LimeSurvey vs Webforms
| Tagline | Mature open-source survey tool with advanced question types and quotas | Simple Python/Django open-source form builder for self-hosted data collection |
| Category | Forms & Surveys | Forms & Surveys |
| Replaces | SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, Typeform | Google Forms, Typeform |
| GitHub stars | 3.6k | 95 |
| Language | PHP | Python |
| License | GPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Self-host difficulty | 4/5 Involved | 3/5 Moderate |
| Deploy options | Docker Manual | Manual |
| Managed hosting | ||
| Last updated | 5 days ago | 1 month ago |
| View repo | View repo |
Where each falls short
The honest trade-offs — what you give up with each, versus the proprietary tools they replace.
LimeSurvey
- Dated UI/admin experience compared to modern SaaS form builders
- Steeper learning curve due to the sheer breadth of options
- Manual installation requires configuring PHP, a database, and a web server
- Form aesthetics are less polished than Typeform out of the box
Webforms
- No visual drag-and-drop builder; form creation done via Django admin
- Minimal built-in analytics or export features
- Requires existing Django project knowledge to integrate
Bottom line
Choose Webforms if you want the lower-effort setup; choose LimeSurvey for the larger community and ecosystem. LimeSurvey has seen more recent development. Open each guide below for deploy steps and the full feature gap.
Webforms
Simple Python/Django open-source form builder for self-hosted data collection