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Surveys · head to head

LimeSurvey vs Sogolytics

LimeSurvey logo

LimeSurvey

Surveys

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sogolytics logo

Sogolytics

Surveys

Value-priced survey and experience management platform, rebranded from SoGoSurvey in 2021

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.; Sogolytics its statistical analysis and text analytics capability is noticeably shallower than Qualtrics or Medallia for serious market research work.
  • They diverge on capability: LimeSurvey covers Self-hosted deployment, Sogolytics covers Drag-and-drop survey builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LimeSurvey and Sogolytics actually diverge.

Attributes where LimeSurvey and Sogolytics differ
AttributeLimeSurveySogolytics
Pricing modelOpen source, with paid cloud hostingPer user per month
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedWeb, iOS, Android

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 Sogolytics

  • Drag-and-drop survey builder
  • SogoCX and SogoEX modules
  • AI-assisted survey creation
  • Reporting dashboards
  • Response limits by plan
  • Custom branding

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 Sogolytics
  • A public body procuring survey software under European data protection rulesnot Sogolytics
  • A market research agency running multilingual instruments with quotas and screening logicnot Sogolytics
  • A team that needs complex matrix and ranking questions consumer form builders do not supportnot Sogolytics

Sogolytics

  • A small business wanting published, self-service pricing rather than a Qualtrics-style sales negotiationnot LimeSurvey
  • A school or nonprofit needing multilingual survey support on a limited budgetnot LimeSurvey
  • A company wanting basic customer and employee experience management modules without buying separate enterprise platformsnot LimeSurvey
  • Someone still searching for SoGoSurvey by its former name who lands on the current Sogolytics productnot 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.

Sogolytics

  • Its statistical analysis and text analytics capability is noticeably shallower than Qualtrics or Medallia for serious market research work.
  • The free tier response cap, around 100 per project and 200 a year, is restrictive enough that most real programmes need a paid plan quickly.
  • Its enterprise integration and panel access ecosystem is smaller than the larger experience management platforms, limiting it for organisations with complex data pipeline needs.
  • Reported pricing varies noticeably between sources depending on billing term and promotional pricing, so buyers should confirm the current rate directly rather than relying on older reviews.
  • Brand recognition still lags its former name, SoGoSurvey, in some buyer searches, which can create confusion when comparing reviews written before the 2021 rebrand.

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

Sogolytics

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Around 100 responses per project
    • Up to 200 responses per year
    • Basic survey features
  • Pro$39/month
    • Unlimited surveys
    • Multilingual surveys
    • Template bank
  • Pro Max$49/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • AI-assisted survey creation
    • Custom messages and branding

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 Sogolytics if

  • You need drag-and-drop survey builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want sogocx and sogoex modules.
Sogolytics review

Questions people ask

Is LimeSurvey or Sogolytics better?
Neither clearly leads. LimeSurvey starts at Free and Sogolytics at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LimeSurvey or Sogolytics?
LimeSurvey starts at Free and Sogolytics at Free.
Does LimeSurvey or Sogolytics run on more platforms?
LimeSurvey runs on Web, Self-hosted. Sogolytics runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Sogolytics is typically brought in for.
What can LimeSurvey do that Sogolytics cannot?
LimeSurvey covers Self-hosted deployment, Question type depth, Expression manager, Quotas and screening. Sogolytics covers Drag-and-drop survey builder, SogoCX and SogoEX modules, AI-assisted survey creation, Reporting dashboards.

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.

Sogolytics: Is Sogolytics the same company as SoGoSurvey?

Yes, it rebranded from SoGoSurvey to Sogolytics in 2021 with a broader experience management positioning.

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.

Sogolytics: Is there a free plan?

Yes, capped at around 100 responses per project and 200 responses a year.

LimeSurvey: Can it handle complex research designs?

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

Sogolytics: How does it compare in price with Qualtrics?

Sogolytics publishes monthly self-service pricing from around 39 USD a month, versus Qualtrics enterprise contracts that typically run into five figures annually.

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