Comparison

eLABJournal vs SoftMax Pro Remote

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

eLABJournal

Digitize your research with this electronic lab notebook. Browse your lab notebook, scan sample barcodes, view protocols, and manage equipment bookings. Secure your account with two-step verification and receive important notifications.

Highlights
  • Browse lab notebook
  • Scan sample barcodes
  • View protocols
  • Manage equipment bookings
  • Take notes and pictures
  • Two-step account verification
  • Receive stock and experiment notifications
Features
Read full description

eLabNext aims to improve research processes with lab digitization. Our product eLabJournal offers more than just an electronic lab notebook. Whether you’re just starting up, a small or large academic institution, or globally operating company, your R&D lab can benefit from the elevating power of eLabNext. Our mobile app extends the functionality of the web application and offers the following features: • Browsing through your lab notebook • Scanning of 2D barcodes of samples, sample series, equipment to view information • View protocols or procedures and walk through them step by step • Show and make bookings for equipment • Make notes or take pictures and sync them with eLabNext • Two-step verification with push notification to secure your account • Receive notifications when consumables run out of stock or when experiments require signing

About

SoftMax Pro Remote

Features
Read full description

Save time and plan your experiments more efficiently with SMP Remote, an app which enables you to remotely control your Molecular Devices® plate reader through SoftMax® Pro Data Acquisition and Analysis Software and your wireless network. You can use SMP Remote to set the reader temperature, shake the microplate, initiate a plate read, and more. Whether your microplate reader is in the next room, upstairs, or in another building, you can use SMP Remote to monitor your reader. SMP Remote will notify you when the set temperature is reached or show you the instrument status during kinetic or spectrum reads so you are free to continue with your planned lab work. SMP Remote Features: • Set the instrument temperature • Receive temperature notifications • Open and close the drawer • Shake the microplate (push and hold the Shake button) • Initiate a plate read • Monitor instrument status • Open a new protocol • Add a new Experiment or Plate section • Switch between different plate sections within a protocol NOTE: SMP Remote requires SoftMax Pro v6.5 or higher and a compatible microplate reader

Screenshots

eLABJournal4 screens
SoftMax Pro Remote3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: SoftMax Pro Remote at weekly against eLABJournal's every 2 months. SoftMax Pro Remote also leads on iOS requirement (6.0 vs 13.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

eLABJournal ships an update every 2 months, SoftMax Pro Remote weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
eLABJournal versus SoftMax Pro Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametereLABJournalSoftMax Pro Remote
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (8 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings8 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.06.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBio-ITech BVMolecular Devices, LLC

In-app purchases

None

eLABJournal

No in-app purchases

None

SoftMax Pro Remote

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is eLABJournal free?
eLABJournal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SoftMax Pro Remote free?
SoftMax Pro Remote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do eLABJournal or SoftMax Pro Remote have ads?
Neither eLABJournal nor SoftMax Pro Remote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, eLABJournal or SoftMax Pro Remote?
eLABJournal ships an update every 2 months, and SoftMax Pro Remote weekly. Most recently, eLABJournal was updated on October 6, 2026 and SoftMax Pro Remote on October 1, 2026.

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