LimeSurvey is an open-source survey tool with a free self-hosted edition and paid cloud plans from 29 euros per month. Compare features, pricing and…
Category
Surveys
Pricing
Freemium / Open Source, from Free (self-hosted Community Edition)
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 18, 2026
Founded
2003
Headquarters
Hamburg, Germany
Free PlanOpen SourceFreemiumTemplatesSelf-Hosted
Overview
LimeSurvey began life in 2003 as PHPSurveyor, an open-source survey tool created by Australian developer Jason Cleeland, and was renamed LimeSurvey in 2007. LimeSurvey GmbH, the company that now stewards the project, was formally founded in August 2015 in Hamburg, Germany, and is led by long-time project leader Carsten Schmitz.
The software is available as a free, GPL-licensed, self-hosted Community Edition, and as LimeSurvey Cloud, a paid hosted service whose pricing is based on survey response volume rather than feature restrictions.
Key Features
LimeSurvey supports unlimited surveys and questions, advanced survey logic such as branching and quotas, and localization into 116 languages, making it one of the most internationally capable survey platforms available.
The platform runs on PHP with the Yii framework and Twig templating, supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite or MSSQL as a database backend, and offers white-label branding, custom domains, and SSO options (LDAP, SAML) on higher cloud tiers.
Pricing
LimeSurvey Cloud offers a free entry tier with limited monthly responses, then scales through Basic (about 34 euros per month), Expert (about 29 euros per month billed annually), Business (about 75 euros per month billed annually) and a custom-quoted Corporate tier with SSO and dedicated hosting.
The self-hosted Community Edition remains free under the GPL license for organizations able to manage their own server infrastructure, with discounts available for teachers, students and nonprofits on the Cloud plans.
Key Features
Free, self-hosted Community Edition — Fully open-source, GPL-licensed survey software that can be downloaded and run on any PHP-compatible server at no license cost.
LimeSurvey Cloud hosting — A managed SaaS version priced by response volume rather than gated features, available across seven hosting regions including the EU, UK, US, Canada and Australia.
Advanced survey logic — Supports branching, quotas, randomization and conditional question logic for complex research and market-research surveys.
Extensive localization — Survey interfaces and templates are available in 116 languages and dialects, supporting multilingual and international research projects.
White-label and custom branding — Available on Expert tier and above, allowing organizations to present surveys under their own domain and visual identity.
SSO and enterprise access control — LDAP and SAML single sign-on are available on the Corporate tier for organizations needing centralized authentication.
REST API and integrations — Programmatic access for embedding surveys, exporting data and integrating with other research or CRM systems.
Data residency options — Seven hosting regions let organizations keep survey data within specific jurisdictions for GDPR or compliance purposes.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Free, fully open-source self-hosted option with no feature restrictions
Response-based cloud pricing can be more predictable than per-seat SaaS competitors
Exceptional localization with 116 supported languages
Long operating history (since 2003) and mature, stable codebase
Multiple hosting regions support GDPR and data-residency needs
Cons
Self-hosting requires PHP server administration knowledge and ongoing maintenance
Interface feels less modern than newer competitors like Typeform
Cloud pricing based on response volume can become costly for very high-traffic surveys
Small company size (under 25 employees) means comparatively limited support capacity
Advanced features like white-labeling and SSO are locked behind higher-priced tiers
Business (Cloud) EUR 75/month (billed annually) Annual
Corporate (Cloud) Custom pricing Custom
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LimeSurvey free
Yes, the self-hosted Community Edition is free and open source under the GPL license. LimeSurvey Cloud, the hosted version, has a limited free tier and then paid plans starting around 29 to 34 euros per month.
Who owns LimeSurvey
LimeSurvey is developed and commercially operated by LimeSurvey GmbH, a company founded in August 2015 and headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, led by Carsten Schmitz.
How is LimeSurvey Cloud priced
LimeSurvey Cloud pricing is based primarily on the number of survey responses collected per month or year, rather than on locking features behind higher tiers, with plans ranging from a free tier to a custom-quoted Corporate plan.
Can I self-host LimeSurvey
Yes, LimeSurvey's Community Edition can be downloaded and self-hosted on any server running PHP with a supported database such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite or MSSQL.
How many languages does LimeSurvey support
LimeSurvey is localized into 116 languages and dialects, making it one of the most internationally capable open-source survey tools.
What is the difference between LimeSurvey and SurveyMonkey
LimeSurvey offers a free, open-source self-hosted option and response-based cloud pricing, while SurveyMonkey is a closed-source commercial SaaS tool with feature-gated subscription tiers.