Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

QualCoder VS VOSviewer

Compare QualCoder VS VOSviewer and see what are their differences

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.

VOSviewer logo VOSviewer

VOSviewer is a software tool for constructing and visualizing bibliometric networks.
  • 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.

  • VOSviewer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-09

QualCoder

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

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.

VOSviewer features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    VOSviewer offers an intuitive and straightforward interface, making it accessible for users without advanced technical expertise. The drag-and-drop functionality and interactive visualizations enhance user engagement and ease of use.
  • Specialized for Bibliometric Analysis
    Designed specifically for creating and visualizing bibliometric networks, VOSviewer excels in displaying co-authorship, co-citation, and bibliographic coupling, providing clear insights into academic literature structures.
  • Versatile Visualization Options
    Users can generate a variety of visualizations, including network, overlay, and density maps, which help in exploring data from multiple perspectives to extract meaningful patterns and trends.
  • Integration with Bibliometric Data Sources
    VOSviewer can directly import bibliometric data from well-known databases such as Web of Science and Scopus, allowing seamless integration and efficient analysis.
  • Free to Use
    VOSviewer is available for free, enabling wide accessibility for researchers, educators, and students with budget constraints.

Possible disadvantages of VOSviewer

  • Limited Analytical Features
    While VOSviewer is excellent for visualization, its analytical capabilities are somewhat limited compared to more comprehensive bibliometric analysis software like BibExcel or Pajek, which may require complementary tools for in-depth studies.
  • Java Dependency
    The software requires Java to be installed on the system, which could impose additional setup steps for users unfamiliar with Java or those facing compatibility issues.
  • Not Web-Based
    VOSviewer is not a cloud-based solution, which means users need to download and install the software locally, potentially limiting accessibility for those who prefer online tools for collaborative or on-the-go work.
  • Scalability Limitations
    When dealing with extremely large datasets, VOSviewer may experience performance issues or limitations in visualization scalability, affecting its ability to handle big data efficiently.

QualCoder videos

QualCoder 3.5 Tutorial

More videos:

VOSviewer videos

Introduction to VOSviewer

More videos:

  • Review - Bibliometrics (15): Visualization of Bibliographic network using VosViewer
  • Review - Bibliometric Analysis: Exporting Data from the Web of Science Database into VOSViewer software

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to QualCoder and VOSviewer)
Market Research
78 78%
22% 22
Text Analytics
78 78%
22% 22
Research Tools
78 78%
22% 22
Data Visualization
59 59%
41% 41

User comments

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Reviews

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

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.

    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Active community|Completely free and open source|Very stable|Intuitive workflow|Integration with r-studio
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž 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.

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: ATLAS.ti, NVivo
    ๐Ÿ‘ 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.

    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Easy to use|Intuitive|Easy merge of projects
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Only two hierarchies allowed for codes

VOSviewer Reviews

We have no reviews of VOSviewer yet.
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What are some alternatives?

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

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.

MAXQDA - a professional software for qualitative and mixed methods data analysis

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

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.ย