Free to start · nothing to install · works offline

A free online alternative to REDCap

Searching for free REDCap online but your institution doesn’t run REDCap? Library Medicine® is a ready-to-use medical research data collection software you can open in the browser today: build case report forms, collect data online or offline, keep an audit trail and analyse results with built-in statistics, without a server or an IT team.

Why researchers look for a REDCap alternative

REDCap is an excellent and widely trusted system, and it is free for non-profit institutions that join the REDCap Consortium. The catch is that an institution has to install, host and maintain it. Students, residents, clinicians in smaller hospitals and independent research teams often have no institutional REDCap server to use, and setting one up takes a server, a licence agreement and IT time. That is the gap Library Medicine® fills: the same core workflow, available to anyone, online, in minutes.

Library Medicine® and REDCap at a glance

Library Medicine®REDCap
How you get it Sign up online, free plan to startThrough an institution that is a REDCap Consortium member
Hosting & maintenance Hosted for you, updates includedInstalled and maintained on the institution’s own servers
Form builder with skip logic & validation YesYes
Offline data collection In the browser, plus Windows, macOS and Android appsThrough the REDCap Mobile App
Built-in statistical tests & regression t-tests, ANOVA, non-parametric tests, chi-square, regression, ROCDescriptive stats and charts; analysis usually in other software
WHO child growth z-scores Built-in calculated fieldSet up by the project builder
Export to SPSS, Stata, R Yes, with labelsYes
Audit trail & roles YesYes

If your institution already runs REDCap and your study needs its specific regulatory or longitudinal set-up, it may be the right choice. Library Medicine® is for everyone who needs a capable research database without that infrastructure.

Everything a clinical study needs

Case report forms

Text, numbers, dates, choices, Likert scales, matrices, calculated fields, file uploads and GPS, with ranges, required fields and skip logic.

Online or offline

Collect at the bedside or in the field without a connection; records sync when the device is back online.

Team roles

Owners, researchers, data collectors and viewers, each seeing only what their role allows.

Security & ethics

Encrypted identifying fields, two-factor sign-in, consent workflow and a full audit trail.

Built-in statistics

Run the right test with assumption checks, build charts and schedule reports.

Your data, your way

Import CSV or Excel; export to CSV, Excel, SPSS, Stata or R with a data dictionary.

Start your study in three steps

  1. Create a projectName your study, add your team and choose who can enter or see data.
  2. Build your formsAdd variables, validation and skip logic, then share a link or QR code, or assign forms to collectors.
  3. Collect and analyseWatch records arrive, clean them in the data grid and run statistics, or export to your favourite package.

REDCap is a registered trademark of Vanderbilt University. Library Medicine® is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Vanderbilt University or the REDCap Consortium.

Frequently asked questions

Is REDCap free?

REDCap is made available at no charge to non-profit organisations that join the REDCap Consortium, but it has to be installed and maintained by an institution on its own servers. Individual researchers usually reach it only through an institution that already runs it.

Is Library Medicine® affiliated with REDCap?

No. Library Medicine® is an independent platform. REDCap is a product of Vanderbilt University; the name is used here only to describe the kind of software we are compared with.

Can I start without IT support or a server?

Yes. Create an account and build your first form in minutes in the browser. There is nothing to install, and the free plan lets you try a complete study workflow before upgrading.

Does it work offline in the field or at the bedside?

Yes. Forms keep working without a connection on phones, tablets and computers, and records are synced when the device is back online. Desktop apps for Windows and macOS and an Android app are also available.

How is patient data protected?

HTTPS everywhere, optional encryption of identifying fields, two-factor sign-in, role-based access, a consent workflow and a full audit trail of who created, edited, viewed or exported each record.

Can I move existing data in or out?

Yes. Import CSV or Excel files into a project, and export at any time to CSV, Excel, SPSS, Stata or R with a data dictionary.

More free tools for medical researchers

Medical research data collection software, ready in minutes

Design forms, collect patient data online or offline, and analyse it with built-in statistics in one secure workspace for clinicians, students and research teams.