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Technology · head to head

Maze vs Thought Machine

Maze logo

Maze

Technology

The continuous product discovery platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Thought Machine logo

Thought Machine

Technology

Cloud native core banking where products are written as smart contracts

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Maze has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Maze maze publishes no prices on its pricing page; every plan routes to contact sales, so pricing is by quote only with no published rate or minimum; Thought Machine a core replacement is a two to four year programme at an established bank, and the licence is a minority of total cost against system integrator fees, parallel running and data migration.
  • They diverge on capability: Maze covers Prototype testing, Thought Machine covers Smart contract product engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Maze and Thought Machine actually diverge.

Attributes where Maze and Thought Machine differ
AttributeMazeThought Machine
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, ApiWeb, API, Cloud
Founded2018Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Maze

  • Prototype testing
  • Usability testing
  • Card sorting
  • Tree testing
  • Surveys
  • 5-second tests
  • A/B testing
  • Analytics dashboard

Only in Thought Machine

  • Smart contract product engine
  • Cloud native architecture
  • Real time ledger
  • Vault Payments
  • API first design
  • Multi entity and multi currency
  • Product versioning and testing
  • Configurable posting rules

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Maze

  • User research and testingnot Thought Machine
  • AI-powered moderation featuresnot Thought Machine
  • Prototype and website testingnot Thought Machine
  • User feedback panelsnot Thought Machine

Thought Machine

  • A large bank launching a separate digital brand on a clean core rather than migrating the back booknot Maze
  • A bank whose product launches are blocked by vendor change requests on a legacy corenot Maze
  • An institution needing real time balances and postings for instant payment obligationsnot Maze
  • A group consolidating multiple country cores onto one multi entity platformnot Maze

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Maze

  • Maze publishes no prices on its pricing page; every plan routes to contact sales, so pricing is by quote only with no published rate or minimum
  • The AI study builder, AI moderated interviews and moderated interview studies are Enterprise only
  • Mobile testing and testing through the Maze mobile app are Enterprise only
  • Interview scheduling, card sorting and information architecture testing are Enterprise only
  • Role-based access, SSO and compliance controls are Enterprise only
  • Panel recruitment is available on all plans but with stated limits, and prototype testing carries limits below Enterprise
  • Qualitative analysis of clip recordings, interview transcription and automated theme analysis are Enterprise only

Thought Machine

  • A core replacement is a two to four year programme at an established bank, and the licence is a minority of total cost against system integrator fees, parallel running and data migration.
  • The smart contract model presumes a bank can write and maintain Python financial products, and institutions without that engineering capability end up outsourcing the very flexibility they bought.
  • Cloud infrastructure cost sits with the bank and is not trivial at scale, so total cost of ownership comparisons against a hosted legacy core often miss a large recurring line.
  • Thought Machine has made two rounds of job cuts pursuing profitability, which is a legitimate supplier stability concern for a system a bank expects to run for fifteen years.
  • The functional footprint is core ledger and product engine, so origination, collections, regulatory reporting and channels all come from other vendors, and the integration estate around Vault is the bank's problem to design and own.

Pricing, plan by plan

Maze

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 active project
    • Preview link testing
    • Basic analytics
  • Starter$75/month
    • 3 active projects
    • Unlimited responses
    • Advanced analytics
  • Team$150/month
    • Unlimited projects
    • Team collaboration
    • Custom branding
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Team
    • SSO
    • Dedicated CSM

Thought Machine

On request
  • Vault Core$undefined/year
    • Quoted per institution, typically on account volumes or annual contract value
    • Implementation and system integrator costs commonly exceed the licence fee
    • Cloud infrastructure costs are the bank's and are not included

Which should you pick?

Choose Maze if

  • You need prototype testing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want usability testing.
Maze review

Choose Thought Machine if

  • You need smart contract product engine.
  • You work on Web, API, Cloud.
  • You also want cloud native architecture.
Thought Machine review

Questions people ask

Is Maze or Thought Machine better?
Neither clearly leads. Maze starts at Free and Thought Machine at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Maze or Thought Machine?
Maze has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Maze and On request for Thought Machine.
Does Maze or Thought Machine run on more platforms?
Maze runs on Web, Mobile, Api. Thought Machine runs on Web, API, Cloud.
Can I use Maze for free?
Yes. Maze has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Thought Machine starts at On request.
What is Maze best used for?
Maze is most often used for user research and testing, ai-powered moderation features, prototype and website testing, user feedback panels. Of those, user research and testing and ai-powered moderation features are not what Thought Machine is typically brought in for.
What can Maze do that Thought Machine cannot?
Maze covers Prototype testing, Usability testing, Card sorting, Tree testing. Thought Machine covers Smart contract product engine, Cloud native architecture, Real time ledger, Vault Payments.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Maze: Does Maze offer a free trial or freemium tier?

Maze site indicates 'Try Maze for free' option, suggesting free tier or trial availability, but specific terms and limitations not stated on main page.

Source
Thought Machine: Is Vault Core genuinely cloud native?

Yes. It is containerised, runs on Kubernetes on public cloud, and posts in real time rather than in overnight batch.

Maze: Can I request a custom demo if standard plans don't fit my needs?

Yes, Maze offers 'Request a demo' option, indicating willingness to discuss custom requirements and potentially custom pricing arrangements.

Source
Thought Machine: How long does a migration take?

Eighteen months at the absolute fastest for a narrow greenfield launch; two to four years for a phased migration at an established bank.

Maze: What testing capabilities does Maze include in paid plans?

Maze features AI Moderator, prototype testing, panel recruitment, and website testing capabilities across plans, but specific feature tiers and pricing not disclosed publicly.

Source
Thought Machine: Does the licence fee represent the total cost?

No. Implementation, system integration, parallel running and cloud infrastructure typically cost more than the licence over the programme.

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