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Research · head to head

Castor EDC vs STARLIMS

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
STARLIMS logo

STARLIMS

Research

Laboratory information management from Abbott for regulated and public health labs

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.; STARLIMS implementation is lengthy and outcome quality depends heavily on the partner doing the configuration
  • They diverge on capability: Castor EDC covers Browser-based study build, STARLIMS covers Sample and specimen management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Castor EDC and STARLIMS differ
AttributeCastor EDCSTARLIMS
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Windows, Cloud, On-premise

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 STARLIMS

  • Sample and specimen management
  • Quality management
  • Instrument integration
  • Public health reporting
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Web and mobile access

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 STARLIMS
  • A medical device company collecting post-market clinical follow-up data with Part 11 audit trailsnot STARLIMS
  • A multi-site registry that needs remote eConsent because participants are recruited nationally rather than at a clinicnot STARLIMS
  • A biotech running a small phase two study that wants the database built by its own clinical team in weeks rather than commissionednot STARLIMS

STARLIMS

  • Public health laboratories handling surveillance and outbreak investigationnot Castor EDC
  • Clinical laboratories needing regulated specimen tracking and reportingnot Castor EDC
  • Food safety and environmental testing laboratoriesnot Castor EDC
  • Multi-site laboratory networks standardising methods and specificationsnot 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.

STARLIMS

  • Implementation is lengthy and outcome quality depends heavily on the partner doing the configuration
  • Pricing is quote-based with no public reference, making early budget setting difficult
  • The breadth across laboratory types means some verticals get less development attention than others
  • Interface modernisation has lagged behind newer cloud-native laboratory platforms
  • Over-specified for small laboratories, where a lighter LIMS delivers most of the value for a fraction of the effort

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

STARLIMS

On request
  • STARLIMS$undefined/year
    • Sample management
    • Quality management
    • Instrument integration

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 STARLIMS if

  • You need sample and specimen management.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Cloud, On-premise.
  • You also want quality management.
STARLIMS review

Questions people ask

Is Castor EDC or STARLIMS better?
Neither clearly leads. Castor EDC starts at On request and STARLIMS at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Castor EDC or STARLIMS?
Castor EDC starts at On request and STARLIMS at On request.
Does Castor EDC or STARLIMS run on more platforms?
Castor EDC runs on Web, iOS, Android. STARLIMS runs on Web, Windows, Cloud, On-premise.
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 STARLIMS is typically brought in for.
What can Castor EDC do that STARLIMS cannot?
Castor EDC covers Browser-based study build, 21 CFR Part 11 workflows, eConsent, ePRO and surveys. STARLIMS covers Sample and specimen management, Quality management, Instrument integration, Public health reporting.

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.

STARLIMS: Who owns STARLIMS?

Abbott. That gives it institutional weight in laboratory procurement and a natural relationship with Abbott diagnostic instruments.

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.

STARLIMS: Where is it strongest?

Public health and clinical laboratories. Surveillance reporting, outbreak investigation and unpredictable specimen surges are different problems from pharmaceutical QC, and it handles them well.

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.

STARLIMS: What does it cost?

Not published. Enterprise licensing plus implementation, quoted on laboratory count, users and modules.

Castor EDC: How long does a quote take?

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

STARLIMS: How does it compare to LabWare?

Both are enterprise LIMS with regulatory depth. LabWare is more dominant in pharmaceutical QC; STARLIMS has more presence in public health and clinical. Implementation partner quality matters more than the platform difference.

STARLIMS: What decides a successful implementation?

Configuration and validation quality, not platform features. Evaluations that compare feature lists rather than implementation approach are asking the wrong question.

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