Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

MAXQDA VS QualCoder

Compare MAXQDA VS QualCoder and see what are their differences

MAXQDA logo MAXQDA

a professional software for qualitative and mixed methods data analysis

QualCoder logo QualCoder

A very complete Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) written in Python. It works with text, images, and multimedia such as audios and videos.
  • MAXQDA Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-13
  • QualCoder Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-27

QualCoder is free, open source software for qualitative data analysis. You can code text, images, audio and video, write journal notes and memos. Categorise codes in a tree-like hierarchical categorisation scheme. Coding for audio and video requires the VLC media player. VLC must be installed for QualCoder to work with audio and video data. Coder comparison reports can be generated for text coding. A graph displaying codes and categories can be generated to visualise the coding hierarchy. Most reports can be exported at html, open document text (ODT) or as plain text files.

QualCoder

$ Details
Release Date
2023 December
Startup details
Country
Australia
State
Tasmania
City
Hobart
Founder(s)
Colin Curtain

MAXQDA features and specs

  • Comprehensive Data Analysis
    MAXQDA offers extensive tools for qualitative and mixed methods data analysis, allowing users to code, retrieve, and analyze large datasets efficiently.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The software provides an intuitive and visually appealing interface, making it easier for users, even beginners, to navigate and utilize its wide array of features.
  • Multimedia Capabilities
    MAXQDA supports a variety of data formats including text, PDFs, audio, video, and images, allowing for versatile analysis across different media types.
  • Collaboration Features
    It includes features that facilitate teamwork and collaboration, such as merging projects, which are beneficial for research teams working on large projects.
  • Regular Updates and Support
    MAXQDA is regularly updated with new features and improvements, and it provides comprehensive customer support, including tutorials, webinars, and a robust help community.

Possible disadvantages of MAXQDA

  • Cost
    The software can be quite expensive, particularly for individual researchers or small institutions with limited budgets.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly design, the depth of features in MAXQDA may require users to spend significant time learning how to effectively utilize the software.
  • Performance with Large Datasets
    Users have reported performance issues when working with very large datasets, which can hinder efficiency and workflow.
  • Limited Quantitative Analysis Tools
    While strong in qualitative and mixed methods analysis, MAXQDA offers limited tools for deep quantitative statistical analysis compared to specialized quantitative tools.
  • Platform Limitations
    Some users have experienced reduced functionality on macOS compared to the Windows version, potentially limiting cross-platform usability.

QualCoder features and specs

  • Free and Open Source
    QualCoder is completely free to use, and its source code is openly accessible, allowing users to modify and improve the software according to their needs.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    The software is compatible with multiple operating systems including Windows, MacOS, and Linux, making it accessible to a wider range of users.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    QualCoder offers a straightforward and intuitive interface, which can help users efficiently manage and code qualitative data.
  • Rich Feature Set
    It includes various features like text, audio, and video coding, along with memo management and codebook support, making it a comprehensive tool for qualitative research.
  • Active Development
    The software is actively maintained and updated, ensuring it adapts to user needs and integrates new features over time.

Possible disadvantages of QualCoder

  • Steep Learning Curve
    New users may find it challenging to learn and make the most of all functionalities due to the comprehensive nature of the tool.
  • Limited Documentation
    While the software is actively developed, users might find the available documentation and resources insufficient for troubleshooting complex issues.
  • Performance Issues
    Handling large datasets can lead to performance slowdowns, which might impact the overall efficiency of the analysis process.
  • No Commercial Support
    Being a free and open-source project, it lacks the dedicated customer support that commercial tools might offer, which can be a challenge for some users.
  • Compatibility with Other Tools
    Integration with other software might be limited compared to proprietary qualitative analysis tools that offer built-in compatibility with a wider range of platforms.

MAXQDA videos

Literature Reviews with MAXQDA

More videos:

  • Review - Literature Reviews (Literaturrecherche) mit MAXQDA 2018
  • Review - Qualitative Data Analysis with MAXQDA (Intro Webinar)

QualCoder videos

QualCoder 3.5 Tutorial

More videos:

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to MAXQDA and QualCoder)
Market Research
53 53%
47% 47
Text Analytics
52 52%
48% 48
Research Tools
51 51%
49% 49
Data Visualization
63 63%
37% 37

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare MAXQDA and QualCoder

MAXQDA Reviews

  1. ColdInWinter
    · Analyst at Trimal Consulting ·
    A data analysis tool for business, government, and academic research projects

    The use of QDA software in social science research is so common that many people tend to see QDA software as a tool primarily for social science research. However, applications like MAXQDA are invaluable productivity tools for research analysts in industry or government as well.

    Remarkably scalable, MAXQDA employs a database architecture that can handle research projects ranging in size from several dozen pages to tens of thousands of pages. Many projects today involve identifying connections found among information stored in PDF, Powerpoint presentations, Word documents, photos, videos, and audio recordings. MAXQDA allows users to code relevant sections of each document, identify interrelationships among documents, build relationships among diverse sets of documents and identify thematic trends.

    MAXQDA features a simple 4 pane interface that makes it easy to use. The Document System- is where you place documents (text, images, video, or sound files) you want to analyse. The Document Browser is where you view the content of the document. The Coding System shows the various codes that you create and assign to documents. The Retrieved Segments Pane shows search results.

    🏁 Competitors: ATLAS.ti, NVivo, QDA Miner, HyperResearch, Quirkos

QualCoder Reviews

  1. Leon van der Neut
    Effective no non-sense software

    I used Qualcoder to code 100 hours of public hearings transcripts and I found it a very pleasant experience. The workflow is intuitive and quick. Even though some transcripts went over 150.000 characters, I was using about 50 codes, and have transcripts with over 100 different coded segments, the program remained stable. Using the | character in the search field allows for the use of multiple keywords at once, which was very effective. The report function allows you to produce overviews of interview segments per code and various kinds of statistical analysis, which can be integrated with R-Studio. Many thanks to Dr. Colin Curtain for the development and software support.

    👍 Pros:    Active community|Completely free and open source|Very stable|Intuitive workflow|Integration with r-studio
    👎 Cons:    .pdf coding requires turning pages in file
  2. The best open source alternative to paid CAQDAS

    QualCoder is one of the best CAQDAS I have used not just because it is free and open source but also because of the functionalities and constant improvements.

    🏁 Competitors: ATLAS.ti, NVivo
    👍 Pros:    Developer is responsive to feedback/requests and makes improvements|Easy to use|Advanced features
  3. Really good alternative to paid CAQDAS

    I really like using QualCoder 3.0 for its ease of use and intuitive interface.

    👍 Pros:    Easy to use|Intuitive|Easy merge of projects
    👎 Cons:    Only two hierarchies allowed for codes

What are some alternatives?

When comparing MAXQDA and QualCoder, you can also consider the following products

NVivo - Buy NVivo now for flexible solutions to meet your specific research and data analysis needs. 

ATLAS.ti - ATLAS.ti is a powerful workbench for the qualitative analysis of large bodies of textual, graphical, audio and video data. It offers a variety of sophisticated tools for accomplishing the tasks associated with any systematic approach to "soft" data.

Taguette - A spin on the phrase "tag it!

RQDA - RDQA is a R package for Qualitative Data Analysis, a free (free as freedom) qualitative analysis...

Quirkos - Quirkos is a simple qualitative analysis software tool that helps to sort, manage and understand text data. 

Dedoose - A cross-platform app for analyzing qualitative and mixed methods research with text, photos, audio, videos, spreadsheet data and more.