Sovereign alternative to Google Forms
Google Forms is free and handy, but it lives inside the Google ecosystem and under the US CLOUD Act. LimeSurvey covers the same need as open source, hosted in Europe on your dedicated instance, with targeted reminders to non-respondents on top.
Google Forms does the job for a quick, free questionnaire. Answers land in a Google spreadsheet, on US infrastructure subject to the CLOUD Act, and both the question types and the export stay limited.
LimeSurvey targets the same use without leaving Europe. Bunker hosts it on a dedicated instance, with a replicated PostgreSQL database and your organization's SSO. You gain 28 question types, SPSS or R export and the targeted reminder Google Forms cannot do.
Point-by-point comparison
| Criterion | LimeSurvey (Bunker) | Google Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Open source (GPLv2+), auditable | Proprietary, free |
| Answer hosting | Europe | United States (Google) |
| CLOUD Act exposure | Out of reach | Subject |
| Targeted reminders to non-respondents | Yes, via tokens | No |
| Question types | 28 | Reduced |
| Export | CSV, Excel, SPSS, R | CSV (via Sheets) |
| Integration API | RemoteControl2, self-hostable | Google Forms API (Google Cloud) |
| Anonymous answers with tokens | Yes | Limited |
| Dedicated instance | Yes | No, shared service |
| On-premise reversibility | Yes, re-internalizable | No |
Free, but at what cost for your data
Google Forms costs nothing to use, but your answers live inside the Google ecosystem, on US infrastructure. For an HR survey, a health questionnaire or an internal pulse, that puts sensitive data under a foreign jurisdiction.
Bunker hosts LimeSurvey in Europe, on a dedicated instance. The pages load no tracker, and your data stays under European law. Sovereignty is no longer a paid option.
The targeted reminder Google Forms lacks
A Google Form does not know who has answered. To remind people, you resend the link to your whole list, including those who already answered.
LimeSurvey assigns a unique token to each participant and tracks each invitation's status. You remind only the non-respondents, as many times as needed. The second and third reminders often carry most of the response rate.
When Google Forms is enough
For a low-stakes internal poll, a quick sign-up or a throwaway questionnaire, Google Forms gets it done in two minutes with no budget.
LimeSurvey takes over as soon as the data matters: customer surveys, employee pulse, named collection, statistical export or targeted reminders. You keep control of the hosting, the format and the exit.
Frequently asked questions
Why choose LimeSurvey over Google Forms?
For three reasons: your answers stay in Europe instead of going to Google, you get 28 question types and SPSS or R export instead of CSV only, and you remind only the non-respondents thanks to tokens. Google Forms does none of these three things.
Is LimeSurvey as simple as Google Forms?
Building a simple questionnaire takes a few minutes in both tools. LimeSurvey asks for a little more onboarding on advanced features, in exchange for far more power. Bunker handles the hosting, updates and backups for you.
Can I export my answers freely?
Yes. LimeSurvey exports to CSV, Excel, SPSS, R and PDF, with no quota, where Google Forms is largely limited to CSV. You also export a whole survey in .lss format to replay it elsewhere.
Your forms, in Europe
A dedicated LimeSurvey instance, open source, hosted in Europe. No tracker, no quota.
Other comparisons
Bunker is not affiliated with Google Forms. "Google Forms" is a trademark of its publisher, referenced here for comparison to designate the competing service.