Reagent Cost Calculator
Know your real cost per sample and per experiment. Export grant budget justification text in one click.
Reagent Cost Calculator: Know Your Real Cost Per Experiment
Enter your reagents, package sizes, and how much you use per sample. The calculator works out your cost per sample, cost per run, and annual total — then generates ready-to-paste budget justification text you can drop directly into your NIH or NSF narrative. Save your reagent setups as named recipes to reuse them next grant cycle. No account needed, nothing leaves your browser.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the cost of a lab experiment?
Add up the cost of every reagent and consumable, based on the actual volume used per sample. For each reagent: divide the catalog price by the package size to get cost per unit, then multiply by the amount used per sample. Sum all reagents to get total cost per sample, then multiply by samples per run and runs per year for your annual total. The calculator above does all of this automatically as you type.
What should I include in a reagent cost calculation?
Include all reagents used per sample (enzymes, antibodies, master mixes, buffers), and per-run consumables amortised per sample (plates, tips, tubes). Exclude equipment depreciation and labor for a consumables-only figure — which is what most NIH and NSF budget sections ask for under 'supplies.'
How do I estimate reagent costs for a grant budget justification?
Build your cost per sample from your actual protocol, multiply by your planned sample size across the project period, and cite your method in the budget justification. Reviewers respond well to itemised, protocol-specific figures over round-number estimates. The calculator generates a clear, itemised justification sentence you can paste directly into your budget narrative.
Can I save my reagent calculations to reuse for the next grant?
Yes. Save any calculation as a named recipe stored in your browser. Load it next grant cycle to restore your full reagent list and run parameters instantly. No account needed.
What is the difference between cost per sample and cost per experiment?
Cost per sample is the reagent cost for one biological sample. Cost per experiment is the total for one run: cost per sample × samples × replicates. Annual cost is cost per run × runs per year.
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