Softwr

Healthcare · head to head

Clue vs LimeSurvey

Clue logo

Clue

Healthcare

Period and cycle tracking app owned by German company Biowink, positioned around science based tracking and a published stance against sharing data with law enforcement

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: Clue clues stated policy on not sharing data with law enforcement without a valid legal process is the companys own published position and legal interpretation, not an independent guarantee, and it can still be compelled to comply with a legally binding request under EU or other applicable law.; 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: Clue covers Cycle and symptom tracking, LimeSurvey covers Self-hosted deployment.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clue and LimeSurvey actually diverge.

Attributes where Clue and LimeSurvey differ
AttributeClueLimeSurvey
Pricing modelFree with a Plus subscriptionOpen source, with paid cloud hosting
PlatformsiOS, AndroidWeb, Self-hosted
CategoryHealthcareSurveys

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 Clue

  • Cycle and symptom tracking
  • Cycle insights and patterns
  • Research partnerships
  • EU-based data hosting
  • Fertility and conception mode
  • Perimenopause and other life stage tracking

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.

Clue

  • Someone specifically weighing data jurisdiction and legal exposure when choosing a period tracking app, given Clues EU basis and published stance on law enforcement requestsnot LimeSurvey
  • A user who wants cycle tracking positioned around scientific research partnerships rather than lifestyle or community contentnot LimeSurvey
  • A buyer comparing Clue directly against Flo on current published privacy policy language before choosing which app to trustnot LimeSurvey
  • Someone tracking perimenopause or other non-standard cycle stages that some period apps do not support wellnot LimeSurvey

LimeSurvey

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

Where each one falls short

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

Clue

  • Clues stated policy on not sharing data with law enforcement without a valid legal process is the companys own published position and legal interpretation, not an independent guarantee, and it can still be compelled to comply with a legally binding request under EU or other applicable law.
  • Deeper cycle insights and predictions, the features most likely to justify tracking in the first place, are gated behind the Clue Plus subscription rather than fully free.
  • Being a smaller company than some competitors, Clue has less capital and legal resource to contest large-scale legal requests than a larger, better-funded rival might, despite its stated intent to do so.
  • Research partnerships using anonymised user data, while opt-in, still mean user-derived data can be used in ways beyond direct app functionality, and users should check current consent settings.
  • Cycle predictions rely on self-reported data and general population models, so accuracy for irregular cycles or specific medical conditions remains limited regardless of which app is used.

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

Clue

Free
  • Clue Plus$9.99/month
    • Free tier covers core cycle tracking, logging and basic predictions
    • Clue Plus adds deeper cycle insights, extended predictions and personalised content
    • Annual Plus plans typically offered at a lower effective monthly rate

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 Clue if

  • You need cycle and symptom tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want cycle insights and patterns.
Clue 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 Clue or LimeSurvey better?
Neither clearly leads. Clue 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, Clue or LimeSurvey?
Clue starts at Free and LimeSurvey at Free.
Does Clue or LimeSurvey run on more platforms?
Clue runs on iOS, Android. LimeSurvey runs on Web, Self-hosted.
Can I use Clue for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Clue best used for?
Clue is most often used for someone specifically weighing data jurisdiction and legal exposure when choosing a period tracking app, given clues eu basis and published stance on law enforcement requests, a user who wants cycle tracking positioned around scientific research partnerships rather than lifestyle or community content, a buyer comparing clue directly against flo on current published privacy policy language before choosing which app to trust, someone tracking perimenopause or other non-standard cycle stages that some period apps do not support well. Of those, someone specifically weighing data jurisdiction and legal exposure when choosing a period tracking app, given clues eu basis and published stance on law enforcement requests and a user who wants cycle tracking positioned around scientific research partnerships rather than lifestyle or community content are not what LimeSurvey is typically brought in for.
What can Clue do that LimeSurvey cannot?
Clue covers Cycle and symptom tracking, Cycle insights and patterns, Research partnerships, EU-based data hosting. LimeSurvey covers Self-hosted deployment, Question type depth, Expression manager, Quotas and screening.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Clue: Does Clue share data with law enforcement?

Clue publishes a policy stating it does not share health data with law enforcement or public authorities without a legally binding request and states it will challenge requests it considers improper. This is the companys stated position; verify the current policy directly for specifics.

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.

Clue: Why does Clue emphasise being an EU company?

Clue operates under EU GDPR data protection rules and states this legal basis makes it harder for authorities outside the EU, including US authorities, to compel data disclosure than for a company based in the US.

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.

Clue: Is Clue free?

Core cycle tracking, logging and basic predictions are free. Deeper insights and extended predictions require Clue Plus.

LimeSurvey: Can it handle complex research designs?

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

Share

Related pages

More on Clue

More on LimeSurvey

Keep looking

Other head to heads