ResearchRocket vs Maze: everything Maze puts behind "Enterprise," included

Short version: Maze is great at rapid, unmoderated prototype testing wired into the design workflow — fast five-second tests, maze tests, and card sorting with AI study building. But its free plan caps studies at 30 responses, it's seat-based (~$99/mo Starter, ~$249/mo for a 3-seat Team), and critically, tree testing and moderated interviews are Enterprise-only. ResearchRocket includes tree testing, moderated sessions with recording, real statistics, and decision tools on accessible self-serve tiers — no Enterprise upsell for core methods.

At a glance

	ResearchRocket	Maze
Unmoderated prototype/usability tests	✅	✅ (core strength)
Card sorting	✅	✅ (response-capped on free)
Tree testing	✅ Included	⚠️ Enterprise-only
Moderated usability + recording	✅ Included	⚠️ Enterprise-only
Real statistics (t-test, ANOVA, regression, non-parametric)	✅	❌
Decision tools (decision tree, risk, tradeoffs)	✅	❌
Research repository + AI thematic coding	✅	⚠️ partial
Free plan response cap	Free tools without a 30-response wall	30 responses/study
Pricing model	Self-serve tiers, no seat minimum	Seat-based (~$99 Starter / ~$249 Team)

Reflects publicly documented Maze plans as of 2026; verify current terms.

Where Maze wins

Maze is fast and design-native. If your team lives in Figma and wants to validate a prototype with unmoderated testers in hours — heatmaps, path analysis, an AI study builder, a bias checker — Maze is smooth and quick to adopt across product, design, and research. For continuous, lightweight prototype validation, it's excellent.

Where ResearchRocket wins

1. Tree testing without the Enterprise upsell. Evaluating your information architecture shouldn't require the top-tier contract. ResearchRocket includes tree testing (build a tree + tasks, share a link, review paths) on core tiers.

2. Moderated research included. Live, moderated sessions with video, screen share, a shared prototype, session recording, and highlight clipping — not gated behind Enterprise.

3. Real statistics. Maze gives you rates and heatmaps; ResearchRocket adds significance testing — t-tests, ANOVA, chi-square, regression, and non-parametric tests for ordinal survey data — so findings survive stakeholder scrutiny.

4. Synthesis and decisions. A repository with AI thematic coding, affinity diagramming, and Decision Brief / Decision Studio take you from raw responses to a documented go/no-go.

5. Free tools without a 30-response ceiling. Run a free card sort or use the free sample-size calculator without hitting Maze's free-plan response cap.

Who should choose which?

Choose Maze if: your main need is fast, unmoderated prototype testing inside a design workflow and you don't need tree testing, moderated research, or statistics.
Choose ResearchRocket if: you want unmoderated testing and tree testing and moderated sessions and statistics and decisions — without pushing core methods into an Enterprise plan.

FAQ

Is ResearchRocket a Maze alternative? Yes. It covers Maze's unmoderated testing and card sorting, and includes tree testing, moderated sessions with recording, real statistics, and decision tools that Maze reserves for Enterprise or doesn't offer — on self-serve tiers.

Does Maze include tree testing? Publicly documented plans place tree testing (and moderated interviews) on Enterprise, not the lower tiers. ResearchRocket includes tree testing on core tiers. Verify Maze's current plan details on their site.

How much does Maze cost? Documented pricing: a free plan (1 active study, 30 responses/study), Starter around $99/month for one seat, Team around $249/month for three seats, and custom Enterprise. Confirm current terms.

Is there a free way to run a card sort or tree test? ResearchRocket offers a free card sort and a free sample-size calculator without an account, and tree testing on its trial — without a 30-response cap.

Get tree testing, moderated research, and stats — no Enterprise upsell. Start free on ResearchRocket →