RSpace
RSpace is an open-source electronic research notebook and research data management platform for research workflows.
What RSpace is
RSpace is an open-source electronic research notebook and research data management platform for research workflows. Its web application supports real-time collaboration, granular sharing controls, comments, and annotations. Chemical drawing and automatic stoichiometry calculations support reaction planning, while RSpace Inventory manages samples alongside notebook documentation. Forms can capture structured fields and connect with ontologies for FAIR research metadata. The ELN exports records to PDF, Word, HTML, XML, and RO-Crate formats; listed export options also include JSON. A RESTful API supports custom integrations and workflows. RSpace states that user data is encrypted at rest and over a network and that it supports 21 CFR Part 11 compliance and GLP. Research Space identifies itself as ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certified. Users access it in a modern browser without installing end-user software. Enterprise customers can choose on-premises deployment or a private AWS instance.
Good
- Real-time collaboration with granular sharing controls
- Supports chemical drawing and stoichiometry calculations
- Exports to PDF, Word, HTML, XML, and RO-Crate
- RESTful API for custom integrations and workflows
- Offers on-premises or private AWS Enterprise deployment
Watch out
- Named connectors on the integrations page are marked “Soon!”
- Migration cannot transfer Global IDs, digital signatures, or full audit history
Who it suits
RSpace may suit researchers, data managers, librarians, stewards, research computing specialists, and policymakers who need a shared notebook and research data workflows. Enterprise customers can choose on-premises or private AWS deployment.
Verdict
RSpace brings notebook records, sample inventory, structured metadata, and collaboration into one research platform. Consider the limits on migration and confirm integration availability before choosing it.
Plans and prices
From RSpace's own pricing page, checked 8 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| RSpace Open Source | Free | Self-install with your own engineers · migration cannot transfer Global IDs, digital signatures, or full audit history |
| Team (Academia) | $6,000 a year | Managed RSpace instance · open-source features · Microsoft 365 interoperability · private AWS instance · backups · uptime SLA · basic training/support · Minimal annual subscription |
| Team (Commercial) | $12,000 a year | Managed RSpace instance · open-source features · Microsoft 365 interoperability · private AWS instance · backups · uptime SLA · basic training/support · Minimal annual subscription |
| Enterprise (Academia) | $34,000 a year | On-premises or private AWS · SAML2/LDAP SSO · live training · migration · integration assistance · premium support · advanced analytics · co-branding · HIPAA available at extra charge · Minimal annual subscription |
| Enterprise (Commercial) | $34,000 a year | On-premises or private AWS · SAML2/LDAP SSO · live training · migration · integration assistance · premium support · advanced analytics · co-branding · HIPAA available at extra charge · Minimal annual subscription |
| Infrastructure | Priced on request | Custom open-source deployment into a Research Cloud or Research Commons · tailored services and support |
The facts
Each one read from RSpace's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Accreditations
- The site identifies Research Space as ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certified.checked 8 Oct 2026
- API
- RSpace exposes REST APIs for programmatic search, retrieval, document creation, file upload, sharing and data export.checked 15 Oct 2026
- API documentation depth
- The documentation hub lists seven developer articles covering API and SDK configuration, examples and community projects.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Audit and signatures
- The product includes audit trails, version history, signing and witnessing features.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Chemistry
- RSpace includes chemical drawing and automatic stoichiometry calculations for reaction planning.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Chemistry workflows
- RSpace provides chemical drawing, stoichiometry calculations and chemistry-specific data management.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Collaboration
- The ELN supports real-time collaboration, granular sharing controls, comments, and annotations.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Collaborative notebooks
- The ELN supports real-time collaboration, granular sharing controls, templates and structured organization.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Compliance
- Official feature material states GDPR, 21 CFR Part 11 and GLP compliance, plus suitability for NIH Data Sharing Policy requirements.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- Enterprise customers can choose on-premises deployment or a private AWS instance in a location of their choice.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Deployment choices
- Customers can use a managed AWS instance, private cloud or on-premises deployment, with data located in their country or the EU for EU states.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Documentation and support
- The help center lists 109 researcher articles, 49 system-administrator articles, 34 inventory articles and seven developer articles; paid customers receive email and in-app support.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Exports
- Documents and files can be exported as HTML, XML, PDF, DOC and RO-Crate, with repository export options such as Figshare and Dataverse.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Integration availability
- The integrations page marks many listed connectors, including S3, Box, ChemDraw, Dataverse, Dropbox and Figshare, as coming soon.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The site advertises more than 20 integrations spanning storage, repositories, data-management-plan tools, chemistry, biology, instruments and collaboration software.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The company describes its work as serving researchers, research data managers, librarians, stewards, research computing specialists, and policymakers.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Inventory
- Its integrated inventory system manages samples alongside experimental documentation.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: perceived value and adoption
- Another Reddit user described RSpace as expensive for what it does and said colleagues rarely used its collaborative note-taking feature.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: performance and file organization
- A Reddit reviewer reported that RSpace felt slow and that attached files were dumped into one large gallery, making retrieval difficult.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Metadata
- Forms support structured fields and ontology integration for FAIR research metadata.checked 8 Oct 2026
The company
- Company headquarters
- LinkedIn lists headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Company history
- Research Space says its originating company was spun out of the University of Edinburgh in 2003 by neuro-informatics researchers.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Company size
- LinkedIn lists ResearchSpace as a privately held software company with 11–50 employees.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2003checked 28 Sep 2026
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