BioRender vs FigCanvas
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. FigCanvas has the lower starting price: about $20 a month, against $39 for BioRender.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Science icon library
- Leo AI figure builder
- Templates
- Graphing with analysis
- PDB 3D models
- Poster builder
- Text to scientific illustration
- Data plots from uploads
- Flowcharts
- Editable canvas
- SVG and PDF export on Pro
| Feature | BioRender | FigCanvas |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Scientific figure software with an AI assistant that builds figures | AI figure generator for papers, theses and posters |
| Category | Design | Design |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $39/mo | $19.90/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | BioRender | FigCanvas |
| Based in | Canada | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
FigCanvas has the lower starting price: about $20 a month, against $39 for BioRender.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Free
Free
- Up to 3 figures
- Free AI credits
- No commercial or publication use
Individual
$39/mo
- Unlimited figures
- High-res exports, no watermark
- AI-assisted figure generation
Lab
$99/mo for 5 seats
- Per user, extra seats $20/mo
- Up to 19 users
- Shared folders
Institution
Custom
- 20+ users
- SSO or sitewide logins
- Custom branding kit
2 plans
Free
Free
- 10 daily credits after starter period
- Up to 3 projects
- Watermarked PNG export
Pro
$19.90/mo
- 1,000 credits a month
- SVG and PDF export
- Watermark-free PNG
- Unlimited projects
Prices in USD, checked Oct 29, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
BioRender
- Huge library of science icons
- AI drafts editable figures
- Widely used in publications
- Free plan bans publication use
- Free plan limited to 3 figures
- AI tools use separate credits
FigCanvas
- Made for research figures
- Honest about what it does not do
- Free plan without a card
- Free exports are watermarked
- Editable SVG is Pro only
- Not a statistics package
Which one should you choose?
Choose BioRender if you want:
- Huge library of science icons
- AI drafts editable figures
- Widely used in publications
Watch out: free plan bans publication use.
Choose FigCanvas if you want:
- Made for research figures
- Honest about what it does not do
- Free plan without a card
Watch out: free exports are watermarked.
BioRender vs FigCanvas FAQ
What is the difference between BioRender and FigCanvas?
BioRender: Scientific figure software with an AI assistant that builds figures. FigCanvas: AI figure generator for papers, theses and posters. Both are design tools.
Is BioRender or FigCanvas cheaper?
FigCanvas has the lower starting price: about $20 a month, against $39 for BioRender.
Do BioRender and FigCanvas have free plans?
BioRender: Yes. FigCanvas: Yes.
Who makes BioRender?
BioRender is made by BioRender, based in Canada.
Who makes FigCanvas?
FigCanvas is made by FigCanvas.
Which should I choose, BioRender or FigCanvas?
Choose BioRender if you value huge library of science icons and ai drafts editable figures. Choose FigCanvas if you value made for research figures and honest about what it does not do.