Elliot RylandsLab / Compare
OptimalSort alternative (free, browser-based)
OptimalSort is excellent when you live inside Optimal Workshop every week. If you need one sort this month, the subscription math rarely favours a solo designer or a small product team.
This alternative focuses on the core interaction: cards, groups, export. Everything else is deliberately cut.
| Feature | OptimalSort | This site |
|---|---|---|
| Open card sort | Yes | Yes |
| Closed card sort | Yes | Yes |
| Similarity matrix | Yes | No |
| Free tier | Limited trial | Fully free |
Where Optimal Workshop wins
- Similarity matrix and standardised analysis views stakeholders recognise
- Integrated with other OW methods in one subscription
- Enterprise SSO and admin controls
Where this free tool wins
- No account or credit card
- Study travels in the URL; participants need only the link
- Works on phones without a native app
What this tool does not do
- No dendrogram or similarity matrix
- No OW-style participant completion tracking dashboard
Choose Optimal Workshop if
Research ops teams standardising on Optimal Workshop across methods and departments.
Choose this free tool if
Practitioners who know how to read raw group labels and want to run today, not next billing cycle.