Comparison
Open Lab vs Qualtrics
Qualtrics is an enterprise survey platform with strong panels and analytics. Open Lab is purpose-built for behavioural experiments — lab.js-native, with no per-seat enterprise pricing.
| Feature | Open Lab | Qualtrics |
|---|---|---|
| Built for behavioural experiments | Yes — lab.js-native, reaction-time accurate | Survey-first; experimental designs require workarounds |
| Pricing model | Free tier · transparent paid plans · 50% academic discount | Enterprise sales contract; opaque per-seat pricing |
| Data ownership | Yours; CSV/JSON export at any time | Yours but with enterprise data-governance overhead |
| EU hosting + GDPR | Germany; GDPR by design | Multi-region; data-residency choices on enterprise plans |
| Open ecosystem | Built on open-source lab.js | Closed platform |
| Best for | Online cognitive / behavioural experiments at academic scale | Enterprise survey research and customer-experience programs |
Pricing snapshot
Open Lab
Free · Basic €100/yr · Pro €250/yr · Team €1,000/yr · Enterprise
Academic prices, billed annually — equivalent to €8.33/mo (Basic), €20.83/mo (Pro), €83.33/mo (Team). The 50% academic discount is applied automatically when you sign up with a verified institutional email. Non-academic and monthly billing are also available; Pro includes a 14-day free trial for new accounts. Cost is predictable as your participant counts scale.
See full pricing →Qualtrics
Custom enterprise quote — no published price
Qualtrics is sold as institutional licences via sales contracts. Academic single-user research licences are not publicly listed; ask your university's IT/research office whether a campus licence already exists.
Qualtrics pricing page →Pricing checked 2026-05. Always confirm on the vendor's own page before quoting in a grant application — rates change.
When Qualtrics is the better choice
Pick Qualtrics if you need an enterprise survey platform with a managed participant panel, advanced longitudinal CX programs, or compliance certifications your institution requires (SOC 2, HIPAA BAA).
When Open Lab is the better choice
Pick Open Lab if you're running behavioural / cognitive experiments with lab.js, want transparent pricing, prefer EU-based GDPR-grade hosting, and value an open-source foundation.