Qualio vs Greenlight Guru vs ArvoDocs: QMS Comparison for Startups

Choosing a QMS is one of the most consequential decisions a medical device startup makes. Get it right and your quality system grows with you. Get it wrong and you're migrating platforms mid-audit — which is exactly as fun as it sounds.

We're going to compare three platforms that medical device startups commonly evaluate: Qualio, Greenlight Guru, and ArvoDocs. We'll be honest about all three, including ourselves.

The quick overview

Qualio

Qualio positions itself as a modern, cloud-based QMS for life sciences. It covers document control, training, CAPAs, supplier management, and change control. The interface is clean and the product is well-built.

Strengths: Broad feature set. Good training management module. Works across life sciences (not just medical devices). Strong integrations with tools like Jira and Slack.

Weaknesses: No public pricing — you'll need to go through a sales process to get a quote. Reported pricing starts around $12K–$30K/year depending on team size and modules. The platform is powerful but can feel heavy for a team of five people who just need document control and CAPAs.

Best for: Mid-stage companies (50+ people) across pharma, biotech, and medical devices that need a comprehensive platform and have budget for it.

Greenlight Guru

Greenlight Guru is the most well-known QMS in the medical device startup space. They pioneered the "purpose-built for medical devices" positioning and their design controls module is widely regarded as best-in-class.

Strengths: Excellent design controls. Strong brand recognition in medtech. Good educational content and community. The platform is genuinely built around the medical device workflow.

Weaknesses: Pricing is enterprise-level — typically $25K–$60K/year. No self-serve option. Onboarding involves implementation consultants and can take weeks. Some users report that non-design-control modules (document management, CAPA) feel less polished than the flagship design controls.

Best for: Funded medical device companies (Series A+) that prioritize design controls and have the budget and timeline for a managed onboarding process.

ArvoDocs

Full disclosure: we built this one. So take our self-assessment with appropriate skepticism. We built ArvoDocs because we needed a QMS that didn't require a sales call, a procurement process, or a five-figure budget.

Strengths: Public pricing starting free. Self-serve signup — you can be working in minutes. Document control, CAPAs, and supplier management built specifically for small medtech teams. Lightweight enough that it doesn't feel like enterprise software.

Weaknesses: We're newer. Design controls are on the roadmap but not shipped yet. If you need robust design control workflows today, Greenlight Guru is probably a better fit. We also don't have the deep integration ecosystem that Qualio offers — yet.

Best for: Early-stage medical device teams (pre-revenue to ~100 people) who need solid document control, CAPAs, and supplier management without enterprise pricing or sales processes.

How to decide

Here's our honest recommendation framework:

• • If design controls are your #1 priority and you have $30K+ budget → Greenlight Guru
• • If you need a comprehensive QMS across life sciences with training management → Qualio
• • If you need document control and CAPAs now, want to start today, and don't want to spend $30K → ArvoDocs

The worst decision is no decision. Running your QMS in spreadsheets while you evaluate platforms for six months is riskier than picking any of these three options. Every one of these platforms will get you through an audit. The question is which one fits your team's size, budget, and priorities right now.