Free Card Sort vs Maze: Which Tool Should You Choose?

Maze and Free Card Sort serve different primary purposes, but both offer card sorting capabilities. Here's how they compare for UX researchers focused on information architecture testing.

Quick Summary

Free Card Sort is purpose-built for card sorting research with unlimited studies and participants at no cost.

Maze is a comprehensive user testing platform that includes card sorting as one of many research methods.

Pricing Comparison

Free Card Sort

• Free: Unlimited card sorts, unlimited participants
• Pro: $29/month - Advanced analytics, white labeling
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Maze

• Free Plan: 1 active test, up to 10 responses
• Starter: $75/month - 5 active tests, 100 responses/month
• Organization: $350/month - Unlimited tests, 300 responses/month
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Winner: Free Card Sort - significantly more affordable for card sorting specifically.

Card Sorting Features

What Maze Offers That Free Card Sort Doesn't

Maze is a full user testing platform with:

• Prototype testing - Test Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD designs
• Surveys - Gather qualitative feedback
• Live interviews - Conduct moderated sessions
• First-click tests - Test navigation and findability
• Tree testing - Validate navigation structures (coming to Free Card Sort)

When Maze Makes Sense: If you need multiple research methods in one platform and have budget for $75-$350/month.

What Free Card Sort Offers That Maze Doesn't

Free Card Sort specializes in card sorting with:

• Truly unlimited free plan - No response limits
• Hybrid card sorting - Participants can create or use existing categories
• Faster setup - Purpose-built interface for card sorting
• Lower cost - Save $540-$3,960 per year vs Maze
• No response limits - Run studies with 100s of participants

When Free Card Sort Makes Sense: If card sorting is your primary (or only) research need.

Ease of Use

For Card Sorting Studies

Free Card Sort:

• Create a card sort in 3-5 minutes
• Dedicated interface just for card sorting
• No learning curve for basic studies
• Participants need no account

Maze:

• Setup takes 10-15 minutes
• Navigate through multiple product options
• Steeper learning curve due to platform breadth
• Participants may need Maze account

Winner: Free Card Sort - faster and simpler for card sorting specifically.

Analytics for Card Sorting

Free Card Sort Analytics

• Similarity matrix with visual heatmaps
• Dendrograms showing card groupings
• Agreement scores between participants
• Individual participant results
• Category frequency analysis
• CSV export

Maze Analytics

• Similar core card sorting analytics
• Integrated with other test data
• Cross-study comparison
• More visual dashboards
• Video playback (for prototype tests)

Winner: Tie for card sorting analytics; Maze wins for cross-method insights.

Participant Experience

Free Card Sort

• Clean, focused interface
• No account required
• Works on any device
• Fast load times
• Single-purpose = less confusion

Maze

• More polished, modern UI
• Account typically required
• Mobile app available
• Integrated test experience
• Multi-method studies can be complex

Winner: Free Card Sort for card sorting completion rates; Maze for multi-method studies.

Integration & Workflows

Free Card Sort

• CSV export
• JSON API (Pro)
• Webhooks (Pro)
• Simple embed options

Maze

• Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD integration
• Slack, Jira, Notion integration
• Advanced API
• SSO (Enterprise)
• More extensive ecosystem

Winner: Maze for teams with complex tool stacks.

Use Cases

Choose Free Card Sort If:

✅ Card sorting is your primary research method ✅ You want unlimited free studies ✅ You're on a tight budget ✅ You need hybrid card sorting ✅ Simplicity is more important than breadth

Choose Maze If:

✅ You need multiple research methods (prototypes, surveys, etc.) ✅ You test designs frequently in Figma/Sketch ✅ You have budget for $75-$350/month ✅ You want all research in one platform ✅ You need advanced team collaboration features

Cost Comparison: Real-World Example

Scenario: Run 5 card sorts per year with 50 participants each.

Free Card Sort:

• Free plan: $0/year
• Pro plan: $348/year

Maze:

• Starter plan: $900/year (if 250 responses fit in limits)
• Organization plan: $4,200/year (for higher volume)

Savings with Free Card Sort: $900-$4,200/year

Final Recommendation

For Card Sorting: Free Card Sort is the better choice. It's purpose-built, free, and offers unlimited participants.

For Multi-Method Research: Maze is worth the investment if you regularly test prototypes, run surveys, and need integrated insights.

Best of Both Worlds: Use Free Card Sort for card sorting (save money) and Maze for prototype testing (if needed).

Try Them Both

• Free Card Sort: Start for free at freecardsort.com
• Maze: Free trial at maze.co

The right choice depends on your research needs and budget. For dedicated card sorting, Free Card Sort offers unbeatable value.