The answer in two sentences. If your transcripts already exist and you only need to highlight and tag passages, Taguette does that for free and is the right tool. If you start from recordings and need transcription, speaker labels, evidence review and exports for a methods chapter, Liminon covers more of the work for $179 once ($129 early-bird, $79 student), or free during the beta. Facts below were read on 2026-10-16.
Side by side
| Liminon | Taguette | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | One-time: $129 early-bird, $179 standard, $79 student; free during the beta (pricing) | Free; donations accepted |
| License | Closed source; license key by email | Free and open source (the specific license is not stated) |
| Platforms | macOS 14+, Apple Silicon only | macOS, Windows, Linux locally or on a server; hosted version available |
| Transcription | On-device speaker-separated transcription; the first run downloads the models once | Not stated; the page describes importing materials |
| AI | On your Mac, through an optional local model in Ollama; suggestions stay pending until you accept them | Not stated |
| Team work | One person per project folder (.qproj); share by handing over the folder or exports | Not stated; a server version exists |
| Exports | Transcripts, codebook, Excel matrices, Word quotation table, Word/PDF methods report, one-click research package | Whole project, codebook, highlighted quotes (all or per tag), highlighted documents |
| Importing another tool's project | Not yet (REFI-QDA on the roadmap) | Not stated |
What Taguette does well
- It is free. The page calls it a free and open-source tool for qualitative research and accepts donations through Open Collective; no paid tier is mentioned.
- It runs where you want. Locally on macOS, Windows and Linux, on a server you host, or on a hosted version at app.taguette.org. Run locally, the page says it is only as secure as your computer.
- It does a few things plainly. Import materials, highlight text, apply and create tags, and export the whole project, the codebook, all highlighted quotes or those for one tag, and highlighted documents.
- No account for local use, and no vendor to depend on. Open source means you can keep the version you have.
What the page does not say matters for the comparison: supported file formats, AI features, collaboration and limitations are all not stated. We do not infer them.
When Taguette is enough
- You have transcripts in text form and want to tag and retrieve quotes.
- The budget is zero, or you need Windows or Linux.
- You want a server version shared among a small group and are able to host it.
What Liminon adds
- Transcription and speaker separation on your Mac. Drop in audio or .mp4/.mov video. The first transcription downloads the models once; after that it works offline. Taguette's page describes importing materials, not creating transcripts.
- Coding with structure. Codes nest into trees, can be merged, and one view lists every quote for a code.
- Evidence review and case comparison. Memos, research questions and findings link back to coded quotes; case comparison shows what each interview contributed.
- Optional local AI. Code suggestions and theme discovery through a small local model. Suggestions stay pending until you accept them, and the audit trail records your decisions.
- Exports for a thesis. Excel matrices, a Word quotation table, a Word/PDF methods report and a one-click research package.
What you give up by switching
The price, for one: free versus $179 at the standard rate (the beta is free). Also Windows and Linux, the self-hosted server option and open source. Liminon is Apple Silicon only (macOS 14+), closed source and single-user, and it cannot import Taguette exports as projects.
Three questions that settle it
- Do you already have transcripts? If yes and they are text, Taguette can start today. If you have only recordings, you need a transcription step first, and Liminon includes one.
- Will anyone ask how you got from quotes to claims? A thesis committee, a reviewer or a client might. Taguette exports quotes by tag; Liminon also records memos, findings tied to quotes and which AI suggestions you accepted.
- Is the cost the deciding factor? Then use Taguette, and revisit when the study outgrows it. Liminon's beta is also free, so you can try both on the same three interviews and compare the afternoon each takes.
Moving over
Taguette exports the codebook and highlighted quotes. Liminon cannot read those as a project, so bring in your original recordings or transcripts and rebuild the codes there; the exported codebook is a useful checklist for that. A sensible path is to keep Taguette for pilot interviews and move to Liminon when the study grows. Other tools are in our twelve-tool comparison, and the coding guide explains codebooks either way.
Sources
- taguette.org, read 2026-10-16.
FAQ
Is Taguette really free?
Its home page describes it as free and open source and accepts donations; no paid plan is mentioned.
Does Taguette transcribe recordings?
Its page describes importing materials, highlighting, tagging and exporting. Transcription is not mentioned, so plan to bring transcripts.
Is Liminon worth paying for over Taguette?
Only if you need what Taguette's page does not list: transcription, speaker separation, evidence and case comparison, local AI suggestions and report exports. If you only tag text, Taguette is enough.
Can I import my Taguette tags into Liminon?
No. Liminon does not import other tools' projects or codebooks yet. Bring your source files and rebuild the codes.
Try Liminon free during the beta
Transcribe, code, and analyze interviews on your Mac.
macOS 14+ · Apple Silicon (M1 or later) · Free during beta