LimeSurvey vs Google Forms
Last updated October 2026
Looking for a European alternative to Google Forms? Here's how LimeSurvey compares, on EU hosting, GDPR and what it does.
Our pick for a European buyer: LimeSurvey. We weight data residency, GDPR and EU jurisdiction above everything else — that is the constraint this directory exists to solve.
What it is
Open-source survey tool with EU data hosting and 30+ question types, no vendor lock-in.
Create and share online forms and surveys with real-time response collection.
Headquarters
🇩🇪 DE
🇺🇸 US · 1998
EU data residency
Yes, for all customers
Available on some plansEU data residency available for Google Workspace Enterprise customers on request.
DSGVO / GDPR
Yes
Yes
Certifications
No
ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018
Price from
€29/mo
$6/user/mo
Free plan
Yes
Yes
Open Source
Yes
No
Ratings
Integrations
No
Google Sheets, Google Drive, Google Docs, Zapier, Slack +2
Where each one wins
LimeSurvey
Strengths
- +Highly customizable with 30+ question types, advanced logic (skip patterns, quotas, branching), and multilingual support for 80+ languages
- +Cost-effective with a free plan for unlimited surveys and paid plans starting at ~€29/month
- +Open-source and self-hostable, offering full data control and compliance flexibility
- +Extensive features including conditionals, quota management, templates, and Google Analytics integration
- +Strong community support and active user forums for troubleshooting
Limitations
- −Complex and unintuitive interface, especially for non-technical users or beginners
- −Steep learning curve for setup, advanced logic, and customization (often requires CSS/HTML knowledge)
- −Limited built-in analytics, requiring data export for deeper analysis
- −Occasional performance issues and cumbersome navigation between sections
Google Forms
Strengths
- +Intuitive and easy to use for non-technical users
- +Seamless integration with Google Workspace
- +Real-time collaboration features
- +Free tier is highly functional
Limitations
- −Limited customization in free tier
- −No advanced conditional logic in basic plans
- −Data residency requires Enterprise plan
- −Export formats are basic
Data residency & compliance
LimeSurvey
Google Forms
EU data residency
Yes, for all customers
Available on some plansEU data residency available for Google Workspace Enterprise customers on request.
Transfer mechanism
Not required — data stays in the EU
Standard Contractual Clauses
Certifications
No
ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018
Pricing
LimeSurvey
- Free €0 per monthUp to 25 responses/month · 10 MB upload storage · Basic survey features
- Basic €34 per month, billed monthly1 admin user · 1,000 responses/month · 250 MB upload storage
- Expert €29 per month, billed annually (€348/year)3 admin users · 10,000 responses/year · 1 GB upload storage
- Business €75 per month, billed annually (€900/year)5–10 admin users · 50,000 responses/year · 3 GB upload storage
- Corporate On request Tailored admin users and responses · SSO, LDAP, SAML support · Dedicated server option
Prices include 20% VAT. Response limits reset monthly (Basic) or annually (Expert/Business).
Google Forms
- Free Free UnlimitedUnlimited forms · Unlimited responses · Basic editing tools
- Google Workspace Business Starter $6 per user/monthBusiness email through Gmail · 100 participant video meetings · 30 GB cloud storage per user
Enterprise plans with EU data residency available on request. Pricing varies by region and plan.
Features
LimeSurvey
- Survey Design & Question Types
- Unlimited surveys and questions, 30+ question types (Matrix, Ranking, Slider, Date input, Multiple choice, etc.), Customizable templates and themes, Custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript design
- Survey Logic & Management
- Conditional logic (skip logic/branching), Piping and micro-tailoring, Open and closed survey modes, Start/end times and mass email invitations
- Data Handling & Reporting
- Graphical statistics and quick evaluations, Data export to SPSS, R, Stata, CSV, Excel, PDF, Public statistics and backend data entry, Time tracking and data anonymization
- Accessibility & Compliance
- WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility, Screenreader compatibility, W3C-compliant markup, GDPR data processing agreement
- Administration & User Management
- Role-based access control, Unlimited surveys (plan-dependent admin users), Survey quotas and panel integration, White-label domain (Expert plan and above)
Google Forms
- Form Creation
- Drag-and-drop form builder, Custom themes and branding, Conditional logic for questions, File upload support
- Data Collection & Management
- Real-time response tracking, Automated email notifications, Response validation rules, Data export to Sheets
- Integration & Automation
- Google Workspace integration, Third-party app integrations (Zapier, etc.), API access for custom workflows, Pre-built templates