Comparing the cost of physical and virtual labs: a method for school leaders

School leaders often compare only the purchase price of equipment. The true cost of a laboratory includes much more. Here is a method to compare options fairly, using your own local prices.

Costs of a physical lab

List each item for one year:

• building or renovating the room;
• benches, sinks, gas, ventilation and safety equipment;
• apparatus and its replacement;
• consumable chemicals and materials each term;
• a lab technician's time;
• storage, insurance and disposal of chemical waste.

Divide the total by the number of learners who use the lab each year.

Costs of virtual labs

• licences per user per lab;
• computers or tablets (often already in the ICT room);
• internet during lessons;
• teacher training time.

Divide by the number of learners.

Comparing value, not just cost

Also compare:

• Practice time per learner: how many experiments each learner does per term.
• Safety: risk of injury and chemical exposure.
• Coverage: how many syllabus practicals each option covers.

The likely answer

Most schools find the best answer is a blend: a smaller core of real apparatus for exam practicals, and virtual labs for everyday practice.

Using our pricing page

Our pricing page shows indicative prices per user in several currencies, with an estimate tool. Your quote will confirm local prices and taxes.

Book a demo to discuss your school's numbers.