Turn laboratory protocols into reproducible experiments
Benchbook guides you through the protocol at the bench and captures the run as it happens — every measurement, timer, deviation and reagent lot. It is an experiment execution platform that records the experiment while you do it, instead of after.
Free to use. No credit card needed.
Transfer plate to the 37 °C incubator for 5 minutes with gentle agitation.
The protocol isn't the experiment
A protocol describes what should happen. The experiment is what actually happened — the incubation that ran four minutes long, the reading that came in high, the lot you swapped in when the first tube ran out. That is the part that decides whether anyone can reproduce the result, and it is the part that usually never gets written down.
Reproducibility starts at the bench, not in the write-up weeks later. So Benchbook sits where the work happens: it guides the run, and records it as you go.
Protocols tell you what to do. Benchbook makes sure it gets done.
One record runs from the protocol you start with, through every step you carry out, to the write-up at the end — measurements, timings, deviations and reagent lots captured as they happen.
A Word doc becomes a runnable protocol
Upload an SOP as a .docx or paste it in as text. AI-assisted extraction reads it and builds every step, timer, tolerance and reagent — ready to run, without retyping a thing.
Follow the protocol at the bench, step by step
Timers, checkboxes, measurements and notes guide the run in real time, and anything that departs from the protocol is recorded as a deviation while you work — not reconstructed from memory afterwards.
Transfer plate to the 37 °C incubator for 5 minutes with gentle agitation.
Out-of-range measurements are flagged instantly
Every value is checked against its tolerance the moment you type it, so a result outside spec is caught at the bench, not weeks later during analysis.
Target: 5.0 ± 0.1 V
Outside tolerance
Target: 37.0 ± 0.5 °C
Within tolerance
Expired lots are caught before you start
Lot numbers and expiry dates live with the protocol that uses them. An expired reagent triggers a warning, and your decision to proceed is documented automatically.
Pre-run checklist
A methods paragraph, drafted for you
Once the run is complete, AI drafts a methods-section paragraph from the real record — reagent lots, timings and measurements included — ready for you to review.
Samples were incubated at 37.0 ± 0.5 °C for 5 ± 1 minutes with gentle agitation. Tris-HCl Buffer (1M, pH 8.0, lot 24A117) was used per protocol; all reagents were within expiry at time of use.
Built for the bench, not just the desk
Benchbook is designed for gloved hands and shared lab devices — big touch targets, a fast interface, and a record that keeps up with you mid-experiment.
Works on tablets and phones propped up at the bench
Installable as an app — no app store needed
Keeps working through brief connection drops
Every run records the lot that went into it
Lot numbers and expiry dates live with the protocol that uses them, and are captured into the run as you work. Start an experiment with an expired reagent and Benchbook warns you first — your decision either way is recorded.
How Benchbook works
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Import with AI, or write a protocol
Upload an existing SOP and AI builds the steps, timers, measurements and reagents list — or write one from scratch.
- 02 / 03
Run it step by step
Work through the protocol at the bench with timers, tolerance checks and a pre-run reagent checklist guiding you.
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Get a complete, shareable record
Every run is saved as a full record — export it to PDF, send a read-only share link, or draft the methods section straight from it.
Your lab's experimental memory
Every run becomes a structured record of what was actually done — steps, timings, measurements, deviations and the reagent lots used. Look back at a single run, or across every run of the same protocol to see how consistent your technique has been.
Samples were incubated at 37.0 ± 0.5 °C for 5 ± 1 minutes. Tris-HCl Buffer (1M, pH 8.0, lot 24A117) was used according to protocol. All reagents were within expiry at time of use.
Incubation temperature — 5 runs
All 5 runs within ± 0.5 °C of target.
Frequently asked questions
What is an electronic lab notebook?
An electronic lab notebook (ELN) replaces the paper notebook for recording experiments: protocols, steps, measurements, timings and results are captured digitally as you work, rather than written up from memory afterwards. Benchbook goes a step further — it is an experiment execution platform, guiding you through the protocol at the bench and capturing what actually happened as it happens.
How does Benchbook help with reproducibility and methods sections?
Every experiment run is captured as a complete record — every step, timing, measurement, deviation and reagent lot used. From that record, AI can draft a methods-section paragraph for you to review and edit, and statistics across runs show how consistent your technique is over time.
What is the difference between a protocol and an experiment record?
A protocol is the plan: the steps you intend to follow. An experiment record is what actually happened when you ran it, including the real timings, the measured values, any deviation from the plan and the reagent lots you used. Benchbook turns the protocol into a guided run and produces that record automatically.
Is Benchbook free?
Yes. Benchbook is free to use.
How does AI protocol import work?
Upload a Word document or paste in text from an existing SOP, and AI-assisted extraction reads it and builds a runnable protocol — identifying steps, timers, measurements and tolerances, plus the materials and reagents list — so you don't have to enter everything by hand.
Can I track reagent lot numbers and expiry dates?
Yes. Reagents and materials are grouped by the protocol that uses them, and you can record a lot number and expiry date for each one. Benchbook warns you before you start an experiment with a reagent that has expired, and keeps a list of entries that still need lot or expiry details.
Does Benchbook work on a tablet at the bench?
Yes. Benchbook is designed for tablets and phones at the bench, with large touch targets for gloved hands. It's installable as an app and keeps working through brief connection drops.
Can I share an experiment record with someone else?
Yes. You can export any run to PDF or generate a read-only share link, so a colleague, supervisor or reviewer can see the full record without needing a Benchbook account.
Make every experiment reproducible
Free to use. Turn your first protocol into a guided experiment in minutes.