Is there a such thing as an Affordable LIMS?

You've probably looked around online and have come to realize that you can't just spend $100 to $300 to buy a LIMS. A real LIMS will cost real dollars.

That being said, not all LIMS programs are equal. Does big cost equal big value? That can be really subjective, unless you know what it is you want. The real answer is: "Not necessarily."

Is it realistic to think that affordable LIMS software can still be of the highest quality?

It's not impossible, but you have to shop around. 

Have you ever had back to back online LIMS demos from different vendors? This can be an all day event. Each demo has it's own learning curve too. By the end of the third demo, your eyes start to glaze over and you can lose the ability to think critically. - Sound familiar?

Consider this as an option: Ask each LIMS vendor to demo only a certain aspect of their program, like logging in samples. You can easily set up four or five demos like that in a single morning. If you like only three out of the five, great. Invite the three back another day to show result entry. This way, you didn't waste an entire two hours on the vendors whose programs didn't seem to fit your needs.