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Research · head to head

Castor EDC vs Scispot

Castor EDC logo

Castor EDC

Research

Electronic data capture and eConsent for clinical trials, built for investigator-initiated studies as well as sponsors

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Scispot logo

Scispot

Research

No-code lab operating system combining LIMS, ELN and inventory for biotech teams

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Castor EDC nothing is published: pricing is quoted only after a scoping call and protocol review, so budgeting a grant application means asking for a quote months before the study is funded and hoping the scope holds.; Scispot pricing is presented as four dollar sign bands with no figures, so a vendor whose marketing attacks competitor pricing opacity requires a discovery call before telling you its own numbers.
  • They diverge on capability: Castor EDC covers Browser-based study build, Scispot covers No-code configuration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Castor EDC and Scispot actually diverge.

Attributes where Castor EDC and Scispot differ
AttributeCastor EDCScispot
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, API

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Research).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Castor EDC

  • Browser-based study build
  • 21 CFR Part 11 workflows
  • eConsent
  • ePRO and surveys
  • Randomisation
  • Per-study licensing
  • Grant-funded pricing paths
  • Data export

Only in Scispot

  • No-code configuration
  • LIMS and ELN together
  • Inventory management
  • Instrument integration
  • Audit trails and e-signatures
  • API and data layer
  • Validation support
  • Integrations

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Castor EDC

  • An academic hospital running an investigator-initiated trial that cannot fund a sponsor-grade EDC contract or a data management CROnot Scispot
  • A medical device company collecting post-market clinical follow-up data with Part 11 audit trailsnot Scispot
  • A multi-site registry that needs remote eConsent because participants are recruited nationally rather than at a clinicnot Scispot
  • A biotech running a small phase two study that wants the database built by its own clinical team in weeks rather than commissionednot Scispot

Scispot

  • A Series A biotech replacing a folder of spreadsheets before a partner or investor audit exposes the gapnot Castor EDC
  • A diagnostics company that needs sample chain of custody and electronic signatures without a year-long LIMS implementationnot Castor EDC
  • A contract research organisation configuring different workflows per client without buying a separate instance each timenot Castor EDC
  • A computational team that wants laboratory data queryable through an API rather than exported by handnot Castor EDC

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Castor EDC

  • Nothing is published: pricing is quoted only after a scoping call and protocol review, so budgeting a grant application means asking for a quote months before the study is funded and hoping the scope holds.
  • Price scales on protocol complexity rather than a simple unit, so two studies with the same participant count can be quoted very differently and there is no public benchmark to argue against.
  • Modules such as eConsent, ePRO and randomisation are quoted on top of the base platform, so the headline EDC figure is rarely the number that appears on the final proposal.
  • It is deliberately lighter than the full sponsor suites, so a study that grows into a global registrational programme needing integrated CTMS, safety, IRT and full trial supply management will need additional systems and the interfaces between them.
  • Regulatory responsibility does not transfer with the software: the platform supports Part 11 compliant workflows, but system validation for your intended use, SOPs and audit readiness remain your obligation and your cost, which sponsors new to EDC consistently underestimate.

Scispot

  • Pricing is presented as four dollar sign bands with no figures, so a vendor whose marketing attacks competitor pricing opacity requires a discovery call before telling you its own numbers.
  • Compliance capability is bundled into tier scope rather than itemised, which makes it hard to tell at purchase whether the tier you are quoted actually covers the Part 11 controls your auditor will ask for.
  • Validation remains your responsibility: the vendor supplies support and correctly states that no platform makes a lab compliant, but the documentation effort and its cost sit with your quality function.
  • It is a young and small vendor holding your primary scientific record, so business continuity, data escrow and full export guarantees need to be settled contractually rather than assumed.
  • Instrument integration breadth is narrower than the established LIMS vendors, so labs with older or unusual analysers may need custom connector work that undercuts the no-code promise.

Pricing, plan by plan

Castor EDC

On request
  • Castor EDC$undefined/year
    • Priced per study on protocol complexity, duration, sites and modules
    • 21 CFR Part 11 and ICH GCP workflows
    • eConsent, ePRO and randomisation modules quoted separately

Scispot

On request
  • Scispot$undefined/year
    • Custom annual pricing released after a discovery call
    • Four relative investment tiers shown only as dollar sign bands
    • Mid tier adds roles, e-signatures, approvals, audit trails and validation support

Which should you pick?

Choose Castor EDC if

  • You need browser-based study build.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want 21 cfr part 11 workflows.
Castor EDC review

Choose Scispot if

  • You need no-code configuration.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want lims and eln together.
Scispot review

Questions people ask

Is Castor EDC or Scispot better?
Neither clearly leads. Castor EDC starts at On request and Scispot at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Castor EDC or Scispot?
Castor EDC starts at On request and Scispot at On request.
Does Castor EDC or Scispot run on more platforms?
Castor EDC runs on Web, iOS, Android. Scispot runs on Web, API.
What is Castor EDC best used for?
Castor EDC is most often used for an academic hospital running an investigator-initiated trial that cannot fund a sponsor-grade edc contract or a data management cro, a medical device company collecting post-market clinical follow-up data with part 11 audit trails, a multi-site registry that needs remote econsent because participants are recruited nationally rather than at a clinic, a biotech running a small phase two study that wants the database built by its own clinical team in weeks rather than commissioned. Of those, an academic hospital running an investigator-initiated trial that cannot fund a sponsor-grade edc contract or a data management cro and a medical device company collecting post-market clinical follow-up data with part 11 audit trails are not what Scispot is typically brought in for.
What can Castor EDC do that Scispot cannot?
Castor EDC covers Browser-based study build, 21 CFR Part 11 workflows, eConsent, ePRO and surveys. Scispot covers No-code configuration, LIMS and ELN together, Inventory management, Instrument integration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Castor EDC: Is there a free academic version?

No published free tier. There are academic, non-profit and grant-funded pricing paths, but each is quoted rather than self-service.

Scispot: How much does Scispot cost?

It does not publish figures. The pricing page shows four relative investment tiers as dollar sign bands, with real numbers given after a discovery call.

Castor EDC: Is it 21 CFR Part 11 compliant?

It supports Part 11 compliant workflows with audit trails and electronic signatures. Validating the system for your specific use remains your responsibility.

Scispot: Does it support 21 CFR Part 11?

It can be configured for Part 11 controlled workflows with roles, e-signatures, approvals and audit trails from the mid tier, and it supports ALCOA+ principles. Validation of your configuration is still your responsibility.

Castor EDC: Do I need a programmer to build a study?

No. Case report forms are configured in the browser, which is the main reason academic groups adopt it.

Scispot: Is it a LIMS or an ELN?

Both, plus inventory, in one subscription rather than separately licensed products.

Castor EDC: How long does a quote take?

Castor states a full pricing proposal within five business days of sharing the protocol.

Scispot: Who is it not for?

Large regulated manufacturers with existing validated LIMS estates, and any lab that needs deep integration with an unusual analyser fleet.

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