV in one click, ready for replicate statistics in Excel or Prism.
Is there a 21 CFR Part 11 option?
LI-COR offers a separate Image Studio 21 CFR Part 11 edition. Phoretix 1D meets 21 CFR Part 11 and EU Annex 11 requirements when combined with AuditSafe, which also covers other software in the lab.
How do I cite Phoretix 1D in a paper?
“Band intensities were quantified by densitometry using Phoretix 1D (TotalLab Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK) with rolling-ball background subtraction, and normalized to total lane protein [or: to a housekeeping band].”
Try it on your own blots
The fairest comparison uses your images. Export a TIFF from whichever imager you own, open it in a free Phoretix 1D trial, and compare the automated result with what you get now.
References
- LI-COR Biosciences. Image Studio Lite page. https://www.licorbio.com/image-studio-lite (Source for: Lite no longer available; Image Studio brought back free after user feedback.)
- Wikipedia. Image Studio Lite. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_Studio_Lite (Source for: discontinuation notice retrieved 19 August 2021.)
- LI-COR Biosciences. Image Studio Software. https://www.licorbio.com/image-studio (Source for: version 6.2, free, supported imagers and operating systems, optimized for LI-COR imagers.)
- LI-COR Biosciences. Image Studio import options. https://licor.com/bio/support/contents/software/image-studio/import.html (Source for: third-party TIFF, PNG and JPEG import.)
- LI-COR Biosciences. Image Studio analysis automation. https://www.licorbio.com/support/software/image_studio/analysis-automation.html (Source for: template types; batch analysis.)
- LI-COR Biosciences. Empiria Studio. https://www.licorbio.com/empiria-studio (Source for: assay types, 26 lanes, validation workflows, fold change and statistics, prices, license terms.)
- LI-COR Biosciences. Download Empiria Studio. https://www.licorbio.com/empiria-studio/download-empiria (Source for: version 3.3, supported imagers, operating systems.)
- LI-COR Biosciences. Empiria Studio Answer Portal. https://www.licorbio.com/support/answer-portal/software/empiria-studio.html (Source for: one license per user tied to an individual LI-COR account.)
- LI-COR Biosciences. Quantitative Western Blot overview. https://www.licorbio.com/support/contents/software/empiria-studio/quantitative-western-blot/getting-started.html (Source for: maximum three images and four targets per experiment.)
- LI-COR Biosciences. Regulatory products and services. https://www.licorbio.com/services/regulatory (Source for: Image Studio 21 CFR Part 11 edition features and installation.)
- TotalLab. Phoretix 1D. https://totallab.com/software/1d-gel-western-blot-analysis-software/ (Source for: Phoretix 1D formats, platforms, licensing, support, testimonial.)
- TotalLab. AuditSafe. https://totallab.com/software/21-cfr-part-11-overlay/ (Source for: Part 11 and Annex 11 controls, IQ/OQ.)
Keep reading
All Phoretix 1D resources →- ComparisonWestern Blot & Gel Analysis Software Compared (2026 Guide)Compare western blot densitometry software: Phoretix 1D, ImageJ, Image Lab, Empiria Studio, iBright, GelAnalyzer. Features, platforms, Part 11.
- GuideHow to capture quantitative western blot and gel imagesHow to capture western blot and gel images you can quantify: 16-bit grayscale, the linear range and the two kinds of saturation, choosing the exposure, resolution, file formats and a 12-point checklist.
- GuideTotal protein normalization for western blotsHow total protein normalization works, how stain-free, Ponceau S and fluorescent total protein stains compare, how to capture a valid total protein image, and how to normalize to total lane volume in Phoretix 1D.
Phoretix 1DAutomated lane and band detection, densitometry and normalization for 1D gels and western blots.