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Research · head to head

Castor EDC vs LabVantage

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
LabVantage logo

LabVantage

Research

Enterprise LIMS with integrated ELN and biobanking capability

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.; LabVantage enterprise implementation weight, with configuration and validation measured in many months
  • They diverge on capability: Castor EDC covers Browser-based study build, LabVantage covers Unified platform.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Castor EDC and LabVantage differ
AttributeCastor EDCLabVantage
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, 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 LabVantage

  • Unified platform
  • Biobanking
  • Instrument integration
  • Industry accelerators
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Web architecture

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

LabVantage

  • Laboratories wanting LIMS and ELN from one vendor rather than integrating twonot Castor EDC
  • Biobanks managing specimen provenance, consent and long-term storagenot Castor EDC
  • Pharmaceutical research organisations spanning discovery through QCnot Castor EDC
  • Multi-site laboratory networks standardising on a single platformnot 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.

LabVantage

  • Enterprise implementation weight, with configuration and validation measured in many months
  • Pricing is quote-based with no public entry point
  • The unified platform argument only pays off for laboratories that genuinely need all four capabilities; those needing only LIMS may find focused competitors better
  • Smaller installed base than LabWare, which matters in conservative laboratory procurement
  • Industry accelerators shorten implementation but do not remove the need for laboratory-specific configuration

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

LabVantage

On request
  • LabVantage$undefined/year
    • LIMS
    • ELN
    • LES

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 LabVantage if

  • You need unified platform.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, On-premise.
  • You also want biobanking.
LabVantage review

Questions people ask

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

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.

LabVantage: What does the unified platform actually mean?

LIMS, electronic laboratory notebook, laboratory execution and scientific data management as one product. Laboratories that would otherwise integrate and validate four vendors avoid that work.

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.

LabVantage: Is biobanking really different?

Yes. Specimen provenance, consent tracking and decades-long storage are distinct from test result management, and the number of platforms handling them properly is small.

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.

LabVantage: What does it cost?

Not published. Enterprise annual licensing plus implementation, quoted on scope.

Castor EDC: How long does a quote take?

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

LabVantage: Do the industry accelerators shorten implementation?

They help by supplying pre-configured workflows for a vertical. They do not remove laboratory-specific configuration or, in regulated settings, validation.

LabVantage: How does it compare to LabWare?

LabWare has the larger installed base and deeper pharmaceutical QC dominance. LabVantage argues on the unified LIMS and ELN platform and on biobanking. Both are enterprise projects.

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