Top 10 Best Online Focus Group Software of 2026

Discuss.io is an end-to-end platform for qualitative market research, enabling online focus groups, in-depth interviews, IDIs, and usability tests via high-quality video conferencing. It streamlines the entire process from global participant recruitment through moderation tools like screen sharing, reactions, and breakout rooms, to AI-driven analysis with automated transcripts and highlight reels. Designed for researchers and agencies, it supports team collaboration, project management, and scalable insights extraction.

dscout is a mobile-first qualitative research platform designed for conducting asynchronous online focus groups, diary studies, and ethnography missions. Participants use the dscout app to complete tasks like video responses, photo diaries, and text entries in their natural environments, delivering authentic, contextual insights. The platform excels in remote recruitment, real-time collaboration, and AI-powered analysis to synthesize large volumes of unstructured data efficiently.

UserTesting is a leading UX research platform that allows teams to gather qualitative feedback through unmoderated usability tests, live 1:1 interviews, and surveys from a global panel of over 2 million participants. For online focus groups, it supports moderated live sessions with multiple participants, screen sharing, and real-time collaboration, enabling virtual discussions similar to traditional focus groups. The platform leverages AI to analyze video responses, generate highlight reels, and surface key insights, streamlining the research process from recruitment to reporting.

UserInterviews is a robust participant recruitment platform specializing in sourcing qualified individuals for user research, including online focus groups, interviews, and usability tests. It provides access to a massive global panel of over 6 million participants, with tools for custom screening, automated scheduling, and incentive management. The platform integrates seamlessly with video tools like Zoom for conducting virtual focus groups, enabling researchers to launch studies quickly and efficiently.

Respondent.io is a participant recruitment platform specializing in matching researchers with high-quality, targeted respondents for qualitative studies like online focus groups, user interviews, and surveys. It uses advanced screening questionnaires, AI matching, and a verified participant pool to ensure precise targeting based on demographics, job roles, and behaviors. The platform handles scheduling, incentives, and payments, making it efficient for remote research sessions via integrated video tools.

FocusGroupIt is a straightforward online platform for hosting virtual focus groups and qualitative research sessions. It provides essential tools like HD video conferencing, real-time chat, polling, screen sharing, and session recording to mimic in-person discussions remotely. Users can recruit from its integrated panel of participants or manage their own lists, with automatic transcripts available post-session for analysis.

Qualtrics is a powerful enterprise experience management platform that supports online focus groups through features like video interviews, discussion threads, and real-time collaboration tools. It integrates qualitative focus group data with quantitative surveys, enabling comprehensive insights via AI-powered analysis and automated coding. While versatile for large-scale research, it's more of a full XM suite than a dedicated focus group tool.

Lyssna is a versatile user research platform specializing in qualitative methods like online focus groups, usability testing, and IDIs, allowing teams to recruit participants globally and conduct sessions via integrated video tools. It streamlines the process with automated recruitment, real-time moderation, and AI-driven analysis for transcripts, highlights, and insights. The platform supports both moderated and unmoderated formats, making it suitable for gathering rich group feedback efficiently.

Validately is a user testing platform that supports online focus groups through live moderated multi-participant sessions, enabling real-time video calls, screen sharing, and qualitative feedback collection. It features a global participant panel for quick recruitment and provides tools for session recording, transcription, and highlight reels for analysis. While versatile for usability testing, its group testing capabilities make it suitable for virtual focus groups, though it's not exclusively specialized for them.

Playbook (playbookux.com) is a user research platform primarily designed for conducting remote one-on-one interviews and usability tests, with capabilities extending to small group sessions that can mimic online focus groups. It streamlines participant recruitment, scheduling, session recording, and post-session analysis using AI tools like transcription and highlight generation. While effective for qualitative research, its focus group functionality relies on video integrations rather than native multi-moderator group tools.