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Surveys · head to head

LimeSurvey vs Paperform

LimeSurvey logo

LimeSurvey

Surveys

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Paperform logo

Paperform

Surveys

Forms that feel like you

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: LimeSurvey self-hosting shifts patching, backups and PHP upgrades onto your own team, and neglected installations become a security liability holding participant data.; Paperform free plan limited to 30 submissions per month
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LimeSurvey and Paperform actually diverge.

Attributes where LimeSurvey and Paperform differ
AttributeLimeSurveyPaperform
Pricing modelOpen source, with paid cloud hostingfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedWeb

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 LimeSurvey

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

Only in Paperform

Nothing recorded that LimeSurvey does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

LimeSurvey

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

Paperform

  • Creating multi-step application forms with conditional field displaynot LimeSurvey
  • Building payment collection forms for online invoicingnot LimeSurvey
  • Setting up appointment scheduling with calendar integrationnot LimeSurvey
  • Collecting customer signatures on contracts and agreementsnot LimeSurvey

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Paperform

  • Free plan limited to 30 submissions per month
  • Additional submissions beyond plan limits incur overage fees
  • Custom domains require additional $20 per month fee on Pro plan

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Paperform

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 user
    • 30 submissions per month
    • 5 payment submissions per month
  • Essentials$24/month
    • 1 user
    • 1,200 submissions per year
    • 240 payment submissions per year
  • Pro$49/month
    • 3 users
    • 12,000 submissions per year
    • 3,000 payment submissions per year
  • Business$99/month
    • 5 users plus $9 per additional user (up to 25)
    • 120,000 submissions per year
    • 30,000 payment submissions per year

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Paperform if

  • You want to start without paying.
Paperform review

Questions people ask

Is LimeSurvey or Paperform better?
Neither clearly leads. LimeSurvey starts at Free and Paperform at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LimeSurvey or Paperform?
LimeSurvey starts at Free and Paperform at Free.
Does LimeSurvey or Paperform run on more platforms?
LimeSurvey runs on Web, Self-hosted. Paperform runs on Web.
Can I use LimeSurvey for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is LimeSurvey best used for?
LimeSurvey is most often used for a university study whose ethics approval requires participant data to stay on institutional servers, a public body procuring survey software under european data protection rules, a market research agency running multilingual instruments with quotas and screening logic, a team that needs complex matrix and ranking questions consumer form builders do not support. Of those, a university study whose ethics approval requires participant data to stay on institutional servers and a public body procuring survey software under european data protection rules are not what Paperform is typically brought in for.
What can LimeSurvey do that Paperform cannot?
LimeSurvey covers Self-hosted deployment, Question type depth, Expression manager, Quotas and screening.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Paperform: Is there a free version of Paperform?

Yes, Paperform offers a free plan with 1 user, 30 submissions per month, and 100 MB storage at no cost.

Source
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.

Paperform: Does Paperform offer a free trial for paid plans?

Paperform offers a 7-day unrestricted trial for all paid plans without requiring a credit card.

Source
LimeSurvey: Can it handle complex research designs?

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

Paperform: What payment processing options does Paperform support?

All Paperform plans include payment processing via Stripe, Square, Braintree, or PayPal.

Source
Paperform: When does Paperform charge for custom domains?

Custom domains are available on the Pro and Business plans, with an additional $20 per month fee for this feature.

Source
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