Dovetail
Dovetail is a customer insights platform that helps you centralize, analyze, and share user research data to make better product decisions based on real evidence.
Lookback
Lookback is a comprehensive user research platform that allows you to record high-quality remote or in-person interviews and usability tests while capturing screen interactions and participant facial expressions.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Dovetail | Lookback |
|---|---|---|
| Website | dovetail.com | lookback.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Subscription |
| Starting Price | Free | $25/month |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 14 days free trial | ✓ 60 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2017 | 2013 |
| Headquarters | Sydney, Australia | Stockholm, Sweden |
Overview
Dovetail
Dovetail is a centralized hub for your customer research that helps you transform raw data into actionable insights. You can import video recordings, interview notes, and survey responses directly into the platform to create a searchable repository of customer knowledge. The software uses automated transcription and powerful tagging tools to help you identify patterns across hundreds of sessions in minutes rather than days.
You can build a collective memory for your organization by turning scattered documents into a structured insights library. It allows you to create highlight reels from video clips and share evidence-based findings with stakeholders through interactive reports. Whether you are a solo researcher or part of a global product team, the platform ensures your customer's voice remains at the center of every design and development decision.
Lookback
Lookback is a dedicated user research platform that helps you see through your customers' eyes. Instead of relying on static feedback, you can watch real people interact with your apps, websites, or prototypes in real-time. You can host live moderated sessions where you talk directly to participants or set up unmoderated tasks that users complete on their own schedule.
The platform automatically records the participant's screen, their face via webcam, and their voice, providing a complete picture of the user experience. You can invite your entire team to watch sessions live in a virtual observation room, where they can take timestamped notes and create highlight reels. It solves the problem of fragmented research data by keeping all your recordings, notes, and insights in one centralized, searchable home.
Overview
Dovetail Features
- Automated Transcription Convert your video and audio recordings into searchable text automatically so you can find key moments instantly.
- Video Highlighting Select specific segments of your interview footage to create powerful highlight reels that bring customer pain points to life.
- Flexible Tagging Apply consistent themes and codes across all your research data to identify recurring trends and customer behaviors.
- Insights Repository Build a searchable library of all your past research so your team never has to answer the same question twice.
- Canvas View Visualize your qualitative data on a flexible board to map out journeys and brainstorm connections between different insights.
- AI Summarization Generate instant summaries of long interviews and notes using built-in AI to speed up your analysis process.
Lookback Features
- Live Moderated Research. Conduct face-to-face interviews and usability tests in real-time while recording the participant's screen and reactions simultaneously.
- Unmoderated Tasks. Send a link to participants so they can complete research tasks at their convenience without a researcher present.
- Virtual Observation Rooms. Invite stakeholders to watch live sessions behind a digital one-way mirror where they can chat and take notes privately.
- Timestamped Notes. Type notes during a live session or while watching a recording to automatically link your observations to specific moments.
- Highlight Reels. Clip the most important moments from your research sessions and combine them into powerful video presentations for your team.
- Prototype Integration. Test your ideas early by running research sessions on prototypes from tools like Figma, Adobe XD, and InVision.
Pricing Comparison
Dovetail Pricing
- 1 manager seat
- Unlimited viewers
- 7 days of history
- Basic analysis tools
- Community support
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Unlimited history
- 100GB storage
- Automated transcription
- Video highlight reels
- Advanced tagging
Lookback Pricing
- 10 sessions per year
- Unlimited collaborators
- Self-test (unmoderated)
- Live (moderated)
- 60-day free trial
- Everything in Freelance, plus:
- 100 sessions per year
- Unlimited projects
- Insights and highlight reels
- Remote moderated research
- Priority support
Pros & Cons
Dovetail
Pros
- Intuitive interface makes qualitative coding much faster
- Excellent video clipping and highlight reel creation
- Centralizes research so insights don't get lost
- Free unlimited viewer seats for stakeholders
- Powerful search functionality across all projects
Cons
- Steep learning curve for complex tagging systems
- Mobile experience is limited compared to desktop
- Transcription accuracy varies with heavy accents
- Pricing can scale quickly for large teams
Lookback
Pros
- Exceptional 60-day trial period for thorough testing
- Simultaneous recording of screen, face, and audio
- Seamless virtual observation for remote stakeholders
- Easy highlight reel creation for stakeholder presentations
- Works well across mobile and desktop platforms
Cons
- Participants sometimes struggle with initial plugin installation
- Requires a very stable internet connection for live sessions
- No built-in participant recruitment panel available
- Limited automated transcription features compared to competitors