This paper describes the design of substrate emitting microcavity LED's and a comparison of experimental results with modeling results, The modeling is based on a simulation tool which accounts for guided modes, quantum well reabsorption and photon recycling, The overall quantum efficiencies of lambda/2 and lambda cavities both with a 60% and a 90% reflecting DBR mirror are compared and a good qualitative correspondence is found between theory and experiment. The maximum theoretical overall quantum efficiency for the considered structures is expected to be around 14%, whereas the best experimental value amounts to 10.2%.