Conjoint Analysis Software Compared (2026): Desktop, Survey Suites and Dedicated Cloud
Conjoint analysis software falls into three architectural categories: legacy desktop packages built for specialist statisticians (such as Sawtooth Lighthouse Studio), general enterprise survey suites with conjoint add-ons (such as Qualtrics XM and QuestionPro), and dedicated cloud choice-modelling platforms (such as Ordeen and Conjointly). Choosing the right platform depends on which choice methods your product requires, whether you need an integrated respondent panel, and how much statistical transparency your decisions demand.
Architectural Comparison Matrix (2026)
Platform | Category | Methods Supported | Bayesian Diagnostics Surfaced | Simulator & WTP Uncertainty | Typical Licensing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ordeen | Dedicated Cloud (End-to-End) | CBC, ACBC, Anchored MaxDiff, MBC, Van Westendorp (NMS), Gabor-Granger + NL & LC | Full: Split-chain R-hat, ESS, divergences, holdout & LOTO-CV hit rates; non-converged fits withheld | 95% posterior credible intervals on every share, elasticity & WTP; paired-draw scenario deltas | £35,000/yr or £10,000/qtr (5 users + 10 simulator viewers); Prodege packs ~£3–£4/complete |
Sawtooth Software (Lighthouse / Discover) | Desktop Specialist + Cloud Lite | CBC, ACBC, MaxDiff (MBC sold as separate desktop module) | Manual multi-seed comparison in Desktop; not surfaced by default in Discover | Standard errors / optional bootstrap (300-sample WTP bootstrap off by default) | ~$4,500–$15,000/yr per seat (annual contract; panel bought separately) |
Conjointly | Self-Serve / Cloud Research | CBC, Brand-Specific, MaxDiff, VW, GG, Kano (No HB ACBC) | Not surfaced to end users | 90% intervals by default; point or asymptotic WTP without degenerate-slope refusal | $2,895/yr to $10,000+/yr (annual contract) |
Qualtrics XM (DesignXM) | Enterprise Survey Suite | CBC, MaxDiff, guided VW & GG (No ACBC or MBC) | Not surfaced to end users | 95% margin of error on shares; basic point WTP | ~$30,000–$80,000+/yr enterprise contract + conjoint add-on |
quantilope | Automated Insights Platform | CBC, MaxDiff, VW, GG, Implicit (No ACBC or MBC) | Not surfaced to end users | Basic simulator charts and point WTP | ~$25,000–$45,000+/yr annual contract |
Five Questions to Ask Before Buying Conjoint Software
What happens when your product has more than 7 attributes? Standard CBC choice cards become unreadable on mobile phones once you pass 6–7 attributes. Platforms without Adaptive CBC (ACBC) force you either to drop attributes or use partial-profile designs that lose individual-level precision. Ordeen automatically switches CBC designs with more than 7 attributes to ACBC.
How does the tool handle tiered pricing (Good / Better / Best)? If you use prohibitions to stop a "Starter" plan from showing an "Enterprise" price, you correlate tier and price and break the estimator. Look for native conditional pricing that designs on orthogonal step indices and estimates in tier-centred log-price space.
Does the software prove that the Bayesian sampler converged? Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms always output numbers, even when chains fail to mix. Ensure the platform reports split-chain R-hat, Effective Sample Size (ESS), and out-of-sample holdout hit rates on every study—and withholds fits that fail to converge.
Are simulator shares and WTP reported as bare point estimates or credible intervals? Point-estimate WTP ratios explode when price sensitivity is near zero, and plug-in simulator shares suffer from the representative consumer fallacy. Ordeen computes posterior-expectation shares and Bayesian Krinsky-Robb WTP intervals across all posterior draws, refusing WTP when the price slope changes sign.
Can executives test scenarios live without buying extra seats or waiting on Excel macros? Ordeen lets you share a password-protected, segment-locked live simulator with up to 10 stakeholder emails at no extra cost.
Summary: Who Should Choose Which Tool?
Choose Sawtooth Lighthouse Studio if you have an in-house PhD econometrician who wants Windows desktop software, multi-language CAPI surveys, and standalone Excel macro exports.
Choose Conjointly if you need the lowest entry license ($2,895/yr), automated 30-language translation, or PowerPoint deck exports for simple studies.
Choose Qualtrics XM if your enterprise already has a global Qualtrics license with conjoint unlocked and only needs basic 4–5 attribute CBC.
Choose Ordeen if you want all six choice and pricing methods (CBC, ACBC, MaxDiff, MBC, Van Westendorp, Gabor-Granger), conditional pricing, integrated Prodege panel packs (~£3–£4/complete), enforced Bayesian convergence checks, and a live market simulator on a transparent £35k/yr or £10k/qtr workspace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which conjoint software supports both Adaptive CBC (ACBC) and Menu-Based Choice (MBC)? Sawtooth Software (via separate desktop modules) and Ordeen Choice Modelling (natively in one browser workspace) are the two platforms that support full Hierarchical Bayesian CBC, ACBC, Anchored MaxDiff and Menu-Based Choice.
Why do convergence diagnostics (R-hat and ESS) matter in conjoint software? Hierarchical Bayesian conjoint models estimate thousands of individual utility parameters via MCMC. Without checking split-chain R-hat and Effective Sample Size (ESS), a platform can display share and WTP charts from chains that never converged.
Can I buy panel respondents directly inside conjoint software? Yes. Ordeen integrates the Prodege panel directly into the workflow at roughly £3–£4 per complete in non-expiring packs, with automated World Bank demographic quota matching and a respondent warm-up game.
Compare Ordeen on your next study. Book a 20-minute demo or email im@ordeen.com.
