eLabFTW vs Pilott Electronic Logbook

eLabFTW8.9Visit Pilott Electronic Logbook8.4Visit

Higher score eLabFTW #3 in Logbook Software 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 2 features Visit eLabFTW

vs

Pilott Electronic Logbook #5 in Logbook Software 8.4/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 2 of 2 features Visit Pilott

• eLabFTW fits best

  Teams wanting an open-source, self-hostable ELN

• Pilott Electronic Logbook fits best

  Pilots wanting low-cost mobile flight logging

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Side by side

Feature	eLabFTW 8.9/10 Visit ↗	Pilott Electronic Logbook 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	8.4
Ranking	#3 in Logbook Software	#5 in Logbook Software
Best for	Teams wanting an open-source, self-hostable ELN	Pilots wanting low-cost mobile flight logging
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Paid
Starting price	—	$2.50/mo
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	30 days
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux	Web, iOS, Android
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Email, Phone
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business
Features eLabFTW 0/2 · Pilott Electronic Logbook 2/2
Offline entry	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Digital signatures	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Specs
Logbook type	Not checked yet	Aviation
Mobile access	Not checked yet	Both
Export formats	PDF, ZIP, CSV, JSON, ELN	CSV
Record retention	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Combines experiment records with laboratory inventory and compound management. Includes signatures, trusted timestamping, revisions, and audit logs. Supports offline desktop entry, REST API access, and multiple export formats.	Create flight entries offline and sync them when the app reconnects. Print logbook reports in SACAA, ICAO and EASA formats. Track currency, receive expiration alerts, and add digital endorsements.
Cons	Managed hosting and support are separate paid offerings. Self-hosting requires organizations to manage their own deployment. SecNumCloud-qualified hosting is tied to a specific PRO Hosting plan.	The subscription is paid; there is no free plan after the 30-day trial. The listed subscription covers web and mobile access, not other platforms. Record export is documented as CSV, which may limit preferred export workflows.
Our verdict	Research teams that need a shared record of experiments, protocols, and laboratory resources can use eLabFTW as an electronic lab notebook. It is open source, and organizations can either self-host it on GNU/Linux containers or purchase… Read the review →	Pilott Electronic Logbook is a digital flight logbook for private and commercial pilots who want to record hours and manage flight records on the web or in mobile apps. Flight entries can autofill aircraft, registration and crew details,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• eLabFTW — where it wins

  • Combines experiment records with laboratory inventory and compound management.
  • Includes signatures, trusted timestamping, revisions, and audit logs.
  • Supports offline desktop entry, REST API access, and multiple export formats.

  Where it doesn't

  • Managed hosting and support are separate paid offerings.
  • Self-hosting requires organizations to manage their own deployment.
  • SecNumCloud-qualified hosting is tied to a specific PRO Hosting plan.

• Pilott Electronic Logbook — where it wins

  • Create flight entries offline and sync them when the app reconnects.
  • Print logbook reports in SACAA, ICAO and EASA formats.
  • Track currency, receive expiration alerts, and add digital endorsements.

  Where it doesn't

  • The subscription is paid; there is no free plan after the 30-day trial.
  • The listed subscription covers web and mobile access, not other platforms.
  • Record export is documented as CSV, which may limit preferred export workflows.

• eLabFTW8.9/10 · Free plan

  A broad, self-hostable ELN with experiment records, inventory, signatures, and audit logs.

  Visit eLabFTWFull verdict →
• Pilott Electronic Logbook8.4/10 · 30-day trial

  A low-cost aviation logbook with offline mobile entry and printable authority-format reports.

  Visit PilottFull verdict →