Research panels & polling · LimeSurvey GmbH

LimeSurvey

Open-source survey tool available as free self-hosted software or as a paid managed cloud subscription.

Visit LimeSurvey Alternatives

LimeSurvey's Community Edition is free, open-source, self-hosted survey software with no response or storage limits beyond what the server running it can handle, which makes it a common choice for researchers and institutions who need full data control or want to avoid per-response fees. LimeSurvey GmbH also sells a managed Cloud version on tiered monthly or annual plans that add hosting, white-label branding and priority support without requiring server administration. Both versions share the same question engine: 28+ question types, skip logic, quotas, and an interface available in 80+ languages, plus GDPR-relevant data-residency options on the Cloud plans. It competes with academic tools like formr on the open-source side and with commercial platforms like Prolific's survey layer on the hosted side, though LimeSurvey itself does not supply respondents - only the survey engine.

At a glance

Vendor LimeSurvey GmbH
Pricing model Free tier + paid plans
Free tier Yes
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted
Open source Yes (GPL-2.0)
Best for Researchers and institutions wanting either full data control via self-hosting or a low-cost managed survey tool.

Pricing

Community Edition is free to self-host; LimeSurvey Cloud is a paid monthly or annual subscription with tiered response and storage limits.

Plan Price Notes
Basic (Cloud) $39/month 1 admin user, 1,000 responses/month, 250MB storage
Expert (Cloud) $36/month billed annually ($432/year) 3 admin users, 10,000 responses/year, 1GB storage, white-label domain
Business (Cloud) $68/month billed annually ($815/year) 5-10 admin users, 50,000 responses/year, 3GB storage, priority support

Prices read from the vendor's own page on September 21, 2026. Vendors change prices; check the source before you budget.

Features

  • Free, self-hosted Community Edition with no response caps
  • 28+ question types with skip logic and quotas
  • 80+ language interface
  • GDPR-relevant data-residency options on Cloud
  • REST API and SPSS/CSV export
  • White-label branding on paid Cloud plans

Integrations

Profile last reviewed September 21, 2026

Head to head

Alternatives

Prolific Online participant recruitment platform built specifically for academic and behavioral research studies. formr Free, open-source survey framework for chaining surveys into longitudinal studies with R-based dynamic feedback. Cint Programmatic survey-sample marketplace connecting researchers to consumer respondents through aggregated supplier panels.

LimeSurvey in the index now

Terms to know

Sample size The number of observations in a study or test, which determines how precisely and reliably an effect can be measured.

Related guides

How to analyze survey data Weighting, nonresponse, open-ends and testing differences across groups — the steps between a raw response file and a defensible finding. How to choose a research panel and polling platform This category bundles two products, survey software and respondent supply. Work out which one you're missing before you compare vendors.