The AhaSlides alternative without participant caps 2026
Looking for an AhaSlides alternative in 2026? AhaSlides scores on a low entry price and playful templates like spin-the-wheel — but it's a closed cloud service that caps the free tier at 50 concurrent participants and isn't self-hostable. By contrast, omul offers the same live formats, runs on your servers or in the EU, is open source (AGPLv3) and has no participant limits. This comparison shows both sides — including where AhaSlides is ahead.
No credit card · Free self-hosting · Open source (AGPLv3)
Running in production at HyHyve events
As part of the HyHyve ecosystem, omul runs live at real events — used by teams from companies like these.
The short version
Where omul makes the difference
- Your data stays in the EU or on your servers — instead of the global AhaSlides cloud.
- No 50-participant free-tier cap — omul doesn't cap.
- Self-hostable and open source (AGPLv3) — full control instead of pure SaaS.
- Transparent pricing with no per-user tiering.
Feature by feature
The comparison table
Same core formats, same live experience. The table below shows where omul and AhaSlides differ — based on publicly available information.
| Feature | omul | AhaSlides |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosting on your own servers | yes | no |
| Open source | AGPLv3 | no |
| Data residency | EU or your servers | Cloud SaaS, global |
| Participant limit per event | Unlimited | 50 concurrent free |
| Join without a participant account | yes | yes |
| Polls, word clouds, quizzes, Q&A, scales | yes | yes |
| SSO / OIDC | yes | Higher tiers |
| Pricing model | Transparent, predictable | Per user |
| Data export | yes | yes |
Explained in detail
omul vs. AhaSlides: every feature explained
Is AhaSlides GDPR-compliant?
AhaSlides is a globally hosted cloud service; you don't decide where the data sits. A GDPR-compliant deployment is possible, but the global hosting approach becomes a topic the moment a works council or data protection officer has a say. You run omul self-hosted or EU-hosted — the data stays in the EU or with you.
How many participants does AhaSlides allow for free?
AhaSlides limits the free tier to 50 concurrent participants. Larger town halls or conferences blow past that quickly. With omul there is no cap — whether 50 or 5,000 vote, the price is the same.
What does AhaSlides cost?
AhaSlides is cheap: Essential starts at around $7.95/month (billed annually), but it tiers per user and unlocks features only on higher plans. With omul self-hosting is free, and the hosted option is transparently priced.
Can you self-host AhaSlides?
No — AhaSlides only runs in their cloud and is closed source. Not so with omul: open source under AGPLv3 and built for self-hosting — full data control, no vendor lock-in.
Does AhaSlides offer SSO?
AhaSlides unlocks single sign-on only on higher tiers. With omul, SSO/OIDC is part of the offering without forcing you onto an expensive plan.
Which formats do AhaSlides and omul offer?
Both cover live polls, word clouds, quizzes, Q&A and scales. AhaSlides scores with playful templates like spin-the-wheel and AI-generated slides; omul focuses on the core interactive formats and leaves slide design to the tool you already use.
No credit card · Free self-hosting · Open source (AGPLv3)
What it means in practice
The four differences that matter day to day
Privacy & data residency
AhaSlides is a globally hosted cloud service. You run omul self-hosted or EU-hosted — decisive the moment a works council or data protection officer has a say.
More on GDPR & self-hostingParticipant limits
AhaSlides limits the free tier to 50 concurrent participants. With omul there is no cap — whether 50 or 5,000 vote, the price is the same.
Self-hosting & lock-in
AhaSlides only runs in their cloud. Not so with omul: open source (AGPLv3), running on your infrastructure — no vendor lock-in, full data control.
Pricing model
AhaSlides is cheap but tiers per user and unlocks features only on higher plans. With omul self-hosting is free, and the hosted option is transparently priced.
Staying fair
Where AhaSlides is (still) ahead
AhaSlides has clear strengths, especially for small budgets and casual settings. Two areas where it leads omul today:
Low entry price & playful templates
With Essential from around $7.95/month (annual) and gamification like spin-the-wheel, AhaSlides is cheap and fun for casual events.
AI slide generation
AhaSlides generates presentation content with AI. With omul the focus is the core interactive formats, leaving slide design to the tool you already use.
Frequently asked questions about the comparison
Is omul a full AhaSlides alternative?
For the core interactive formats — live polls, word clouds, quizzes, Q&A and scales — yes. AhaSlides offers more playful templates and AI slides; on data ownership, self-hosting and participant limits, omul leads.
What's the biggest difference between omul and AhaSlides?
Data ownership and scale: omul is self-hosted or EU-hosted, open source (AGPLv3) and has no participant limits, whereas AhaSlides is a closed cloud service with a 50-participant free cap.
Is omul cheaper than AhaSlides?
Self-hosting is free — there's no cheaper model. For the hosted option, omul uses transparent pricing with no participant limits, which adds up quickly at larger events.
What is AhaSlides' participant limit?
AhaSlides limits the free tier to 50 concurrent participants. With omul there is no such cap.
What does AhaSlides cost?
AhaSlides starts with Essential at around $7.95/month (billed annually) and tiers per user. With omul self-hosting is free and the hosted option is transparently priced.
Is AhaSlides GDPR-compliant?
AhaSlides is a globally hosted cloud service; a GDPR-compliant deployment is possible, but the hosting location is not in your hands. With omul, self-hosting or EU hosting settles it.
More alternatives
See all comparisons- Wooclap alternativeEU-based, ISO 27001 & GDPR — the fairest cloud in the field. The omul edge: self-hosting & open source.
- Poll Everywhere alternativeStrong in US higher-ed, all question types free — but US cloud and only 40 responses per poll.
- Vevox alternativeStrong anonymous Q&A and Teams integration — but a cloud SaaS with a restricted free tier.
See for yourself
Try the GDPR-compliant Mentimeter alternative
Create your first live poll in under a minute — no setup, no credit card.
No credit card · Free self-hosting · Open source (AGPLv3)