Research · head to head
Elicit vs Labguru

Labguru
Research
Electronic lab notebook, LIMS and inventory in one system, now sold under the Cenevo group
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Elicit has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Elicit pro and Scale plans available at different monthly prices; annual billing options not specified; Labguru ownership changed twice in short order, to Battery Ventures in 2024 and then into the Cenevo brand with Titian Software in 2025, so the medium-term roadmap is a group strategy decision rather than a product one and buyers should ask directly what happens to the notebook.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Elicit and Labguru actually diverge.
Identical on both: 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 Elicit
Nothing recorded that Labguru does not also cover.
Only in Labguru
- Combined ELN and LIMS
- Validated cloud hosting
- Inventory and stock
- Chemistry module
- Equipment management
- Electronic batch records
- Label Wizard
- API and developer tools
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Elicit
- Screening and summarizing 40,000+ academic papers in systematic reviewsnot Labguru
- Extracting structured data from 200+ research sources automaticallynot Labguru
- Querying full-text papers using AI for custom literature analysisnot Labguru
- Tracking new relevant research with personalized notification alertsnot Labguru
Labguru
- A biotech that wants experiment records and sample inventory in one system instead of paying for an ELN and a LIMS separatelynot Elicit
- A chemistry group needing structure registration attached to the experiment rather than in a standalone databasenot Elicit
- A contract research organisation that must show sample traceability from receipt to reported result during a client auditnot Elicit
- An academic institute standardising dozens of small labs off shared spreadsheets and paper notebooks onto one searchable recordnot Elicit
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Elicit
- Pro and Scale plans available at different monthly prices; annual billing options not specified
- Enterprise plan pricing not disclosed; requires contacting vendor
Labguru
- Ownership changed twice in short order, to Battery Ventures in 2024 and then into the Cenevo brand with Titian Software in 2025, so the medium-term roadmap is a group strategy decision rather than a product one and buyers should ask directly what happens to the notebook.
- The validated GxP hosting option is a separate commercial line, not a configuration setting, so a lab that discovers mid-project that it needs a validated instance faces a new contract and a new price rather than an upgrade.
- Being both an ELN and a LIMS means it is shallower than dedicated tools in each role; high-throughput sample management and deep bioinformatics workflows both hit limits that a specialist would not.
- No pricing is published at all, and modules such as chemistry, batch records and equipment are quoted on top, so the real annual figure only appears after a sales process.
- Validation, SOPs and periodic revalidation after vendor releases are the customer obligation on a regulated instance, and cloud release cadence means that revalidation is a recurring internal cost that never appears on the vendor quote.
Pricing, plan by plan
Elicit
Free- BasicFree
- Limited usage for Research Agent and Research Reports
- Unlimited search across 138+ million papers
- Unlimited summaries and chat with papers
- Pro$49/month
- Standard usage for Research Agent, Research Reports, and Systematic Literature Reviews
- Dedicated workflow screening up to 5,000 papers
- Up to 20 table columns
- Scale$169/month
- 5x usage for Research Agent, Research Reports, and Systematic Literature Reviews
- Figure extraction and interpretation
- Real-time team collaboration
- Enterprise$null/custom
- Custom usage limits
- Unlimited alerts and up to 40,000 paper screening
- Up to 40 table columns
Labguru
On request- Labguru$undefined/year
- Priced per user per year on quotation with volume tiers
- ELN, LIMS and inventory in the base platform
- Chemistry, batch records and equipment modules quoted separately
Which should you pick?
Choose Labguru if
- You need combined eln and lims.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, On-premise.
- You also want validated cloud hosting.
Questions people ask
- Is Elicit or Labguru better?
- Neither clearly leads. Elicit starts at Free and Labguru at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Elicit or Labguru?
- Elicit has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Elicit and On request for Labguru.
- Does Elicit or Labguru run on more platforms?
- Elicit runs on Web. Labguru runs on Web, iOS, Android, On-premise.
- Can I use Elicit for free?
- Yes. Elicit has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Labguru starts at On request.
- What is Elicit best used for?
- Elicit is most often used for screening and summarizing 40,000+ academic papers in systematic reviews, extracting structured data from 200+ research sources automatically, querying full-text papers using ai for custom literature analysis, tracking new relevant research with personalized notification alerts. Of those, screening and summarizing 40,000+ academic papers in systematic reviews and extracting structured data from 200+ research sources automatically are not what Labguru is typically brought in for.
- What can Elicit do that Labguru cannot?
- Labguru covers Combined ELN and LIMS, Validated cloud hosting, Inventory and stock, Chemistry module.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Elicit: Does Elicit offer a free plan?
Yes, Elicit's Basic plan is free and includes unlimited search across 138+ million research papers, unlimited summaries, chat with papers, source viewing, and Zotero import. Limited usage is included for Research Agent and Research Reports.
SourceLabguru: Who owns Labguru now?
Battery Ventures acquired it in April 2024. Since July 2025 it operates under the Cenevo brand following a merger with Titian Software.
Elicit: What is the difference between Elicit's Pro and Scale plans?
Elicit's Pro plan ($49/month) includes standard usage limits, dedicated screening of up to 5,000 papers, and access to 135 data sources. The Scale plan ($169/month) offers 5x higher usage limits, screening of up to 40,000 papers, figure extraction, team collaboration, and access to 200 data sources.
SourceLabguru: Is it an ELN or a LIMS?
Both, in one product. That is the main reason labs choose it, and also why it is shallower than a specialist in each role.
Elicit: What security features does Elicit Enterprise offer?
Elicit's Enterprise plan includes single sign-on (SSO), SAML, two-factor authentication (2FA), PRISMA-grade screening and extraction accuracy, and a dedicated customer success team. Pricing is custom and requires contacting the vendor.
SourceLabguru: Does it support GxP work?
Yes, through a separately contracted validated cloud instance. Validation for your intended use remains your responsibility.
Labguru: Is pricing published?
No. It is quoted per user per year, with modules and validated hosting priced on top.
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