Compare
Lab Desk vs LigoLab
LigoLab is a full LIS and revenue cycle platform with deep pathology and molecular modules. Lab Desk is a lighter cloud desk for small labs that want patients, results, sharing and payments in one place.
Who each is for
Different sizes, different depth.
LigoLab
LigoLab has built lab software since 2006 and is based in Glendale, California. It serves clinical labs and pathology practices, from small labs on its Essential tier to regional and national labs on its Enterprise tier.
It combines a laboratory information system with revenue cycle management: order entry, specimen tracking, results, coding, lab billing and collections. Modules cover anatomic pathology, histology, cytology, molecular, microbiology and clinical testing.
Lab Desk
Lab Desk is built for independent and small labs in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
It covers patients, tests, orders and results, AI flags and plain-language summaries, secure result links, provider links and Stripe payments. Lab Desk is opening to labs through early access.
At a glance
Lab Desk and LigoLab compared.
| Feature | Lab Desk | LigoLab |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Independent and small labs | Clinical labs and pathology practices, small to national |
| In market since | Early access, 2026 | 2006 |
| Deployment | Cloud, in your browser | Cloud or on-premises server |
| Published pricing | Yes, planned from USD 199 a month | Not published |
| How pricing works | Orders per month | Tied to testing volume |
| Anatomic pathology workflow (grossing, histology, cytology) | No | Yes |
| Dedicated molecular and microbiology modules | No | Yes |
| Insurance coding, billing and collections (RCM) | No | Yes |
| Audit trail | Yes | Yes |
| Results for patients | Secure private link | TestDirectly portal, with email or SMS notice |
| Patient card payments | Stripe, into your own account | Card processing through TestDirectly |
| AI plain-language summaries, approved by staff | Yes | Ask vendor |
| UK labs hosted in the UK | Yes | Ask vendor |
Based on publicly available information as of September 2026. Products change, so check details with each vendor.
Where Lab Desk is different
A lighter tool for a small team.
Made for small labs
Just what a small lab needs, ready the same day.
Lab Desk covers what a small lab does every day: patients, tests, orders, results, sharing and payments. It runs in your browser, so there are no servers to look after and no IT team needed.
- Set up your tests, panels, units and reference ranges once
- One order per visit, from ordered to shared
- Connect analyzers over ASTM or HL7, with CSV import as a fallback
AI that assists
AI summaries your staff approve.
Lab Desk flags results outside your reference ranges and drafts a plain-language summary for the patient. Your staff review every flag and summary before anything is shared. The AI never diagnoses, and patient data is never used to train AI models.
- High and low values listed for review first
- Summaries staff can edit before sending
- No decision is fully automated
Get paid directly
Patient payments go into your own Stripe account.
Connect your own Stripe account and add a payment link to any result or invoice. Funds go straight to you, in USD, CAD or GBP. Lab Desk never holds them.
- Cards and digital wallets supported by Stripe
- Platform fee of 1% on Starter, 0.5% on Growth, none on Pro
- Stripe's own processing fees are separate
Priced by orders, not seats.
Plans are sized by orders per month, from USD 199 for 1,000 orders with 5 users, and the prices are published. LigoLab also ties pricing to volume.
Hosted in your region.
US and Canadian labs use app.labdesk.app, hosted in the US. UK labs use uk.labdesk.app, hosted in the UK.
HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
Encrypted data, role-based access and an audit log, with a Business Associate Agreement for every US lab.
To be fair
When LigoLab might suit you better.
You run anatomic pathology or molecular testing.
LigoLab has dedicated grossing, histology, cytology, molecular and microbiology modules. Lab Desk doesn't.
You bill insurance.
LigoLab combines the LIS with revenue cycle management, from coding to collections. Lab Desk collects patient fees through Stripe, and isn't a claims or revenue cycle system.
You need on-premises or plan to grow large.
LigoLab offers cloud or on-premises servers and tiers up to enterprise, with nearly 20 years in market.
Lab Desk is new.
Lab Desk is opening to labs through early access, so it doesn't have years of customers behind it yet. Early-access labs get founding-lab pricing, help with setup and data import, and a direct line to the team building it.
Frequently asked questions
Is LigoLab only for large labs?
No. LigoLab offers an Essential tier aimed at small pathology, molecular and reference labs. Its website also says that labs with a budget under USD 2,000 a month may not be the right fit today. Ask LigoLab about your lab.
Does Lab Desk handle insurance billing?
No. Lab Desk collects patient fees through your own Stripe account. If insurance claims are a large part of your revenue, a system with revenue cycle management may suit you better.
Can Lab Desk run on our own server?
No. Lab Desk is cloud software. US and Canadian labs are hosted in the US, and UK labs in the UK.
Does Lab Desk's AI diagnose patients?
No. It flags results outside your reference ranges and drafts plain-language summaries. Your staff review and approve every flag and summary.
Can I move from LigoLab to Lab Desk?
Yes, for the parts Lab Desk covers. Export patients and tests as CSV and we help you import them. Read our LigoLab alternative guide.
Manage patients. Share results. Get paid. All from one desk.
Join early access and be one of the first labs on Lab Desk.