eLabFTW review
A compliance-ready, open-source ELN with flexible hosting and broad exports.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
eLabFTW is an open-source electronic laboratory notebook for academic, industrial, and research laboratories. It combines experiment and protocol records with laboratory inventory, compound management, templates, workflow steps, permissions, and team management. The platform runs on the web, Windows, macOS, and Linux, with an offline desktop application for data entry and synchronization. It suits research teams that want control over their software and data while retaining features associated with structured, compliance-oriented documentation.
Its strongest advantage is the depth of its recordkeeping and compliance feature set. Electronic signatures, trusted timestamping, revisions, changelogs, audit logs, advanced permissions, and approval workflows support controlled laboratory processes. Full-text and metadata search helps teams find experimental records, while PDF, ZIP, CSV, JSON, and ELN exports support data portability. The REST API provides reading and writing access, giving technical teams a way to connect eLabFTW with surrounding workflows. These capabilities make it a stronger fit for collaborative laboratories than a simple notes application, particularly when traceability and structured records matter.
The software itself is free and open source, while Deltablot offers paid hosting and support. PRO Hosting plans include a hosted instance, access to all features, eIDAS qualified timestamping, and PRO Support; the SecNumCloud option adds qualified hosting and encryption at rest. PRO Support includes email support, virtual meeting support, Level 2 and 3 support, and a 90-minute user training webinar. Training is also available as a 90-minute webinar in English, French, or German, with a recording. Choose eLabFTW if open-source ownership, compliance features, offline work, and export flexibility are priorities. A narrower documentation tool may be a better fit for teams that do not need this breadth or the responsibility of self-hosting.
eLabFTW pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Experiment records, inventory, templates, signatures, and audit logs
- Offline synchronization, REST API access, and broad export formats
- Self-hosting plus managed hosting and support options
- Where it doesn't
- Managed hosting and support add separate costs
- Self-hosting requires GNU/Linux containers
- The feature set may exceed narrow documentation needs
eLabFTW fact sheet, pricing and score →
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update