Survey Maker — LimeSurvey is an online survey tool to quickly create questionnaires, poll votes & surveys. ✦ Free ✦ Easy ✦ Open Source ➜ Start your survey now! - limesurvey.org
· 1 month ago
Buy if you need free, self-hostable surveys with EU/GDPR-grade data control — researchers and regulated sectors are the sweet spot. Skip it if you just want a quick poll or simple form; Google Forms is simpler.
Confidence
Medium. Based on ~50 public sources; independent review scores and exact paid-tier prices were not found in the reviewed pages.
Ratings
Value for money
Ease of use
Feature depth
Support qualityNo independent support evidence found.
Security posture
Pricing
Free
Self-hosted Community Edition
ModelFree core
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Hosted / professional plansNot disclosed in sources reviewed
Best for
→Academic researchers
→Healthcare & public sector (EU/GDPR)
→IT/DPO teams needing data sovereignty
→Orgs okay self-hosting for zero licence cost
Not for
×Anyone needing a 5-minute poll — use Google Forms
×Teams with nobody to self-host and patch
×Non-technical users wanting polish out of the box
×Buyers wanting turnkey analytics without setup
Gotchas - check before you buy
high
Self-hosted Community Edition users must apply security patches themselves or stay exposed.
medium
'Free open source' isn't free hosting: managed plans and ComfortUpdate support cost money.
low
Free messaging coexists with a contact-sales and book-demo funnel — expect upsell.
Pros and cons
Pros
+Truly free open-source core; self-host for full data control.
+EU hosting, GDPR-ready positioning for regulated sectors.
+Heavily used in peer-reviewed academic research.
+Sector-specific templates: healthcare, public sector, education.
+Free tier to start, no purchase required.
Cons
−CVE history includes remote code execution and injection flaws.
−Community Edition 7.0.5 listed with an authentication vulnerability.
−Self-hosting means you own all patching and security upkeep.
−Positioned at IT/DPO professionals — heavier than simple form tools.
Sources & method
- 12 sources - Active CVE history (RCE 2021, XSS, CRLF 2025); markets ISO 27001 and EU hosting — patch discipline required, especially self-hosted.
CVE-2025-41376 — CRLF Injection, CRLF injection vulnerability disclosed September 2025.
Stored and reflected XSS, SEC Consult documented XSS from improper input handling in LimeSurvey.
Authentication issue in Community Edition 7.0.5, OpenCVE lists an authentication vulnerability in CE 7.0.5.
Key stats
Value for money: 5/5
Rating
Free
Starting price
12
Sources
Analyzed
Value for money: 5/5. Free open-source core; pay only for hosted extras.
Ease of use: 3/5. Powerful, but heavier setup than Google Forms.
Feature depth: 4/5. Pro-grade questionnaires; used in peer-reviewed research.
Support quality. No independent support evidence found.
Security posture: 2/5. RCE and injection CVEs; self-hosters must patch.
Free core Pricing model Open-source self-hosted; paid hosted plans exist
Yes Free tier 'Get started - free' on site
4+ CVEs in reviewed sources RCE, XSS, CRLF, auth issues
Top 14 survey tools 2026 Roundup placement Woorise list
Pricing
Self-hosted Community Edition
Free
Full open-source survey platform
You host, maintain and patch it
Hosted / professional plans
Not disclosed
EU hosting and support
ComfortUpdate; contact sales
Security
Active CVE history (RCE 2021, XSS, CRLF 2025); markets ISO 27001 and EU hosting — patch discipline required, especially self-hosted.
CVE-2021-44967 — Remote Code ExecutionPublicly documented RCE vulnerability in LimeSurvey.⁶
CVE-2025-41376 — CRLF InjectionCRLF injection vulnerability disclosed September 2025.⁷
Stored and reflected XSSSEC Consult documented XSS from improper input handling in LimeSurvey.⁸
Authentication issue in Community Edition 7.0.5OpenCVE lists an authentication vulnerability in CE 7.0.5.⁹
What users say
Little independent review data in these sources; the strongest signal is heavy adoption in academic research and interest as a SurveyMonkey/Qualtrics alternative.
Alternatives
Compare LimeSurvey with each alternative.
Google Forms
Simplest free option for quick polls and basic forms.
3.Wait? Isn't LimeSurvey free open source software — why should I pay for it? https://www.limesurvey.org/support/faq/comfortupdate-extension/wait-isn-t-limesurvey-free-open-source-software-why-should-i-pay-for-it
4.Security, privacy & EU hosting https://www.limesurvey.org/sovereignty/privacy
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