Live polling tools compared in 2026: find the best Mentimeter alternative
Looking for the right live-polling software in 2026? Mentimeter, Slido, AhaSlides, Wooclap, Poll Everywhere, Vevox and Kahoot all offer interactive formats — but differ sharply on data ownership, participant limits and price. This overview compares them at a glance and shows where omul, as a self-hostable, open source alternative, makes the difference. A detailed head-to-head for each tool follows below.
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.
Every tool at a glance
The overview table
Six widely used polling tools across the dimensions that matter for European teams. None of the competitors is self-hostable or open source — that's where omul comes in.
| omul | Mentimeter | Slido | AhaSlides | Wooclap | Poll Everywhere | Vevox | Kahoot! | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data residency | EU or your servers | EU cloud (AWS Ireland) | Cisco cloud (SaaS) | Cloud SaaS, global | EU (ISO 27001, GDPR) | US cloud (SaaS) | Cloud SaaS (UK) | SaaS (Norway/EEA) |
| Self-hosting | yes | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Open source | AGPLv3 | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Free cap | Unlimited | 50 participants/mo | 100 participants/event, 3 polls | 50 concurrent participants | 1,000 participants, 5 questions | 40 responses/poll | 100 participants, limited | No business free; ~50 on entry |
| Billing | Monthly + annual | Annual only | Monthly/annual | Monthly/annual | Annual only | Monthly/annual | Monthly/annual | Per host · annual |
| SSO / OIDC | yes | Enterprise only | Enterprise (~$200/mo) | Higher tiers | Higher tiers | Higher tiers | Higher tiers | Higher tiers |
Decision guide
What to look for in a live-polling tool
Functionally most tools look alike — the differences hide in the fine print. These six criteria separate the providers in practice and should be on the table before any decision.
Data residency & GDPR
Where does your participants' data live? Many tools are US-adjacent SaaS with sub-processors outside the EU — the third-country transfer then becomes the sticking point for works councils and data protection. Look for EU hosting or self-hosting and a DPA.
GDPR & self-hosting in detailSelf-hosting & open source
Does the tool run only in the vendor's cloud, or on your own infrastructure too? Open-source, self-hostable solutions give you control over data, updates and operations — and protect you from vendor lock-in.
Participant limits
Free plans often cap participants per event or month and then lock you out. Check whether the limit fits your town halls and workshops — or whether participant count alone pushes you onto a paid plan.
Pricing model
Per presenter or flat? Cancellable monthly or annual only? Licenses that get pricier with every speaker add up fast. Transparent, predictable pricing makes budgeting easier.
SSO / OIDC
Do you need single sign-on for presenters? Many providers unlock SSO only on the most expensive Enterprise tier. Clarify early whether enterprise-grade authentication is available without the premium step.
Formats & joining
Do the formats cover what you need — polls, word clouds, quizzes, Q&A, scales? And does your audience join without an account or app, ideally via a code? Frictionless joining decides participation.
Head-to-head comparisons
omul in detail against each tool
Each comparison lays out features, privacy, limits and pricing — including the points where the competitor comes out ahead.
Mentimeter alternative
The well-known market leader with a large template library — but a closed cloud, not self-hostable.
CompareSlido alternative
Cisco backing and strong Q&A — but a closed cloud, a per-event free cap and SSO only on enterprise.
CompareAhaSlides alternative
Cheap entry and playful templates — but a cloud SaaS with a 50-cap and no self-hosting.
CompareWooclap alternative
EU-based, ISO 27001 & GDPR — the fairest cloud in the field. The omul edge: self-hosting & open source.
ComparePoll Everywhere alternative
Strong in US higher-ed, all question types free — but US cloud and only 40 responses per poll.
CompareVevox alternative
Strong anonymous Q&A and Teams integration — but a cloud SaaS with a restricted free tier.
CompareKahoot! alternative
The quiz-gamification classic — but participant-capped, closed source and quiz-focused. omul's edge: unlimited & open.
Compare
Ready?
Find the alternative that keeps your data yours
Self-hosting is free, the formats are the same — try omul in under a minute, no setup and no credit card.
No credit card · Free self-hosting · Open source (AGPLv3)