Chiasm vs PyGaze
Chiasm
chiasm.euPyGaze
pygaze.orgSide by side
| Figure | Chiasm | PyGaze |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €199/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 4 | 1 |
| Spec score · Eye Tracking Software | 8.4 (#1) | 7.5 (#16) |
| Intended users | The service is for business, professional, academic, institutional or organisational use and is not intended for consumers using it personally. | The about page describes PyGaze as aimed at people with minor to advanced programming skills, preferably in Python 2.X. |
| Platforms | Participants use a modern browser and standard webcam without installing software; Chiasm currently works best in Google Chrome on laptops and desktops. | The about page says PyGaze supports Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. |
| Support | Standard technical support is best effort and includes bug fixes, platform-use assistance, documentation and general guidance; study-design advice and data analysis are excluded. | The documentation invites users who cannot find an answer to contact the PyGaze team. |
Plans
In their own words
Chiasm
Chiasm captures gaze data through participants’ webcams for remote online studies and research. It processes webcam frames in real time and produces timestamped gaze coordinates linked to study events, together with session metadata. Researchers can connect it to Qualtrics, jsPsych, or custom web studies through a JavaScript library. Chiasm says studies can include hundreds of participants at once. Researchers can download gaze data from Chiasm or stream it to their own server; when used with platforms such as Qualtrics, data is held on Chiasm’s servers for later export. Webcam video is not stored by default, though limited calibration or validation recordings may be retained with explicit opt-in consent. The service supports Google Chrome on laptops and desktop computers with webcams. Flex has no monthly minimum and costs €0.25 per minute. Starter is €199 per month with 900 participant-minutes included, and Pro is €499 per month with 3,000 participant-minutes included. A 7-day trial is listed.
PyGaze
PyGaze is an open-source Python toolbox for running eye-tracking experiments. It provides a shared interface for stimulus presentation and tracker communication, with support for EyeLink, SMI, Tobii, and mouse-simulated tracking. For stimuli, it works with PsychoPy and PyGame. The EyeTracker interface covers calibration, recording, gaze sampling, pupil-size retrieval, and fixation and saccade event functions. Gaze-contingent tools include forced retinal location, a cursor that follows gaze, and areas of interest. PyGaze is free at free and supports Linux, macOS, and Windows. Downloads include pip installation instructions for those systems, source packages, and portable Windows environments. The about page recommends Python 2.X and describes its audience as people with minor to advanced programming skills. Some tracker connections require separate steps: PyLink is proprietary and requires registration with SR Research, while SMI and Tobii API downloads must be requested from their makers. PyGaze supplies fresh gaze samples at the tracker’s sampling rate and returns the newest available sample between fresh samples.