LimeSurvey vs Overleaf
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted office suites options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
LimeSurvey
Professional open-source survey software
VS
Overleaf
Online real-time collaborative LaTeX editor
| Feature | LimeSurvey | Overleaf |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Office Suites | Office Suites |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0-or-later |
| Language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,688 | ★ 18,007 |
| First released | 2003 | 2023 |
| Replaces | SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics | — |
Why pick each one
Choose LimeSurvey if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
Choose Overleaf if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0-or-later license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 18k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is LimeSurvey or Overleaf better?
Overleaf is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider LimeSurvey if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are LimeSurvey and Overleaf free and open-source?
Yes. LimeSurvey is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Overleaf under AGPL-3.0-or-later. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run LimeSurvey and Overleaf with Docker?
LimeSurvey: yes. Overleaf: check the project docs for container support.