Comparison
OpenCryo vs. Freezerworks
A side-by-side for labs, biobanks and fertility clinics weighing an on-premise sample management system, and its announced next version, against a custody platform built for organizations that store specimens for others.
Two different jobs, and a version change
Freezerworks is Dataworks Development's sample management software, sold since 1987 in four editions (Base, Ascent, Summit and Pinnacle) that add security, shipping and requisitions, multi-tenancy and test results, and study management as you move up. It runs as an on-premise server on Windows, reached through a desktop client or a browser, with configurable fields, aliquot lineage, patient and study records in the higher editions, a REST API, and 21 CFR Part 11 wording throughout. Its published subscription pricing starts at $832 a month for five seats, and its FAQ still describes an older perpetual-license model.
Freezerworks 2 is announced for late 2026: entirely browser-based on PostgreSQL and Kotlin, with dashboards and a redesigned freezer view, but still installed on your own servers. Their page is explicit that it "is not a Software-as-a-Service solution." Current customers must move to version 14.01.03 by December 31, 2026, the desktop client goes away, invoicing data is preserved but "will no longer be readily accessible in the software," and integrations "will require some attention."
OpenCryo is software for organizations that hold specimens in custody for someone else: patients, storage providers, clinics, collection services, and couriers. The record follows the specimen through intake, storage, transfer and release, every step runs as a signed protocol with a performer and a reviewer, clients sign agreements and see their specimens in a portal under your brand, billing is built in, and several organizations can work the same order without seeing each other's data. Everything is included, there are no additional paid modules, and it is hosted for you or self-hosted, updated continuously, and priced per organization rather than per seat.
Capability by capability
Scroll sideways to compare.
| Capability | OpenCryo | Freezerworks |
|---|---|---|
| Openness and data ownership | ||
| Data ownership and exit | The audit log exports to CSV, receipts and signed agreements are PDFs you keep, and the data model is published. The Business Source License permits free self-hosting, and you can change storage providers and courier partners without losing custody history. A full one-click account export is on the roadmap. Roadmap: Q4 2026 | "Export any data, including audit trails, so your data always remains yours," and "Create branded PDF reports with the data you need for professional stakeholder communication." Because the software is installed on your own server, the database file is yours: "Your Freezerworks database is stored on your computer or server." Not described: the export file formats. |
| Hosting and source code | OpenCryo Cloud (hosted) or self-hosted on your own infrastructure. The platform is licensed under the Business Source License, which permits free self-hosting and converts each version to a fully open license after four years; the protocol specification is Apache 2.0. Roadmap: Public source repository: Q4 2026 | "Freezerworks is available as an on-premise server. The server installation can be accessed via our thick client application or browser based interface." "The Freezerworks Server must be installed on a Windows OS," and it "comes with 4D's SQL engine." Remote sites reach it "using VPN, RDP, or cloud hosting." Freezerworks 2 "will remain an on-premise solution accessible via all major browsers" and "is not a Software-as-a-Service solution, but can be hosted internally behind your organization's firewall." No source-code access or open license is described. |
| Open data model and protocol | Globally unique prefixed identifiers, a published data model, and a protocol specification under Apache 2.0, so a record created in one place is meaningful everywhere. | Not described. Freezerworks 2 "will be developed on a powerful, open-source, relational database called PostgreSQL," which describes the engine underneath, not a published data standard. |
| API and integrations | The web app, the mobile app and the client portal all run on OpenCryo's REST API, and payment webhooks from Stripe, Square, Authorize.net and Revolut are built in. Public API documentation, integration keys and outbound webhooks are on the roadmap, as are EMR connectors. If you have a system to connect, tell us which: integrations get built with the first customer who needs them. Roadmap: Q2 2027 | "We also offer REST API that allows you to develop applications to read and write data via web browsers and integrate with other programs on your system." "Tie Freezerworks into ELNs, clinical systems, EHRs, ERPs, and more to keep key data aligned across systems," and "Connect instruments like flatbed barcode scanners so tube or plate scans flow directly into Freezerworks." LDAP sign-in is available on Ascent, Summit and Pinnacle. Of the next version: "Integrations will require some attention as with all major version upgrades in the past." |
| Bringing existing records in | An import module for bringing in existing inventories from spreadsheets or other systems is on the roadmap. Today an import is a scripted migration our team runs with you. Roadmap: Q4 2026 | The support FAQ recommends "CSV if your data does not contain commas or .TXT if your data does contain commas" and says ".xlsx files are compatible with Freezerworks Importing," while another answer on the same page says "do not import files in the traditional Excel '.xlsx' format" (their inner quotation marks rendered here as single quotes). The browser client has "enhanced importing with native Excel uploads, built-in validation rules, and background processing." |
| Multiple organizations | Built for many organizations on one instance: storage providers, clinics, couriers, and collection services each with isolated data, sharing only through orders and transfers. A clinic sees its own clients at the provider; the provider never exposes one clinic's clients to another. Any number of locations, from a single site to a multi-site operation. | "Restrict access to sensitive data by group, department, or project for an ideal multi-tenant solution." Multi-tenancy is a Summit-edition feature: "A multi-tenancy solution with organism-level hierarchy, group-assigned fields, invoicing, and test results management." Not described: two separate organizations sharing one specimen record. |
| Day-to-day operations | ||
| Storage hierarchy | Configurable container types and nesting rules that match your equipment, from building and room down to tank, canister, cane and position, with capacity at every level and occupancy rollups. Racks, boxes and plates are container types like any other, wells included. If you require grid addressing, tell us and we will work with you to implement your specific requirements: OpenCryo is in active development and responsive to the people who run it. | "Custom-configure the space where your samples and aliquots are stored including freezers, rooms, shelving units, etc." and "Automatically generate unique box identifiers to keep storage organized and easy to track." Freezerworks 2 promises "Smarter Freezer Configuration": "Design freezers to look like real life. Dive into a freezer to see what's full, spot what's open, and reorganize storage without a clipboard." Not described: cryogenic tanks, canisters or canes as a hierarchy. |
| Specimen identification and labels | Architected for every identifier: DataMatrix, QR, barcode and RFID share one label layer, so the tag technology is a hardware choice, not a platform choice. Shipping today: DataMatrix and QR issuance, and camera reads of DataMatrix, QR and Code 128 on the phones and printers you already own. If you use or prefer RFID, OpenCryo is ready to support you: the label layer was built with RFID in it from the start, and we switch it on with you. | "Print any fields as human-readable or barcodes on custom templates." "We supply and support a variety of barcoding products. We have labels, printers, and scanners that can meet any of your barcoding needs," and "Freezerworks offers Zebra ZD621 and Zebra ZT411 printers for purchase." Not described: RFID. |
| Sample types and custom fields | Tissue types are a list each organization defines; the default set is reproductive (embryo, oocyte, sperm, ovarian and testicular tissue). Organizations define their own specimen fields in settings, with data entry against them being built now; until then additional attributes travel as free-form metadata on the record, and we map your fields with you at setup. | "Configurable fields for capturing patient, sample, and aliquot data, including dates, notes, names, patient information, important information, and more." The edition table caps user-defined fields at 50 on Base, 2,000 on Ascent, and unlimited on Summit and Pinnacle. |
| Aliquots and lineage | The hierarchy records where every specimen is, from tank to vial, and specimens that arrive together sit on the same order. What it does not record yet is derivation: that six straws came from one collection, or that a biopsy came from one embryo. If you track lineage today, tell us how, and we will work with you to implement it. | "Maintain parent-child relationships to preserve traceability of aliquots across processing and storage," and "Track aliquot lineage through sub-aliquoting and pooling with full source traceability." |
| Search, reports and exports | Containers filter by parent, tissue type and placement state; clients search by name or external ID; any label scans straight to its record; the audit log filters by specimen, container, actor, event type and date range and exports to CSV. Occupancy shows on every container and LN2 consumption has its own analytics. Inventory reports and saved searches are on the roadmap. | "Build a search using any field to find exactly what you need," "Search your data without limits on any and all fields," and "Create branded PDF reports." The browser client "offers exclusive features like interactive Charts and Dashboards for powerful data visualization," and Freezerworks 2 adds dashboard widgets: "How many aliquots are available? Is enrollment on track? Which freezer is almost full?" |
| Chain of custody and audit trail | An append-only audit log (the application adds events and never edits or removes one), every event timestamped and attributed to an account, with an optional witness, filterable and exportable to CSV. Every movement is recorded against the specimen in that log. | "Automatic, tamper-proof logging of every login attempt, data change, structure modification, and deletion." "The unmodifiable audit trail captures every modification made to every data field in Freezerworks and user authentication is required upon login." For fertility labs: "Track samples with full chain of custody and clear audit trails so every specimen is always accounted for." |
| Intake, release, dispatch and destruction | Configurable step-by-step protocols run on the mobile app with a qualified performer and a separate qualified reviewer, dual signatures, and review queues. Destruction requires the client's signed authorization plus dual staff signatures. Each signature records who signed, their typed name and title, and when. | "Easily manage requests with approve or deny functionality. Keep track of your most common requests and the custodian of each approved request," and, for fertility labs, "Configurable automated workflows cut errors and reduce busywork across lab and clinic teams." Not described: a performer-and-reviewer protocol, dual signatures, or a client-authorized destruction step. |
| Consent and documents | Agreement templates signed electronically during intake, with pre-signing directive questionnaires, two-signer agreements for partners, signed PDFs in the client portal, and online authorization for transfers and destruction. | "Track initial consent, re-consent, and regulatory compliance." Not described: signing an agreement electronically inside the software, or a client authorizing a transfer or destruction. |
| Client portal | A white-label portal on your own domain: overview, stored specimens, orders and receipts, billing and subscriptions, agreements, authorizations, test results, updates, and documents. Passkey or emailed magic-link sign-in, with a password available as a convenience. | Not described. Freezerworks is described for lab staff; no client, patient or requester portal appears in its public materials. |
| Billing | Configured per organization. Checkout through Stripe, Authorize.net, Square, or Revolut; recurring storage subscriptions with renewal, failed-payment, and lapse handling (Stripe today); promotion codes; ACH; receipts. One-off charges through the provider, and recurring billing through providers other than Stripe, are on the roadmap. Roadmap: Q3 2026 (one-off charges), Q4 2027 (non-Stripe recurring billing) | Invoicing is listed in the Summit edition: "A multi-tenancy solution with organism-level hierarchy, group-assigned fields, invoicing, and test results management." After the move to Freezerworks 2: "The only data that will not be readily available is for our customers utilizing the Invoicing feature. While this data will be preserved, it will no longer be readily accessible in the software." Not described: card or bank payment collection. |
| Transport and transfers | Dispatch protocols for shippers (preflight checklist, seals, temperature logs), inter-organization transfers with custody preserved across the boundary, and live shipping quotes with carrier and tracking on the record. A courier on OpenCryo runs as its own organization, so the transport leg stays inside the same custody record. | "Quickly facilitate and manage your aliquot shipments with visibility into shipping records." Shipping and requisition features arrive with the Ascent edition: "For multi-group organizations that need expanded security, roles, shipping, and requisition features." Not described: a transfer of a specimen's record and custody to another organization. |
| Equipment monitoring and validation | LN2 fill logs with consumption intelligence and anomaly detection, threshold alerts on logged values, scheduled maintenance rounds, and validation protocols with dual-signature review and revalidation reminders. Readings are entered by staff today; a monitor or alarm feed would write the same maintenance record, so if you run one, tell us which and we will talk through connecting it. | Integrations "Build automations, connect equipment, and integrate with other database sources." Freezerworks sells an IQ/OQ package for validating the software itself: "a set of test script templates to be used with Freezerworks for installation and operational qualification validation." Not described: fill logs, maintenance rounds, or validation protocols for your freezers and tanks. |
| Services and assurance | ||
| Regulatory and certifications | No third-party certifications yet; a SOC 2 Type 1 audit is on the roadmap. HIPAA-aligned controls are built in: protected health information is a separate permission from operational access, the audit log is append-only, backups are encrypted, and sign-in is passkey-based. If your quality system asks for 21 CFR Part 11, the audit trail, dual signatures and passkey sign-in are where that conversation starts, and we will go through your checklist with you. Roadmap: SOC 2 Type 1 audit: Q3 2027 | "All Editions of Freezerworks make it easy for you to stay in compliance with 21 CFR Part 11," and "Every Edition of Freezerworks is validated in house to strict standards to meet FDA, GLP, and all required compliance." "Freezerworks Summit and Pinnacle editions make it easy for you to stay in compliance with HIPAA regulations." "Freezerworks products do not currently conform to Federal Information Processing Standard 140-2 (FIPS 140-2)," and the database "is not encrypted unless the system administrator enables database encryption at the server level." A Section 508 accessibility template is published. Not described: SOC 2, ISO 27001, or GDPR. |
| Pricing and licensing | OpenCryo Cloud is $250 a month in US dollars for unlimited specimens and users, with no per-user fee. Self-hosting is free to deploy. | The features and fertility pages publish four editions: Base "$832 /month," Ascent "$1,862 /month," Summit "$3,038 /month," Pinnacle "$4,353 /month," each with "Seats Included: 5" and additional seats "start at" $16, $31, $47 and $52 a month. "All subscriptions are billed annually in advance and require a minimum of five (5) users." The FAQ page describes a different model: "you receive a perpetual Freezerworks license, meaning that you own the software for life," with "an optional renewal of 20% of the cost of the software after one year" for the Customer Care Program. |
| Study and trial management | OpenCryo is a custody and storage platform rather than a study management system: it does not run clinical protocols, visits or enrolment, and it is built to sit beside the system that does. If you run studies, tell us what you use and we will show you where the custody record hands off. | "Link patients to samples so you can organize associated aliquots, transactions, and testing data under a single patient record for easier viewing and subject-level tracking." Pinnacle adds "unlimited studies with multiple arms" and "visit modeling, metrics, and more"; Summit adds "qualitative and quantitative metrics for an unlimited number of tests." |
| Upgrades and the next version | OpenCryo Cloud is updated continuously, with no version migration for customers and every release recorded by build number. A self-hosted instance upgrades in place, with the deploy script running the database migrations. | "The release of Freezerworks 2 is slated for late 2026. Official release date will be announced as it's determined." "All active customers will need to upgrade to Version 14.01.03 by December 31, 2026," and "there will be no additional updates or upgrades to previous versions of Freezerworks after December 31, 2026." "Freezerworks 2 will no longer have the desktop client." "Both the data and the database structure will be migrated to Freezerworks 2 during the upgrade process." "As with any new release or upgrade, some downtime should be expected, but minimal." |
Freezerworks statements in quotation marks are taken from Dataworks Development's public site (the product, features, edition, integrations, quality assurance, fertility clinics, FAQ and Freezerworks 2 pages), as of September 23, 2026. Statements about Freezerworks 2 describe a version their site announces for late 2026, not shipping software. "Described as" and "listed as" summarize their materials without quoting them. "Not described" means our research checked that topic and found nothing in their public materials; it may still exist.
Roadmap quarters are targets we are working toward, not commitments. We update this page as items ship.
What this means for a lab choosing between them
For a research lab or biobank whose work is the bench, Freezerworks is the fuller sample management system today: fields on every record, aliquot lineage, patients and studies in the higher editions, searches on any field and PDF reports, at a published price, with a browser client and dashboards coming in the next version. It stays on your own servers by design and is not offered as a service, so hosting, backups and the year-end upgrade are yours to run.
For an organization that holds specimens for clients, OpenCryo is built for that job and Freezerworks does not describe it: custody that crosses organizations, protocols with a performer and a reviewer on every intake, release, transfer and destruction, agreements and authorizations signed by the client, a portal under your brand, and billing with card and bank collection, hosted for you or self-hosted, at one flat monthly price for unlimited users. OpenCryo's own gaps are in the table, plainly, and each one is a conversation we are glad to have.
If you run Freezerworks now, the migration deadline is a natural moment to decide. Ask either vendor the same three questions: a) what leaves with us if we stop paying, and in what form? b) what does a second organization see when it works one of our orders? c) what changes for us in your next version, and when?
Freezerworks and its edition names Base, Ascent, Summit and Pinnacle are trademarks or product names of their respective owner, Dataworks Development, Inc., used here for identification only. This page reflects their public site as of September 23, 2026, including their announcement of Freezerworks 2. If something here is out of date or wrong, email hello@opencryo.io and we will correct it.