tech from europe

LimeSurvey

🇩🇪 DE · Free plan · paid from €29/mo

4.7/5· 2,043 reviews across 4 portals

Open-source survey tool with EU data hosting and 30+ question types, no vendor lock-in.

EU hostedGDPROpen sourceFree plan
LimeSurvey is used by universities, market researchers and public-sector teams to run multilingual surveys with conditional logic. Over 30 question types, open-source code and data processing in Germany or Finland ensure GDPR compliance. A free plan is available; paid plans offer per-user pricing.

Replaces

LimeSurvey is sought as a European alternative to:

Features

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
  • Multilingual surveys (80+ languages) with Google Translate support
  • Survey versioning and reusable question labels

Survey Logic & Management

  • Conditional logic (skip logic/branching)
  • Piping and micro-tailoring
  • Open and closed survey modes
  • Start/end times and mass email invitations
  • Custom email templates with bounce handling
  • Captcha anti-spam and participation controls

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
  • GDPR-compliant data processing
  • Anonymous surveys

Accessibility & Compliance

  • WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility
  • Screenreader compatibility
  • W3C-compliant markup
  • GDPR data processing agreement
  • Choice of hosting region (7 regions)

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)
  • Removal of LimeSurvey branding (Expert plan and above)

Developer & Extensions

  • RemoteControl API (XML-RPC/JSON-RPC)
  • Plugins and modules (extra fees possible)
  • Question themes and extensions
  • Custom integration via API or plugins

Pricing

Free
€0 per month
  • Up to 25 responses/month
  • 10 MB upload storage
  • Basic survey features
  • Community support
Basic
€34 per month, billed monthly
  • 1 admin user
  • 1,000 responses/month
  • 250 MB upload storage
  • Email and community support
Expert
€29 per month, billed annually (€348/year)
  • 3 admin users
  • 10,000 responses/year
  • 1 GB upload storage
  • White-label domain and branding removal
Business
€75 per month, billed annually (€900/year)
  • 5–10 admin users
  • 50,000 responses/year
  • 3 GB upload storage
  • Priority email support and 1 alias domain
Corporate
On request
  • Tailored admin users and responses
  • SSO, LDAP, SAML support
  • Dedicated server option
  • VIP support and onboarding

Prices include 20% VAT. Response limits reset monthly (Basic) or annually (Expert/Business).

EU Trust Profile

5 of 9 criteria verified with evidence, last checked 2026-08-03. Every ✓ links to its source.

  • Data Processing Agreement (DPA)

    A signed Data Processing Agreement (DPA) is available through LimeSurvey’s contracting process, either self-served or on request.

    Evidence →
  • Trust center / security page

    The privacy and sovereignty page serves as the trust center, detailing security, hosting, and compliance information.

    Evidence →
  • EU data residency

    EU data residency is available with hosting in Germany or Finland for LimeSurvey Cloud customers.

    Evidence →
  • Public sub-processor listnot verified
  • ISO 27001

    The hosting infrastructure used by LimeSurvey is ISO 27001 certified.

    Evidence →
  • SOC 2not verified
  • BSI C5not verified
  • TISAXnot verified
  • German-language support

    German-language support is available through LimeSurvey’s support options.

    Evidence →

Verified means: the claim was publicly documented at the linked source on the check date. The vendor's own information prevails.

Reviews

Recurring themes, synthesized from public reviews across portals.

What users value

  • 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

Where users see room to improve

  • · 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

Ratings across portals

Linked facts, we bring ratings from every portal together in one place.

Feature, pricing and integration details are based on web research (as of 2026-06-21), without guarantee, errors are possible. The vendor's website prevails.