How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Quartzy is the procurement-first lab tool, combining inventory tracking with supplier ordering workflows, and every plan includes its Shop, inventory tracking, and request workflows.
- Quartzy direct purchasing is documented as US-only, with price-threshold approvals and immutable goods-received records on receiving.
- Labguru is the broadest integrated suite here, connecting inventory to ELN entries, while Benchling leads on R&D workflows and molecular biology tools.
- Labsistant is the budget pick at free plus 49 dollars per month for 10 users, while SciNote free tier suits labs that mainly need a notebook first.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Benchling | R&D and molecular biology | See website | Yes |
 Labguru | Integrated ELN plus LIMS | See website | No |
 SciNote | ELN-centric modular labs | Free plan | Yes |
 LabArchives | ELN-centered institutions | See website | No |
 Genemod | Visual inventory plus notebook | See website | No |
 Labsistant | Budget academic labs | Free plan | Yes |
 eLabNext | Digital lab management | See website | No |
 LabCollector | Shared labs and workflows | See website | No |
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The best quartzy alternatives
#1Benchling
Best for: R&D and molecular biology4.5/5 on
G2 (65 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit benchling.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Benchling is the cloud-based collaborative platform rated best overall for research and R&D, with inventory and molecular biology tools in one place. It centralizes R&D workflows, enabling project documentation, sample management, and data collaboration for biotech and pharma teams. Academic labs can start free in guides, while company pricing is quote-based.
Procurement depth trails Quartzy, since Benchling centers on research execution rather than supplier ordering. Benchling fits high-throughput integrated R&D teams where ELN records and workflow execution must stay tightly linked, especially in molecular biology.
What we like- Best overall for research and R&D
- Molecular biology tools
- Inventory plus ELN
- Collaborative platform
Watch out for- Enterprise pricing for companies
- Learning curve
- Procurement depth trails Quartzy
#2Labguru
Best for: Integrated ELN plus LIMS4.6/5 on
G2 (165 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit labguru.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Labguru is the broadest integrated lab-operations suite in this group, connecting inventory to electronic lab notebook entries, handling shopping-list requests and partial receiving, and documenting stock aliquoting. It suits pharma and biotech teams needing ELN plus LIMS in one platform, with a 4.6 G2 rating in guides. Inventory, samples, and experiments live in one system rather than three.
Pricing is custom and enterprise complexity means implementation takes planning. Labguru fits scaling biotechs that want a consolidated suite instead of Quartzy plus a separate ELN, and that can fund enterprise deployment.
What we like- Broadest integrated suite
- ELN connected to inventory
- Sample tracking
- Stock aliquoting
- Shopping-list requests
Watch out for- Custom pricing
- Enterprise complexity
- Implementation takes time
#3SciNote
Best for: ELN-centric modular labs4.2/5 on
G2 (303 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit scinote.net
Starting priceFree plan
Free planYes
SciNote is a cloud-based electronic lab notebook with data management, compliance tracking, and collaboration tools, rated about 4.2 on G2 from over 303 reviewers in one guide. Protocol-driven experiment execution maps structured steps to recorded outcomes, which suits labs where notebook workflows are primary. A free tier helps evaluation and small labs.
Storage locations and stock management are paid inventory add-ons, so inventory depth trails Quartzy out of the box, and modular costs add up as add-ons stack. SciNote fits labs where notebook workflows come first and modular add-ons are acceptable, rather than procurement-first labs.
What we like- ELN-centric and modular
- Protocol-driven execution
- Compliance tracking
- Free tier available
Watch out for- Storage and stock management are paid add-ons
- Inventory depth trails Quartzy
- Modular costs add up
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
LabArchives Inventory fits organizations already centered on LabArchives ELN, where recorded ELN use deducts inventory automatically. That tight ELN-to-inventory link suits universities and institutions that standardized on LabArchives for notebooks and compliance. Institutional alignment is its core advantage over general tools.
Actual purchasing remains outside Inventory, so procurement-first labs still need Quartzy or a purchasing tool alongside. LabArchives fits institutions where ELN alignment dominates and purchasing runs through a separate system.
What we like- Institutional ELN alignment
- Recorded ELN use deducts inventory automatically
- Strong compliance
Watch out for- Purchasing remains outside Inventory
- Institutional focus
- Pricing is quote-based
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Genemod is a cloud-based LIMS with a highly visual interface for freezer and storage mapping, combining inventory and notebook in one platform. It suits labs that want an intuitive, modern, visual experience for storage, with freezer and box-level tracking plus request workflows. Biotechnology research teams benefit most from its visual storage model.
Pricing is custom per seat, and procurement depth is basic compared with Quartzy Shop workflows. Genemod fits labs that want inventory plus notebook with visual storage mapping, and that do not need deep purchasing automation.
What we like- Highly visual freezer and storage mapping
- Inventory plus notebook in one
- Modern interface
Watch out for- Custom per-seat pricing
- Smaller scale than Benchling
- Procurement depth is basic
Starting priceFree plan
Free planYes
Labsistant suits academic and small labs on a budget, with lot-level inventory tracking, expiration tracking, and basic ordering. Pricing runs free plus 49 dollars per month for 10 users in one 2026 comparison, making it the cheapest paid option here. Labs that mainly need to track reagents on a budget get the essentials without enterprise cost.
Ordering is basic and there is no ELN, so notebook-first labs should pair it with SciNote or another ELN. Labsistant fits small labs replacing spreadsheets for inventory, where budget matters more than suite depth.
What we like- Free tier
- 49 dollars per month for 10 users
- Lot-level tracking
- Expiration tracking
- Basic ordering
Watch out for- Basic ordering only
- No ELN
- Smaller feature set
- Newer vendor
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
eLabNext, now part of the SciSure family alongside SciShield, is a digital laboratory management platform integrating data management, sample tracking, and collaboration to streamline lab operations. It covers ELN and inventory together, with a 4.2 G2 rating in guides under the SciSure name. Labs that want a consolidated digital platform without Benchling scale benefit.
Pricing is quote-based and community size trails Benchling. eLabNext fits labs that want integrated ELN and inventory from a mid-size vendor, with sample tracking as a core need.
What we like- Integrated data management
- Sample tracking
- Collaboration tools
- ELN plus inventory
Watch out for- Now part of SciSure family
- Pricing is quote-based
- Smaller community than Benchling
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
LabCollector is the strongest pick for shared labs that want workflow automation with audit trails for samples and equipment coordination. Workflow configuration covers lab operations and task assignments, with full change history tied to execution records. One 2026 comparison ranks it first overall across features, ease of use, and value for lab organization.
Pricing is quote-based and the interface prioritizes function over modern polish. LabCollector fits shared labs and core facilities where multiple teams share samples and equipment, and where audit trails matter for compliance.
What we like- Strongest for shared labs
- Workflow automation with audit trails
- Sample and equipment coordination
Watch out for- Quote-based pricing
- Interface is functional over modern
- Implementation takes effort
How we chose
We compared these tools on inventory depth, procurement workflows, ELN integration, sample tracking, freezer mapping, compliance, and pricing transparency. Quartzy comparison guides from 2026 shaped the shortlist, and we flagged every case where pricing is custom, since most lab vendors do not publish rates. We favored tools with clear strengths for a workflow type, since Quartzy, Labguru, SciNote, and LabArchives solve different operating problems.
We also separated four buyer types. Procurement-first labs should shortlist Quartzy itself or Labsistant, R&D buyers should shortlist Benchling and Labguru, notebook-first buyers should shortlist SciNote and LabArchives, and shared-lab buyers should shortlist LabCollector. Visual buyers should shortlist Genemod. The right pick follows workflow dominance, not feature count alone. Budget also shapes the shortlist sharply: a free tier from Labsistant or SciNote can carry a small lab for a year, while enterprise suites need a funded rollout plan with training time included.
Run a five-workflow proof before award
Test the five workflows that matter daily: request, approve, order, receive, and consume, plus ELN linkage where relevant. Quartzy comparison guides recommend a five-workflow proof script and a complete export before award, since demos hide receiving, partial delivery, and aliquoting gaps. A tool that fails receiving will frustrate the lab daily.
Confirm export and regulated fitness separately
Require a complete export before award, since lab data lock-in is costly when a vendor changes terms. Do not infer regulated fitness from a compliance label: confirm FDA Part 11 and EU Annex 11 requirements for your lab specifically, including audit trails and third-party agreements. A compliance badge without your requirements checked is marketing, not assurance.
Check purchasing geography and approval rules
Quartzy direct purchasing is US-only, so non-US labs need a different purchasing path. Confirm each finalist supports your geography, price-threshold approvals, and multi-level approval workflows where finance controls spend. Labs where purchasing runs through finance need approvals and three-way matching, not just ordering.
Test barcode and freezer workflows
Barcode and QR scanning decide daily inventory accuracy, so test scanning with your actual labels, printers, and phones in the real freezer room, not just in a demo. Check freezer and box mapping for the storage hierarchy you use, including aliquot tracking and expiration alerts. A system that scans well at a desk but fails with cold hands and frosted labels will lose adoption fast, no matter how strong its other features are.
Frequently asked questions
Is Quartzy still a good lab tool?
Yes. Quartzy remains the strongest procurement-first candidate, with Shop, inventory tracking, and request workflows on every plan, plus price-threshold approvals. The case for switching usually rests on ELN depth, suite consolidation, or budget rather than Quartzy disappearing.
What is the cheapest Quartzy alternative?
Labsistant is cheapest, with a free tier and 49 dollars per month for 10 users. SciNote free tier suits notebook-first labs on a zero budget, though inventory add-ons cost extra. Benchling academic free access also helps university labs, while company pricing is quote-based.
Which alternative is best for a biotech startup?
Benchling and Labguru suit biotech startups best, with Benchling leading on R&D workflows and Labguru leading on integrated ELN plus LIMS. Genemod suits visual-first startups, while Labsistant suits pre-seed labs on a tight budget. Pick by whether ELN, inventory, or procurement dominates daily work.
Do I need ELN plus LIMS or just inventory?
Pick inventory-only tools such as Quartzy or Labsistant when requests and ordering dominate and notebooks run elsewhere. Pick ELN plus LIMS suites such as Labguru or Benchling when experiments, samples, and inventory must stay linked in one system. Notebook-first labs should pick SciNote or LabArchives.
How long does a lab system migration take?
Small migrations take weeks, while enterprise migrations with inventory, samples, and ELN history take months. The longest parts are inventory import with lot and expiration data, freezer mapping, and staff training, not software signup. Always run the new system alongside the old one for one full ordering cycle before any full cutover. Include real freezer remapping and label reprinting in the timeline, since physical inventory work often takes longer than software setup. Full staff training on the new workflows should run alongside the full parallel cycle, not after cutover.
Sources we checked (12)
- https://www.benchling.com
- https://www.labguru.com
- https://www.scinote.net
- https://www.labarchives.com
- https://genemod.com
- https://labsistant.com
- https://www.elabnext.com
- https://www.labcollector.com
- https://www.appverticals.com/blog/best-lab-inventory-management-software/
- https://www.procuredesk.com/quartzy-alternatives/
- https://intuitionlabs.ai/pdfs/quartzy-labguru-scinote-labarchives-comparison.pdf
- https://gitnux.org/best/lab-organization-software/
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.