Softwr

Research · head to head

LabArchives vs Roam Research

LabArchives logo

LabArchives

Research

Electronic lab notebook with witnessing, version history and long-term institutional retention

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Roam Research logo

Roam Research

Research

A note-taking tool for networked thought

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only LabArchives has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: LabArchives the corporate rate is roughly 75 per cent above the academic rate for the same product, so a university spinout crossing into commercial status faces a step change in cost at exactly the point its budget is tightest.; Roam Research cloud-dependent: no local-first option, all data stored on Roam servers
  • They diverge on capability: LabArchives covers Versioned entries, Roam Research covers Bi-directional linking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LabArchives and Roam Research actually diverge.

Attributes where LabArchives and Roam Research differ
AttributeLabArchivesRoam Research
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelPer user per yearUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, macOS, Windows
FoundedUnknown2017

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 LabArchives

  • Versioned entries
  • Witnessing and signing
  • Inventory
  • Scheduler
  • Education edition
  • Single sign-on
  • Structured data entry
  • DOI and repository publishing

Only in Roam Research

  • Bi-directional linking
  • Block references
  • Daily notes
  • Graph visualization
  • Sidebar navigation
  • Version history
  • Markdown support
  • TODO management

What people use each for

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

LabArchives

  • A university group that must keep research records after a PhD student leaves, rather than losing them with a laptopnot Roam Research
  • A core facility that needs instrument booking and a shared record of who ran what and whennot Roam Research
  • A small biotech building patent-defensible evidence of invention with witnessed, timestamped entriesnot Roam Research
  • A teaching department running undergraduate laboratory courses where instructors need to see and grade notebook worknot Roam Research

Roam Research

  • Research notesnot LabArchives
  • Writing projectsnot LabArchives
  • Personal knowledge managementnot LabArchives
  • Academic worknot LabArchives
  • Creative thinkingnot LabArchives

Where each one falls short

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

LabArchives

  • The corporate rate is roughly 75 per cent above the academic rate for the same product, so a university spinout crossing into commercial status faces a step change in cost at exactly the point its budget is tightest.
  • Inventory and Scheduler are separate per-user line items, so a lab that assumed one price per person for a working system ends up paying two or three.
  • It is now a Dotmatics product inside a large scientific software portfolio, which puts roadmap priority with enterprise pharmaceutical buyers rather than with the academic labs that made it popular.
  • The interface is functional rather than pleasant, and adoption typically fails not on features but on researchers quietly continuing to keep notes elsewhere; you need a mandate, not a rollout email.
  • Instrument integration is thin compared with dedicated laboratory information management systems, so automated capture from analytical equipment usually still means manual upload or custom scripting.

Roam Research

  • Cloud-dependent: no local-first option, all data stored on Roam servers
  • Offline sync issues: offline databases experience slow startup and synchronization problems
  • No native Android app
  • Requires internet connection for most functionality

Pricing, plan by plan

LabArchives

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited storage
    • Core notebook and versioning
    • Intended for evaluation and individual use
  • Professional (Academic)$330/year
    • Full ELN with witnessing and signing
    • Academic rate per user per year
    • Corporate rate is $575 per user per year
  • ELN plus Inventory bundle$360/year
    • Notebook plus sample and reagent inventory
    • Academic rate; corporate rate is $675 per user per year
  • Inventory standalone$99/year
    • Sample tracking without the notebook
    • Academic rate; corporate rate is $199 per user per year

Roam Research

$15/month
  • Pro$15/month
    • Unlimited graphs
    • Unlimited blocks
    • Daily notes
  • Believer$500/5 years
    • All Pro features
    • Cost effective long-term subscription

Which should you pick?

Choose LabArchives if

  • You need versioned entries.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want witnessing and signing.
LabArchives review

Choose Roam Research if

  • You need bi-directional linking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want block references.
Roam Research review

Questions people ask

Is LabArchives or Roam Research better?
Neither clearly leads. LabArchives starts at Free and Roam Research at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LabArchives or Roam Research?
LabArchives has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for LabArchives and $15/month for Roam Research.
Does LabArchives or Roam Research run on more platforms?
LabArchives runs on Web, iOS, Android. Roam Research runs on Web, iOS, macOS, Windows.
Can I use LabArchives for free?
Yes. LabArchives has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Roam Research starts at $15/month.
What is LabArchives best used for?
LabArchives is most often used for a university group that must keep research records after a phd student leaves, rather than losing them with a laptop, a core facility that needs instrument booking and a shared record of who ran what and when, a small biotech building patent-defensible evidence of invention with witnessed, timestamped entries, a teaching department running undergraduate laboratory courses where instructors need to see and grade notebook work. Of those, a university group that must keep research records after a phd student leaves, rather than losing them with a laptop and a core facility that needs instrument booking and a shared record of who ran what and when are not what Roam Research is typically brought in for.
What can LabArchives do that Roam Research cannot?
LabArchives covers Versioned entries, Witnessing and signing, Inventory, Scheduler. Roam Research covers Bi-directional linking, Block references, Daily notes, Graph visualization.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

LabArchives: Does LabArchives satisfy patent evidence requirements?

Its versioning, timestamping and witnessed signatures are designed for that purpose, and it is widely accepted for it, but the legal weight depends on your institution's process being followed, not on the software alone.

Roam Research: Does Roam Research have a free plan?

No, Roam Research does not offer a free plan. However, it includes a 31-day free trial before requiring a subscription to either the Pro plan ($15/month) or Believer plan ($500 for five years).

Source
LabArchives: Who owns LabArchives?

Dotmatics. The product is branded LabArchives by Dotmatics and shares that company's corporate footprint.

Roam Research: Can I use Roam Research offline?

Roam Research has limited offline support. Offline databases have significant performance issues, including slow startup times and sync problems. The platform is cloud-dependent and requires internet connectivity for most functionality.

Source
LabArchives: Is there really a free tier?

Yes, with limited storage. It is suitable for trialling or a single researcher, not for a group that needs retention guarantees.

Roam Research: What platforms does Roam Research support?

Roam Research is available as a web app and native mobile apps for iOS and macOS. Windows users access it through the web app or Electron desktop wrapper. Android support is limited.

Source
LabArchives: Can we export everything if we leave?

Yes, notebooks export in bulk, but exported archives lose much of the interactive structure, so treat the export as an archive rather than as a migration path into another ELN.

Roam Research: Can I export my data from Roam Research?

Yes, you can export your entire database or individual pages as JSON or Markdown format by clicking the three-dot menu. However, block references do not translate perfectly, and migration to other tools may require manual cleanup.

Source
Roam Research: Does Roam Research integrate with Slack?

Roam Research integrates with Slack through Zapier, allowing you to send Slack messages to Roam or add Slack messages to your Roam daily notes. No native Slack integration is available.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on LabArchives

More on Roam Research

Keep looking

Other head to heads