Tool profile
BioRender: cost, fit and limits
BioRender is a scientific illustration platform made by Science Suite Inc. that lets researchers build figures, graphical abstracts and posters from a library of life-science icons and templates, with a graphing module and an AI agent called Leo.
What to know first
BioRender separates academic and industry pricing: Academic Individual is $35 per month billed annually, Academic Lab is $99 for five seats, Industry Individual is $95, and Free covers three figures without commercial use. AI figure generation is an add-on from $4 per month for academics, and Graphing is a separate per-seat add-on. The policy says uploads will not train generative models without prior consent.
BioRender at a glance
| Maker | Science Suite Inc., Not stated by the vendor |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | $35 per month billed annually for Academic Individual |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Infographic Makers in 2026, rank 10 of 11 |
| Website | biorender.com |
Who BioRender is best for
Academic labs
Lab plans cover up to 19 users with shared folders, real-time co-editing, centralized billing and academic publishing rights, at $99 for five seats on annual billing.
Industry scientists
Industry Individual carries commercial usage rights, which the academic and free plans exclude, so biotech and pharma teams need that tier for company use.
Graduate students writing papers
High-resolution exports without watermarks, PPT export and review comments help a student prepare figures and slides for journals and theses.
BioRender plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 per month | Up to 3 figures, 1 Graphing file, free AI credits, expert templates, own uploads and Protein Data Bank 3D models, without commercial use. |
| Individual (Academic) | $35 per month billed annually, or $39 monthly | 1 user, unlimited figures, high-resolution exports without watermarks, slide decks, PPT export, review and commenting and academic publishing rights. |
| Lab (Academic) | $99 per month for 5 seats billed annually, extra seats $20 a month, or $129 monthly | Up to 19 users, team management, an admin panel, consolidated billing, shared folders and real-time co-editing. |
| Individual (Industry) | $95 per month billed annually, or $115 monthly | 1 user with the same premium features as academic Individual, but with commercial usage rights instead of academic publishing rights. |
| Institution and Enterprise | Custom, contact us | Institution covers 20 or more users, Enterprise covers teams, with SSO, onboarding, dedicated support, volume discounts and usage metrics. |
Checked November 2026.
What BioRender does
- Scientific library
- A large library of scientific icons and over 1,000 customizable templates cover typical biology and medicine figures, which saves a researcher from drawing cells and pathways by hand.
- Graphing module
- Prism, CSV or Excel files can be imported by drag and drop with variables detected automatically, though Graphing is a separate paid add-on. Charts then share a workspace with the figures.
- Leo by BioRender
- Leo is described as an AI agent that plans a figure's layout with the user, builds it from an approved sketch and keeps every element editable.
- Collaboration workspace
- A shared space lets a lab organize, edit and review figures together, which suits groups preparing a joint grant or manuscript. Review comments stay in the file.
- Publication exports
- Figures export for grants, journals, filings and presentations, and publishing rights depend on whether the plan is academic or industry. Check the license before submission.
How BioRender handles your data
BioRender's privacy policy says it will not use, and will not permit its third-party providers to use, uploaded content to train generative AI models without prior consent. Personal data is kept only as long as needed to provide the services, depending on settings, with no period stated. Data is processed in facilities and servers in the United States, which may be in various jurisdictions. SOC 2, HECVAT and VPAT appear only as footer badge images, ISO 27001 is not stated, and GDPR transfer clauses (SCCs) are referenced as a transfer mechanism rather than a certification.
Where BioRender falls short in practice
- AI is an add-on. AI-assisted figure generation costs from $4 per month on the Academic plan or $25 per month for Industry on annual billing, on top of the plan price.
- Graphing costs extra. The Graphing module is a separate add-on at $15 per seat per month (Academic) or $49 per seat per month (Industry), billed annually. Budget for it on top of the base seat.
- Commercial use needs Industry. The academic Individual plan excludes commercial use, and the free plan excludes both commercial use and publication, so a company must pay $95 per month on annual billing.
Works with
Alternatives to BioRender
BioRender: common questions
How much does BioRender cost?
Academic Individual is $35 per month billed annually or $39 monthly. Industry Individual is $95 billed annually or $115 monthly. Academic Lab is $99 per month for five seats with extra seats at $20. Free allows three figures. Add-ons for AI and graphing cost extra.
Can I use BioRender figures commercially?
Not on the free or academic Individual plans, which exclude commercial use. Industry Individual carries commercial usage rights at $95 per month on annual billing. Academic plans carry academic publishing rights instead. Check the license before putting a figure in a company deck.
Does BioRender train AI on uploaded content?
The privacy policy says BioRender will not use, and will not permit its third-party providers to use, uploaded content to train generative AI models without your prior consent. The policy does not define how that consent is collected. Ask support how consent is recorded.
What is Leo by BioRender?
Leo is described as an AI agent that plans a figure's layout with the user, builds it from an approved sketch and keeps every element editable. AI-assisted generation is an add-on priced separately from the base plan. Check the add-on price for your tier.
Is BioRender good for non-scientists?
Probably not. The library, templates and pricing are built around life-science figures, and commercial use costs $95 per month. General tools such as Visme or Venngage cover business infographics at lower prices, though they lack scientific icon depth. Compare a trial before paying.