Create up to 3 card sorting studies free with unlimited responses. Upgrade to Starter ($19/mo) for full analytics, AI insights, and unlimited studies — way cheaper than Maze ($99) or Optimal Workshop ($149).
The free plan covers everything you need to run real card-sorting research — up to 3 studies with unlimited responses on each.
All three card sorting types included on free. Let participants create categories, sort into yours, or both.
No caps on participants per study. Share your study link and collect as many responses as you need.
Add your cards, choose your sort type, and share your link. Participants can sort on any device.
Your participants just click the link and start sorting. No accounts, no barriers, no friction.
See responses as they come in. Free includes basic analytics on the first 3 respondents per study.
Beyond card sorts, the free plan also includes tree tests for validating your information architecture.
See which cards participants group together. Identify strong and weak relationships at a glance.
Hierarchical clustering reveals natural category structures and relationships between cards.
Get automated analysis of patterns, outliers, and actionable recommendations from your data.
Need full analytics and AI insights? Try Starter at $19/mo — unlimited card sorts and tree tests, full analysis on every study.
Add your cards and choose open, closed, or hybrid sort. Write optional instructions for participants.
Send your unique study URL to participants via email, social media, or embed it in your site.
Participants drag and drop cards into categories on any device. No account needed for them.
View similarity matrices, dendrograms, and AI insights. Export data for deeper analysis.
Card sorting is the go-to method for understanding how users organize information.
How the free plan stacks up — and what Starter ($19/mo) adds.
| Feature | Free Card Sort | OptimalSort | Maze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 3 studies, unlimited responses | 1 study, 10 responses | 1 study, limited |
| Open + Closed + Hybrid sorts | — | ||
| Tree tests included | Treejack ($149/mo) | — | |
| No participant sign-up | — | — | |
| Real-time results | — | — | |
| Similarity matrix (Starter $19) | Paid only | — | |
| Dendrogram (Starter $19) | Paid only | — | |
| AI insights (Starter $19) | — | — | |
| Cheapest paid plan | $19/mo (Starter) | $149/mo | $99/mo |
Join thousands of researchers using Free Card Sort to build better information architectures.
Create Your Free StudyFree plan: 3 studies, unlimited responses. No credit card required. Upgrade to Starter ($19/mo) when you need full analytics.