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Surveys · head to head

Alchemer vs LimeSurvey

Alchemer logo

Alchemer

Surveys

Survey and feedback platform for research teams

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LimeSurvey logo

LimeSurvey

Surveys

Open source survey software you can self-host, with German-hosted cloud as the alternative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only LimeSurvey has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Alchemer more expensive than the simple form builders, which is the fair comparison for a short survey; LimeSurvey self-hosting shifts patching, backups and PHP upgrades onto your own team, and neglected installations become a security liability holding participant data.
  • They diverge on capability: Alchemer covers Deep question logic, LimeSurvey covers Self-hosted deployment.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alchemer and LimeSurvey actually diverge.

Attributes where Alchemer and LimeSurvey differ
AttributeAlchemerLimeSurvey
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelTiered annual subscription published on the vendor siteOpen source, with paid cloud hosting
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, CloudWeb, Self-hosted

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Surveys).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Alchemer

  • Deep question logic
  • Wide question types
  • Workflow automation
  • Integrations
  • Panel and distribution
  • Reporting

Only in LimeSurvey

  • Self-hosted deployment
  • Question type depth
  • Expression manager
  • Quotas and screening
  • Multilingual surveys
  • Participant management

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Alchemer

  • Research questionnaires too conditional for a simple form buildernot LimeSurvey
  • Teams needing survey data routed into Salesforce or a warehousenot LimeSurvey
  • Organisations wanting research depth without enterprise experience-platform pricingnot LimeSurvey

LimeSurvey

  • A university study whose ethics approval requires participant data to stay on institutional serversnot Alchemer
  • A public body procuring survey software under European data protection rulesnot Alchemer
  • A market research agency running multilingual instruments with quotas and screening logicnot Alchemer
  • A team that needs complex matrix and ranking questions consumer form builders do not supportnot Alchemer

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Alchemer

  • More expensive than the simple form builders, which is the fair comparison for a short survey
  • The interface carries a long product history and is less immediately friendly than newer tools
  • Advanced logic is powerful and correspondingly easy to misconfigure, and testing a complex survey is real work
  • Named Alchemer since 2020, so much of the searchable material still says SurveyGizmo

LimeSurvey

  • Self-hosting shifts patching, backups and PHP upgrades onto your own team, and neglected installations become a security liability holding participant data.
  • The default interface and themes look dated beside Typeform or Jotform, which measurably lowers completion rates on consumer-facing surveys.
  • Cloud plans are capped on responses per period, so an unexpectedly successful field wave can force an upgrade in the middle of data collection.
  • Serious theming and layout changes require template and CSS work rather than a visual designer, so agencies often budget developer time per project.
  • Support on the free edition is community forums only, and paid support is a separate purchase, which is a poor fit for teams with no technical staff.

Pricing, plan by plan

Alchemer

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Alchemer review.

LimeSurvey

Free
  • Community Edition (self-hosted)Free
    • Free under the GNU General Public Licence
    • No response limits imposed by the vendor
    • Hosting, patching, backups and upgrades are your responsibility
  • LimeSurvey Cloud$undefined/year
    • Hosted on servers in Germany
    • Tiered on responses and storage per period rather than per user
    • Higher tiers add branding removal, more storage and support

Which should you pick?

Choose Alchemer if

  • You need deep question logic.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want wide question types.
Alchemer review

Choose LimeSurvey if

  • You need self-hosted deployment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want question type depth.
LimeSurvey review

Questions people ask

Is Alchemer or LimeSurvey better?
Neither clearly leads. Alchemer starts at On request and LimeSurvey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alchemer or LimeSurvey?
LimeSurvey has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Alchemer and Free for LimeSurvey.
Does Alchemer or LimeSurvey run on more platforms?
Alchemer runs on Web, Cloud. LimeSurvey runs on Web, Self-hosted.
Can I use LimeSurvey for free?
Yes. LimeSurvey has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Alchemer starts at On request.
What is Alchemer best used for?
Alchemer is most often used for research questionnaires too conditional for a simple form builder, teams needing survey data routed into salesforce or a warehouse, organisations wanting research depth without enterprise experience-platform pricing. Of those, research questionnaires too conditional for a simple form builder and teams needing survey data routed into salesforce or a warehouse are not what LimeSurvey is typically brought in for.
What can Alchemer do that LimeSurvey cannot?
Alchemer covers Deep question logic, Wide question types, Workflow automation, Integrations. LimeSurvey covers Self-hosted deployment, Question type depth, Expression manager, Quotas and screening.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Alchemer: What does Alchemer cost?

Tiered annual subscriptions published on the vendor site. Check current rates there.

LimeSurvey: Is LimeSurvey really free?

The self-hosted Community Edition is free under the GPL with no vendor response limits. The hosted cloud is paid and tiered by response volume.

Alchemer: Is Alchemer the same as SurveyGizmo?

Yes. SurveyGizmo was renamed Alchemer in 2020, which is why older reviews and documentation use the former name.

LimeSurvey: Where is cloud data stored?

On servers in Germany, which is why public sector and academic buyers choose it over United States hosted competitors.

Alchemer: When is it worth more than a simple form builder?

When the questionnaire has real conditional logic, or when responses need to route into Salesforce or a data warehouse.

LimeSurvey: Can it handle complex research designs?

Yes. Quotas, randomisation, piping and matrix question types are core features rather than enterprise add-ons.

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