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vsQualtrics

LimeSurvey vs Qualtrics

Last updated June 2026

Looking for a European alternative to Qualtrics? 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.

LimeSurvey
Qualtrics
What it is
Open-source survey tool with EU data hosting and 30+ question types, no vendor lock-in.
not established
Headquarters
🇩🇪 DE
🇺🇸 US
EU data residency
Yes, for all customers
not established
DSGVO / GDPR
Yes
not established
Certifications
No
not established
Price from
€29/mo
not established
Free plan
Yes
not established
Open Source
Yes
not established
Ratings
OMR 3.79/5 (7) · G2 4.2/5 (32) · CAPTERRA 4.7/5 (2,000)
No
Integrations
No
not established

We have not yet completed our own research on Qualtrics; rows above show only what we can evidence. Check the vendor for specifics.

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

Qualtrics

Review sentiment not yet compiled.

Data residency & compliance

LimeSurvey
Qualtrics
EU data residency
Yes, for all customers
not established
Transfer mechanism
Not required — data stays in the EU
not established
DPA
Published →
not established
Sub-processors
not established
not established
Certifications
No
No

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).

Qualtrics

No published pricing we could verify.

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)

Qualtrics

Feature breakdown not yet compiled.

See LimeSurvey →More Qualtrics alternatives