Labfolder

Labfolder is a browser-based electronic lab notebook for researchers who need shared experiment records and inventory links in one workspace. It is a strong fit for connected teams that value access controls and traceable records; its lack of offline editing is a real constraint for work away from a reliable connection.

Overview

Labfolder brings experiment documentation, collaboration, and inventory records together. Researchers can work with different data types, track changes, and export data in PDF or XHTML. Teams can share projects with custom access settings, message colleagues, assign tasks, and sign records electronically.

Labregister connects inventory records to notebook entries at no extra cost. Dropbox and Figshare are also among its in-ELN apps; the listed apps are free except Signature Workflows. The REST API supports creating, updating, deleting, querying, and exchanging data with third-party applications, making Labfolder more adaptable to connected research workflows than a standalone notebook.

Key features

Records and controls

Full-text search, an audit trail, electronic signatures, and approval workflows support reviewable records. Labfolder describes support for GLP and FDA 21 CFR Part 11 through record history, signatures, secure storage, and role-based access control. These controls suit teams with formal documentation needs; they are less relevant to an individual who wants only a simple place to jot down observations.

Data protection and deployment

Labfolder says data is processed and stored in Germany, protected with 256-bit SSL encryption, and backed up daily. The browser-based service requires no installation, and on-premise deployment is available. The latter gives organizations a deployment option beyond the browser service, while the security measures address data handling rather than the product's connectivity limits.

Pricing

Labfolder uses a freemium model with a free plan and a 14-day trial. The paid Labfolder plan has custom pricing based on the number of users, so teams should expect to request a quote rather than compare a published per-seat rate. The available plan information does not establish specific free-plan caps or paid-plan quotas, so prospective users should confirm those terms against their intended team size and use.

Prospective users can contact the company for a demo or free trial. The trial duration stated for the offer is 14 days.

Platforms

Labfolder works in modern browsers on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and can be used on desktops, tablets, and smartphones. It has no mobile app and does not support offline editing, so mobile access still depends on a browser and an internet connection. The platform is also associated with Android, iOS, API, and self-hosted availability; the concrete access model described is browser-based, with on-premise deployment available.

Who it's for

Labfolder is aimed at individual researchers and teams in academia, industry, startups, and public-sector research. Its mix of access controls, signatures, approval workflows, API access, and linked inventory is particularly suited to teams coordinating documented experiments. Researchers who regularly need to edit records without internet access, or who require a dedicated mobile app, should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

Pros: Labregister links inventory to experiment notes at no extra cost, reducing the separation between stock records and research documentation.

Pros: Audit trails, signatures, approval workflows, and role-based access give teams tools for controlled, traceable records.

Pros: A REST API and data export in PDF and XHTML support exchange with other systems and retention outside the notebook.

Cons: No offline editing means work depends on a network connection, a poor fit for field or facility use with unreliable access.

Cons: No dedicated mobile app leaves phone and tablet use to the browser.

Cons: Custom pricing by user count makes the paid plan harder to budget without a quote.

Alternatives

Compare electronic lab notebook software if you want to survey the category before choosing a product.

LabArchives is worth comparing if a free plan with two owned notebooks, 1GB per user, a 25MB file limit, and SnapGene and GraphPad Prism integrations fits your needs.

LabCollector ELN may suit a small team that can work within its free Startup Pack limits of three users, 1,000 data records, and one recipe/SOP.

eLabFTW is the alternative to consider if you prefer free, self-hosted AGPLv3 software and can handle server hosting and administration.

SciNote offers a free plan for one user with a dedicated workspace and no guaranteed support, making it a point of comparison for solo use.

Chemotion ELN is another free ELN to compare.

NETVIBES is an alternative with a paid Enterprise Data Science plan.

Signals Notebook is a paid alternative with a Standard Edition subscription priced per user and one tenant.

IDBS E-WorkBook is another paid alternative.

Verdict

Choose Labfolder if your research team wants experiment records, collaboration, inventory links, and compliance-oriented controls in a browser-based workspace. Its strongest case is the combination of linked Labregister inventory and traceable team workflows; look elsewhere if offline editing or a dedicated mobile app is essential, or if you need a published price before engaging a vendor.