OSI-licensed only · self-hostable
LimeSurvey is itself open source: the repository is licensed under the GNU General Public License. People look for alternatives when they want a more modern interface, in-product micro-surveys, or tooling built for field data collection rather than web questionnaires.
Every project below is under an OSI-approved licence (AGPL-3.0, Apache-2.0, MIT), checked against its repository. Some, like Formbricks and OpnForm, keep a small enterprise-licensed folder next to the open core, which is noted below.
Licences checked against each repository on November 7, 2026.
| Tool | Best for | Licence | Runs as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formbricks | In-product and website surveys | AGPL-3.0 | Docker |
| OpnForm | Notion-style form builder | AGPL-3.0 | Docker |
| HeyForm | Conversational forms | AGPL-3.0 | Docker |
| KoboToolbox | Field data collection and humanitarian surveys | AGPL-3.0 | Docker |
| ODK Central | Open Data Kit server for mobile data collection | Apache-2.0 | Docker |
| SurveyJS | Embeddable JavaScript survey library | MIT | Server |
Best for: In-product and website surveys
An open-source survey and experience management platform for link surveys and in-app micro-surveys. The enterprise directory and some packages are licensed differently.
Best for: Notion-style form builder
An open-source form builder with a drag-and-drop editor and conditional logic. The Enterprise directory is under a separate licence.
Best for: Conversational forms
An open-source form builder for conversational forms and surveys with a drag-and-drop editor.
Best for: Field data collection and humanitarian surveys
The main application of the KoboToolbox data-collection platform, used to design forms and manage data for field surveys.
Best for: Open Data Kit server for mobile data collection
The server for Open Data Kit, managing forms, submissions and users for data collected on mobile devices.
Best for: Embeddable JavaScript survey library
A JavaScript library that renders surveys and forms from JSON in your own app. The form runner is MIT; the visual Survey Creator is a separate commercial product.
One email a week with the open-source projects, launches and releases added to TechLogHub. Unsubscribe in one click.
One email a week: new and trending developer tools, fresh comparisons, and what shipped. Unsubscribe in one click.
| If you need… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Surveys inside your product | Formbricks |
| Simple, friendly forms | OpnForm or HeyForm |
| Offline field research | KoboToolbox or ODK Central |
| Embedding surveys in your own app | SurveyJS |
| Long academic-style questionnaires | Stay with LimeSurvey |
Quick answers to common questions
Yes. The repository is licensed under the GNU General Public License.
Common reasons are a more modern interface, in-app survey targeting, or a tool built for mobile field collection.
KoboToolbox and ODK Central are designed for mobile data collection in the field.
There is no universal format. Questions generally need to be rebuilt, though response data can be exported and re-used for analysis.
Most support conditional logic, but LimeSurvey is known for deep question logic and quotas. Check each tool's docs against your survey design.
List it on TechLogHub and we'll review it for this page.
