Inventory tools included
Track stock, scan labels, record use, set alerts, and export reports.
Free laboratory inventory software
Free lab inventory software
Manage reagents, consumables, and freezer stock with your whole team. No trial period. No credit card needed to sign up.
Free inventory and reports for unlimited users. AI uses team credits.
Unlimited users
Invite your whole team without per-user fees.
Import and export
Import Excel or CSV files and export your records at any time.
Organize lab freezer inventory
Create a location such as Freezer A and add its shelves and boxes inside it. Record quantities, lots, and expiry dates where stock is stored. Filter by freezer to include its shelves and boxes, or scan a location label. Scan an item or select it manually to record use.
Set storage locations and alerts
Assign stock to a room, freezer, or cabinet, or to a shelf or box inside it. Get alerts for low stock and upcoming expiry dates.
Track stock from delivery to use
Receive deliveries, record use by project, trace transfers, and review spending and usage reports.
What is free and what costs money
Inventory tools are free with no time limit. You pay only for AI use beyond the starter credit or for a private installation.
| Feature | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory, locations, lots, and expiry dates | Free | No time limit |
| QR and Datamatrix scanning, manual use | Free | Use the camera of a phone, tablet, or computer |
| Reports, exports, alerts, and weekly emails | Free | Export your records at any time |
| Users, items, and locations | Free | No limit on the number of users, items, or locations |
| Ask Laima AI assistant and AI column suggestions | Team credits | Starter credit included. Team administrators can buy more. |
| Private cloud or on-premises installation | On request | Contact us |
Free lab inventory software compared
Several tools offer free lab inventory tracking. The right one depends on how much stock you track and whether someone in your lab can run a server.
| Tool | Price | Hosting | Limits | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laima | Free. AI features use credits. | Hosted on EU servers | No limit on users, items, or locations | Teams that want inventory, scanning, and reports without running a server |
| eLabFTW | Free and open source (AGPLv3). Paid hosting is available. | Your own server | You install, update, and back it up | Labs with IT support that also want an electronic lab notebook |
| Labshake | Free | Online service | Up to 3000 inventory items | Small inventories |
| Quartzy | From $50 per month for academic labs, billed annually | Hosted | No free plan | Labs that want ordering and request workflows in one paid tool |
| Benchling Academic | Free for academic users | Hosted | Includes Notebook and Molecular Biology, not Inventory | Academic molecular biology work |
| Excel or Google Sheets | Free or already licensed | A shared file | No label scanning or low-stock and expiry emails | A short list kept by one person |
Prices and limits are taken from each vendor’s website in October 2026.
Hosted or open source?
Open-source tools such as eLabFTW cost nothing to download, but someone has to install them, apply updates, and run backups. A hosted tool leaves that work to the vendor. Then the question is whether you can get your data out. In Laima, you can export your records at any time.
Inventory software or a LIMS?
A LIMS (laboratory information management system) manages samples, test requests, and results. Inventory software tracks what you have, where it is stored, and when it runs out or expires. Laima is inventory software. If you mainly need to know what stock you have and where it is, you do not need a LIMS.
Set up a free lab inventory
Start with one freezer or one project and add the rest when the team is ready.
- Create a free account. You do not need a credit card.
- Import your catalog from an Excel or CSV file, such as a supplier price list or the Laima template. Laima shows a preview before anything is added. Import a catalog
- Create storage locations, such as Freezer A with its shelves and boxes inside it. Organize freezer inventory
- Invite your team and choose a role for each person. Set up your team
- Add stock to its location with quantities, lots, and expiry dates. For partly used stock, enter the amount still on hand. Receive inventory
- Print QR or Datamatrix labels, or record use by selecting stock manually. Print labels
FAQ
Common questions
Can I manage lab freezer inventory for free?
Yes. Freezer locations, reagent stock, expiration tracking, and consumption are included in the free hosted product. Organize shelves and boxes as child locations and share the inventory with unlimited teammates.
Is every Laima feature really free?
Inventory, scanning, reports, permissions, exports, and weekly emails are free, with unlimited users and no time limit. Ask Laima and AI spreadsheet column suggestions use shared team credits, with starter credit included. No credit card is needed to create an account.
Is there a limit on items, locations, or users?
No. The free plan has no limit on the number of items, locations, or users, and no time limit.
Can I import our existing spreadsheet?
Yes. You can import inventory with Excel or CSV templates and export your data again at any time.
What happens to our data if we stop using Laima?
You can export your records at any time. After you close your account, your data stays available for export for 30 days and is then deleted.
Can we host Laima ourselves?
The free plan runs on Laima’s EU servers. For a private cloud or on-premises installation, contact us.
Is Laima a LIMS?
No. Laima is lab inventory software for reagents, consumables, and freezer stock. It does not manage test requests or results.
Do we need special hardware or labels?
No. A phone, tablet, or computer camera can scan QR and Datamatrix codes, and unlabeled stock can be selected manually. Dedicated scanners and printed labels are optional.
Free access
Laima is free to use
Inventory, scanning, reports, and weekly emails are free for unlimited users, with no time limit. AI uses team credits. No credit card needed to sign up.