Replace Maze?
NOT REALLY · don't botherA consolation build is possible, but the paid product's decisive value sits outside a solo rebuild. For Maze, run small unmoderated prototype tasks with consent and basic completion analytics. The hard boundary is participant panel, prototype integrations, testing infrastructure, analytics, and recruitment, plus participant network, synthesis workflow, and collaboration.
Build a closest honest personal substitute for Maze in an empty repository. Use Next.js 15, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, Drizzle ORM, and Resend; do not offer alternative stacks. The core loop is: run small unmoderated prototype tasks with consent, collect structured feedback with basic completion analytics, merge duplicates, connect evidence to themes, and publish a transparent research view. Make the first run work locally with one documented command. Store all user data locally by default and make export straightforward. Put secrets in .env, ship .env.example, and never commit credentials. Create public and private feedback intake with consent text and optional contact details. Support posts, votes, comments, tags, statuses, owners, and duplicate merging. Add a research note type with evidence links, quotes, themes, and confidence. Build search and filters across feedback, customers, segments, themes, and status. Provide email notifications, moderation, export, deletion, and an audit log. Publish a read-only roadmap or findings page using only explicitly public items. Include clear empty, loading, success, and recoverable error states. Add input validation, safe filenames, and graceful handling of unavailable APIs. Write focused tests for the core transformation and one end-to-end happy path. Create a README with setup, architecture, permissions, data location, and backup steps. Do not add accounts, billing, telemetry, analytics, or a hosted control plane. Do not claim to reproduce proprietary data, network liquidity, regulated access, or frontier infrastructure. Deliberately leave out a paid research-participant marketplace. Deliberately leave out unlimited video storage and automated transcription. Deliberately leave out enterprise repositories, SSO, and governance. Finish by running the tests and listing the exact commands used.
$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter) or copy it raw · this prompt is generated from the build plan · improve it via PR
People still pay for Maze because people pay either for access to participants or for a research repository that keeps evidence usable across an organization. The recurring cost buys recruitment, consent, scheduling, media storage, transcription, tagging consistency, notifications, search, and retention, not just the visible interface.
xparticipant panel, prototype integrations, testing infrastructure, analytics, and recruitment
xlarge participant panel
xrecording and transcription infrastructure
xadvanced research repository
xenterprise governance
What does the Maze verdict mean?
The directory does not recommend replacing this one from a prompt. Recheck price before merge. Read the breakdown above.
What price does this directory record show for Maze?
The directory records $99/month for Starter, checked 2026-07-31. Verify the source before making a purchase decision. This reference stays outside retail Stack Math unless current matched evidence supports the comparison.
What do I lose by replacing Maze?
Honestly: participant panel, prototype integrations, testing infrastructure, analytics, and recruitment; large participant panel; recording and transcription infrastructure; advanced research repository; enterprise governance. If any of those are load-bearing for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to Maze?
The listed prior art includes Fider (Open-source customer-feedback portal with voting and status workflows.). Inspect those projects before starting from a blank prompt.