Using ChatGPT for thematic analysis: Better than Nvivo?

Qualitative data analysis is one of the most rewarding—and often the most time-consuming—stages of research. Traditionally, researchers turn to software such as NVivo to organise, code, and interpret interview data. NVivo is powerful, but it comes with a steep learning curve, complex interfaces, and a time investment that can overwhelm new researchers and even seasoned qualitative scholars.

But there is now a compelling alternative: using ChatGPT as a thematic analysis assistant.

In my latest instructional video, I demonstrate how ChatGPT can replicate—and in many ways simplify—the entire NVivo-style thematic analysis workflow. From familiarisation to coding, theme development to reporting, ChatGPT offers a streamlined, intuitive, and highly efficient way to conduct rigorous qualitative analysis.

Why ChatGPT Beats NVivo for Many Researchers

1. No software installation or technical learning curve

NVivo requires training, setup, and access to a licensed institutional subscription. ChatGPT for thematic analysis, by contrast, is instantly available. You can upload your dataset and begin analysis immediately—no multi-hour tutorials or complicated interface navigation. This accessibility makes ChatGPT ideal for students, early-career researchers, and practitioners who need quick analytic insights without extensive software training.

2. Faster coding and theme development

NVivo is powerful, but manual coding is still laborious. ChatGPT accelerates this dramatically. It can:

• Read an entire dataset in seconds
• Generate an initial codebook
• Build hierarchical thematic structures
• Apply codes across the full dataset
• Suggest themes and provide coded extracts

What might take days or weeks in NVivo can be completed—accurately and transparently—in a fraction of the time.

3. Greater interpretive support

NVivo helps organise data, but it does not assist with interpretation. ChatGPT can explain coding decisions, clarify patterns, propose theme names, highlight contradictions, and generate rich analytic memos. This makes ChatGPT not just a tool, but an analytic collaborator. It supports your thinking, challenges assumptions, and helps articulate nuanced insights—something traditional CAQDAS software cannot do.

4. Instant outputs for reports, dissertations, and publications

ChatGPT can produce:

• Full Findings chapters
• Methods sections using Braun & Clarke
• Codebooks
• Thematic maps
• Coding matrices
• Executive summaries

Instead of exporting and formatting reports manually, ChatGPT does the writing for you, aligned with academic standards.

5. An ideal learning environment for students

For those new to qualitative research, NVivo can feel overwhelming. ChatGPT makes the analytic process transparent. Students can learn coding logic, theme development, and analytic writing in a guided manner, receiving explanations at each step. This is especially powerful in blended or distance-learning environments.

6. More flexible and iterative analytic workflow

ChatGPT allows you to ask unlimited follow-up questions, such as:

• “Why is this theme coherent?”
• “What quotes best illustrate this code?”
• “How can I improve my analysis?”

NVivo cannot respond this way. ChatGPT enables a genuinely iterative, reflexive analytic dialogue.

In short, ChatGPT doesn’t replace qualitative expertise—but it amplifies it.
It removes technical barriers, accelerates analysis, and supports deeper interpretation. If you want to learn how to use ChatGPT to conduct a full NVivo-style thematic analysis, watch the video above and explore a new, empowering way to work with qualitative data.

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