So many tools are out there. Some are pricy some are cheap, the "right" tool is defined by 3 main key considerations:
I love to think of it as If we can afford it and there is a Really good reason for it, Let's subscribe to it.
But if we can't afford it, we'll make lemonade out of the lemons 🍋 we've got :-)
Clearly define your goals - whether it's discovering user pain points, evaluating design concepts, or analyzing user behavior.
Determine the type of data you require, such as qualitative insights or quantitative metrics, to support your research goals.
Allocate resources wisely, balancing cost-effective tools with the necessary capabilities to deliver valuable insights.
These tools are my favorites, though most tools are just fine (also I take no hidden promotion to any tool 😜 ):
User testing
Dovetail
Microsoft forms
SPSS
Hotjar
Mixpanel
Excel
Miro
Confluence
Jira
Powerpoint
Gamma
My UX Research tools