OpenQDA vs QualCoder
OpenQDA
openqda.orgQualCoder
qualcoder.orgSide by side
| Figure | OpenQDA | QualCoder |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 1 |
| Spec score · Qualitative Data Analysis Software | 5.8 (#17) | 7.6 (#12) |
Plans
In their own words
QualCoder
QualCoder is free, open-source software for qualitative data analysis on Linux, macOS and Windows. It supports coding text, images, audio and video, organizing codes in hierarchies, and keeping journals and memos alongside analysis. Users can generate reports, most of which can be exported as HTML, ODT, plain text or Excel. Projects and codebooks can be exported using the REFI-QDA standard, while codebooks can be imported from plain text or CSV files. Coding data is stored in a SQLite database in the project's data folder. QualCoder is intended for one person at a time; simultaneous access to a project can corrupt its database. VLC is optional for general use but required for audio or video coding. Optional AI features support topic exploration, assisted coding, text analysis and code chats. AI is off by default, and supported providers include cloud services and local models such as Ollama. Provider API access is pay-per-use and may incur charges for each request.