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Research · head to head

Labguru vs STARLIMS

Labguru logo

Labguru

Research

Electronic lab notebook, LIMS and inventory in one system, now sold under the Cenevo group

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
STARLIMS logo

STARLIMS

Research

Laboratory information management from Abbott for regulated and public health labs

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; STARLIMS implementation is lengthy and outcome quality depends heavily on the partner doing the configuration
  • They diverge on capability: Labguru covers Combined ELN and LIMS, STARLIMS covers Sample and specimen management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Labguru and STARLIMS actually diverge.

Attributes where Labguru and STARLIMS differ
AttributeLabguruSTARLIMS
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, On-premiseWeb, Windows, 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 Labguru

  • Combined ELN and LIMS
  • Validated cloud hosting
  • Inventory and stock
  • Chemistry module
  • Equipment management
  • Electronic batch records
  • Label Wizard
  • API and developer tools

Only in STARLIMS

  • Sample and specimen management
  • Quality management
  • Instrument integration
  • Public health reporting
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Web and mobile access

What people use each for

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

Labguru

  • A biotech that wants experiment records and sample inventory in one system instead of paying for an ELN and a LIMS separatelynot STARLIMS
  • A chemistry group needing structure registration attached to the experiment rather than in a standalone databasenot STARLIMS
  • A contract research organisation that must show sample traceability from receipt to reported result during a client auditnot STARLIMS
  • An academic institute standardising dozens of small labs off shared spreadsheets and paper notebooks onto one searchable recordnot STARLIMS

STARLIMS

  • Public health laboratories handling surveillance and outbreak investigationnot Labguru
  • Clinical laboratories needing regulated specimen tracking and reportingnot Labguru
  • Food safety and environmental testing laboratoriesnot Labguru
  • Multi-site laboratory networks standardising methods and specificationsnot Labguru

Where each one falls short

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

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.

STARLIMS

  • Implementation is lengthy and outcome quality depends heavily on the partner doing the configuration
  • Pricing is quote-based with no public reference, making early budget setting difficult
  • The breadth across laboratory types means some verticals get less development attention than others
  • Interface modernisation has lagged behind newer cloud-native laboratory platforms
  • Over-specified for small laboratories, where a lighter LIMS delivers most of the value for a fraction of the effort

Pricing, plan by plan

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

STARLIMS

On request
  • STARLIMS$undefined/year
    • Sample management
    • Quality management
    • Instrument integration

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.
Labguru review

Choose STARLIMS if

  • You need sample and specimen management.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Cloud, On-premise.
  • You also want quality management.
STARLIMS review

Questions people ask

Is Labguru or STARLIMS better?
Neither clearly leads. Labguru starts at On request and STARLIMS at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Labguru or STARLIMS?
Labguru starts at On request and STARLIMS at On request.
Does Labguru or STARLIMS run on more platforms?
Labguru runs on Web, iOS, Android, On-premise. STARLIMS runs on Web, Windows, Cloud, On-premise.
What is Labguru best used for?
Labguru is most often used for a biotech that wants experiment records and sample inventory in one system instead of paying for an eln and a lims separately, a chemistry group needing structure registration attached to the experiment rather than in a standalone database, a contract research organisation that must show sample traceability from receipt to reported result during a client audit, an academic institute standardising dozens of small labs off shared spreadsheets and paper notebooks onto one searchable record. Of those, a biotech that wants experiment records and sample inventory in one system instead of paying for an eln and a lims separately and a chemistry group needing structure registration attached to the experiment rather than in a standalone database are not what STARLIMS is typically brought in for.
What can Labguru do that STARLIMS cannot?
Labguru covers Combined ELN and LIMS, Validated cloud hosting, Inventory and stock, Chemistry module. STARLIMS covers Sample and specimen management, Quality management, Instrument integration, Public health reporting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Labguru: 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.

STARLIMS: Who owns STARLIMS?

Abbott. That gives it institutional weight in laboratory procurement and a natural relationship with Abbott diagnostic instruments.

Labguru: 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.

STARLIMS: Where is it strongest?

Public health and clinical laboratories. Surveillance reporting, outbreak investigation and unpredictable specimen surges are different problems from pharmaceutical QC, and it handles them well.

Labguru: Does it support GxP work?

Yes, through a separately contracted validated cloud instance. Validation for your intended use remains your responsibility.

STARLIMS: What does it cost?

Not published. Enterprise licensing plus implementation, quoted on laboratory count, users and modules.

Labguru: Is pricing published?

No. It is quoted per user per year, with modules and validated hosting priced on top.

STARLIMS: How does it compare to LabWare?

Both are enterprise LIMS with regulatory depth. LabWare is more dominant in pharmaceutical QC; STARLIMS has more presence in public health and clinical. Implementation partner quality matters more than the platform difference.

STARLIMS: What decides a successful implementation?

Configuration and validation quality, not platform features. Evaluations that compare feature lists rather than implementation approach are asking the wrong question.

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