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eLabFTW
Villejuif, France
What it is
eLabFTW is an electronic lab notebook for storing experiments and protocols, collaborating, and organizing research records with tags, categories, and search. It also tracks lab resources and quantities, links them to experiments, and offers a Scheduler for booking shared equipment. One installation can serve multiple teams, with controls for entry visibility and editing and fine-grained Team Groups permissions. Researchers can import and export data in PDF, ZIP, CSV, JSON, and ELN formats. A REST API supports external programs that read and write data, and documentation links to a Python library. Listed integrations include PubChem, Bloxberg, and Keeex timestamping workflows; authentication options include LDAP, SAML2, and two-factor authentication. The software is free under AGPLv3 with no features behind a paywall, but self-hosting requires server installation and administration. Managed hosting, training, and support are paid options. The software is listed for API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows use.
For and against
For
- Free AGPLv3 software has no features behind a paywall.
- Supports multiple teams and entry-level permission controls.
- Exports data in PDF, ZIP, CSV, JSON, and ELN formats.
- REST API supports external read and write access.
- Includes resource tracking and shared-equipment booking.
Against
- Self-hosting requires server installation and systems administration.
- Managed hosting plans cost €3,200 a year or more.
- PRO Support costs €3,000 a year.
The verdict
eLabFTW combines experiment records, resource management, booking, and team permissions in a free self-hosted package. Server administration is part of that option, while hosting and support are available at listed annual prices.
Who it suits
It suits labs and companies that need a shared notebook, resource booking, and structured access controls. Teams without server administration capacity may prefer a managed hosting option.
Plans and prices
Self-hosted eLabFTW
All features included · server installation required · administrator-managed
Read 15 Oct 2026 · elabftw.net
Training Session
French, German, or English · session recording · concepts, entries, scheduler, inventory, compounds, administration, API and Q&A
Read 15 Oct 2026 · deltablot.com
PRO Support
Email and virtual-meeting support · level 2 and 3 assistance · 90-minute training · 20% custom-development discount
Read 15 Oct 2026 · deltablot.com
PRO Hosting 32
32 active users max · 320 GB+ storage · all features · eIDAS timestamping
Read 15 Oct 2026 · deltablot.com
PRO Hosting Plus
~128 active users max · 500 GB+ storage · all features · eIDAS timestamping
Read 15 Oct 2026 · deltablot.com
PRO Hosting Universe
~1024 active users max · 1 Tb+ storage · all features · eIDAS timestamping
Read 15 Oct 2026 · deltablot.com
PRO Hosting SecNumCloud
~1024 active users max · 1 Tb+ storage · Paris hosting only · SecNumCloud
Read 15 Oct 2026 · deltablot.com
eLabFTW (self-hosted software)
No features behind a paywall
Read 28 Sep 2026 · elabftw.net
On the record
- Accessibility
- The product site states compliance with WCAG 2.1 and France's RGAA v4 accessibility standard.elabftw.net · read 15 Oct 2026
- API
- The REST API lets external programs read and write eLabFTW data, and the documentation links to a Python library.doc.elabftw.net · read 28 Sep 2026
- API documentation
- The API reference is generated from an OpenAPI 3 specification and documents endpoints for experiments, resources, compounds, storage units, configuration and API keys.doc.elabftw.net · read 15 Oct 2026
- Authentication
- The product site lists LDAP, SAML2, and two-factor authentication among its IT features.elabftw.net · read 28 Sep 2026
- Browser extensibility
- JavaScript applications can call the API when administrators configure CORS origin, methods and headers in the container environment.doc.elabftw.net · read 15 Oct 2026
- Chemical compounds
- The compounds area imports PubChem records including CAS, molecular formula, molecular weight, InChI, SMILES and hazard information.doc.elabftw.net · read 15 Oct 2026
- Community news
- Deltablot's site lists an eLabFTW general community meeting held on 1 October 2026 and a French community meeting on 6 October 2026.deltablot.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company
- Deltablot says it was founded in April 2019 by Nicolas Carpi in Paris, France, to provide hosting and support options for eLabFTW users.deltablot.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Company size and headquarters
- LinkedIn lists Deltablot at 2–10 employees with headquarters in Paris.linkedin.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Compliance and hosting
- The SecNumCloud hosting plan lists a SecNumCloud-qualified French cloud provider, encryption at rest, eIDAS-qualified timestamping, and HDS and ISO certifications.deltablot.com · read 28 Sep 2026
- Compliance statement
- The documentation says eLabFTW provides features supporting 21 CFR Part 11 and GMP, while compliance depends on configuration, validation and organizational use.doc.elabftw.net · read 15 Oct 2026
- Data export
- The product exports data as PDF, ZIP, CSV, JSON and ELN formats and supports imports through the interface or administrator CLI.elabftw.net · read 15 Oct 2026
- Deployment requirement
- eLabFTW must be installed on a server and configured and maintained by a systems administrator; the site recommends managed hosting for people unfamiliar with server administration.elabftw.net · read 28 Sep 2026
- Documentation
- The official documentation covers installation, user operation, administration, authentication, integrations, import/export, FAIR data and API use.doc.elabftw.net · read 15 Oct 2026
- Electronic lab notebook
- eLabFTW stores experiments and protocols, supports collaboration, and lets users organize entries with tags, categories, and search.elabftw.net · read 28 Sep 2026
- Experiment records
- Users can store experiments and protocols, apply tags and categories, search records, and sign or timestamp entries.elabftw.net · read 15 Oct 2026
- Hosted security
- Deltablot states that hosted service uses TLS, perfect forward secrecy, HSTS, content-security policy, hardened Rocky Linux, bug bounty processes, bcrypt password hashing and high-availability MySQL.deltablot.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Independent technical assessment
- A research-infrastructure report says eLabFTW has been developed since 2012, is written in PHP, uses a REST API, and is distributed under AGPL-3.0.publikationen.bibliothek.kit.edu · read 15 Oct 2026
