About the Software

What it is

MIX 2.0 is a sophisticated statistical add-in for performing meta-analysis in Excel. It has been around for more than 10 years and has been used in hundreds of analyses and publications. It recently (2016) received a major update and is compatible with Excel 2016 and has numerous new features as well as a snappy new website. The current version is 2.015, updated in December 2016. There is a free ‘Lite’ version and a premium ‘Pro’ version. Both can be downloaded for free, but the Pro version requires an activation with a license code that can be purchased.

The target users

MIX 2.0 is extremely user-friendly and anyone with some experience in Excel can operate the software. The interface layout is such that, if you go from left to right and top to bottom, you will be perform a meta-analysis in a logical step-wise fashion from exploration, synthesis, to evaluation. This means that if you are new to meta-analysis or perhaps not a hardcore statistician, you can still perform a thorough meta-analysis by following the layout of the interface. Currently, MIX 2.0 is used by social scientists, medical scientists, environmental scientists, among others.

Compatibility

MIX 2.0 uses Excel as a home for its interface (in the ribbon) and its calculation engine. This means you must be able to run Excel 2007 or later on Microsoft Windows, 32 bit or 64 bit. MIX 2.0 does not work on a Mac operating system.

Features

MIX 2.0 is unlike any other software in terms of its interface and features. Just take the free Lite version for a spin and discover how easy it is to perform professional meta-analyses from within Excel. Perform various types of fixed and random effects meta-analyses, assess subgroups, make basic indirect comparisons, integrate covariates via meta-regression, and do this all while you have access to the largest selection of plots in any meta-analysis software (which are all Excel objects so easily adjustable). The Lite version is specifically meant for educational purposes and provides all the advanced features of the Pro version with built-in datasets. The paid Pro version enables the import and export features so you can create and edit your own datasets and save your analysis results. Details of the features are available here.

About citing MIX 2.0

Primary citation

Over the years, we have always tried to keep MIX 2.0 Lite free and MIX 2.0 Pro as affordable as possible. In exchange, we ask you to cite MIX 2.0 if you use it for a scientific paper or presentation. The primary citation for the current version is:

• Bax L: MIX 2.0 – Professional software for meta-analysis in Excel. Version 2.015. BiostatXL, 2016. https://www.meta-analysis-made-easy.com.

Referencing validity and features of MIX 2.0

If you would like to refer readers to resources about MIX 2.0, we recommend the following papers:

• Bax L, Yu LM, Ikeda N, Tsuruta H, Moons KGM: Development and validation of MIX: comprehensive free software for meta-analysis of causal research data. BMC Medical Research Methodology 2006, 6(50).
• Bax L, Yu LM, Ikeda N, Tsuruta H, Moons KGM: A systematic comparison of software dedicated to meta-analysis of causal studies. BMC Medical Research Methodology 2007, (40).