No. 7 of 24 ·Electronic Lab Notebook Software

Chemotion ELN

Web · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted

Freedom report

Two barsScore 5.6

Free tierNo free tier on record
Open codeNo open-source code on record
Runs widely4 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

Chemotion ELN is ranked #7 of 24 in electronic lab notebook software on Freedom251. It runs on Linux, macOS, Self-hosted, Web, Windows. A free trial is offered.

Compared on electronic lab notebook software

Free plan: Yes
Audit trail: No
Offline access: No
Search scope: metadata
API access: Yes
Export formats: XLSX, SDF, SMILES, ZIP

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The record

Purpose: Chemotion ELN is an electronic laboratory notebook for managing research data, with a focus on chemistry.
Sample records: Sample records can include molecular structure, amount, and compound properties such as purity.
Reactions: Users can document reactions involving samples and record reaction conditions and products.
Deployment: The ELN can be installed on a group, institution, or university's IT facilities, and the installation guide describes Docker-based installation.
Free access: The project states that free access and free use by academic researchers is one of its principles.
Demo: A freely available test version is offered for demonstration and time-limited evaluation; the page cautions that data may be lost and some functions are unavailable.
Integrations: The ELN supports OpenStats and a TLC Image Annotation Tool as third-party applications.
Repository connection: The ELN can connect to the Chemotion Repository to transfer selected research information for sharing and archiving.
Authentication: Authentication options include database login, Shibboleth, OpenID Connect, ORCID, GitHub, and NFDI AAI.
Security: The documentation says Chemotion passwords are encrypted and describes password hashing for database authentication.
Support and maintenance: The team recommends upgrading an instance at least once every three months to receive new features, bug fixes, and security patches.
Browser limitation: Chrome is recommended; Firefox and Edge have limited functionality in some areas, including collection management and ChemSpectra.
Network requirement: Chemotion ELN is web based and requires a network connection; the FAQ says there is currently no standalone version.
Intended users: The project says the ELN was initially targeted at chemists and has attracted interest from other fields, particularly biochemistry.

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best Electronic Lab Notebook Software in 2026#7 of 24

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Sources

chemotion.net/docs· checked 4 Oct 2026
chemotion.net/docs/eln/ui/elements/samples· checked 4 Oct 2026
chemotion.net/docs/eln/ui/elements/reactions· checked 4 Oct 2026
chemotion.net/docs/eln/install_configure· checked 4 Oct 2026
chemotion.net/docs/eln/faq· checked 4 Oct 2026
chemotion.net/docs/services/third_party_apps· checked 4 Oct 2026
chemotion.net/docs/eln/install_configure/authenticati· checked 4 Oct 2026
chemotion.net/docs/eln· checked 5 Oct 2026
chemotion.net/docs/eln/install_configure/ChemCLI· checked 5 Oct 2026
chemotion.net/docs/eln/devices· checked 5 Oct 2026