LimeSurvey vs Qualtrics
Last updated October 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.
What it is
Open-source survey tool with EU data hosting and 30+ question types, no vendor lock-in.
Experience management platform for surveys, customer feedback, and analytics.
Headquarters
🇩🇪 DE
🇺🇸 US · 2002
EU data residency
Yes, for all customers
Available on some plansEU data residency is available on higher-tier plans or upon request.
DSGVO / GDPR
Yes
Yes
Certifications
No
ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II
Price from
€29/mo
No
Free plan
Yes
Yes
Open Source
Yes
No
Integrations
No
Salesforce, Slack, Microsoft Teams, HubSpot, Zapier +3
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
Strengths
- +Highly customizable surveys with advanced logic
- +Robust analytics and reporting tools
- +Strong compliance and security features
- +Seamless integrations with third-party tools
Limitations
- −Steep learning curve for beginners
- −Higher-tier plans can be expensive
- −EU data residency not available on all plans
- −Complex setup for advanced features
Data residency & compliance
LimeSurvey
Qualtrics
EU data residency
Yes, for all customers
Available on some plansEU data residency is available on higher-tier plans or upon request.
Transfer mechanism
Not required — data stays in the EU
Standard Contractual Clauses
Certifications
No
ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II
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
- Free Free ForeverBasic survey features · Limited responses per survey · Qualtrics branding
- Essentials On request MonthlyAdvanced survey logic · Basic reporting · Email support
- Advanced On request MonthlyFull analytics suite · API access · Dedicated support
Pricing for paid plans is available on request. EU data residency may require higher-tier plans.
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
- Survey Creation
- Drag-and-drop survey builder, Custom branding and theming, Advanced question types (matrix, ranking, etc.), Logic and branching
- Data Analysis & Reporting
- Real-time analytics dashboards, Cross-tabulation and filtering, Exportable reports (PDF, CSV, etc.), Statistical analysis tools
- Integration & Automation
- API access for custom integrations, Pre-built connectors (Salesforce, Slack, etc.), Webhooks for real-time notifications, Automated workflows
- Compliance & Security
- GDPR compliance support, Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), Data Processing Agreement (DPA), Role-based access control