LabFig
FreemiumAI scientific figure generator from sketches, text, or PDFs.
By Tanmay Verma, Founder · Last verified 06 Jul 2026
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Added 5d ago
77/100Safe BetIn short
LabFig — AI scientific figure generator from sketches, text, or PDFs. Best for Graduate students preparing figures for journal submission, Postdocs and researchers needing rapid schematic generation from sketches or descriptions, Lab groups wanting consistent figure style across publications using Reference to Figure. Free to start; paid plans from $7.994/mo.
Is LabFig actually worth it?
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Editorial Verdict
Best for
Graduate students preparing figures for journal submissionPostdocs and researchers needing rapid schematic generation from sketches or descriptionsLab groups wanting consistent figure style across publications using Reference to FigureAuthors adapting figures from preprints or existing PDFs for review articlesResearchers without design software training who need publication-quality vector output
Not ideal for
Teams requiring on-premises or air-gapped deployment (cloud-only)Users who need free unlimited credits (free credits limited; credit costs per generation)Researchers looking for full vector illustration tools (e.g., custom Bezier curves)Automated workflows lacking an API for integration
LabFig is a practical shortcut for academics tired of Illustrator. The vector canvas and region inpainting save real time, but credit costs add up—calculate your output before committing to a paid plan. If you need unlimited vector illustration or an API, look at Biorender or Adobe Illustrator instead.
Skip LabFig if Skip LabFig if you need an API for automated figure generation, on-premises deployment, unlimited free usage, or full vector illustration capabilities like custom Bezier curves.
Compare with: LabFig vs QOVES, LabFig vs ThumbnailCreator.com, LabFig vs mnml AI
Last verified: July 2026
What's new in LabFig
Checked 2 days agoAcross the latest 5 updates: 1 feature update and 4 launches.
LaunchBlog·May 12Newest
AI Figures for Clinical AI Papers: Patient Cohorts, Diagnostic Pipelines, and Outcome Plots (2026)
Guide for generating CONSORT diagrams, TRIPOD-AI flowcharts, and ROC plots with LabFig for clinical AI papers.
LaunchBlog·May 12
AI Figures for Drug Discovery: Target Pipelines, Binding Sites, and ADMET (2026)
Guide for using LabFig to create drug discovery figures: target pipelines, ADMET plots, SAR grids for publications.
LaunchBlog·May 12
AI Figures for Machine Learning Papers: Architecture Diagrams, Pipelines, and Results (2026)
Guide to creating ML paper figures with LabFig — transformer diagrams, training pipelines, attention heatmaps for CVPR/NeurIPS.
LaunchBlog·May 12
AI Figures for Single-Cell Biology: UMAP Plots, scRNA-seq Workflows, and Trajectory Analyses (2026)
Guide to generating publication-grade scRNA-seq figures with LabFig, targeting Nature Methods submissions.
FeatureChangelog·Nov 11
LabFig v2.0 Released — Vector Canvas and PDF Figure Recovery
v2.0 adds vector canvas editor, PDF figure recovery, and visual language matching for publication-ready figures.
What independent users actually report about LabFig
We ran a structured research pass across product reviews, community discussions, and post-purchase forum threads to surface the patterns vendors won't publish themselves. Below: the recurring strengths, the hidden costs people mention most, and the cohort that consistently regrets adopting this tool.
Recurring strengths
- +Converts sketches, PDFs, and photos into editable vector figures quickly.
- +Exports to SVG and PDF at journal-grade resolution—no format conversion needed.
- +Vector canvas preserves editability of labels, arrows, and colors after generation.
- +Six visual styles offer flexibility for different publication aesthetics.
- +Reference-to-figure feature replicates style and layout from existing figures.
Recurring frustrations
- −Complex multi-panel figures often require manual repositioning and tweaking.
- −Free tier is too limited for serious scientific figure creation.
- −Limited community feedback raises doubts about reliability and longevity.
- −Artistic styles like Watercolor are of limited use for standard research figures.
- −No native graph/chart creation—must use external data to generate basic plots.
Patterns worth knowing
Time savings over traditional tools like Illustrator or PowerPoint
Seen on Reddit, Hacker News, Product Hunt
Quality of vector output and export options satisfy journal requirements
Seen on Reddit
Handling of complex figures is inconsistent, often needing manual fixes
Seen on Hacker News, Product Hunt
Learning curve
beginnerProductive in ~5 minutes
Hidden costs people mention
- • Batch generation and figure enhancer are premium-only—crucial for workflow
- • No mention of team pricing or campus-wide license
Viability Score
77/100
Safe BetHow likely is LabFig to still be operational in 12 months? Based on 4 signals — momentum (how recently it shipped), wrapper dependency, revenue model, and web presence.
momentum
55
funding runway
80
website health
90
wrapper dependency
100
Last calculated: July 2026
How we score →Key Features
- Text to Figure from natural language descriptions
- Sketch to Figure from hand-drawn photos
- PDF to Figure extraction and reconstruction
- Photo to Figure from lab photos into illustrations
- Reference to Figure for style/layout replication
- Vector Canvas with full label, arrow, and color editing
- Region inpainting and regeneration within the canvas
- Figure Enhancer for upscaling and cleanup (Premium)
- Batch generation from sketches or PDFs (Premium)
- Six visual styles: Scientific, Line, 3D, Editorial, Sketch, Watercolor
- Auto mode: style follows prompt without explicit selection
- Export to PNG, SVG, PDF at journal-grade resolution
- Private figure library (Standard and Premium)
- English and Chinese label support
- Version history and figure variants (Premium)
About LabFig
FreemiumBeginner-friendlyNo APIWeb
LabFig is an AI-powered platform that lets researchers and graduate students create publication-ready scientific figures in seconds. It supports multiple input modes—text descriptions, hand-drawn sketches, reference figures, PDFs, and lab photos—and outputs clean, editable vector graphics for journal submission. The tool features a vector-first editing canvas where every label, arrow, and color remains editable after generation, and offers six visual styles (Scientific, Line, 3D, Editorial, Sketch, Watercolor) to match the look of Nature, Cell, or IEEE. With over 100,000 researchers from leading institutions already using LabFig, it's designed to replace traditional software like Illustrator or PowerPoint for scientific figure creation. Unlike generic AI image generators, LabFig focuses on scholarly requirements: SVG/PDF export, region inpainting, style consistency across a manuscript, and commercial-use licenses for textbooks. The platform also includes specialized guides for clinical AI, drug discovery, machine learning, and single-cell biology figures, making it versatile across disciplines.
Behind the Verdict
LabFig fills a genuine gap: turning rough sketches, PDF extracts, or text prompts into clean, submission-ready scientific figures without a steep learning curve. Its vector canvas with region inpainting is a standout—unlike one-shot AI tools, you can edit labels, recolor panels, and regenerate parts after generation. Six journal-grade styles (Scientific, Line, 3D, Editorial, Sketch, Watercolor) help match a journal's visual standard. That said, the credit system is a gotcha: each generation costs 1-3 credits, and free users get limited credits. Plans start at $7.9/mo (Starter, annual), which covers ~600 figures/year—enough for a grad student writing one or two papers. For heavy users, the Standard plan ($29.9/mo annual) with 3,000 figures/year is more realistic. No API or offline mode means you can't integrate it into lab workflows. LabFig is best for individual researchers or small groups that need quick figures; it's less suited for labs requiring batch automation or on-premises security.
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Real-world workflow fit
Concrete scenarios for the personas LabFig actually fits — and what changes day-one when you adopt it.
Graduate student writing a first-author paper
You need a figure showing a protein-ligand binding mechanism. You describe it in text, pick Scientific style, generate a draft, then open Vector Canvas to adjust label positions and colors.
Outcome: A journal-grade figure ready for submission, completed in under 15 minutes instead of a full day in Illustrator.
Postdoc revising a manuscript
Reviewers request changes to a schematic figure from an earlier preprint. You upload the PDF to PDF to Figure mode, edit the extracted figure in Vector Canvas (recolor panels, update labels), and export as SVG.
Outcome: Revised figure meets reviewer feedback without starting from scratch, exported in a format compatible with your manuscript template.
Lab PI standardizing figure style across publications
You want all lab papers to share a consistent visual style. You create a reference figure from your latest manuscript, then use Reference to Figure for new schematics, applying the same style preset.
Outcome: Consistent figure style across all lab outputs, reducing design time and ensuring journal compliance.
Use Cases
- Generate a CRISPR-Cas9 mechanism schematic from a text description in seconds.
- Upload a whiteboard sketch of a lab setup and convert it into a clean vector diagram.
- Extract a figure from a submitted PDF and edit its labels for a revision.
- Create a publication-ready scRNA-seq multi-omics pipeline figure for a manuscript.
- Use a reference figure from a competitor paper to generate a variant with your own data.
- Enhance a low-resolution figure from an older paper to meet journal resolution standards.
- Generate CONSORT diagrams or TRIPOD-AI flowcharts for clinical AI papers.
- Create ML architecture diagrams or training pipelines for CVPR/NeurIPS submissions.
Limitations
- LabFig operates on a credit-based system where each figure generation costs 1-3 credits.
- Free trial credits are limited, and paid plans start at $7.9/month (Starter annual).
- No API is available for programmatic access.
- The tool requires an internet connection and is web-only—no offline mode or desktop app.
- Credits expire if not used within the plan period (2 months for Starter, 6 months for Standard, 1 year for Premium), and unused credits do not roll over.
as of 2026-07-06
12-month cost
Project the real annual outlay, including the implied monthly cost when only an annual tier is published.
Annual total
$95
Over 12 months
Effective monthly
$8
Billed monthly
Vendor list price only. Add-on usage, seat overages, and contract minimums are surfaced under Hidden costs & gotchas.
Plans compared
For each published LabFig tier: who it actually fits, and what it adds vs. the previous tier. Cross-reference the cost calculator above for projected annual outlay.
Starter (Annual)
$7.9/mo (billed annually at $94.8/year)
Ideal for
An individual graduate student or postdoc writing one or two papers per year, needing ~600 figures annually.
What this tier adds
Starting paid tier with PNG export and basic Vector Canvas; no SVG/PDF export or commercial license.
Starter (Monthly)
$9.9/mo
Ideal for
A researcher who needs short-term access (e.g., during a single paper submission) and can break even on ~600 figures.
What this tier adds
Monthly billing ($9.9/mo) with same features as Starter Annual; no discount commitment.
Standard (Annual)
$29.9/mo (billed annually at $358.8/year)
Ideal for
A lab group or heavy user producing ~3,000 figures per year, needing SVG/PDF export and a private library.
What this tier adds
Adds vector export (SVG/PDF), PDF to Figure, Reference to Figure modes, higher generation priority, private figure library, and Discord community.
Standard (Monthly)
$39.9/mo
Ideal for
Researchers who need the Standard features temporarily, like preparing a bundle of figures for a review article.
What this tier adds
Monthly billing ($39.9/mo) with same features as Standard Annual; more expensive per month.
Premium (Annual)
$79.9/mo (billed annually at $958.8/year)
Ideal for
Textbook authors, courseware creators, or labs with high volume (~9,000 figures/year) needing commercial-use license and batch generation.
What this tier adds
Adds commercial-use license, Figure Enhancer, batch generation, version history, and priority support.
Premium (Monthly)
$99.9/mo
Ideal for
Teams on tight deadlines needing Premium features temporarily, such as batch generating figures for a major revision.
What this tier adds
Monthly billing ($99.9/mo) with same features as Premium Annual; no annual commitment.
Where the pricing makes sense
The company stage and team size where LabFig's pricing actually pencils out — and where peers do it cheaper.
LabFig's pricing fits individual researchers or small labs producing up to a few hundred figures per year. The Starter annual plan ($7.9/mo) is cheaper than Biorender's Pro ($25/mo) but offers fewer credits and no SVG/PDF export. Standard ($29.9/mo annual) is comparable to Biorender's Pro but includes PDF-to-figure and reference modes. Premium ($79.9/mo annual) adds commercial license and batch generation—useful for textbook authors but overkill for typical manuscript work.
Setup time & first value
How long it actually takes to get something useful out of LabFig — broken out by persona, not the marketing-page minute.
Graduate students can generate a first figure within 5 minutes of signing up: choose Text to Figure, describe the figure, select a style, and generate. No onboarding tutorials needed. For Sketch to Figure or PDF to Figure, add 2-3 minutes to upload input. Full Vector Canvas editing adds another 5-10 minutes per figure.
Switching to or from LabFig
How to bring data in from common predecessors and how to get it back out — written for the switcher, not the buyer.
Migrating in
- →From hand-drawn sketches: Upload a photo of your sketch to LabFig's Sketch to Figure mode.
- →From PowerPoint figures: Export as a PNG or PDF, then use PDF to Figure to extract and rebuild.
- →From Biorender: Export existing Biorender figures as PNG/PDF, then enhance or edit in LabFig.
- →From Adobe Illustrator: Export as PDF, then use PDF to Figure to convert into an editable LabFig canvas.
Migrating out
- ↗To Biorender: Export your LabFig figures as SVG or PDF and upload to Biorender's canvas for further editing.
- ↗To Adobe Illustrator: Export LabFig figures as SVG and open in Illustrator for full vector editing.
- ↗To Inkscape: Export as SVG and edit in Inkscape (open source).
Resources & Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
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