Overview

DataLion is a web-based platform for building surveys, analyzing collected or imported data, and sharing results in dashboards and reports. It best suits research teams and agencies that need survey workflows and deeper analysis alongside dashboard delivery. Its breadth is compelling, but the free plan is too constrained for most team use and meaningful sharing.

Questionnaires can use skip logic and be distributed through the platform; publishing one automatically creates a dataset, codebook, and live dashboard. DataLion also accepts SPSS, Excel, CSV, database, and API data, with scheduled imports and support for combining sources in a project. That makes it useful when survey responses are only one part of the evidence a team needs to bring together.

DataLion is a Munich-based software company founded in 2014. For category-wide options, see our Sales Analytics Software and Market Research Software lists.

Key features

Research analysis

The analysis toolkit includes crosstabs, significance testing, weighting, regression, ANOVA, MaxDiff, price sensitivity analysis, and sentiment and topic analysis. This is a stronger fit for teams doing structured market or consumer research than for buyers seeking only basic charts. The free tier omits crosstabs and AI analysis, so evaluating the analytical workflow may require a paid plan.

Dashboards and outputs

Drag-and-drop tools, interactive filters, drill-downs, and more than 50 chart types give teams several ways to present findings. Editable PowerPoint, Google Slides, Excel, PDF, image, and CSV exports support handoff to different audiences; a Power BI OData feed and AI access through MCP extend the options for connected workflows. Exports are not included in Free, which limits that tier as a reporting tool.

Access and deployment

Roles, granular access profiles, optional two-factor authentication, and SSO support controlled access. The maker says hosting is in Germany in ISO 27001-certified data centers; that certification applies to the data centers and hosting, not DataLion itself. Its Art. 28 GDPR Data Processing Agreement is included. Organizations can choose on-premise Docker-based deployment or a dedicated hosted instance, making Enterprise the relevant route for those deployment options.

Pricing

DataLion uses a freemium model, with paid plans starting at €100/mo (annual) and a 14-day trial. Paid monthly amounts below are billed annually and exclude VAT.

Plan	Price	What it includes
Free	0.00 EUR per free, free forever	1 user, 1 project, 100 cases; surveys, AI builder, 75 templates, Excel/CSV/SPSS import, and live dashboards. Excludes exports and AI analysis; crosstabs are also excluded.
Solo	100.00 EUR per month	1 administrator licence, unlimited projects, full analysis, exports, AI analysis, Theme Studio, REST API, and Claude/MCP.
Starter	350.00 EUR per month	1 administrator and 5 viewers; everything in Solo, live dashboard sharing, and the option to add viewers anytime.
Pro	525.00 EUR per month	1 admin, 1 editor, and 10 viewers; everything in Starter, white label, Conjoint (CBC), BI views, and priority support.
Enterprise	1400.00 EUR per month minimum fee	Annual contract by licence mix, tailored licences, dedicated hosting in Germany or self-hosting, SSO, SLA, personal contact, onboarding, training, and data consultancy.

Free is suitable for a single user exploring surveys or a small, tightly bounded project, not for a team: its one-project and 100-case caps are restrictive, and it lacks exports and crosstabs. Solo adds the analysis and export capabilities but has only one administrator licence, so it suits individual practitioners. Starter is the first plan with viewer seats and live dashboard sharing; Pro adds an editor, more viewers, white labeling, BI views, Conjoint, and priority support. Enterprise carries a minimum fee and annual commitment, so it is aimed at organizations that need tailored licensing, dedicated hosting or self-hosting, and service commitments. All plans include German-language email and help-center support; priority support starts at Pro, while Enterprise also includes an SLA and personal contact.

Platforms

DataLion is available on the web, through an API, and as self-hosted software. On-premise Docker-based deployment and dedicated hosting are Enterprise options. This gives organizations with hosting requirements a deployment path beyond the standard hosted service, while the core web platform serves teams working in a browser.

Who it's for

DataLion is a strong candidate for market research institutes, in-house research and consumer-insights teams, agencies, HR teams, and publishers that need surveys, analysis, and interactive reporting in one workflow. Its imports and analysis tools also suit projects combining survey responses with existing datasets. Buyers who need only a small survey, or teams that require multiple users and substantial case volumes without a larger budget, should look closely at the free caps and paid seat structure before committing.

Pros and cons

Pros

Survey-to-dashboard workflow: Publishing a survey automatically produces a dataset, codebook, and live dashboard, reducing the gap between collection and presentation.
Substantial analysis range: Methods such as regression, ANOVA, MaxDiff, and price sensitivity analysis serve research use cases beyond basic dashboarding.
Flexible data and deployment: Scheduled imports, multiple source types, API access, and Enterprise self-hosting or dedicated hosting give teams options for integrating data and meeting deployment needs.
Broad output choices: Editable presentation exports, spreadsheet and document formats, Power BI OData, and MCP access accommodate different reporting workflows on paid plans.

Cons

Free is severely capped: One user, one project, and 100 cases, with no exports or crosstabs, make it a limited preview rather than a practical team tier.
Sharing requires a higher plan: Starter is the first plan with viewer seats and live dashboard sharing, while Solo remains a single-administrator licence.
Enterprise has a substantial commitment: Its €1,400 monthly minimum fee and annual contract make its deployment and service benefits costly for smaller teams.

Alternatives

MoData is worth considering for a small sales team looking for a free tier: its Free plan covers sales teams under five, one data integration, and any 10 pre-built dashboards. Choose it when those dashboard limits fit better than DataLion’s survey and research workflow.

OptiKratos Email is the more relevant option for email or WhatsApp campaign delivery: its plans include a free tier of 15,000 emails per month and a Starter plan with 5K contacts and one channel. It is a different tool from DataLion’s survey analysis and dashboard focus.

Weflow is another option in the sales software category.

RevenueGrid is another option in the sales software category.

Gong Forecast is another option in the sales software category.

Aviso Sales Engagement is another option in the sales software category.

Discern Sales Intelligence is another option in the sales software category.

Xactly Incent is another option in the sales software category.

Verdict

Choose DataLion if your research or insights team needs surveys, serious analysis, and interactive dashboards in one platform, especially when it must combine external datasets or support a dedicated deployment. The main reason to look elsewhere is cost and scale at the entry end: Free is narrowly capped, Solo has one administrator, and team sharing begins at Starter.

	DataLion	Sawtooth Software
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	€100/mo	Free
Open source	No	No
Platforms	api, self-hosted, Web	api
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Response limit	—	50 responses

DataLion vs Sawtooth Software

DataLion

Sawtooth Software