Scribewave vs MAXQDA
Scribewave vs MAXQDA Transcription
Compare the MAXQDA transcription service with a standalone transcription tool for researchers.
The short answer
MAXQDA is primarily software for coding and analyzing qualitative data. MAXQDA Transcription is a separate service powered by Speechmatics and sold in prepaid hour blocks. You can use it without a MAXQDA license. This page compares that transcription service with Scribewave, not the research tools in the main MAXQDA app. Scribewave charges by the hour, does not expire purchased credits, and includes an AI assistant. Its exports are formatted for import into MAXQDA, NVivo, and ATLAS.ti.
Where each one is strong
A closer look at what each tool does well.
What MAXQDA does well
- Tools for coding, mixed-methods analysis, grounded theory, and literature reviews
- Transcripts from the add-on open directly in MAXQDA without reformatting
- A 60-minute free trial of the transcription add-on
- Used for academic and mixed-methods research in more than 150 countries
- A manual Transcription Mode for typing transcripts inside the app
What Scribewave does well
- Transcription is the main product, not an add-on to analysis software
- Hourly pay-as-you-go pricing with credits that do not expire
- An AI assistant that summarizes, creates chapters, and answers questions with exact timecodes
- Exports formatted for NVivo, MAXQDA, and ATLAS.ti
- The Airgap app keeps sensitive interview recordings on your computer
Capability by capability
Researched from public sources. Where we couldn't verify something, the cell says so rather than guessing.
| Feature | Scribewave | MAXQDA |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | €9/hour, pay-as-you-go | €20/2 hours (min. order) |
| Pay-as-you-go, no subscription required | Included | Blocks only |
| Try it without a credit card | Included | Included |
| Purchased hours never expire | Included | Not verified |
| Transcription | ||
| Supported languages | 99 languages | ~50 languages |
| Automatic speaker diarization | Included | Included |
| Custom vocabulary / terminology list | Enterprise plan | Included |
| Click-to-audio-sync editor | Included | Not verified |
| Noise cancellation / pre-processing | Included | Not verified |
| AI & exports | ||
| Built-in AI assistant (chat, summarize, chapterize) | Included | Not included |
| Machine translation included | 99 languages | Not included |
| Subtitle export (SRT, VTT) | Included | Not included |
| Export formats | Word, Google Docs, TXT, SRT, VTT | DOCX |
| Privacy & hosting | ||
| EU-hosted data | Included | Included |
| GDPR compliant | Included | Included |
| HIPAA / SOC 2 | On request | Not verified |
| Audio never used to train AI models | Included | Not verified |
| Fully offline, on-device option | Airgap app, €79 one-time | Not included |
Figures marked "not verified" could not be confirmed from public sources when we researched this page. If you spot an error, please let us know.
Why researchers choose Scribewave over MAXQDA Transcription
- 1Use a product focused on transcription, speaker labels, and transcript editing
- 2Pay by the hour and keep unused credits instead of buying prepaid blocks
- 3Import the same export into NVivo, MAXQDA, or ATLAS.ti
- 4Summarize and ask questions about interviews before coding them
- 5Keep sensitive research recordings offline with the Airgap desktop app
