MAXQDA vs QDA Miner

MAXQDA9.3Visit QDA Miner8.9Visit

Higher score MAXQDA #1 in Qualitative Data Analysis Software 9.3/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 5 features Visit MAXQDA

vs

QDA Miner #3 in Qualitative Data Analysis Software 8.9/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 5 features Visit QDA Miner

• MAXQDA fits best

  Researchers needing broad mixed-methods analysis

• QDA Miner fits best

  Researchers needing extensive analysis and integrations

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Side by side

Feature	MAXQDA 9.3/10 Visit ↗	QDA Miner 8.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	8.9
Ranking	#1 in Qualitative Data Analysis Software	#3 in Qualitative Data Analysis Software
Best for	Researchers needing broad mixed-methods analysis	Researchers needing extensive analysis and integrations
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	—	14-day trial
Free plan	—	—
Free trial	14 days	14 days
Free trial length	14 days	14 days
Deployment	Desktop, Self-hosted	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS	Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Phone, Email, Tickets, Docs, Live chat · 24/7	Email, Phone, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features MAXQDA 0/5 · QDA Miner 0/5
Coding tools	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Audio/video analysis	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Team collaboration	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Mixed-methods analysis	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Transcription included	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Analyzes text, PDFs, surveys, audio and video Combines coding with quantitative text and statistical analysis Includes AI document chat, coding and transcription features	Imports documents, surveys, emails, images and statistical-data files Combines AI retrieval, sentiment, thematic extraction and natural-language queries Supports statistics, visualizations, team merging and inter-rater agreement
Cons	Desktop software for Windows and macOS, not a web-based workspace Its broad toolset may be more than focused qualitative projects need Paid product with a 14-day free trial rather than a free plan	Paid product with no free plan The trial lasts 14 days, with limitations afterward Desktop deployment may not suit browser-first research teams
Our verdict	MAXQDA is desktop software for researchers who need to analyze qualitative and mixed-methods material across text, PDF, survey, audio and video sources. It is used by researchers, universities, research institutions and corporations, and… Read the review →	QDA Miner is desktop qualitative data analysis software from Provalis Research for researchers working with interview and focus-group transcripts, legal documents, articles, speeches, books, open-ended responses and visual materials. It… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• MAXQDA — where it wins

  • Analyzes text, PDFs, surveys, audio and video
  • Combines coding with quantitative text and statistical analysis
  • Includes AI document chat, coding and transcription features

  Where it doesn't

  • Desktop software for Windows and macOS, not a web-based workspace
  • Its broad toolset may be more than focused qualitative projects need
  • Paid product with a 14-day free trial rather than a free plan

• QDA Miner — where it wins

  • Imports documents, surveys, emails, images and statistical-data files
  • Combines AI retrieval, sentiment, thematic extraction and natural-language queries
  • Supports statistics, visualizations, team merging and inter-rater agreement

  Where it doesn't

  • Paid product with no free plan
  • The trial lasts 14 days, with limitations afterward
  • Desktop deployment may not suit browser-first research teams

• MAXQDA9.3/10 · 14-day trial

  A desktop research suite combining qualitative coding, text analysis and statistical tools.

  Visit MAXQDAFull verdict →
• QDA Miner8.9/10 · 14-day trial

  A wide-ranging desktop QDA toolkit with AI retrieval, statistics, visualization and team workflows.

  Visit QDA MinerFull verdict →