TrialKit is known for native mobile apps. If you are looking at alternatives, the first question is where data is entered and whether you need an app, offline entry or just a good browser experience. Start there and the shortlist gets short.
Free sandbox · No credit card · 21 CFR Part 11 aligned
| Phone | Tablet | Desktop | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participant questionnaire | |||
| Site coordinator visit entry | |||
| Investigator sign-off | |||
| Monitor and data manager review |
What to know first
Why people search
TrialKit, from Crucial Data Solutions, is an EDC platform known for its native mobile apps, and for studies where staff collect data on dedicated tablets that can be a real advantage. Teams look at alternatives for a mix of reasons: they do not want to install and update apps across many sites, they need a participant questionnaire on the participant's own phone, they want ePRO, consent and randomization in the same system, or they are weighing the cost of a platform that has more than they need.
Be specific about which of those is yours. If your reason is app management, a browser-based EDC removes it. If it is a missing capability, such as a particular module, list the module and compare vendors on it. If it is cost, read the quote line by line using hidden EDC fees and the EDC software pricing guide.
A native app is not automatically better or worse than the browser. It depends on the setting, the devices and the connectivity. That is why the first step is a grid of who enters data, on what, and where.
The shortlist
Generic categories. Check each vendor's own materials for specifics.
Platforms with native apps. Compare offline behaviour, app store distribution, device management and how updates reach sites.
Systems that run entirely in the browser. Compare the touch layout on tablets, what happens when a connection drops, and how participants reach a questionnaire.
Read more Large programmesSuites with deep configuration and services teams. Compare lead time, change control and what is a separate module.
Read more Self-managedSoftware you configure and host yourself. Compare validation effort and support.
Read more Where Capture fitsEDC, ePRO, eConsent and randomization in one browser-based platform with one audit trail, built by your team with AI drafting.
Read moreCriteria
| Criterion | What to test with every vendor | Capture |
|---|---|---|
| Native app | Is an app required for sites or participants? | No app for sites or participants; browser on any device |
| Offline entry | What can staff do with no connection, and how is it synced? | Offline data entry is not available; confirm your sites have connectivity |
| Participant questionnaire | How does a participant open it and how are reminders sent? | Secure link on a phone, email or SMS reminders |
| Touch layout | Is the form usable on a clinic tablet? | Forms and questionnaires are laid out for touch on phones and tablets |
| Consent | On the device or on paper? | eConsent with OTP-verified signature and investigator countersignature |
| Randomization | Same system? | Stratified randomization with blinded roles and kits |
| Audit trail | Does it cover everything in one view? | Field-level, append-only, across EDC, consent and questionnaires |
| Amendments | Who changes the study? | Your team edits; draft and approved states |
Questions apply to every vendor, including Capture.
Use the free sandbox on the tablets and phones your sites actually have.
Participants
For the participant side, the practical difference is that nothing needs to be installed or kept updated. The participant taps a link or scans a QR code, completes the questionnaire on their own phone and gets reminders by email or SMS.
Weekly symptom check
Participant link · Week 4
Pain in the last 24 hours
Sleep quality last night
Took today's dose
Fit
If your sites collect data in places without reliable connectivity, such as field clinics, mobile units or some hospital wards, an EDC with offline entry may be a requirement, and Capture will not meet it today. Say so early rather than discovering it at the first site initiation. Likewise, if the sponsor mandates a dedicated app on managed devices, treat that as a requirement and shortlist accordingly.
If sites have a browser and a connection, and your priority is a lower setup burden, a single audit trail and participant tools with no app, a browser-based platform is usually simpler to run. Capture is suitable for Phase 1, 2 and 3 and can be tested at no cost before you commit.
For the broader decision, how to choose an EDC system and self-serve EDC platforms cover the rest of the checklist.
Hard requirements
3
Open
2
Evaluation checklist
Role, device and place of entry for every form.
Written confirmation or a test visit; decide on offline entry as a hard requirement.
Phone, tablet and desktop, with the same form and edit checks.
Link, questionnaire, reminder, from the participant's phone.
Setup, modules, sites, users and termination. See hidden EDC fees.
No direct import is claimed; plan a rebuild and a merge at analysis, as in how to migrate from Castor.
Other mobile-first EDCs, browser-based EDC, enterprise EDC, open-source EDC and all-in-one self-serve platforms. Decide first whether you need a native app or offline entry, then shortlist.
The comparison page sets the two products side by side. This page helps you choose which kinds of platform to shortlist and how to test them on your own devices.
No app is needed. Capture runs in the browser on phones, tablets and desktops, and participants open questionnaires from a secure link.
Not currently. If your sites need offline entry, make it a requirement and test it with every vendor you shortlist.
Yes, from a secure link with no app, with reminders by email or SMS.
Yes. Capture is suitable for Phase 1, 2 and 3.
Yes. The free sandbox has every feature with sample data, no credit card and no time limit. You pay only once you go live.
Keep exploring
Open the free sandbox on a phone, a tablet and a desktop. No credit card, no sales call.