Formbricks is an open-source experience management platform for in-product, website, and link surveys, built as a privacy-first, self-hostable alternative to Qualtrics and Typeform.
Founded in 2022 in Kiel, Germany by CEO Johannes Dancker and CTO Matti Nannt, the company evolved from an earlier project called snoopForms and is backed by OSS Capital, a fund focused specifically on open-source software companies.
Key Features
The core application is licensed under AGPLv3 and can be self-hosted via Docker for full data control, or accessed through a GDPR-compliant, Frankfurt-hosted managed cloud for teams that prefer not to run their own infrastructure.
Beyond core survey building, Formbricks supports respondent identification, segment-based targeting, native iOS and Android SDKs, custom webhooks, a full API, and AI-assisted translation and response labeling.
Pricing
Formbricks offers a free Hobby plan with 250 monthly responses, a Pro plan at $74/month with 2,000 responses and branding removal, and a Scale plan at $325/month with 5,000 responses, quota management, and AI-based response labeling.
Annual billing includes a two-month-free discount, and reported figures put Formbricks at roughly $550,000 in annual recurring revenue.
Key Features
Open-source, self-hostable core — The full survey application is licensed under AGPLv3 and can be self-hosted via Docker for complete data ownership and control.
In-product, website, and link surveys — Supports three distinct survey delivery modes so teams can gather feedback inside an app, on a public website, or via a shareable link.
Segment-based targeting — Lets product teams target specific in-app surveys to user segments based on behavioral or account attributes rather than showing the same survey to everyone.
Native iOS and Android SDKs — Enables triggering and displaying surveys directly inside mobile apps for in-product feedback collection.
GDPR-compliant EU-hosted cloud — Offers a managed cloud option hosted in Frankfurt, Germany, for teams that want compliance guarantees without self-hosting.
AI-assisted translation and response labeling — Automatically translates surveys across languages and applies AI topic and subtopic labeling to open-text responses on higher tiers.
Quota management — Controls how many responses a given segment or channel can contribute, available on the Scale plan.
Custom webhooks and full API access — Pushes response data into other systems in real time and allows fully programmatic survey management.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Fully open-source AGPLv3 core with genuine self-hosting option, not just a marketing claim
Generous free Hobby tier with 250 monthly responses and the same core feature set as paid plans
GDPR-native, EU-hosted cloud option appeals directly to privacy-conscious and European organizations
Native mobile SDKs and segment targeting support serious in-product research use cases, not just basic forms
Backed by OSS Capital, a fund specialized in open-source business models, reinforcing long-term open-source commitment
Cons
Free tier response limit (250/month) is modest for teams running frequent in-product surveys
Self-hosting requires DevOps effort to run and maintain via Docker
Jump from Pro ($74/month) to Scale ($325/month) is steep for teams needing quota management or advanced AI labeling
Smaller company and community scale than incumbents like Qualtrics, which may mean fewer integrations or slower feature parity
Pricing
Hobby Free monthly
Pro $74/month monthly (annual billing available with 2 months free)
Scale $325/month monthly (annual billing available with 2 months free)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Formbricks really open source?
Yes, Formbricks' core application is licensed under AGPLv3 and can be self-hosted for free for personal and commercial use, including link, website, and in-app surveys.
Who founded Formbricks?
Formbricks was founded in 2022 in Kiel, Germany by CEO Johannes Dancker and CTO Matti Nannt, evolving from an earlier project called snoopForms.
Does Formbricks offer a free plan?
Yes, the Hobby plan is free and includes 1 workspace and up to 250 survey responses per month with the core feature set included.
Can Formbricks be self-hosted for GDPR compliance?
Yes, Formbricks can be fully self-hosted, and its managed cloud option is also GDPR-compliant and hosted in Frankfurt, Germany, for teams that prefer not to self-host.
How much does Formbricks cost?
Formbricks' Pro plan costs $74/month for 2,000 monthly responses and unlimited team seats, while the Scale plan costs $325/month for 5,000 monthly responses and advanced features like quota management.
How is Formbricks different from Typeform or Qualtrics?
Formbricks differentiates on open-source licensing and self-hosting options, positioning itself as a privacy-first alternative to hosted, closed-source platforms like Typeform and enterprise-only tools like Qualtrics.