StockVial vs Labsistant: lab inventory for small labs
Last checked: October 7, 2026. Labsistant details come from its public pricing page on that date.
Labsistant and StockVial are both built for small labs and both charge per lab rather than per seat, so they are closer to each other than either is to the big enterprise systems. The difference is in what each one puts first: Labsistant adds experiments, scheduling and sample tracking around the inventory; StockVial stays on inventory and adds purchasing, receiving and the paperwork around it. This page lays out both honestly.
The short version
| StockVial | Labsistant | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 2 members, 100 items | 2 users, 50 items |
| Entry paid plan | Lab: $39/month, up to 15 members | Team: $49/month, up to 10 users (+$7 per extra user) |
| Larger plan | Enterprise: $190/month, unlimited members | Lab: $149/month, up to 40 users (+$7 per extra user) |
| Annual billing | Yes — Lab $390/year, Enterprise $1,900/year | Monthly only for now |
| Logging use at the bench | Scan the bottle's QR label, tap Used up 1 / Move / Dispose | In the app |
| Purchase requests, approvals, purchase orders | Included | Not listed on the pricing page |
| Receiving a delivery | Photo of the delivery note fills the item table | Not listed on the pricing page |
| Spending per grant | Included | Usage trends and cost analysis (Team and up) |
| Chemical list for EHS (CAS, amount, location, SDS link) | Excel, CSV or PDF export | Hazard levels on items |
| Experiments, scheduling, reagent prep from stock | No | Yes |
| Sample lineage and thaw history | No | Lab plan |
Where StockVial is different
1. More room on the free plan. 100 items instead of 50 is usually enough to put one shelf or rack in and see whether the lab actually keeps using it.
2. Purchasing is built in. Anyone in the lab can file a purchase request with a grant and a needed by date. It warns when the same product is already in stock or already requested. An approver approves it, and approved requests are grouped into a purchase order per vendor. If you ordered through your school's system or a company card instead, you can record the outside order so receiving still matches up.
3. Receive with one photo. Take a picture of the packing slip; the items — name, catalog number, lot, expiry — fill a table, you check them, and they are registered at once.
4. Paperwork out in one click. Spending by grant for your monthly statement, and a chemical list with CAS number, quantity, location and SDS link for your EHS office.
5. Annual billing. If your department prefers one invoice a year, the Lab plan is $390/year.
Where Labsistant is the better choice
- You want experiments and scheduling in the same tool. Labsistant includes experiments and scheduling and can make reagents from stock. StockVial does not do this and does not plan to in its first version.
- You track samples, not just reagents. Labsistant's Lab plan tracks sample lineage and thaw history.
- You want an in-app assistant. Labsistant's paid plans include an AI lab assistant.
Try it
Look around the demo without signing up, or start free — no credit card needed for the free plan.
Labsistant is a trademark of its owner. StockVial is not affiliated with Labsistant. Labsistant details are from its public pricing page and may change; check labsistant.com/pricing for current terms. "Not listed" means we did not find it on that page, not that the feature does not exist.