AI Index / User research tools / History

User research tools — AI Recommendation History

What AI assistants recommended for user research tools, date by date. Every ranking we publish is frozen the day it publishes, so this is a record of what was said — not a re-computation of what today's data would say about the past.

Record: 26 dated snapshots · Aug 14, 2026 – Sep 8, 2026

Answer archive Methodology Data studies JSON

What changed

Computed by comparing each dated snapshot with the one before it. Share moves smaller than 1pp are treated as noise and left out — the same threshold that suppresses trend arrows on the ranking.

Sep 8, 2026vs Sep 7, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 7, 2026vs Sep 6, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 6, 2026vs Sep 5, 2026

▲Dovetail moved #7 → #6
▼Respondent moved #6 → #7
▲Dovetail +1.6pp (33.3% → 34.9%)

Sep 5, 2026vs Sep 4, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 4, 2026vs Sep 3, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 3, 2026vs Sep 2, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 2, 2026vs Sep 1, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Sep 1, 2026vs Aug 31, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 31, 2026vs Aug 30, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 30, 2026vs Aug 29, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 29, 2026vs Aug 28, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 28, 2026vs Aug 27, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 27, 2026vs Aug 26, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 26, 2026vs Aug 25, 2026

Methodology change: extraction rules 4-7 → 7 between these dates. Differences below may reflect the rule change rather than a change in what AI recommends — see the methodology changelog.

▲ INUserlytics entered the top 10 (#13 → #8)
▲ INZoom entered the top 10 (#11 → #10)
▼ OUTUXtweak left the top 10 (#8 → #11)
▼ OUTOptimal left the top 10 (#10 → #12)
▲Userlytics moved #13 → #8
▼UXtweak moved #8 → #11
▼User Interviews moved #2 → #4
▼Optimal moved #10 → #12
▲Lookback moved #3 → #2
▲UserTesting moved #4 → #3
▲Respondent moved #7 → #6
▼Dovetail moved #6 → #7
▲Zoom moved #11 → #10
▲Lookback +3.2pp (57.1% → 60.3%)
▲Userlytics +3.1pp (28.6% → 31.7%)
▼UXtweak -2.8pp (31.4% → 28.6%)
▼Optimal -2.8pp (31.4% → 28.6%)
▼Maze -2.6pp (62.9% → 60.3%)
▼Dovetail -2.4pp (35.7% → 33.3%)
▼User Interviews -1.5pp (57.1% → 55.6%)
▼Zoom -1.2pp (31.4% → 30.2%)
▼Respondent -1pp (34.3% → 33.3%)

Aug 25, 2026vs Aug 24, 2026

▲ INUXtweak entered the top 10 (#12 → #8)
▲ INHotjar entered the top 10 (#11 → #9)
▼ OUTOptimal Workshop left the top 10 (#9 → #12)
▼ OUTUserlytics left the top 10 (#10 → #13)
▲UXtweak moved #12 → #8
▼Optimal moved #7 → #10
▼Optimal Workshop moved #9 → #12
▼Userlytics moved #10 → #13
▼UserTesting moved #2 → #4
▲Hotjar moved #11 → #9
▲User Interviews moved #3 → #2
▲Lookback moved #4 → #3
▲Respondent moved #8 → #7
▲UXtweak +7.6pp (23.8% → 31.4%)
▲Respondent +5.7pp (28.6% → 34.3%)
▲Hotjar +5.2pp (26.2% → 31.4%)
▲User Interviews +4.7pp (52.4% → 57.1%)
▲Lookback +4.7pp (52.4% → 57.1%)
▲UserTesting +3.3pp (52.4% → 55.7%)
▲Dovetail +2.4pp (33.3% → 35.7%)
▲Userlytics +2.4pp (26.2% → 28.6%)
▼Maze -1.4pp (64.3% → 62.9%)
▲Optimal Workshop +1.4pp (28.6% → 30%)

Aug 24, 2026vs Aug 23, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 23, 2026vs Aug 22, 2026

▲ INUserlytics entered the top 10 (#12 → #10)
▼ OUTZoom left the top 10 (#9 → #14)
▼Zoom moved #9 → #14
▲Userlytics moved #12 → #10
▲UserTesting moved #3 → #2
▼User Interviews moved #2 → #3
▲Optimal moved #8 → #7
▼Respondent moved #7 → #8
▲Optimal Workshop moved #10 → #9
▼Dovetail -5.8pp (39.1% → 33.3%)
▼Zoom -4.5pp (28.3% → 23.8%)
▼UserTesting -4.1pp (56.5% → 52.4%)
▼User Interviews -4.1pp (56.5% → 52.4%)
▼Lyssna -2.8pp (45.7% → 42.9%)
▲Optimal +2.7pp (28.3% → 31%)
▲Optimal Workshop +2.5pp (26.1% → 28.6%)
▲Userlytics +2.3pp (23.9% → 26.2%)
▼Lookback -1.9pp (54.3% → 52.4%)
▼Respondent -1.8pp (30.4% → 28.6%)

Aug 22, 2026vs Aug 21, 2026

▲ INZoom entered the top 10 (#12 → #9)
▲ INOptimal Workshop entered the top 10 (#11 → #10)
▼ OUTUserlytics left the top 10 (#8 → #12)
▼ OUTHotjar left the top 10 (#10 → #13)
▼Userlytics moved #8 → #12
▲Zoom moved #12 → #9
▼Hotjar moved #10 → #13
▲User Interviews moved #3 → #2
▼UserTesting moved #2 → #3
▲Optimal moved #9 → #8
▲Optimal Workshop moved #11 → #10
▼Respondent -3.9pp (34.3% → 30.4%)
▲Lookback +3.6pp (50.7% → 54.3%)
▲Dovetail +3.3pp (35.8% → 39.1%)
▼Userlytics -3pp (26.9% → 23.9%)
▼Hotjar -3pp (26.9% → 23.9%)
▲Zoom +2.9pp (25.4% → 28.3%)
▼UserTesting -1.7pp (58.2% → 56.5%)
▲Optimal +1.4pp (26.9% → 28.3%)

Aug 21, 2026vs Aug 20, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 20, 2026vs Aug 19, 2026

▼Hotjar moved #8 → #10
▲Dovetail moved #7 → #6
▼Respondent moved #6 → #7
▲Userlytics moved #9 → #8
▲Optimal moved #10 → #9
▼Respondent -2.4pp (36.7% → 34.3%)
▼Hotjar -1.4pp (28.3% → 26.9%)
▲Lyssna +1.3pp (45% → 46.3%)

Aug 19, 2026vs Aug 18, 2026

Methodology change: extraction rules 4 → 4-7 between these dates. Differences below may reflect the rule change rather than a change in what AI recommends — see the methodology changelog.

▲ INHotjar entered the top 10 (#11 → #8)
▲ INOptimal entered the top 10 (#14 → #10)
▼ OUTUXtweak left the top 10 (#8 → #12)
▼ OUTEthnio left the top 10 (#9 → #16)
▼Ethnio moved #9 → #16
▲Optimal moved #14 → #10
▼UXtweak moved #8 → #12
▲Hotjar moved #11 → #8
▲UserTesting moved #3 → #2
▼User Interviews moved #2 → #3
▲Userlytics moved #10 → #9
▼Ethnio -8.2pp (28.2% → 20%)
▼User Interviews -7.4pp (64.1% → 56.7%)
▼Respondent -6.9pp (43.6% → 36.7%)
▼Dovetail -6pp (41% → 35%)
▼UserTesting -5.8pp (64.1% → 58.3%)
▼Lyssna -3.7pp (48.7% → 45%)
▼UXtweak -3.2pp (28.2% → 25%)
▼Maze -1.7pp (66.7% → 65%)
▼Userlytics -1.5pp (28.2% → 26.7%)
▲Lookback +1.3pp (48.7% → 50%)
▲Optimal +1.1pp (25.6% → 26.7%)

Aug 18, 2026vs Aug 17, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 17, 2026vs Aug 16, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 16, 2026vs Aug 15, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

Aug 15, 2026vs Aug 14, 2026

No change above the noise floor.

The ranking, date by date

Top 10 on each archived date, exactly as published. Cite a date and it stays true: snapshots are append-only, and a correction appends a new revision rather than overwriting the original.

Sep 8, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-11 – 2026-09-08 · rules v7

#1Maze60.3%
#2Lookback60.3%
#3UserTesting55.6%
#4User Interviews55.6%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Dovetail34.9%
#7Respondent33.3%
#8Userlytics31.7%
#9Hotjar31.7%
#10Zoom30.2%

Sep 7, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-10 – 2026-09-07 · rules v7

#1Maze60.3%
#2Lookback60.3%
#3UserTesting55.6%
#4User Interviews55.6%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Dovetail34.9%
#7Respondent33.3%
#8Userlytics31.7%
#9Hotjar31.7%
#10Zoom30.2%

Sep 6, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-09 – 2026-09-06 · rules v7

#1Maze60.3%
#2Lookback60.3%
#3UserTesting55.6%
#4User Interviews55.6%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Dovetail34.9%
#7Respondent33.3%
#8Userlytics31.7%
#9Hotjar31.7%
#10Zoom30.2%

Sep 5, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-08 – 2026-09-05 · rules v7

#1Maze60.3%
#2Lookback60.3%
#3UserTesting55.6%
#4User Interviews55.6%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Respondent33.3%
#7Dovetail33.3%
#8Userlytics31.7%
#9Hotjar31.7%
#10Zoom30.2%

Sep 4, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-07 – 2026-09-04 · rules v7

#1Maze60.3%
#2Lookback60.3%
#3UserTesting55.6%
#4User Interviews55.6%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Respondent33.3%
#7Dovetail33.3%
#8Userlytics31.7%
#9Hotjar31.7%
#10Zoom30.2%

Sep 3, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-06 – 2026-09-03 · rules v7

#1Maze60.3%
#2Lookback60.3%
#3UserTesting55.6%
#4User Interviews55.6%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Respondent33.3%
#7Dovetail33.3%
#8Userlytics31.7%
#9Hotjar31.7%
#10Zoom30.2%

Sep 2, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-05 – 2026-09-02 · rules v7

#1Maze60.3%
#2Lookback60.3%
#3UserTesting55.6%
#4User Interviews55.6%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Respondent33.3%
#7Dovetail33.3%
#8Userlytics31.7%
#9Hotjar31.7%
#10Zoom30.2%

Sep 1, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-04 – 2026-09-01 · rules v7

#1Maze60.3%
#2Lookback60.3%
#3UserTesting55.6%
#4User Interviews55.6%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Respondent33.3%
#7Dovetail33.3%
#8Userlytics31.7%
#9Hotjar31.7%
#10Zoom30.2%

Aug 31, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-03 – 2026-08-31 · rules v7

#1Maze60.3%
#2Lookback60.3%
#3UserTesting55.6%
#4User Interviews55.6%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Respondent33.3%
#7Dovetail33.3%
#8Userlytics31.7%
#9Hotjar31.7%
#10Zoom30.2%

Aug 30, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-02 – 2026-08-30 · rules v7

#1Maze60.3%
#2Lookback60.3%
#3UserTesting55.6%
#4User Interviews55.6%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Respondent33.3%
#7Dovetail33.3%
#8Userlytics31.7%
#9Hotjar31.7%
#10Zoom30.2%

Aug 29, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-08-01 – 2026-08-29 · rules v7

#1Maze60.3%
#2Lookback60.3%
#3UserTesting55.6%
#4User Interviews55.6%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Respondent33.3%
#7Dovetail33.3%
#8Userlytics31.7%
#9Hotjar31.7%
#10Zoom30.2%

Aug 28, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-07-31 – 2026-08-28 · rules v7

#1Maze60.3%
#2Lookback60.3%
#3UserTesting55.6%
#4User Interviews55.6%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Respondent33.3%
#7Dovetail33.3%
#8Userlytics31.7%
#9Hotjar31.7%
#10Zoom30.2%

Aug 27, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-07-30 – 2026-08-27 · rules v7

#1Maze60.3%
#2Lookback60.3%
#3UserTesting55.6%
#4User Interviews55.6%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Respondent33.3%
#7Dovetail33.3%
#8Userlytics31.7%
#9Hotjar31.7%
#10Zoom30.2%

Aug 26, 202663 sampled answers · window 2026-07-29 – 2026-08-26 · rules v7

#1Maze60.3%
#2Lookback60.3%
#3UserTesting55.6%
#4User Interviews55.6%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Respondent33.3%
#7Dovetail33.3%
#8Userlytics31.7%
#9Hotjar31.7%
#10Zoom30.2%

Aug 25, 202670 sampled answers · window 2026-07-28 – 2026-08-25 · rules v4-7

#1Maze62.9%
#2User Interviews57.1%
#3Lookback57.1%
#4UserTesting55.7%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Dovetail35.7%
#7Respondent34.3%
#8UXtweak31.4%
#9Hotjar31.4%
#10Optimal31.4%

Aug 24, 202642 sampled answers · window 2026-07-27 – 2026-08-24 · rules v4-7

#1Maze64.3%
#2UserTesting52.4%
#3User Interviews52.4%
#4Lookback52.4%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Dovetail33.3%
#7Optimal31%
#8Respondent28.6%
#9Optimal Workshop28.6%
#10Userlytics26.2%

Aug 23, 202642 sampled answers · window 2026-07-26 – 2026-08-23 · rules v4-7

#1Maze64.3%
#2UserTesting52.4%
#3User Interviews52.4%
#4Lookback52.4%
#5Lyssna42.9%
#6Dovetail33.3%
#7Optimal31%
#8Respondent28.6%
#9Optimal Workshop28.6%
#10Userlytics26.2%

Aug 22, 202646 sampled answers · window 2026-07-25 – 2026-08-22 · rules v4-7

#1Maze65.2%
#2User Interviews56.5%
#3UserTesting56.5%
#4Lookback54.3%
#5Lyssna45.7%
#6Dovetail39.1%
#7Respondent30.4%
#8Optimal28.3%
#9Zoom28.3%
#10Optimal Workshop26.1%

Aug 21, 202667 sampled answers · window 2026-07-24 – 2026-08-21 · rules v4-7

#1Maze65.7%
#2UserTesting58.2%
#3User Interviews56.7%
#4Lookback50.7%
#5Lyssna46.3%
#6Dovetail35.8%
#7Respondent34.3%
#8Userlytics26.9%
#9Optimal26.9%
#10Hotjar26.9%

Aug 20, 202667 sampled answers · window 2026-07-23 – 2026-08-20 · rules v4-7

#1Maze65.7%
#2UserTesting58.2%
#3User Interviews56.7%
#4Lookback50.7%
#5Lyssna46.3%
#6Dovetail35.8%
#7Respondent34.3%
#8Userlytics26.9%
#9Optimal26.9%
#10Hotjar26.9%

Aug 19, 202660 sampled answers · window 2026-07-22 – 2026-08-19 · rules v4-7

#1Maze65%
#2UserTesting58.3%
#3User Interviews56.7%
#4Lookback50%
#5Lyssna45%
#6Respondent36.7%
#7Dovetail35%
#8Hotjar28.3%
#9Userlytics26.7%
#10Optimal26.7%

Aug 18, 202639 sampled answers · window 2026-07-21 – 2026-08-18 · rules v4

#1Maze66.7%
#2User Interviews64.1%
#3UserTesting64.1%
#4Lookback48.7%
#5Lyssna48.7%
#6Respondent43.6%
#7Dovetail41%
#8UXtweak28.2%
#9Ethnio28.2%
#10Userlytics28.2%

Aug 17, 202639 sampled answers · window 2026-07-20 – 2026-08-17 · rules v4

#1Maze66.7%
#2User Interviews64.1%
#3UserTesting64.1%
#4Lookback48.7%
#5Lyssna48.7%
#6Respondent43.6%
#7Dovetail41%
#8UXtweak28.2%
#9Ethnio28.2%
#10Userlytics28.2%

Aug 16, 202639 sampled answers · window 2026-07-19 – 2026-08-16 · rules v4

#1Maze66.7%
#2User Interviews64.1%
#3UserTesting64.1%
#4Lookback48.7%
#5Lyssna48.7%
#6Respondent43.6%
#7Dovetail41%
#8UXtweak28.2%
#9Ethnio28.2%
#10Userlytics28.2%

Aug 15, 202639 sampled answers · window 2026-07-18 – 2026-08-15 · rules v4

#1Maze66.7%
#2User Interviews64.1%
#3UserTesting64.1%
#4Lookback48.7%
#5Lyssna48.7%
#6Respondent43.6%
#7Dovetail41%
#8UXtweak28.2%
#9Ethnio28.2%
#10Userlytics28.2%

Aug 14, 202639 sampled answers · window 2026-07-17 – 2026-08-14 · rules v4

#1Maze66.7%
#2User Interviews64.1%
#3UserTesting64.1%
#4Lookback48.7%
#5Lyssna48.7%
#6Respondent43.6%
#7Dovetail41%
#8UXtweak28.2%
#9Ethnio28.2%
#10Userlytics28.2%

Read any date directly

Every archived date is machine-readable at /api/index/user-research-tools/as-of/<YYYY-MM-DD>, which returns the ranking as it stood, with the extraction version and revision it was published under. Dates before the record begins return no_record rather than a recomputation — we do not reconstruct history on demand and present it as what we said. See what the engines actually said.

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