LabCollector ELN

Overview

LabCollector ELN is an electronic notebook for organizing experimental records into searchable, shareable books. It suits labs that want customizable records alongside broader lab-management tools. Its strongest case is flexible structure and deployment; regulated signature workflows require the separate Compliancy Pack.

Key features

Tree-organized books, keyword and content search, and an editor for text, tables, images, linked LabCollector records, and spreadsheets give teams several ways to capture and retrieve experimental work. Spreadsheet choices include a flat spreadsheet and Zoho Sheet. Custom fields and templates for pages, reactions, and spreadsheets let labs adapt records to their processes, while workflows can be associated with pages.

Teams can share books. Audit trails, activity and task-time logs, and optional versioning for books, experiments, and pages help track work and changes. User-level permissions and automatic backups every 30 seconds, with manual backup also available, support routine record management. Electronic signature validation based on CFR 21 Part 11 is confined to the Compliancy Pack, an important qualification for labs whose processes depend on signatures.

The Chemistry plugin supports reaction design for notebook pages and reports, including importing structures from LabCollector’s Chemical Structures module. Integrations include Zoho spreadsheets, Elasticsearch search, OpenAI audio transcription, and Trinka text enhancement. The product can run on hosted infrastructure or be self-hosted, including on an intranet, one computer, or a web server account. Supported environments include Windows 11 and later, Windows Server 2019 and later, Linux, MacOS X 10.x and later, Apache, Nginx, IIS, and recent Ajax-enabled browsers.

Pricing

The free Startup Pack is free, billed Free for a lifetime. It allows 3 users, 1,000 data records, 1 recipe/SOP, and optional ELN use capped at 500 pages and experiments. It is a useful entry point for a small team, but its record and notebook limits make it a constrained fit for growing or data-heavy labs.

The LabCollector ELN limited-time offer costs €25 a month, billed €25/user/month. It includes a 5-user LabCollector license plus ELN, with 25 licenses available at this price and the discounted price guaranteed for the license lifetime; the page also shows a crossed-out €3000/year price. This is the direct paid option for a five-user team wanting ELN access at the stated offer rate.

Inventory Pack starts at €400 a year, billed From 400€ /user /year, and includes from 3 users, unlimited records, custom fields, recipes, and SOPs. ELN Pack starts at €600 a year, billed From 600€ /user /year, includes Inventory Pack, and adds unlimited pages and experiments, with user groups optional. It fits teams that have outgrown the free ELN cap and need broader notebook capacity; the per-user annual pricing means team size matters. LIMS/LIS Pack starts at €1,000 a year, billed From 1000€ /user /year, includes Inventory Pack, and adds unlimited test catalog, parameters, and patients, making it the broader fit for labs needing those LIMS/LIS functions rather than only notebook features. A free plan and 30-day trial are offered.

Platforms

LabCollector ELN supports Android, API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted deployment, web, and Windows. Cloud hosting and self-hosting provide a choice between hosted access and running the application within a lab’s own environment.

Who it's for

AgileBio says LabCollector ELN is suitable for small and large academic institutions, startups, and globally operating laboratories. Its configurable templates, team sharing, and deployment options support varied lab setups, but the free pack is better suited to a small team with modest record needs than to a large operation.

Pros and cons

• Flexible record design: Custom fields, multiple template types, and page-linked workflows can accommodate different laboratory processes.
• Useful change context: Audit trails and optional versioning extend beyond basic notebook entry, though electronic signatures require the separate Compliancy Pack.
• Deployment choice: Hosted and self-hosted options suit labs with different infrastructure preferences; self-hosting entails running the application in the chosen environment.
• Free tier has firm ceilings: Three users, 1,000 records, and at most 500 ELN pages and experiments can constrain expansion.
• Paid capacity is per user: Annual pack prices are quoted from a per-user amount, so larger teams need to account for seats as they choose a plan.

Alternatives

For other options, see Electronic Lab Notebook Software. Choose LabArchives if its free plan’s two owned notebooks, 1GB per user, 25MB file limit, and SnapGene and GraphPad Prism integrations match your needs. eLabFTW is a fit for teams seeking free AGPLv3 self-hosted software that can handle server hosting and administration. SciNote offers a free plan for one user with a dedicated workspace and no guaranteed support; its premium plans require a quote.

Labfolder uses quote-based pricing that depends on user count. Academic researchers can consider Benchling Notebook for its free academic plan, which includes Notebook and Molecular Biology; its industry solution is customized. NETVIBES is another option. Chemotion ELN is a free alternative. ELabELN offers unlimited users without per-seat fees.

Verdict

LabCollector ELN is a strong choice for laboratories that want searchable, customizable notebooks integrated with broader lab-management capabilities and the freedom to self-host or use cloud hosting. The free pack provides a bounded way to start, while ELN Pack removes page and experiment caps. Look elsewhere if you need CFR 21 Part 11 signature validation without purchasing the Compliancy Pack, or if the free tier’s small-team and record limits do not fit your lab.