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Research · head to head

LabArchives vs Scispot

LabArchives logo

LabArchives

Research

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

From
Free
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

  • 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.; 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: LabArchives covers Versioned entries, Scispot covers No-code configuration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LabArchives and Scispot actually diverge.

Attributes where LabArchives and Scispot differ
AttributeLabArchivesScispot
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer user per yearquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, API

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 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.

LabArchives

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

Scispot

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

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

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

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 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 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 LabArchives or Scispot better?
Neither clearly leads. LabArchives starts at Free and Scispot at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LabArchives or Scispot?
LabArchives has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for LabArchives and On request for Scispot.
Does LabArchives or Scispot run on more platforms?
LabArchives runs on Web, iOS, Android. Scispot runs on Web, API.
Can I use LabArchives for free?
Yes. LabArchives has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Scispot starts at On request.
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 Scispot is typically brought in for.
What can LabArchives do that Scispot cannot?
LabArchives covers Versioned entries, Witnessing and signing, Inventory, Scheduler. Scispot covers No-code configuration, LIMS and ELN together, Inventory management, Instrument integration.

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.

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.

LabArchives: Who owns LabArchives?

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

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.

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.

Scispot: Is it a LIMS or an ELN?

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

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.

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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