Dedoose Alternative: Delve Coding Software

Dedoose alternatives? Opt for Delve – the intuitive, customer-centric CAQDAS.💡

 
 

Dedoose software is a cost-effective option for qualitative coding. However, similarly priced Dedoose alternatives like Delve software offers a more user-friendly interface, better functionality, and enhanced customer support.

This article compares the two CAQDAS (computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software) options using direct feedback from real-life researchers. 

Delve: 7 Compelling Reasons to Use This Dedoose Alternative

1. Learning Curve

Dedoose is a complex software, and learning how to use it effectively can be difficult. Despite the several tutorials and resources available, it can still be challenging.

✅ What Customers Say About Delve:

“For a first-time researcher like me, Delve made the process so simple and effective. It helped me save time that I might've wasted in trying to learn another software that wouldn't be as user-friendly.” Read more. 

❌ What Customers Say About Dedoose:

“Setting up a project is a massive time sink. The onerous process has catalyzed many many many moments of procrastination and frustration and searching for an alternative.” Read more. 




2. Customer Service & Support

Delve prioritizes customer service and timely communication, while Dedoose users have reported difficulties reaching support and multi-day delays for email responses.

✅  What Customers Say About Delve:

“Easy to use, easy to learn, and easy to communicate with customer service.” Read more. 

❌ What Customers Say About Dedoose:

“I have had a lot of trouble with customer service. They do not answer the phone so you can not talk to a live person. It takes them days to respond to emails. Frankly, it has disrupted my research.” Read more. 




3. Help Features & Training Resources

Delve customers are all smiles regarding the helpful features and training resources such as their free online course and YouTube tutorials, while Dedoose users tend to face a few bumps and slowdowns during the introduction process.

✅  What Customers Say About Delve

“This tool was very easy to use and they have a lot of helpful training materials available.” Read more. 

“This is the most amazing resource for qualitative analysis. I have loved the resources they have provided including the workshops and tools.” Read more. 

❌ What Customers Say About Dedoose

“Needs a better training system. It is very hard to learn how to use, having an example project is not enough training.” Read more. 




4. Clunky Coding vs. Speedy Coding

Delve wins praise for its seamless coding process, while Dedoose users have faced frustrations with clunky and slow systems, even leading to potential data loss.

✅  What Customers Say About Delve: 

“For a first-time researcher like me, Delve made the process so simple and effective. It helped me save time that I might've wasted in trying to learn another software that wouldn't be as user-friendly.” Read more. 

❌ What Customers Say About Dedoose:

“More often than not, you get some very slow system to work with. It is as if the software itself is slow and 'heavy.' I have lost some progress because of not having a save button” Read more. 




5. User interface & User experience

Delve's user-friendly interface receives high marks for ease of use. Dedoose's navigation proves challenging for newcomers with multiple components and tabs to maneuver.

✅ What Customers Say About Delve:

“Other tools I have used can be pretty elaborate, but they are clunky and don't follow an intuitive design. Delve was definitely built with the end user in mind.” Read more. 

“It's so easy. I was a bit scarred by some earlier products (NVivo) that were so time-consuming and demanding. This is a breeze to use. It's totally streamlined by analysis and reporting.” Read more. 

“The UI is very straightforward and simple to use. Coding text is very easy and tags are automatically compiled into a list for easy access. You can navigate/sort your transcripts by code, meaning it's easy to cross-reference.” Read more. 

❌ What Customers Say About Dedoose:

“I do not like how the home page of Dedoose is actually quite hard to navigate when you first start using it. There are a lot of components, features, and things going on with the home page dashboard. And there are multiple tabs as well. This setup makes it a bit hard for someone who is new to using Dedoose and needs to figure out how to navigate through the tabs.” Read more. 




6. Crashing, Freezing, Data Loss

Delve ensures secure data saving even during computer breakdowns, offering peace of mind. Dedoose users report freezing issues, work disruptions, and data loss incidents.

✅ What Customers Say About Delve:

“Since I use the software to analyze my data directly through the website, I don't need to worry about losing my progress when my computer breaks down. It happened several times during my dissertation, but the work on Delve was always perfectly saved.” Read more. 

❌ What Customers Say About Dedoose:

“I always get user errors and sometimes that software does not work well in general.” Read more.

“Has anyone else experienced their Dedoose freezing and then not responding unless you completely close out and restart again? It’s really quite annoying and it’s happening every couple of hours.” Read more. 

“I've lost all of my codes. 748 qualitative responses from a recent survey, GONE in the blink of an eye.” Read more. 



7. Head-to-Head: Dedoose vs. Delve

 

Dedoose Reading, Research & Reviews

The Dedooose Subreddit (r/Dedoose) is a helpful resource for further research. Some, if not most, of the threads reflect similar frustrations as those mentioned in the list above. Several of the comments are from the Subreddit page itself. 

Dedoose Reviews


Delve Reading, Research & Reviews

Delve is a cloud-based CAQDAS tool designed by researchers for researchers. It helps you code and analyze transcripts from interviews or focus groups in less time.

The tool helps simplify the structure of your research by granting you more influence over the coding structure that eventually evolves into your final insights.

Delve is more streamlined than coding with spreadsheets and documents, and more intuitive than traditional CAQDAS software that tends to be clunky or overly expensive.

Best For

Delve is for qualitative researchers who conduct in-depth interviews, focus groups, contextual inquiry, generative research, ethnographic research, and foundational research.

Delve Reviews

 
 

Simple Coding, Faster Workflow – With Delve 

Watch this two-minute demo to see how easy it is to streamline your qualitative analysis with Delve. When you’re ready to get started, check out Delve’s 14-day free trial. Get started today.