InqScribe vs MAXQDA
InqScribe
inqscribe.comMAXQDA
maxqda.comSide by side
| Figure | InqScribe | MAXQDA |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $10/mo | $41/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 9 |
| Spec score · Video Annotation Software | 8.3 (#13) | 8.8 (#6) |
| Founded | 2001 | 1989 |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Berlin, Germany |
| Local AI | Automatic speech-to-text transcription runs on the user's computer rather than in the cloud. | AI Assist Premium can use a model running on the user's computer or organization's server, including OpenAI-compatible endpoints such as Ollama, llama.cpp or LM Studio. |
| Support | Support is provided through a knowledge base, user guide, blog, Whisper FAQ, and direct contact. | Free online support is provided for the current and preceding versions, with context-sensitive help linked from dialog windows. |
| What it does | InqScribe is digital media transcription software for annotating, transcribing, and analyzing audio and video files. | MAXQDA is qualitative and mixed-methods research software for organizing, coding, analyzing, visualizing and reporting text, multimedia, survey and bibliographic data. |
Plans
InqScribe
- Perpetual License$79 a month
- 10-Day License$10 a month
- Free ViewerFree
- 7-Day TrialFree
- 10-Day License$10, paid once
- Perpetual License$79, paid once
MAXQDA
- AI Assist FreeFree
- MAXQDA Tailwind Free TrialFree
- MAXQDA Tailwind Pro$41 a month
- AI Assist Premium (12 months)Priced on request
- AI Assist Premium (6 months)Priced on request
- MAXQDAPriced on request
- MAXQDA Analytics ProPriced on request
- MAXQDA Tailwind EnterprisePriced on request
- MAXQDA TeamCloudPrice not published
In their own words
InqScribe
InqScribe is digital media transcription software for annotating, transcribing and analyzing audio and video files on macOS and Windows. Automatic speech-to-text runs on the user's computer rather than in the cloud. The company says user data stays on the computer and is not used to train AI models. Its editor combines transcript editing with free-form notes, clickable timecodes, custom snippets and search-and-replace. Playback can be controlled with keyboard shortcuts or a USB foot pedal. Caption exports include SRT, WebVTT, SCC and XML, for tools and systems such as Premiere, Final Cut Pro, YouTube and broadcast workflows. Automatic transcription supports dozens of languages, with full UTF-8 Unicode support. Supported media includes formats such as H.264, QuickTime, WAV, AAC and MP3. Transcript files are saved locally where specified, and the app does not save copies of audio or video content. A Free Viewer costs nothing. A 10-Day License costs $10 a month, billed as a one-time purchase, while a Perpetual License costs $79 a month as a one-time purchase and includes two years of free updates.
MAXQDA
MAXQDA is desktop software for qualitative and mixed methods research, including literature reviews, content analysis, interviews, questionnaires, and focus groups. Its tools include qualitative and mixed methods analysis, quantitative text analysis with MAXDictio, and statistical analysis with Stats. Analytics Pro can import and connect Excel or SPSS data and includes descriptive statistics, crosstabs, ANOVA, independent-samples t-tests, cluster analysis, Pearson and Spearman correlations, and scale calculations. MAXQDA Transcription can automatically transcribe audio and video in over 50 languages without a MAXQDA license, though analyzing transcripts in MAXQDA requires a valid MAXQDA or Analytics Pro license. TeamCloud provides a protected cloud workspace with 25GB storage for one team lead and up to four team members per license. The desktop product runs on Windows and Mac with the same interface and functions on both. A 14-day free trial is available for either system. The page does not expose prices for MAXQDA licenses or Analytics Pro; AI Assist has Free and Premium options, with limited capacity.