Chiasm

Chiasm converts webcam footage into gaze measurements for browser-based research. It is aimed at professional and academic teams running remote participant studies, especially those working in Qualtrics, jsPsych or custom JavaScript experiments. The service is strongest when event-linked gaze data and flexible delivery matter more than built-in study consulting or analysis.

Overview

Chiasm captures participants’ gaze through their webcams during online studies and processes the frames in real time. Its output combines timestamped gaze coordinates with the events in a study and session metadata, giving researchers a time-aligned record of where participants looked while completing a task. That focus makes it a research component rather than a consumer eye-tracking app.

A JavaScript library provides integrations for Qualtrics, jsPsych and custom web studies. Chiasm says a study can accommodate hundreds of participants simultaneously, so it can support sizeable remote cohorts without requiring a local eye-tracking laboratory. The service is intended for business, professional, academic, institutional and organisational use, not personal consumer projects.

Key features

Real-time webcam processing and event-linked timestamps are the core strengths. Researchers can relate gaze coordinates to questions, stimuli or task events instead of receiving an isolated stream of points. Session metadata adds context for organising and interpreting recordings.

Data can be downloaded from Chiasm or streamed to a researcher’s own server. In integrations such as Qualtrics, data is held on Chiasm’s servers for later export; teams that require direct control of their data pipeline should plan around the streaming option where their implementation supports it.

Chiasm says webcam video is not stored by default. Limited calibration or validation recordings can be retained only after explicit opt-in consent. Its privacy statement describes encryption in transit and at rest, role-based access control, segregated environments, and logging and monitoring. Personal data are primarily processed and stored in the European Economic Area on Google Cloud Platform servers in Europe. Chiasm says it follows GDPR requirements and offers a Data Processing Agreement when it acts as a processor.

Standard technical support is best effort: bug fixes, help using the platform, documentation and general guidance are included. Study-design advice and data analysis are outside that support scope, so research teams must supply those skills themselves.

Pricing

Chiasm is paid software with a 7-day trial and no permanent free plan. The Flex plan costs €0.25 per participant-minute with no monthly minimum. It is the sensible choice for occasional or exploratory studies because spending follows actual use, but high session volume can make monthly billing more predictable.

Starter costs €199 per month and includes 900 participant-minutes each month. It fits teams running regular but moderate workloads; the included quota is less suitable for large cohorts or frequent sessions. Pro costs €499 per month with 3,000 participant-minutes monthly, targeting heavier recurring research where the larger allowance can reduce reliance on pay-per-use pricing. Custom uses volume-based pricing and is appropriate for organisations whose scale or procurement needs exceed the published tiers; its price is custom.

The 7-day trial gives prospective users a short evaluation window before committing to paid use. The published plans do not include a free tier, so work beyond the trial is chargeable under Flex or a monthly subscription.

Platforms

Chiasm is delivered through an API and web interface. Participants use Google Chrome on a laptop or desktop equipped with a webcam. Its remote-study design avoids dedicated eye-tracking hardware, but the Chrome and webcam requirements constrain participant-device compatibility and make a device check important for a study population.

Who it's for

Choose Chiasm for remote experiments that need gaze coordinates synchronised with online study events, particularly when the study already runs in Qualtrics, jsPsych or a custom web page. Flex suits infrequent research; Starter and Pro suit teams with dependable monthly participation; Custom is for volume-based programmes. It is a poor fit for personal use, teams seeking built-in study-design or analysis services, or projects that cannot accommodate Chrome on webcam-equipped computers.

Pros and cons

Pros

Event-linked gaze output: Timestamped coordinates and session metadata preserve the relationship between looking behaviour and task events.

Flexible data handling: Researchers can download results or stream them to their own server.

Remote scale: Chiasm says studies can run with hundreds of participants simultaneously.

Privacy controls: Video is not stored by default, with optional recordings requiring explicit consent, alongside European data processing and stated GDPR support.

Usage-based entry plan: Flex has no monthly minimum, limiting commitment for occasional studies.

Cons

Webcam and Chrome dependency: Participants need compatible desktop hardware and browser access, which may exclude some devices or populations.

No free plan: After the 7-day trial, even small projects must pay per minute or subscribe.

Support boundaries: Study design and data analysis are excluded from standard technical support.

Server-side storage in some integrations: Qualtrics workflows store data on Chiasm until export, which may not suit teams requiring immediate infrastructure control.

Alternatives

Labvanced is the better choice if a freemium entry point and broader platform coverage matter; its free plan includes 300 MB of storage, 10 recordings and one active recruiting link.

GazePlotter suits readers seeking a free, open-source GNU GPL v3 tool across desktop and mobile platforms.

GazeRecorder is a free alternative for non-commercial use on Android, iOS, web and Windows.

iTrace is preferable when MIT-licensed open-source software for Linux and self-hosting is the priority.

Hawkeye offers a freemium iOS and web option, with a free allowance of one project and five sessions.

RealEye is a paid alternative with a free trial and a Basic annual plan priced at $325 per month, including unlimited studies and 20 own participants per month.

OGAMA is a free, open-source Windows freeware option.

OpenGazer is free open-source gaze tracking for Linux that requires a webcam and Linux build dependencies.

See the Eye Tracking Software list for more options.

Verdict

Chiasm is a strong choice for research teams that need browser-based, event-synchronised gaze data at remote scale and want the option of pay-per-use billing. Choose Flex for occasional studies or a monthly tier for sustained volume.