Cover - shares	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Nov. 06, 2020
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-Q
Document Quarterly Report	true
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2020
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	001-38613
Entity Registrant Name	Bionano Genomics, Inc.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	26-1756290
Entity Address, Address Line One	9540 Towne Centre Drive, Suite 100
Entity Address, City or Town	San Diego
Entity Address, State or Province	CA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	92121
City Area Code	858
Local Phone Number	888-7600
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	true
Entity Emerging Growth Company	true
Entity Ex Transition Period	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares)		153,186,000
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2020
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Entity Central Index Key	0001411690
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Common Stock
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share
Trading Symbol	BNGO
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Warrant
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Warrants to purchase Common Stock
Trading Symbol	BNGOW
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ