Honest listUpdated September 28, 2026

Free EDC software: what is actually free in 2026

REDCap and OpenClinica Community Edition are free to license, but both need you to host and maintain them yourself. Capture’s sandbox is free to build and test in, with no time limit, and you pay only once you go live. Here is what "free" really includes for each.

  • 3 real free options
  • What each one leaves out
  • No hidden time limit on our sandbox

Free sandbox · No credit card · 21 CFR Part 11 aligned

Demographics

SDTM DM

Vital signs

SDTM VS

ECG

SDTM EG

Physical examination

SDTM PE

Laboratory

SDTM LB

Medical history

SDTM MH

Adverse events

SDTM AE

Concomitant medications

SDTM CM

$0

REDCap license (self-hosted)

$0

OpenClinica Community Edition (self-hosted)

$0

Capture sandbox, no time limit

1

point where Capture starts charging: going live

The real options

What "free" includes, and what it does not

REDCap

Free license for eligible institutions. You host, upgrade and support the server yourself.

OpenClinica Community Edition

Free and open source. Also self-hosted, so setup and maintenance is on your team.

Capture free sandbox

No credit card and no time limit to build and test your entire study. You pay only once you go live with real participants.

The hidden cost

Self-hosted "free" still has a real bill

A free license does not mean a free system. Someone still has to install, configure, back up and upgrade the server, and that is IT staff time, not a line item on the vendor’s website. For a small team, that time cost can outweigh a modest license fee elsewhere.

  • Server setup and ongoing maintenance
  • Security patching and backups
  • In-house support when something breaks, since there is no vendor to call
app.capture.study · Dashboard
Capture study dashboard with enrolment, compliance, safety overview and site risk monitor

The tradeoff

Self-hosted free vs a hosted sandbox

License cost
Free
Free
Hosting and maintenance
Your own server and IT time
Hosted for you, EU or US region
eConsent and ePRO
Not included by default
Included in the same sandbox
When you pay
Never (but you pay in staff time)
Only once you go live with real participants

Build and test your study free

No credit card, no time limit, every feature included.

Try the free sandbox

FAQ

Questions teams ask before they switch

Something not covered here? Ask us directly.

Is REDCap really free?

The REDCap license is free for eligible institutions, but you or your institution host, maintain and support the server yourself, which carries a real IT cost.

Is Capture free?

The sandbox is free with no credit card and no time limit: you can build and test your entire study. You pay only once you go live with real participant data.

What is the catch with OpenClinica Community Edition?

It is free and open source, but self-hosted, so you take on server setup, upgrades and support yourself, the same tradeoff as REDCap.

Does the Capture sandbox have a participant or form limit?

No credit card and no time limit apply to the sandbox itself. You go live, and start paying, only when you are ready to collect real participant data.

Which free option is best for an academic study?

If your institution already supports REDCap, that is a reasonable default. If you want eConsent and ePRO together without standing up your own server, try Capture’s sandbox first.

Build and test your study free

No credit card, no time limit, every feature included.

Try the free sandbox