BORIS

BORIS is event-logging software for video and audio coding, as well as live observations. It is best suited to researchers and other users who need structured event data and analysis. Its combination of detailed coding and broad exports makes it a capable free option, though Android users should note the app’s beta status.

Overview

BORIS brings media coding, live logging, analysis, and export into one desktop application. Users can define unlimited behaviors, subjects, modifiers, and independent variables, with behaviors represented as state or point events. That flexibility suits projects with a defined observation framework; it is more than most casual video review requires.

Data is stored in JSON, an open format intended to support further analysis. BORIS warns that backward compatibility of project files is not guaranteed, so regular backups matter for anyone maintaining ongoing work.

Key features

Media coding and live observation

Playback speeds range from 0.1× to 100×, and users can synchronize up to eight media files or navigate frame by frame. Frame-accurate marking and drawing annotations support precise review, while custom labels or fields add flexibility to coding. Live event logging is available in the desktop program and Android app, making BORIS useful both for reviewing recordings and capturing observations as they happen.

The Android app is designed for live observations, but version 0.13 is marked beta for testing only. It is not the right choice for users who need a stable mobile workflow.

Analysis and interoperability

Analysis includes Cohen’s Kappa inter-rater reliability, transition matrices, flow diagrams, time-budget analysis, and graphical representations of coded data. This range makes BORIS more than a logging tool: it can help users assess agreement and examine patterns in their observations without limiting work to a single summary view.

Exports span common spreadsheets and tabular formats, including TSV, CSV, ODS, XLSX, and XLS, as well as Pandas and R dataframes, SQL, SDIS, Praat TextGrid, behavioral strings, and JWatcher formats. BORIS can also import JWatcher Global Definition Files and Noldus The Observer XT OTX/OTB templates. That breadth is valuable for teams moving coded data into other analysis workflows.

The download page says files are signed with GPG and provides a PGP public key for integrity verification. Support resources include a user guide, video tutorials and workshops, an FAQ, a user forum, and channels for bug reports and feature requests.

Pricing

BORIS: free. The plan is free and open-source software distributed under GNU GPL v.3. It includes the listed coding and analysis capabilities, with no paid tier or free-trial period specified. That makes it a straightforward fit for individual researchers and teams wanting a no-cost event-coding tool; users should weigh the project-file compatibility warning and back up their work regularly.

Platforms

BORIS is available for Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows, and as self-hosted software. The desktop program supports live logging as well as media coding; the Android app is focused on live observations and is currently beta for testing only.

Who it's for

BORIS fits researchers and other users who need to code video or audio against a structured scheme, log live events, and analyze or export the resulting data. Its unlimited coding categories and multiple statistical and visualization tools serve detailed observation work. It is less suitable for people who only need lightweight video comments or for mobile users requiring a production-ready Android app.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Detailed coding structure: Unlimited behaviors, subjects, modifiers, and independent variables accommodate complex observation schemes.
• Rich analysis and exports: Reliability measures, transition and time-budget analysis, and exports to formats including R, Pandas, SQL, and Praat TextGrid help carry results into further work.
• Free and open-source: The GNU GPL v.3 license makes the application available at no charge.
• Multiple-media support: Synchronized playback of up to eight files and frame-by-frame navigation support close review.

Cons

• Android is beta: Version 0.13 is marked for testing only, so mobile live logging is a less dependable choice.
• Project compatibility is not guaranteed: Backward compatibility warnings make regular backups important for ongoing projects.
• Specialized workflow: Its event-coding and analysis capabilities are best justified by structured observation work, not simple review or feedback.

Alternatives

Video Annotation Software is the category directory for comparing tools in this space.

• Onform is a freemium option with a free plan and trial, available on Android, iOS, web, and Windows. Its Individual Basic plan is free when connected to a coach and covers review of coach-shared videos, recording personal videos via auto-detect, and responding to videos; choose it when that coach-centered workflow is the priority.
• Frame.io offers a free plan for up to two members, two projects, 2GB storage, and 2GB Mounted Storage, alongside Camera to Cloud, transcription, and captions. It is the better fit for small collaborative video projects and cloud-oriented review rather than structured event coding.
• FrameQuery has a free plan with no monthly indexing hours, metadata search, and local, Drive, or NAS sharing and backup; face, voice, and AI-tag search require indexed video. Choose it when finding and managing media across storage locations matters more than coding observations.
• Label Studio is a freemium alternative with a free Community Edition and trial; consider it when its labeling workflow is a closer match to the task.
• InqScribe is a freemium option for macOS and Windows, with a Perpetual License at $79 a month, billed as a one-time purchase with two years of free updates, and a 10-Day License at $10 a month, billed as a one-time purchase. It is an alternative to consider for transcription-focused work.
• MAXQDA is a paid macOS and Windows option with a free trial; choose it if you are looking for that alternative’s qualitative-analysis workflow.
• Roboflow has a free tier with 10 credits a month, enough to train about 30 models or run 80,000 inferences. It is an alternative for users focused on computer-vision model training and inference rather than observational coding.
• CVAT offers a free Community plan for personal use and small teams under the MIT license, as well as a free online plan limited to one member, one project, three tasks, and 1GB internal storage. Choose it when those limits fit a small annotation workflow.

Verdict

Choose BORIS if your work depends on structured video or audio event coding, live observation, and analysis or export into other research tools. Its strongest reason to choose is the depth of its coding, analysis, and interoperability at no cost. Look elsewhere if you need a production-ready Android app, a lightweight general-purpose review workspace, or guaranteed backward compatibility for project files.