Labvanced vs PyGaze

Labvanced is a no-code platform for designing and running behavioral research experiments. Researchers use graphical tools to build studies and can collect millisecond-precise reaction-time measures and webcam-based eye tracking. Study elements include questionnaires, audio and video stimuli, mouse tracking, and real-time multi-participant sessions. Labvanced documents recruitment integrations including Prolific, CloudResearch, Sona Systems, Besample, Panelabs, Amazon Mechanical Turk, and Clickworker. Its desktop app can connect EEG systems, eye trackers, motion sensors, and wearables through Lab Streaming Layer, and can run locally without internet access; that app is available to group and departmental license holders for Windows, MacOS, and Linux Ubuntu. A Chrome extension enables controlled studies on live third-party websites while recording gaze, clicks, hovering, and scrolling. Labvanced says webcam eye-tracking video is not sent to its servers or experimenters by default. The free plan includes 300 MB of storage, 10 recordings, and one active recruiting link. Paid tiers list live chat, with some adding premium email support or onboarding. Labvanced was released in 2018 and is maintained by Scicovery GmbH.

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.