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Research · head to head

Medidata Rave vs Roam Research

Medidata Rave logo

Medidata Rave

Research

Electronic data capture for regulated clinical trials, sold only through a sales process

From
On request
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

  • Each has a real cost: Medidata Rave no pricing is published at all, so a first time sponsor cannot budget a study without entering a sales process and usually cannot benchmark the quote against anything.; Roam Research cloud-dependent: no local-first option, all data stored on Roam servers
  • They diverge on capability: Medidata Rave covers Case report form design, 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 Medidata Rave and Roam Research actually diverge.

Attributes where Medidata Rave and Roam Research differ
AttributeMedidata RaveRoam Research
Starting priceOn request$15/month
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, macOS, Windows
FoundedUnknown2017

Identical on both: 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 Medidata Rave

  • Case report form design
  • Edit checks and queries
  • Part 11 audit trail
  • Rave Lite
  • Coding and safety
  • Platform integrations

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.

Medidata Rave

  • A sponsor running a registrational Phase III study where inspection readiness and a validated audit trail are non negotiablenot Roam Research
  • A biotech that wants its CRO to run data management and benefits from the CRO already having Rave trained staff and templatesnot Roam Research
  • A sponsor standardising forms across a programme so that a global library is reused rather than each study being built from scratchnot Roam Research
  • A device or Phase IV study where Rave Lite gives the same compliance posture at a lower configuration burdennot Roam Research

Roam Research

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

Where each one falls short

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

Medidata Rave

  • No pricing is published at all, so a first time sponsor cannot budget a study without entering a sales process and usually cannot benchmark the quote against anything.
  • Cost is dominated by study build rather than licence, and every protocol amendment that changes a form triggers billable rework, so a study with unstable protocols costs far more than the initial quote implied.
  • Configuration requires trained specialists, so most sponsors cannot build a study in house and are dependent on Medidata professional services or a CRO, which lengthens startup.
  • The system assumes a professional clinical data management function; a small sponsor without data managers will not operate it directly and will pay a CRO to do so.
  • Deep use of the wider Medidata platform for randomisation, imaging and patient reported data creates commercial lock in, because moving EDC later means unpicking integrations that were bought as one bundle.

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

Medidata Rave

On request
  • Medidata Rave EDC$undefined/year
    • Priced per study through a sales process
    • Study build and configuration charged separately from licence
    • Mid study amendments generally billable

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 Medidata Rave if

  • You need case report form design.
  • You also want edit checks and queries.
Medidata Rave 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 Medidata Rave or Roam Research better?
Neither clearly leads. Medidata Rave starts at On request and Roam Research at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Medidata Rave or Roam Research?
Medidata Rave starts at On request and Roam Research at $15/month.
Does Medidata Rave or Roam Research run on more platforms?
Medidata Rave runs on Web. Roam Research runs on Web, iOS, macOS, Windows.
What is Medidata Rave best used for?
Medidata Rave is most often used for a sponsor running a registrational phase iii study where inspection readiness and a validated audit trail are non negotiable, a biotech that wants its cro to run data management and benefits from the cro already having rave trained staff and templates, a sponsor standardising forms across a programme so that a global library is reused rather than each study being built from scratch, a device or phase iv study where rave lite gives the same compliance posture at a lower configuration burden. Of those, a sponsor running a registrational phase iii study where inspection readiness and a validated audit trail are non negotiable and a biotech that wants its cro to run data management and benefits from the cro already having rave trained staff and templates are not what Roam Research is typically brought in for.
What can Medidata Rave do that Roam Research cannot?
Medidata Rave covers Case report form design, Edit checks and queries, Part 11 audit trail, Rave Lite. Roam Research covers Bi-directional linking, Block references, Daily notes, Graph visualization.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Medidata Rave: Who owns Medidata?

Dassault Systemes, which acquired Medidata in 2019. Rave is sold as part of the Dassault life sciences portfolio.

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
Medidata Rave: How is Rave priced?

Per study, through a sales process. Nothing is published, and study build and amendments are charged separately from the licence.

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
Medidata Rave: Is Rave validated out of the box?

Medidata supplies validation and qualification documentation, but the sponsor still owns study level user acceptance testing and its own validation evidence.

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
Medidata Rave: What is Rave Lite for?

Lower complexity studies, typically Phase I, Phase IV and medical device, where a full study build is not justified.

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
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