LitFigure vs BioRender: Editable Biomedical Figures
Compare editable biomedical figures by how you change objects, which templates you start from, what you pay, which files you export, and how a free start works. Written by LitFigure; not affiliated with BioRender.
| Decision factor | LitFigure | BioRender |
|---|---|---|
| Editable | Structured figures keep labels, shapes and connectors as separate objects. On the scientific illustration page you can move or rename an object before creating an account. Text in a whole-image SVG conversion may be outlines. | BioRender’s published Leo workflow can add a result as a flat image or use Make editable to turn labels, arrows, icons and shapes into separate canvas objects. That is BioRender’s description; this site has not retested Leo. |
| Biomedical templates | Templates for mechanism diagrams, checkpoint pathways, experimental workflows and graphical abstracts. Open one and replace the description with your own entities. | A scientific icon and template library for assembling a figure element by element. |
| Pricing | Free start, then monthly credit plans. Current amounts are on the pricing page. Standard generation or a requested revision is 1 credit; high quality is 2. Manual canvas edits and exports do not use extra credits. | Subscription plans published by BioRender. This page does not copy a price, because plan amounts change. Check BioRender’s current pricing before you buy. |
| Export | PNG or JPG for a rendered image. SVG on demand, where traced labels may be outlines. PPTX from supported editable documents, not from every whole-image figure. | The BioRender features page lists JPEG, PNG and PDF. Editing objects on a canvas is separate from whether a downloaded file keeps those objects editable. |
| Free trial | 3 credits after email verification. No card is required for those credits. The canvas edit on the scientific illustration page does not use a credit. | BioRender publishes a Basic License. Publication use of BioRender Content is prohibited under that license. Confirm the current free offer on BioRender’s site. |
Three differences to check
- Where an object can be edited. LitFigure structured documents expose separate labels, shapes and connectors, and the research illustration canvas accepts one edit before sign-in. BioRender’s help center says Make editable converts labels, arrows, icons and shapes into canvas objects. Test the document you will actually keep.
- What the templates contain. LitFigure templates are research-figure starting points, such as a CAR-T mechanism, a PD-1 pathway, an scRNA-seq workflow or a graphical abstract. BioRender publishes a scientific icon and template library for element-by-element layout.
- What the free start includes. LitFigure gives 3 credits after email verification and does not require a card for those credits. BioRender’s Basic License prohibits publication use of BioRender Content. Read the current license before you treat a free figure as publishable.
Questions before you choose
Can I edit a biomedical figure before I create an account?
Yes. The scientific illustration page shows a canvas. Open canvas, then move or rename one object. Sign-in is requested after that edit. The edit stays in the browser tab; the studio is where generation, history and export run.
Does an editable canvas mean every export stays editable?
No. LitFigure PNG and JPG files are rendered images. SVG labels may be outlines, and PPTX editability depends on the document type. BioRender’s canvas editing is also separate from the editability of each export format listed on its features page.
Where are the current prices?
LitFigure prices and the 3-credit email start are on the LitFigure pricing page. BioRender prices are on BioRender’s own site. Compare the plan you would actually buy, including publication rights.
Sources
LitFigure credits, exports and canvas behavior are described on this site. BioRender features, Leo and the Basic License are summarized from BioRender’s public pages and were not retested here. A longer note on drafting workflows is on the workflow comparison.
Open the figure you want to edit
Open LitFigure to draft from a research description, or open the canvas and move one object before you sign in.