Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to SurveyMonkey · 📝 forms
SurveyMonkey vs LimeSurvey
The survey engine that does nearly everything, provided you enjoy administering PHP Here is how LimeSurvey ($0/mo open source) stacks up against SurveyMonkey ($39/mo) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.
LimeSurvey
$0.00/mo · GPL-2.0+
SurveyMonkey vs LimeSurvey Specification Matrix
facts verified 2026-08-10
| Dimension | SurveyMonkey (Paid) | LimeSurvey (Replacement) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $39 / mo | $0 / mo |
| 1-Year Cost (1 seat) | $468 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $468) |
| 1-Year Cost (5 seats) | $2,340 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $2,340) |
| 1-Year Cost (10 seats) | $4,680 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $4,680) |
| Source & License | Proprietary SaaS | open source GPL-2.0+ |
| Where It Runs | Vendor Cloud | Local or hosted (your machine or their cloud) |
| Platforms | Web / Cloud | webself-hostedself-host, real ops |
| GitHub Stars | — | ★ 3.7k (active aug 2026) |
Deep Dive: Switching from SurveyMonkey to LimeSurvey
Trade-offs, installation & data architecture
What you trade away
LimeSurvey has far deeper survey logic than most free tools, but its dense administration and self-hosting burden are much less approachable than SurveyMonkey, while its free cloud plan permits only 25 responses monthly.
How to deploy LimeSurvey
Hosted Cloud signup, or download the Community Edition PHP package and run its web installer
What it takes to run
The useful unlimited route is self-hosting, which requires a PHP web server, database, mail, updates and backups; the hosted free plan permits only 25 responses per month.
Where your data lives
Cloud data lives in LimeSurvey's selected hosting region; self-hosted surveys and responses live in MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL or Microsoft SQL Server, with multiple tabular/statistical export formats.
Why fork LimeSurvey instead of vibe-coding a SurveyMonkey clone?
The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For SurveyMonkey, run a structured survey, calculate transparent summaries, and export responses. The hard boundary is panel access, benchmarking, templates, advanced logic, and enterprise governance, plus integrations, deliverability, and workflow depth.
SurveyMonkey vs LimeSurvey FAQ
Is LimeSurvey a good free alternative to SurveyMonkey?+
Yes. LimeSurvey is a verified open-source (GPL-2.0+) replacement for SurveyMonkey. The survey engine that does nearly everything, provided you enjoy administering PHP
What is the catch when switching from SurveyMonkey to LimeSurvey?+
LimeSurvey has far deeper survey logic than most free tools, but its dense administration and self-hosting burden are much less approachable than SurveyMonkey, while its free cloud plan permits only 25 responses monthly.
How much do you save switching from SurveyMonkey to LimeSurvey?+
SurveyMonkey costs $39/mo ($468/yr) per seat, whereas LimeSurvey is $0/mo. Switching saves $468/yr for a solo user, $2,340/yr for a 5-person team, and $4,680/yr for a 10-person team.
How do I install or self-host LimeSurvey instead of SurveyMonkey?+
Install: Hosted Cloud signup, or download the Community Edition PHP package and run its web installer. Setup: The useful unlimited route is self-hosting, which requires a PHP web server, database, mail, updates and backups; the hosted free plan permits only 25 responses per month.
