Spreadsheets · head to head
APITable vs LimeSurvey
APITable
Spreadsheets
Open source spreadsheet database with an API first design and an embeddable widget system
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
LimeSurvey
Surveys
Open source survey software you can self-host, with German-hosted cloud as the alternative
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: APITable records are held in the product own schema rather than as native database tables, so the practical row ceiling is a product limit and large tables should be load tested before commitment.; 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: APITable covers API first design, LimeSurvey covers Self-hosted deployment.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which APITable and LimeSurvey actually diverge.
| Attribute | APITable | LimeSurvey |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Open source, no licence fee | Open source, with paid cloud hosting |
| Platforms | Web, Linux | Web, Self-hosted |
| Category | Spreadsheets | Surveys |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).
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 APITable
- API first design
- Widget SDK
- Embeddable views
- Multiple view types
- Linked records and formulas
- Self hosting
- Real time collaboration
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.
APITable
- Embedding an editable table view inside a product you are building, rather than sending users to another toolnot LimeSurvey
- An internal platform where tables are read and written mostly by code through the API and only occasionally by peoplenot LimeSurvey
- A self hosted replacement for a per seat spreadsheet database where seat count is the cost drivernot LimeSurvey
- Building a custom dashboard widget that sits beside the data instead of in a separate reporting toolnot LimeSurvey
LimeSurvey
- A university study whose ethics approval requires participant data to stay on institutional serversnot APITable
- A public body procuring survey software under European data protection rulesnot APITable
- A market research agency running multilingual instruments with quotas and screening logicnot APITable
- A team that needs complex matrix and ranking questions consumer form builders do not supportnot APITable
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
APITable
- Records are held in the product own schema rather than as native database tables, so the practical row ceiling is a product limit and large tables should be load tested before commitment.
- The hosted free tier caps records per space, so evaluating on the cloud version gives a misleading picture of what the software can do when self hosted.
- Automation is thin compared with the commercial alternatives, and most real workflows end up in an external automation tool.
- The self hosted deployment is heavier than a single container, so running it properly means managing several services rather than one.
- Documentation and community activity are uneven in English, and finding an answer to an operational problem can take longer than the problem itself deserves.
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
APITable
Free- Self hosted open sourceFree
- No licence fee
- No product record cap on self hosted deployments
- Docker and Kubernetes deployment
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 APITable if
- You need api first design.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Linux.
- You also want widget sdk.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is APITable or LimeSurvey better?
- Neither clearly leads. APITable starts at Free and LimeSurvey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, APITable or LimeSurvey?
- APITable starts at Free and LimeSurvey at Free.
- Does APITable or LimeSurvey run on more platforms?
- APITable runs on Web, Linux. LimeSurvey runs on Web, Self-hosted.
- Can I use APITable for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is APITable best used for?
- APITable is most often used for embedding an editable table view inside a product you are building, rather than sending users to another tool, an internal platform where tables are read and written mostly by code through the api and only occasionally by people, a self hosted replacement for a per seat spreadsheet database where seat count is the cost driver, building a custom dashboard widget that sits beside the data instead of in a separate reporting tool. Of those, embedding an editable table view inside a product you are building, rather than sending users to another tool and an internal platform where tables are read and written mostly by code through the api and only occasionally by people are not what LimeSurvey is typically brought in for.
- What can APITable do that LimeSurvey cannot?
- APITable covers API first design, Widget SDK, Embeddable views, Multiple view types. LimeSurvey covers Self-hosted deployment, Question type depth, Expression manager, Quotas and screening.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
APITable: What is the record limit?
The self hosted edition has no product cap, but performance is bounded by the internal schema rather than by your database. Test at your expected size.
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.
APITable: Can I embed it in my own product?
Yes, and that is the main reason to choose it. Views embed and the widget SDK extends them.
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.
APITable: Is the hosted version representative?
No. Its free tier caps records per space, which is a commercial limit rather than a technical one.
LimeSurvey: Can it handle complex research designs?
Yes. Quotas, randomisation, piping and matrix question types are core features rather than enterprise add-ons.
APITable: How hard is self hosting?
Harder than a single container. Plan for several services and someone to keep them running.
APITable: Does it do automations?
Lightly. Expect to pair it with an external automation tool for anything multi step.
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