BORIS

BORIS is free, open-source software for coding video and audio and logging live observations. Media coding includes frame-by-frame navigation, playback speeds from 0.1× to 100× and synchronized playback of up to eight files. Users can define unlimited behaviors, subjects, modifiers and independent variables, recording behaviors as state or point events. Analysis options include Cohen’s Kappa inter-rater reliability, transition matrices, flow diagrams, time-budget analysis and graphical displays of coded data. Results can be exported in formats including TSV, CSV, HTML, ODS, XLSX, SQL, Pandas and R dataframes, Praat TextGrid and JWatcher. BORIS can import JWatcher Global Definition Files and Noldus The Observer XT templates. Live event logging is available in its desktop program and Android app, though the Android version is marked beta for testing only. Data is stored in JSON, and download files are signed with GPG, with a public key provided for integrity checks. The project warns that backward compatibility of project files is not guaranteed and recommends regular backups.

BORIS provides a wide set of coding, analysis and export functions without a listed price. Users should account for the beta status of its Android app and the project-file compatibility warning.

BORIS suits people coding video or audio and recording live observations. Its analysis and export options may be useful when coded events need further review or processing.

BORIS is event-logging software for coding video and audio and recording live observations. It is best suited to researchers and others who need structured event data and analysis, rather than a general-purpose video review workspace. Its detailed coding and extensive export options make it a capable free tool, although its Android app is still beta and project files need regular backups.

Overview

BORIS combines media coding, live event logging, analysis, and export. Users can define unlimited behaviors, subjects, modifiers, and independent variables, and classify behaviors as state or point events. That breadth supports carefully structured observation projects, but may be unnecessary overhead for someone who only wants to mark up a few clips.

Data is stored in JSON, an open format intended to support further analysis. The project-file compatibility warning has practical weight for long-running work: backward compatibility is not guaranteed, so regular backups are important.

Key features

Media coding and live observation

Playback speeds span 0.1× to 100×, with synchronized playback for up to eight media files and frame-by-frame navigation. Frame-accurate marking, drawing annotations, and custom labels or fields give coders tools for precise, organized review. These are meaningful strengths when observations depend on timing or multiple synchronized sources; users seeking only basic video comments may find the broader coding workflow more than they need.

Live event logging works in the desktop program and Android app. The Android app is specifically designed for live observations, but version 0.13 is marked beta for testing only. Researchers who need a dependable mobile workflow should factor that status into their choice.

Analysis and exports

Analysis includes Cohen’s Kappa inter-rater reliability, transition matrices, flow diagrams, time-budget analysis, and graphical representations of coded data. This gives users ways to examine both coding agreement and patterns in observations without limiting the project to raw event logs.

Exports cover TSV, CSV, HTML, ODS, XLSX, XLS, Pandas and R dataframes, SQL, SDIS, Praat TextGrid, behavioral strings, and JWatcher formats. BORIS also imports JWatcher Global Definition Files and Noldus The Observer XT OTX/OTB templates. The breadth is especially useful for teams with established analysis pipelines or legacy coding templates. The software asks users to cite it when disseminating results in publications.

Pricing

BORIS is free and open-source software distributed under GNU GPL v.3. Its BORIS plan costs nothing and includes the coding, analysis, and export capabilities described above. There is no free trial because the plan itself is free; users do not have to trade down to a capped tier, and no seat or usage quota is given.

This makes BORIS a practical choice for individuals and research groups that can work with its project format and desktop-oriented workflow. The Android app’s beta status and the need to safeguard project files are the main costs in reliability and maintenance rather than subscription fees.

Platforms

BORIS supports Android, Linux, macOS, self-hosted use, and Windows. The desktop program and Android app both support live event logging, though the Android app is beta. The download page says files are signed with GPG and provides a PGP public key for integrity verification, a useful option for users who verify software downloads.

Who it's for

BORIS is a strong fit for researchers and other observers who need to define a detailed coding scheme, analyze event sequences or time budgets, and move results into statistical or specialist tools. Its import support can also help teams transitioning from JWatcher or The Observer XT templates.

It is less suitable for casual reviewers who need only lightweight annotation, or for mobile-first teams that require a mature Android app. Anyone maintaining valuable projects should plan routine backups because older project files may not remain compatible with later versions.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Unlimited coding elements and state or point events allow detailed observation schemes without a stated cap.
• Pros: Reliability, transition, time-budget, and graphical analysis serve research workflows beyond simple event capture.
• Pros: Extensive export formats and template imports ease handoff to other analysis tools and established projects.
• Pros: The software is free and open-source under GNU GPL v.3.
• Cons: Android version 0.13 is beta for testing only, so it is not the safest choice for a critical mobile workflow.
• Cons: Backward compatibility of project files is not guaranteed, making regular backups part of responsible use.

Alternatives

LongoMatch is worth considering for sports video analysis across Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows. Its free Basic plan caps users at five projects, two teams, one dashboard, and 50 events per project, with a non-removable watermark; choose it when those project limits suit the job better than BORIS’s research-oriented coding structure.

Onform is an option for Android, iOS, web, and Windows users who want video review tied to a coach: its free Individual Basic plan is free when connected to a coach and supports reviewing coach-shared videos, recording personal videos via auto-detect, and responding to feedback.

Frame.io may fit collaborative media projects better, with a free plan capped at two members, 2GB storage, 2GB Mounted Storage, and two projects. Choose it when a small team needs that project-and-storage model rather than BORIS’s event-analysis toolkit.

Roboflow is a different fit for image and video workflows centered on model training or inference: its free tier includes 10 credits a month, described as enough to train about 30 models or run 80,000 inferences.

Kollaborate, Nacsport, ATHLYZER, and Dartfish are additional alternatives to compare.

For more options, see Video Annotation Software.

Verdict

Choose BORIS if you need a free, flexible system for structured video or audio coding, live observation, and serious downstream analysis. Its wide export support and research-focused tools are compelling reasons to use it. Look elsewhere if you depend on a production-ready Android workflow or cannot accommodate regular backups and possible project-file compatibility changes.