LimeSurvey Cloud vs LimeSurvey CE
From LimeSurvey Manual
Introduction
Before starting the discussion about LimeSurvey Cloud and LimeSurvey CE (LimeSurvey Community Edition), it is important to understand the difference between LimeSurvey and LimeSurvey GmbH.
LimeSurvey refers to the web server-based software that is freely distributed under the GNU General Public License v2 (GPL v2) and above.
LimeSurvey GmbH refers to the company that was built around the LimeSurvey software in order to better coordinate its development and provide various LimeSurvey paid services (e.g., cloud hosting, the ComfortUpdate extension, technical support, etc.).
Find out more about LimeSurvey's license at https://community.limesurvey.org/licence-trademark/.Because LimeSurvey is licensed under the GPL and is open-source software, it can be used, modified, and distributed for commercial, private, and educational purposes by anyone, with the exception of the name and logo, which are trademarked. For example, LimeSurvey can easily be used to create and distribute questionnaires for the evaluation of university classes or professors, or it can be installed on a private server for the purpose of conducting online/offline market research for your business.
LimeSurvey is open-source software. The code of the program is fully disclosed. You can access it at https://github.com/LimeSurvey/LimeSurvey.It is necessary to meet a minimal set of requirements in order to install LimeSurvey on your computer (for development purposes) or on your server. Read our installation guideline for an exhaustive guide on how to install LimeSurvey.
However, for users who may find the installation process too complex and who do not have knowledge of server administration, LimeSurvey GmbH offers LimeSurvey Cloud. With LimeSurvey Cloud, a LimeSurvey instance is created for you in seconds!
Quite often, you will see terms such as hosting services (LimeSurvey Cloud: we run the software for you), self-hosted software and personal server (LimeSurvey CE: you or your hosting provider run the software) mentioned within this wiki section.LimeSurvey Cloud vs LimeSurvey CE
Check out the following table for a brief summary of features of each service for a better understanding of the differences between them:
| LimeSurvey Cloud | LimeSurvey CE |
| Hosting is provided by LimeSurvey GmbH. Your survey site is ready a few seconds after sign-up. | Self-hosted on your own server or with a hosting provider of your choice. |
| You can start with the free plan and upgrade at any time to one of the paid plans: BASIC, EXPERT, BUSINESS or CORPORATE. | The software is free. Optionally, you can purchase the ComfortUpdate extension (6 or 12 months, free 1-month trial). It adds one-click updates, access to legacy versions, SBOM access and technical support for ComfortUpdate. |
| Always uses the latest stable version of LimeSurvey. | You get access not only to the latest releases, but also to the older ones. You choose which to use. |
| Support depends on your plan: priority email support on BUSINESS, VIP support with a dedicated customer success manager on CORPORATE. | Community support via the forums. Technical support for ComfortUpdate issues is included with the paid ComfortUpdate plans (it does not cover hosting or installation problems). |
| Contains all the features that make LimeSurvey great. | Contains all the features that make LimeSurvey great. |
| The number of responses, administrators and the upload storage depend on your plan. LimeSurvey Cloud shows response and storage usage reminders when you get close to your limits. | LimeSurvey CE does not have response and storage limits or usage reminders. Limitations only depend on the resources of the server running LimeSurvey. |
| Choose where your data is stored: Germany (recommended for EU customers), Finland, Sweden, United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia – more locations on request. | Your data stays on your own server or that of your hosting provider. |
| No direct server access. Third-party plugins/extensions can be added to your LimeSurvey instance by us on request. The CORPORATE plan additionally offers SSO (LDAP, SAML) and a dedicated server. | If you own your server, you can access your LimeSurvey installation. You can start tweaking it and make further enhancements by adding additional extensions/add-ons. |
| The instance is automatically updated by us for minor versions. You decide on the point in time for major versions. | The ComfortUpdate extension can be used to update the LimeSurvey installation. The update can also be done manually. |
| Server and installation configuration is handled by us, saving you valuable time. | Ideal for hands-on people with technical knowledge. The LimeSurvey manual is a great place to start learning. |
| Reliable response inflow due to a self-renewing subscription system. | The only limitation is related to your server and its configuration. |
| Flexible: if you cancel, you keep all features of your plan until the end of the period you already paid for. If a subscription expires, your account falls back to the free plan and you keep access to all collected responses. | The software is hosted on your server. There are no links between the activity performed by you with the help of the LimeSurvey software and LimeSurvey GmbH. |
LimeSurvey CE
Convinced that LimeSurvey CE is right for you? You can install it on your server now. To download LimeSurvey CE, click the Downloads tab on the LimeSurvey Community page.
The following page will load:
- Test LimeSurvey Cloud: If you click on the Sign up for free button, you will be first asked to create a LimeSurvey.org account in order to create and access your online LimeSurvey site. If you wish to use our hosting services, refer to the following quick start guide: LimeSurvey Cloud Quick Start Guide.
- Download LimeSurvey CE: This option allows you to download the LimeSurvey software as a .zip archive, together with its SHA256 checksum. Use this option if you would like to install LimeSurvey on your own server or on your own computer for personal testing. It is ideal for hands-on people with technical knowledge. The page offers the current stable release and the previous major release (including its end-of-support date and the required PHP version). For a rock-solid installation, go for the current stable release. Pre-releases (e.g., release candidates) and all older versions are available via the See all releases link – pre-releases are meant for testing new features and helping us improve LimeSurvey, not for production use.
To get access to the latest software developments, follow us on GitHub.- Templates: You may find example surveys here, label sets, and question templates in various languages. All templates are created by the community. You can also contribute by uploading your work and making it publicly available to others.
- Extensions: LimeSurvey supports plugins and extensions. By clicking on the "Go to the extensions" link, you get access to a directory that contains all of the LimeSurvey third-party extensions (your own contribution can also be listed there).
Only LimeSurvey CE lets you install third-party plugins yourself! If you would like to use an extension in LimeSurvey Cloud, please write to Support.
LimeSurvey Cloud
Refer to the following step-by-step guide to learn how to create a LimeSurvey Cloud account and launch your first survey.
You can also view the following video tutorial on how to set up a professional account on LimeSurvey.What do I need?
There is a lot of information to grasp. We are completely aware of this and you might feel a bit overwhelmed. We suggest you do a cost-benefit analysis. Some aspects that are worth taking into consideration:
- Capital: Think of the costs of running a server for example. Even though a lot of low-cost hosting providers can be found online, take into account that you have to take care not only of your LimeSurvey installation, but also of the server configuration, security updates and backups. If you want to create more complex surveys and/or install/create additional plugins, employees with knowledge in PHP, HTML, CSS will be needed - which means higher costs for you and your business.
- Human resources: If complex surveys are created, employees with IT-related skills might be needed. That is why it is better (sometimes) to outsource such services. You may use our LimeSurvey Cloud services or the help provided by our official partners.
- Time: Time is a limited resource. Different time-related constraints (e.g., deadlines, lots of qualitative research requests from your clients, etc.) transform time into an important independent variable that should definitely influence your final decision.
Think of all your possible needs and available resources before choosing between LimeSurvey Cloud and LimeSurvey CE.
Generally, if you want to use LimeSurvey without any download or configuration, you should choose LimeSurvey Cloud. You can start with the free plan and upgrade to one of the paid plans whenever you need more. However, if you have a running server infrastructure and want to integrate LimeSurvey into that, take a look at LimeSurvey CE. With the optional ComfortUpdate extension you can keep your installation up to date with one click.
Additional help can be found at one of our partners listed here: https://www.limesurvey.com/.What if I still have questions?
We have an extremely helpful community. You are more than welcome to post your questions and/or thoughts on our LimeSurvey forums or LimeSurvey Discord channel: