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Labfolder

Features
Ease of use
Ease of management
Quality of support
Affordability
Market presence
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Pricing from
$15.00 per user per month
Free Trial
Free version
User corporate size
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User industry
  1. Education and training
  2. Public sector and nonprofit organizations
  3. Arts, entertainment, and recreation

What is Labfolder

Labfolder is an electronic lab notebook (ELN) used to document experiments, manage research records, and support collaboration in laboratory environments. It is used by academic and industry research teams to capture protocols, results, and attachments in a structured, searchable format. The product focuses on experiment documentation workflows, including templates, versioning, and controlled sharing across teams, with options for deployment that fit regulated or security-conscious environments.

pros

Structured experiment documentation

Labfolder provides a structured way to record experiments with sections, templates, and attachments, which helps standardize how teams capture methods and results. It supports linking and organizing entries so users can navigate from projects to experiments and related files. This emphasis on documentation aligns well with ELN-centric use cases where traceability and consistency matter more than full LIMS functionality.

Collaboration and access controls

The product supports sharing notebooks and experiments with role-based permissions, enabling collaboration across lab members while limiting access where needed. It helps teams maintain a single source of truth for experimental records rather than distributing files across email and local drives. These controls are important for multi-user labs that need to separate projects, groups, or external collaborators.

Search and auditability features

Labfolder includes search across entries and metadata to help users retrieve prior work and supporting evidence. It also supports record integrity features commonly expected in ELNs, such as tracking changes and maintaining a history of edits. This can reduce time spent reconstructing experimental context during reviews, troubleshooting, or knowledge transfer.

cons

Limited end-to-end LIMS depth

Compared with platforms that combine ELN with full laboratory information management capabilities, Labfolder is more centered on notebook documentation than end-to-end sample logistics. Organizations that require complex sample accessioning, instrument scheduling, chain-of-custody, or multi-site operational workflows may need additional systems. This can increase integration and administration work in larger lab operations.

Integration breadth varies

Laboratories often expect broad integrations with instruments, identity providers, and downstream analytics or data platforms. Labfolder’s integration coverage can require validation on a case-by-case basis, especially for specialized instruments or bespoke pipelines. Teams may need API work or third-party tooling to connect Labfolder into an existing lab software ecosystem.

Regulated workflow fit depends

While ELNs commonly include audit trails and permissioning, regulated environments typically require detailed validation documentation, configurable e-signature workflows, and strict administrative controls. The degree to which Labfolder meets specific regulatory expectations (for example, around electronic records and signatures) depends on the edition, deployment model, and customer validation approach. Buyers should confirm compliance features and validation support during procurement.

Plan & Pricing

Plan Price Key features & notes
Basic (Free) $0 — Free Unlimited experiment documentation; Group work up to 3 members; 3 GB cloud storage; Labregister inventory included at no extra cost. (Create account to use Basic Edition).
Advanced (Paid) Contact sales / Request a quote Paid Advanced Edition (features include enhanced administration, adjustable group size, 300 GB storage per user (Advanced/cloud), FDA 21 CFR Part 11–capable digital signatures, on-premise/local server option, personalized onboarding). Exact per-user pricing not published — must contact Labfolder / request quote.
Classroom / Academic (education pricing) €19.38 per student (1 term); €36 per student (1 year); €100.80 per student (4 years) Education-focused package for students/teachers. Advanced version (education) offers group/sub-group management, 300 GB per user (cloud), custom sharing, Sign & Witness, XHTML export, local server installation option and onboarding (see Classroom page).
NSIV special / Regional offer $15.00 per user / month (NSIV residents) Special licensing price stated for NSIV residents (page invites company registration). Advanced features available as per Advanced edition notes.

Seller details

Labforward GmbH
Berlin, Germany
2013
Private
https://labforward.io/
https://x.com/labforwardio
https://www.linkedin.com/company/labforward/

Tools by Labforward GmbH

Labfolder

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