Commonly used terms

To help you understand BioRender and its primary features, we’ve compiled a list of important and commonly used terms.

Plans and subscriptions

• BioRender Basic: Our free plan. Users on BioRender Basic can use illustrations for educational purposes, such as presentations and posters, but cannot publish their figures in journals or textbooks.
• BioRender Premium: A monthly or annual subscription that offers access to premium features, including permission to publish in journals and store unlimited figures. Premium plans are available for both individuals and teams.
• BioRender Team: A group of BioRender users that work together, such as labs or industry teams. BioRender teams can share illustrations, templates, favorites, and uploaded images.

Illustration and design tools

• BioRender Template: A pre-made template created by BioRender’s in-house illustration team, representing common biological pathways and processes.
• Canvas: The paper-like white space where you build your illustration. Only elements placed on the canvas are exported.
• Icon: A pre-made image available in BioRender’s library for public use. Icons can be dragged onto the canvas to create an illustration.
• Illustration: Any figure that you create in BioRender.

Organization and storage

• Favorites: Icons or groups of icons you’ve saved for quick access while illustrating (similar to saving a song in a playlist).
• Folders: A way to organize BioRender illustrations based on criteria such as image type, research project, or date.
• Gallery: Your home page or dashboard where all illustrations are stored. This is the first screen you see when you log into BioRender.

Additional features

• PDB (Protein Data Bank): An open-access repository of 3D structures of large biological molecules, such as proteins. BioRender integrates with PDB, allowing users to convert PDB images into BioRender icons directly from the canvas.
• Admin: A user on a BioRender organization, lab or team license with the ability to change team settings, invite and remove team members, and transfer admin privileges.