Tired of constant data entry errors?
Juggling sample tracking, maintaining audit trails, and ensuring compliance feels like an impossible task when everything is done manually.
These workflow bottlenecks don’t just slow you down; they risk data integrity and can seriously compromise your critical research findings.
In fact, Precedence Research found that 67% of laboratories report manual data errors as a major challenge. This often leads to costly rework and delayed results.
The right system helps you streamline your entire laboratory operations, eliminating these issues from start to finish.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through my top picks for the best laboratory information management system to help you regain control and boost your lab’s efficiency.
You’ll discover how to ensure regulatory compliance, improve data accuracy, and make more informed decisions based on reliable, accessible information.
Let’s dive in.
Quick Summary:
| # | Software | Rating | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LabWare → | Large multi-industry labs | |
| 2 | Thermo Fisher Scientific → | Core & specialized labs | |
| 3 | STARLIMS → | R&D and public health labs | |
| 4 | Sapio → | Labs needing security focus | |
| 5 | LabVantage → | Pharma, biotech, food labs |
1. LabWare
Struggling with complex lab data and regulatory compliance?
LabWare offers a comprehensive suite of LIMS and ELN solutions designed to automate your laboratory operations. This means you can significantly improve your lab’s productivity, throughput, efficiency, and data integrity.
You’ll find streamlined lab documentation processes and a reduction in intensive manual data checking. The result is improved electronic record keeping, freeing up your team.
Here’s how to simplify your lab.
LabWare automates laboratory operations, ensuring regulatory compliance and reducing costs. This translates to increased productivity and streamlined lab processes for your team.
The platform offers validated workflows that are rigorously tested for rapid implementation, and it provides robust reporting capabilities to consolidate, analyze, search, and trend laboratory data. Additionally, it automates final reports, like Certificates of Analysis, for your convenience. You can also expect support for defined operating procedures with electronic records, signatures, and comprehensive audit trails, enhancing your overall quality and compliance.
Achieve greater data accuracy and make informed decisions faster.
Key features:
- Comprehensive Automation: Automate your laboratory with integrated LIMS and ELN solutions, improving productivity, throughput, and data integrity for your operations.
- Robust Compliance Tools: Ensure regulatory adherence through validated workflows, electronic records, digital signatures, and detailed audit trails, safeguarding your lab’s quality.
- Advanced Data Management: Consolidate, analyze, search, and trend all laboratory data, automating final reports like COAs to reduce manual effort and improve record keeping.
Learn more about LabWare features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: LabWare stands out as the best laboratory information management system by focusing on automation, data integrity, and compliance. With a 98% customer satisfaction rate and trust from over 29,000 laboratories, it streamlines operations, reduces manual errors, and ensures regulatory adherence for various industries.
2. Thermo Fisher Scientific
Struggling with complex lab data and compliance?
Thermo Fisher Scientific offers digital solutions and lab informatics to simplify your operations, directly addressing those common pain points.
This means you can say goodbye to workflow bottlenecks and manual errors, as their tools help you manage vast datasets and maintain audit trails efficiently.
Here’s how they deliver.
Their digital solutions focus on streamlining laboratory operations, from comprehensive imaging data management platforms for core labs to tools that connect lab data and apps.
You get relevant technical information and answers to everyday problems through their support centers, ensuring smooth experiment planning and execution.
Additionally, their offerings extend to specialized areas like biobanking analysis and collection, preparation, storage, and transport, all designed to improve throughput and data accuracy.
The result is improved data accuracy for informed decision-making.
Key features:
- Lab Informatics and Digital Solutions: Provides tools to manage vast datasets and connect lab data, streamlining complex laboratory operations.
- Imaging Data Management Platform: Offers specialized software for core imaging facilities, addressing the need for efficient data organization and accessibility.
- Comprehensive Support Centers: Access technical information, tips, and answers to everyday problems, enhancing experiment planning and execution for users.
Learn more about Thermo Fisher Scientific features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Thermo Fisher Scientific’s focus on lab informatics and imaging data management directly tackles challenges like data complexity and audit trail maintenance. Their robust support resources and specialized applications make it an excellent choice if you’re looking for the best laboratory information management system to streamline your processes and ensure compliance.
3. STARLIMS
Is managing lab operations complicating your day-to-day?
STARLIMS tackles this directly, offering LIMS and informatics platforms designed to simplify your daily operations.
This means you can easily overcome workflow bottlenecks and reduce manual errors, allowing your team to focus on serving customers effectively and ensure your critical data remains accessible and secure.
Here’s how to simplify your operations.
STARLIMS delivers globally recognized laboratory information management systems to enhance laboratory testing and increase efficiency. The Labstep ELN, a cloud R&D platform, helps you create, collaborate, and protect your intellectual property.
It improves data quality, integrity, and traceability by capturing real-time structured data, enabling you to easily connect with other tools and systems for multidisciplinary research within a secure environment. Additionally, it integrates LIMS with SDMS, LES, and Advanced Analytics for a holistic view across R&D, clinical, and public health labs, helping your organization stay ahead of health risks and achieve more accurate results.
The result is streamlined operations and exceptional lab results.
Key features:
- Unified Lab Informatics Platform: Integrates LIMS with SDMS, LES, ELN, and Advanced Analytics to provide a holistic view of lab operations across various disciplines.
- Labstep Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN): A connected cloud R&D platform for creating, collaborating, and protecting intellectual property through real-time structured data capture.
- Comprehensive Industry Solutions: Offers tailored LIMS and informatics platforms for sectors like life sciences, quality control, manufacturing, public health, and clinical diagnostics.
Learn more about STARLIMS features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: STARLIMS streamlines laboratory operations by providing robust LIMS and integrated informatics platforms, ensuring regulatory compliance and improving data accuracy. Its Labstep ELN enhances R&D productivity and data security, making it a strong contender for the best laboratory information management system by addressing key pain points like workflow bottlenecks and data integrity.
4. Sapio
Are compliance risks and workflow bottlenecks slowing you down?
Sapio’s electronic security solutions address data management challenges, streamlining your lab operations.
This means you can control your premises with connected security devices, reducing manual errors and enhancing data accuracy.
Here’s your comprehensive security solution.
Sapio offers extensive electronic security solutions, including CCTV, access control, and intrusion alarms. These systems are engineered to provide tangible outcomes for your physical security needs.
Additionally, Sapio’s 24/7 monitoring center provides alarm monitoring, video verification, and analytic video monitoring, with experienced operators available around the clock. This ensures your business is protected by linking connected security devices to create an outcome-driven solution, maintaining audit trails and reducing compliance risks. Plus, their innovation extends to IoT monitoring and personal safety devices.
The result is improved throughput and better informed decision-making capabilities.
Key features:
- Electronic Security Systems: Design and engineer solutions for CCTV, access control, and intrusion alarms to secure your physical premises.
- 24/7 Monitoring Services: Provide continuous alarm monitoring, video verification, and analytic video monitoring by experienced operators.
- Innovative Connected Devices: Offer IoT monitoring, personal safety devices, and integrated solutions for comprehensive site control.
Learn more about Sapio features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Sapio stands out by combining advanced electronic security with continuous human monitoring and innovative connected devices, offering a comprehensive solution for managing complex laboratory operations. If you’re looking to improve data accuracy and simplify compliance, Sapio is a strong contender for the best laboratory information management system.
5. LabVantage
Struggling with complex lab data and compliance?
LabVantage’s AI-powered platform captures and utilizes your lab data for better business outcomes. This means you can simplify workflows with an end-to-end platform for LIMS, ELN, LES, SDMS, and analytics.
This integrated solution streamlines daily operations, giving lab managers and scientific directors real-time insights for informed decisions. Plus, it frees your team from maintenance costs with end-to-end management services.
Unlock your lab’s full potential.
LabVantage helps accelerate your research by integrating scattered data with AILANI, its AI-powered search tool that rapidly scans public and proprietary digital assets. This enhances data accessibility across your enterprise.
You can streamline operations, especially if you’re in industries like pharma, biotech, or food and beverage, by choosing a pre-configured, industry-specific LIMS. This dramatically reduces deployment time and boosts your ROI. Additionally, its 100% browser-based platform means you can access lab data from any device, anywhere, helping your team work smarter.
The result: improved throughput, data accuracy, and significant decision-making capabilities.
Key features:
- AI-Powered Platform: Captures and utilizes lab data across LIMS, ELN, LES, SDMS, and analytics for accelerated decisions and business growth.
- Integrated Informatics Solution: Consolidates LIMS, ELN, LES, SDMS, and analytics into a single platform to streamline workflows and reduce deployment complexities.
- Industry-Specific & Accessible: Offers pre-configured solutions for various industries and a 100% browser-based platform for anytime, anywhere data access.
Learn more about LabVantage features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: LabVantage provides a robust, AI-powered solution to simplify lab operations, manage vast datasets, and ensure compliance. Its end-to-end capabilities, highlighted by a customer logging 700+ samples daily, make it a strong contender for the best laboratory information management system, enabling confident decision-making from benchtop to boardroom.
6. Benchling
Struggling with complex lab data and manual errors?
You need a solution that simplifies laboratory operations and boosts productivity. Benchling helps you digitize your lab, automate workflows, and increase productivity with AI.
This means you can cut manual and repetitive work, eliminating bottlenecks and improving your team’s efficiency in the lab.
Time to accelerate your research and development.
Benchling solves these challenges by providing a collaborative, cloud-based notebook for planning, recording, and sharing experiments. This enables you to model and track scientific data for biomolecules, cell lines, reagents, and more, ensuring a unified data model across experiments to power computational science and accelerate your progress. Additionally, it offers out-of-the-box integrations, allowing you to build custom apps and connect data from instruments and other software, providing an end-to-end platform for process development that is both secure and flexible, adapting to your science and ecosystem. The result is a user-friendly interface purpose-built for complex science.
Experience cutting-edge science with ease.
Key features:
- Digitized Lab Operations: Plan, record, and share experiments using a collaborative, cloud-based notebook, reducing manual effort and improving data accessibility for your team.
- Automated Workflows & AI Tools: Cut repetitive tasks with automated workflows and leverage AI tools to work more efficiently, saving scientists up to 4 hours per week.
- Unified Data Foundation: Model and track scientific data across various modalities like biomolecules and cell lines, creating a unified data model that powers computational science.
Learn more about Benchling features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Benchling excels as a best laboratory information management system by tackling common lab pain points, offering digitized operations, AI-powered automation, and a unified data foundation. With capabilities like a 63% reduction in data capture time and a 10x increase in throughput, it ensures streamlined operations, regulatory compliance, and improved decision-making for your lab.
7. CrelioHealth
Is your lab struggling with data overload?
CrelioHealth offers a cloud-based Lab Management solution designed to automate processes like booking, sample tracking, and reporting. This means you can eliminate manual errors and workflow bottlenecks.
You can automate your entire lab process from booking, sample tracking, batching, reporting, and dispatching. The result? Smooth, efficient lab operations.
CrelioHealth is a full-stack solution for labs.
This platform helps you manage diverse workflows, from toxicology to anatomical testing. It also handles various lab types, including physician offices and multi-location facilities, all while being user-friendly and easy to deploy. Additionally, you can efficiently collect and manage orders with auto-scheduling benefits and integrated billing through the Provider Portal. Plus, its powerful API allows for integration with other software, EMRs, and clinical tools, bringing all your systems together for real business results. You also get advanced security and compliance features like HIPAA and ISO 27001:2013, with daily backups to protect your sensitive data.
You’ll reduce inventory costs by optimizing consumption.
Speaking of managing various operations, you might find my guide on best campaign management software helpful for broader business needs.
Key features:
- Comprehensive Lab Automation Automates everything from booking and sample tracking to batching, reporting, and dispatching, freeing your team from manual, day-to-day tasks.
- Integrated Order Management Efficiently collects and manages orders with auto-scheduling and integrated billing, enhancing productivity for D2C labs and physician office labs.
- Robust Data Security and Compliance Adheres to global standards like HIPAA and ISO 27001:2013 with high-level encryption and daily backups, safeguarding sensitive lab data.
Learn more about CrelioHealth features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: CrelioHealth offers a comprehensive, cloud-based solution that automates lab processes, integrates seamlessly with existing systems, and ensures regulatory compliance. Its focus on efficiency, data accuracy, and patient experience makes it an ideal choice as the best laboratory information management system for modern diagnostic labs.
8. QBench
Are data management challenges slowing down your lab?
QBench offers a highly configurable and flexible LIMS, designed to streamline your operations and put you in control. This means you can automate workflows, ensuring regulatory compliance and improving data accuracy.
You can quickly find the status of any order, sample, or test, and speed up sample turnaround times by skipping manual steps. The result is improved productivity and reduced compliance risks.
This is how QBench simplifies lab operations.
QBench empowers you to run your entire lab more efficiently with a modern, flexible LIMS. You gain powerful configurability and no-code tools to tweak workflows, automations, and reports without custom code. This means a faster implementation, allowing you to get value from your LIMS much quicker, avoiding drawn-out and expensive setups often associated with legacy systems.
Additionally, QBench helps you meet compliance needs, as it’s ISO 17025 compatible, HIPAA compliant, and supports 21 CFR Part 11 and CLIA certification. This integrated system also offers a Customer Portal, Quality Management System, Inventory Management, and Billing all in one, providing you with a truly unified lab operating system that connects your entire operation.
This modern system adapts to your evolving lab requirements.
Key features:
- Workflow Tracking & Automation: Track orders, samples, and tests with ease, automating steps and speeding up sample turnaround times, eliminating manual errors and improving productivity.
- Automated Reporting & Customization: Configure report templates to automatically generate, approve, and release hundreds of reports, updating them quickly with a no-code editor.
- Compliance-Ready & Integrated System: Meets ISO 17025, HIPAA, 21 CFR Part 11, and CLIA requirements while integrating with critical systems like NetSuite, QuickBooks, and Salesforce.
Learn more about QBench features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: QBench stands out as a highly configurable and flexible system that simplifies lab operations, making it the best laboratory information management system for managers seeking compliance, automation, and faster implementation. Its integrated tools and no-code solutions streamline workflows, reduce manual errors, and enhance data accuracy.
Conclusion
Data errors slowing your lab down?
Choosing the right LIMS is tough. You need a system that cuts manual errors and ensures regulatory compliance without a complex, lengthy setup.
According to industry case studies, LIMS implementation reduces sample processing errors by 30%. This directly addresses the biggest risks to your data integrity and research timelines, offering a huge productivity boost for your team.
Here is my top recommendation.
From my experience, LabWare is the most effective solution for automating your lab’s operations and ensuring complete data integrity from the start.
Its comprehensive automation tools and validated workflows are why I find it’s the best laboratory information management system. Trusted by over 29,000 labs, it streamlines processes and solidifies compliance.
Beyond lab operations, if you’re exploring ways to streamline production and maximize ROI, my guide on best MES Systems offers valuable insights.
I strongly recommend you book a free demo of LabWare to see how it can simplify your specific lab processes and improve results.
Your team’s efficiency will skyrocket.
