I just wanted to clarify a point that's usually overlooked - none of the qualitative software discussed here (nVivo, Atlas.ti, Maxda, dedoose. nudist) actually "analyze" the data for you in the way that quantitative software does. They are more tools for systematically organizing, coding, annotating, visualizing, etc. In essence, you are still doing the analysis yourself, just using the software for assistance in managing and exploring the data. This chart provides a good (though slightly outdated) comparison of what each of the QDA programs are better suited for, depending on what kind of data you're analyzing, what you want to do with it, how much time you have to learn the software, etc: http://website.education.wisc.edu/qdatools/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Software-Comparison.pdf. In my experience nVivo is most widely used; though it's relatively pricey - there are some open-source packages too.
(For quantitative analysis of qualitative data, regressions etc, if you're even interested in doing those - and a lot of people explicitly are not - you would probably be best off learning R). Answer from Tamara Pavasovic Trost on researchgate.net
Delve
delvetool.com › blog › easiest-qda-software-to-learn
Which Qualitative Data Analysis Software is Easiest to Learn? — Delve
July 22, 2025 - Choose MAXQDA when you need powerful analysis capabilities but want more intuitive workflows than NVivo. The software bridges mixed method research well, making it ideal for researchers who work across methodologies. Similar to Dedoose, MAXQDA is particularly aimed at:
Reddit
reddit.com › r/professors › qualitative software suggestions
r/Professors on Reddit: Qualitative software suggestions
April 22, 2019 -
Hi all,
I’m curious as to which qualitative software you think is best for text analysis of legal documents, newspaper article and other large, policy-related documents. I have previous experience using NVIVO but I’m worried about it slowing down due to the size of the different (and many) documents I’ll be analyzing. Thoughts on MaxQDA? Others?
Also- open to any suggestions on text- analysis workshops that you recommend.
Thanks!!
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I am a qualitative scholar that uses/has used NVivo, Dedoose, MAXQDA, and Atlas. I think which software you use is entirely dependent on what you want to do with it. Are you wanting the software to do the analysis for you (word counts/ word frequency / word proximity)? Are you wanting to code the data (themes, open coding, etc.)? I would say that I used NVivo for several recent projects that included organizational documents, video, audio, and transcripts. It worked well to code everything. I used Dedoose for my dissertation which was great as my advisor took a job across the country during my final year and is web based (the UI for Dedoose is awful though).
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If used maxqda on document and image analysis. I find it much easier to used than nvivo. I've never messed with Atlas, so I can't speak to that and I don't really care for the UI of Dedoose.
Which software is known to be the best for analyzing the qualitative data?
Versions of this question have been asked here numerous times, and the general conclusion is that all of the major software packages do pretty much the same thing, so the choices between ATLAS, Dedoose, MAXQDA, and NVivo comes down to person preference. More on researchgate.net
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January 27, 2016What are the pros and cons of using Dedoose versus nVivo for qualitative data analysis?
I've tried NVivo but it looks like it is impossible to directly import the nicknames of the users in order to do sentiment or other analysis after, and I don't really want to have to add hundreds of them manually...I'm considering Atlas, Dedoose, QDA Miner, MAXQDA, but I've no idea which to ... More on researchgate.net
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March 7, 2016Which QDA software do you use?
Okay qualitative researcher in a different field here. You’ve got a lot of options but some of it is going to depend on how much you/your advisor are willing to pay. Qualcoder is completely free but you get what you pay for to a point - it’s harder to collaborate and the user interface isn’t the best. Taguette is online and has a free tier but it’s super limited. The interface was “meh” at best. Dedoose seems to be popular but it’s basically browser only so no use while you’re on a plane with no Wi-Fi or anywhere else you’re offline. NVivo is one of the more full featured, expensive programs. It wasn’t super user friendly when I tried it so I abandoned it quickly even though there’s a copy of it on my desktop in the office. Does a lot, costs a lot. Also in the pricey bracket are programs like MaxQDA and Atlas.ti. Lots of features like NVivo. When you get to the level of MaxQDA, Nvivo, and Atlas.ti you’re to the point it’s like Windows vs Mac vs Linux - down to preferences, very specific features, and convenience. I would say to check out who has demos and free trials and see which ones you vibe with. See if any of the paid ones are worth the money and fit with your usual workflows. That way if you do wind up shelling out for something, it’s not something you wind up hating. I personally use QualCoder for interview studies and my literature review project with a couple thousand articles (and their associated PDFs) is actually being coded in excel. The former is because I hated NVivo and the latter is because I don’t have time to train my mentees on something more complicated. More on reddit.com
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August 17, 2025NVivo or Dedoose?
Congrats on passing the proposal! I agree with much of what has been said. I would only ever recommend Dedoose for collaborative projects. NVivo is better for individual projects. Like Methods-Geek, I have also switched to MAXQDA. The reason for that is that it is far superior to all the other programs for integrating both qualitative and quantitative logics of analysis. For instance, qualitative codes can be easily converted into quantitative document variables in MAXQDA, but it was almost impossible to do when I was using NVivo. Granted, that was a decade ago, but I have not regretted the switch. More on reddit.com
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March 5, 2025How can analyzing qualitative data help me improve my user experience?
By analyzing qualitative data, you can gain deep insights into the behaviors, pain points, and needs of your customers. You will gain an understanding of what is happening and why this occurred.
You can then leverage this knowledge to guide enhancements to your products and services. This will ultimately lead to a more satisfying customer experience that meets the expectations of your audience.
thecxlead.com
thecxlead.com › home › tools › 20 best qualitative data analysis software for 2025
20 Best Qualitative Data Analysis Software For 2025
What is qualitative data?
Qualitative data is descriptive, non-numerical information that may be derived from audio, video, text, or images. This customer data is commonly used to provide deeper insights into topics through observed attributes and characteristics. This type of data is often used in fields such as market research and social sciences, where themes and patterns can be identified in collected data. These are then interpreted, to help in understanding concepts, behaviors, experiences, and opinions.
thecxlead.com
thecxlead.com › home › tools › 20 best qualitative data analysis software for 2025
20 Best Qualitative Data Analysis Software For 2025
What is sentiment analysis?
Also known as opinion mining, sentiment analysis uses text analysis, natural language processing, and computational linguistics to understand the emotional tone behind words.
This technique is frequently used in brand monitoring, social media monitoring, and the gathering of customer feedback. Sentiment analysis helps companies understand consumer attitudes and reactions to a specific brand or product.
thecxlead.com
thecxlead.com › home › tools › 20 best qualitative data analysis software for 2025
20 Best Qualitative Data Analysis Software For 2025
Videos
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MERIT
merit.education.wisc.edu › qualitative-software-support › choosing-a-qda-package
Choosing a QDA Package - MERIT
November 18, 2024 - When it comes to the cost of the software licenses, the time needed to learn the software, getting help when you run into trouble, and how well they handle the specific types of data and methods you use there can be significant differences. This guide will compare and contrast four popular programs; NVivo, MaxQDA, Atlas.ti, and Dedoose.
VWO
vwo.com › home › visitor behavior analytics › 8 best qualitative data analysis tools in 2026 (ranked by industry experts)
8 Best Qualitative Data Analysis Tools in 2026 | VWO
1 week ago - In addition, MAXQDA rarely gets overwhelming. I also like the different levels of codes which facilitates the organization, especially with larger files and datasets. Germain D. Senior Project Specialist · Dedoose is a cloud-based software designed for analyzing qualitative and mixed-methods data.
Usercall
usercall.co › post › top-5-qualitative-data-analysis-software-tools
Top 5 Qualitative Data Analysis Software Tools
NVivo – Comprehensive features ... projects and visual mapping of relationships. MAXQDA – User-friendly and well-suited for combining qualitative and quantitative data....
George Mason University
infoguides.gmu.edu › qual › software
QDAS Software - QUALitative Research & Tools - InfoGuides at George Mason University
Which Qualitative Data Analysis Software is Easiest to Learn? (Delve) - NVivo, ATLAS.ti, MAXQDA, Delve, Quirkos, Taguette, Dedoose.
The CX Lead
thecxlead.com › home › tools › 20 best qualitative data analysis software for 2025
20 Best Qualitative Data Analysis Software For 2025
October 3, 2025 - Dedoose is a web-based tool for qualitative and mixed methods research. It facilitates data collection, analysis, and organization.
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I just wanted to clarify a point that's usually overlooked - none of the qualitative software discussed here (nVivo, Atlas.ti, Maxda, dedoose. nudist) actually "analyze" the data for you in the way that quantitative software does. They are more tools for systematically organizing, coding, annotating, visualizing, etc. In essence, you are still doing the analysis yourself, just using the software for assistance in managing and exploring the data. This chart provides a good (though slightly outdated) comparison of what each of the QDA programs are better suited for, depending on what kind of data you're analyzing, what you want to do with it, how much time you have to learn the software, etc: http://website.education.wisc.edu/qdatools/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Software-Comparison.pdf. In my experience nVivo is most widely used; though it's relatively pricey - there are some open-source packages too.
(For quantitative analysis of qualitative data, regressions etc, if you're even interested in doing those - and a lot of people explicitly are not - you would probably be best off learning R).
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I did not use it, but NUDIST is one of good softwares to analyze qualitative data.
The NUDIST qualitative data analysis system
Tom Richards
, Lyn Richards
Johns Hopkins University
guides.library.jhu.edu › c.php
Other QDAS Software - Qualitative Data Analysis Software (nVivo, Atlas.TI, and more) - Guides at Johns Hopkins University
October 29, 2025 - With a monthly per-user pricing, Dedoose can be relatively less expensive for research teams than nVivo and Atlas.TI collaboration products, especially for short-term projects. The security features are strong, and have been approved for certain Homewood projects.
George Mason University
infoguides.gmu.edu › qual › software › choose
Choosing - QUALitative Research & Tools - InfoGuides at George Mason University
Dedoose - Designed for mixed methods projects with fewer but more complex codes (allows ratings), this full-featured online software is a solid choice in some circumstances, especially distributed groups with somewhat complex projects, or those ...
SaaSHub
saashub.com › home › data visualization › market research
MAXQDA VS Dedoose - compare differences & reviews?
February 20, 2022 - 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 ...
University of Oregon Libraries
researchguides.uoregon.edu › c.php
Qualitative Analysis Software - How to Choose Data Analysis Software - Research Guides at University of Oregon Libraries
February 2, 2023 - A comparative guide to qualitative and quantitative data analysis software.
University of Illinois Library
guides.library.illinois.edu › c.php
Paid Software - Qualitative Data Analysis Software - LibGuides at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
June 15, 2022 - Dedoose is one of the less expensive options, since you can subscribe monthly instead of paying an annual fee. Pricing information for Dedoose. ... Features include text analysis, data management, import of variables and survey data, coding, memos, mixed-methods analysis, optimized for teamwork.
Berkeley
live-dlab.pantheon.berkeley.edu › sites › default › files › training_materials › QDA comparison table.pdf pdf
Atlas.TI MaxQDA NVivo Dedoose QDA Miner
MaxQDA · NVivo · Dedoose · QDA Miner · correspondence · analysis, code · sequence · analysis · Matrix · Reports · Can produce · customized · frequency tables · of documents · and codes or · demographics · Can output code · co‐occurrence · with other codes ·
Twitter
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Twitter
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Fiverr
fiverr.com › data › other › code your data using maxqda or dedoose
Cadipo: I will code your data using maxqda or dedoose for $60 on fiverr.com
Share analyzed data in Word or PDF on request but will automatically deliver in the MAXQDA format as well. I AM WILLING TO SIGN A NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT. Go ahead and contact me for order placement. ... Avg. response time4 hours ... I am a research professional, with data collection and analysis skills. I'm an expert in qualitative data handling and will assist you with your transcription and qualitative analysis using NVivo and Dedoose.
MAXQDA
maxqda.com › faq › imports-from-dedoose-fail
Imports from Dedoose fail
When exporting from Dedoose, projects can be assigned a password. Project files saved in this way cannot be imported into MAXQDA. A solution is to export your Dedoose project as a REFI-QDA Project and import it as such in MAXQDA. The REFI-QDA St...
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I use both, below are my impressions, hope it helps, cheers.
Dedoose
Pros: it is simpler, much easier to collaborate with (cloud based) and is payable on a monthly use basis,
Cons : since it is browser based, can get slow and crash, also although you can easily modify your coding tree to create sub codes, in context, it is difficult to split a code, once the excerpt is coded you can relabel it as something else but not easily break it into smaller coded excerpts. I feel this lack of in-text flexibility could potentialy impact your analysis as it makes it harder to evolve from your initial, first cycle coding tree.
Nvivo
Pros: you can sub code excerpts (lump and detail) including from within -soon to be- parent code excerpts, or on the other hand merge codes (split and gather) at will. the software is computer based, no lagging, very rare crashing.
Cons: it is expensive (easily worth 20 months of Dedoose subscription), the learning curve is longuer, it is difficult to collaborate with, but not impossible (you either need to coordinate coders to regularily export and then you gather and consolidate NVP files, or have access to Nvivo servers/ Nvivo for teams which is very expensive-in the thousands USD per year).
in brief, it depends: the shorter the analysis timeframe, the more collaborative= Dedoose; the longuer the analysis timeframe, the less collaborative (i.e. PhD thesis)=Nvivo
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Using NVivo for such a small dataset would be a bit like trying to crack a nut with a piledriver. Also it's not cheap. I'm not familiar with Dedoose, but I have heard very good things about Quirkos for small-study data analysis, so you might want to check that out too (apologies if I'm complicating rather than simplifying your life). Good luck!