FreshLIMS vs CloudLIMS: Diagnostic Lab Comparison

The short version.

CloudLIMS is a web-based SaaS LIMS from CloudLIMS.com, aimed at a wide range of laboratory types: biobanks, clinical diagnostics, clinical research, environmental, food and beverage, genomics, toxicology, veterinary, cannabis and more. It is priced per user per month in US dollars, billed annually, with minimum user counts, and it bundles services such as configuration, instrument integration and legacy data migration at no extra charge.

FreshLIMS is narrower by design: a UK-hosted cloud platform for independent diagnostic laboratories and the clinics that refer to them, with published tiers from £495 a month, a first month free with no card, and live Westgard QC, microbiology with AST, molecular, serology and genetics workflows built in.

If your lab is a research, biobank, environmental or industrial lab, or you want a per-user model with broad module coverage, CloudLIMS is built for that. If you are an independent diagnostic lab working to ISO 15189 and UKAS, FreshLIMS is built for that.

Side by side

CloudLIMS and FreshLIMS compared.

	CloudLIMS	FreshLIMS
Built for	Many lab types: biobanks, clinical diagnostics, clinical research, environmental, food and beverage, genomics, veterinary, cannabis and others	Independent UK diagnostic labs and the clinics that refer to them
Deployment	Cloud SaaS with secure storage and automatic backups included	Cloud, UK-hosted
Pricing model	Per user per month, in USD, billed annually; minimum 3 to 5 users depending on plan	Published tiers, from £495/month; see the pricing page
Published rates	From $310 per user/month at 3 users, falling to $42 per user/month at 100 users	£495, £950 and £1,750 per month tiers
Included services	Workflow configuration, instrument integration, report templates, legacy data migration, training and support listed as no extra charge	Same-day setup; validation pack from the Founding tier
Free trial	Not mentioned on the pricing page; demo available	First month free, no card
Diagnostic scope	Sample, test and storage management, patient and client portals, billing, inventory, document management, instrument maintenance	Chemistry, microbiology with AST, molecular/PCR, serology, genetics and sequencing; clinic ordering portal; live Westgard QC
Compliance referenced	HIPAA, electronic signatures and audit trails; SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 9001 badges	Built around ISO 15189 / UKAS workflows; UK-hosted; validation pack included
Exit	Ask the vendor	Full data export at no extra cost

CloudLIMS information is taken from CloudLIMS's own home and pricing pages, reviewed in October 2026, and may have changed since; confirm current details and quotes with CloudLIMS. CloudLIMS is a trademark of its owner. FreshLIMS is not affiliated with or endorsed by CloudLIMS.com. If anything here is out of date or wrong, tell us and we'll correct it.

What per-user pricing means

Worked from CloudLIMS's published rates.

Because CloudLIMS prices by seat, the monthly cost depends on how many people log in. Using its published rate card (USD, billed annually):

3 users on the in-house plan at $310 each is $930 a month.
4 users on the cannabis and clinical diagnostics (third-party) plan at $270 each is $1,080 a month.
5 users at $285 each is $1,425 a month.
10 users at $200 each is $2,000 a month.

Per-user pricing suits a small team that will stay small, and gets cheaper per seat as headcount grows. It can feel expensive for a diagnostic lab where many staff need access at some point in the day. Whichever product you choose, ask for the cost at your realistic user count in your currency, including any extras. Our CloudLIMS pricing explainer turns the full rate card into annual totals, and our LIMS pricing guide covers the questions worth asking.

CloudLIMS is likely the better fit if…

You run a biobank, research, environmental, food or other non-diagnostic lab, or a mix of lab types.
You want a per-user model and a small, stable team.
You want configuration, instrument integration and data migration bundled into the subscription.
You are outside the UK and US-dollar billing and US-oriented compliance (HIPAA) suit you.

FreshLIMS is likely the better fit if…

You are an independent or growing diagnostic lab working towards or holding ISO 15189 / UKAS accreditation.
You want UK hosting, sterling pricing and a validation pack for your quality file.
You take referrals from clinics and want them ordering directly into your queue.
You want to try it on real samples for a month before committing.

What to ask whichever you're considering.

What is the total first-year cost at our real user count, including any extras, in pounds?
Where will our data be hosted, and under which data-protection terms?
How long to our first real sample, and who does the configuration?
What is the availability commitment, in writing, and the remedy if it's missed?
Can we export everything, in a usable form, and at what cost?
Can we speak to a UK diagnostic lab of our size and type that uses it?

FAQs

FreshLIMS vs CloudLIMS questions.

How does CloudLIMS charge?

Per user per month in US dollars, billed annually, with minimum user counts of 3 to 5 depending on the plan. Its published rates run from $310 per user at 3 users down to $42 per user at 100 users.

Does CloudLIMS offer a free trial?

A free trial isn't mentioned on its pricing page, which offers subscription and demo options. FreshLIMS gives the first month free with no card.

Is CloudLIMS suitable for a diagnostic lab?

CloudLIMS lists clinical diagnostics among the lab types it serves and has a plan for clinical diagnostics (third-party) labs. FreshLIMS is built specifically for independent UK diagnostic labs and their referring clinics.

Can I try FreshLIMS alongside my current system?

Yes. The first month is free with no card, so you can run it in parallel and compare on your own work.

FreshLIMS vs CloudLIMS