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Surveys · head to head

LimeSurvey vs Zonka Feedback

LimeSurvey logo

LimeSurvey

Surveys

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zonka Feedback logo

Zonka Feedback

Surveys

Multi-channel CX feedback platform with quoted pricing based on response volume and AI data credits

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only LimeSurvey has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Zonka Feedback no pricing tier is published for either the core product or the AI add-on, so total cost is unknown until a sales quote is obtained.
  • They diverge on capability: LimeSurvey covers Self-hosted deployment, Zonka Feedback covers Multi-channel surveys.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LimeSurvey and Zonka Feedback actually diverge.

Attributes where LimeSurvey and Zonka Feedback differ
AttributeLimeSurveyZonka Feedback
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, with paid cloud hostingquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedWeb, iOS, Android

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 LimeSurvey

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

Only in Zonka Feedback

  • Multi-channel surveys
  • Kiosk and offline mode
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Case management
  • AI Feedback Intelligence
  • Reputation management

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

Zonka Feedback

  • A multi-location retailer or clinic wanting kiosk-based feedback capture alongside digital surveysnot LimeSurvey
  • A CX team that needs closed-loop case management to assign and track resolution of negative feedbacknot LimeSurvey
  • A hospitality operator wanting reputation management alongside direct feedback collectionnot LimeSurvey
  • A company with high volumes of open-ended feedback wanting AI theme extraction rather than manual taggingnot 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.

Zonka Feedback

  • No pricing tier is published for either the core product or the AI add-on, so total cost is unknown until a sales quote is obtained.
  • The AI Feedback Intelligence product is priced separately on data credits, meaning a buyer who wants both feedback collection and AI analysis is negotiating two line items, not one.
  • Third-party pricing estimates in the low hundreds to near a thousand dollars a month vary enough that budgeting from public sources alone is unreliable.
  • Kiosk hardware and offline capture are a strength for physical locations but add limited value to a purely digital-only business, which pays for a capability it does not use.
  • It is a smaller vendor than Medallia or Qualtrics, so enterprise buyers evaluating analyst-recognised platforms may not shortlist it despite comparable core features.

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

Zonka Feedback

On request
  • Feedback Management$undefined/month
    • Priced by response volume
    • Multi-channel surveys and case management
    • 14-day free trial
  • AI Feedback Intelligence$undefined/month
    • Priced by AI data credits, separate from Feedback Management
    • Theme extraction, sentiment and impact analysis

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 Zonka Feedback if

  • You need multi-channel surveys.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want kiosk and offline mode.
Zonka Feedback review

Questions people ask

Is LimeSurvey or Zonka Feedback better?
Neither clearly leads. LimeSurvey starts at Free and Zonka Feedback at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LimeSurvey or Zonka Feedback?
LimeSurvey has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for LimeSurvey and On request for Zonka Feedback.
Does LimeSurvey or Zonka Feedback run on more platforms?
LimeSurvey runs on Web, Self-hosted. Zonka Feedback runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use LimeSurvey for free?
Yes. LimeSurvey has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zonka Feedback starts at On request.
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 Zonka Feedback is typically brought in for.
What can LimeSurvey do that Zonka Feedback cannot?
LimeSurvey covers Self-hosted deployment, Question type depth, Expression manager, Quotas and screening. Zonka Feedback covers Multi-channel surveys, Kiosk and offline mode, Real-time dashboards, Case management.

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.

Zonka Feedback: Is pricing published anywhere?

No. Zonka quotes pricing based on feedback volume for the core product and data credits for AI Feedback Intelligence; nothing is listed as a fixed price.

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.

Zonka Feedback: Is AI Feedback Intelligence included in the base plan?

No, it is sold and priced separately from core feedback management.

LimeSurvey: Can it handle complex research designs?

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

Zonka Feedback: Does it support offline feedback collection?

Yes, kiosk and tablet devices can capture feedback without a live network connection, which is a differentiator against purely web-based survey tools.

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