eLabFTW is an electronic laboratory notebook for documenting experiments and managing research resources. Its self-hosted platform combines entries, attachments, templates, and team organization, helping laboratories keep experimental records in a searchable system under their administration.
Experiment records
Reusable templates
Resource inventory
Attachments and search
Is it a good fit?
Best suited to
Research groups maintaining electronic lab records
Before you choose
Requires secure hosting and backups. Regulated workflows need separate validation.
Editorial assessment based on the provider’s published information. Our method
Know what you're signing up for.
The AGPLv3 software is available without a license subscription and includes Experiment records and Reusable templates. You provide the server, administration, backups, and any external services; managed hosting is not included.
Open-source software
$0software license
Self-hosted software is free; server infrastructure and administration cost extra.
Create a template for one recurring experiment and agree on required metadata before importing older notes. Set team permissions deliberately and test backup restoration with attachments included. Use consistent resource names and record changes promptly, while evaluating any institutional or regulatory recordkeeping requirements independently of the software's feature list.
This is best suited to research groups maintaining electronic lab records. Before committing a larger project, account for these trade-offs: requires secure hosting and backups; regulated workflows need separate validation.
A few things you might be wondering.
Is eLabFTW free?
The AGPLv3 software is available without a license subscription and includes Experiment records and Reusable templates. You provide the server, administration, backups, and any external services; managed hosting is not included.
Can eLabFTW track resources as well as experiments?
Yes. Resource and inventory records complement notebook entries.
Does installation automatically establish regulatory compliance?
No. Processes, configuration, and any required validation must be assessed separately.
Where can I check the latest prices?
Use the provider link on this page. Billing period, location, team size, promotions, taxes, and optional extras may affect the amount you pay.
How should I compare this tool with alternatives?
Choose tools for the same task, then compare their feature limits, platform support, and total cost for your team. The Compare button helps you keep a shortlist.
Are the user reviews moderated?
Yes. New reviews are submitted for moderation. We show published user reviews separately from the editorial overview and never assign a default user rating.
SageMath combines open-source mathematical tools into a common environment for symbolic algebra, numerical computation, and advanced mathematics. It supports interactive work and scripting, helping students and researchers explore problems across algebra, number theory, calculus, and related fields.
Free open-source software
No software subscription; hardware, support and any separately licensed extras are not included.
GNU Octave is a numerical computing environment with a language suited to matrix operations and scientific calculations. It offers interactive and scripted work, plotting, and packages for specialized tasks, with substantial compatibility with many MATLAB-style programs.
Free open-source software
No software subscription; hardware, support and any separately licensed extras are not included.
Scilab is a numerical computing application for engineering and scientific analysis, with a programming language, plotting, and mathematical functions. Its Xcos environment adds graphical modeling of dynamic systems, supporting both scripted calculations and block-diagram exploration.
Free open-source software
No software subscription; hardware, support and any separately licensed extras are not included.
