Best open-source CRMs
Free software still costs hosting time and maintenance. What each project's self-host and managed-cloud options actually mean in practice.
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Twenty wins for a team that wants a modern interface and a real managed-cloud fallback at $9/user/mo if self-hosting turns out to be more overhead than expected.
The short answer
- Twenty is free to self-host from its open-source code, or available as managed cloud hosting at $9/user/mo (Pro) or $19/user/mo (Organization, adds SSO and priority support).
- EspoCRM is free to self-host and lighter on server resources than some alternatives, with built-in email sync, a call log with VoIP integration hooks, and a mature report builder out of the box.
- Self-hosting is not free in practice once server costs, setup time and ongoing patching are counted; a managed-cloud tier from the same vendor is often the fairer cost comparison against a paid CRM.
- Open source and single-tenant data isolation are different properties; a CRM can offer one without the other, so check which one actually matters for a given data-ownership requirement.
How we compared these
We compared each project on whether self-hosting is genuinely free versus requiring separately-priced infrastructure, what a managed-cloud alternative costs from the same vendor, and what ships built in versus needing a plugin or custom work. Facts checked on vendor pricing pages, September 2026.
Open-source CRM comparison
| CRM | Self-host cost | Managed cloud price | Built in out of the box | Best for | Not for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twenty | Free (open-source code); server hosting cost is separate and not fixed | $9/user/mo Pro; $19/user/mo Organization (adds SSO) | Custom objects, full API access, email integration | A team that wants a modern interface with an easy managed-cloud fallback | A team that needs a mature report builder or VoIP call logging out of the box |
| EspoCRM | Free (open-source code); server hosting cost is separate and not fixed | $15/user/mo Basic (3-user minimum), $25/user/mo Enterprise (5-user minimum), $69/user/mo Ultimate (10-user minimum) | Mass email campaigns, IMAP/SMTP sync, call log with VoIP hooks, report builder | A team that wants more built-in functionality without plugins, and a lighter server footprint | A team that wants the newest, most actively evolving interface |
| SuiteCRM | Free (open-source code); no per-user licensing fee at all, even at scale | Fully managed hosting from £50/mo; implementation packages from £2,520 one-time; support plans from £1,200/yr | Sales, marketing and case modules; workflow automation; no per-seat cost ever, self-hosted or managed | A team that wants to avoid per-seat pricing entirely, even as headcount grows | A team that wants the vendor to host, patch and support it with no separate implementation project |
| Odoo | Free (Community edition, open-source code); Odoo CRM is not sold as a standalone paid app | Standard plan $7.95-$11.20/user/mo (annual/monthly), Custom plan $10.90-$17/user/mo, both bundle CRM with dozens of other Odoo apps | CRM plus the full Odoo app suite (inventory, accounting, website) on paid plans | A team that wants CRM alongside a much wider operational app suite from one vendor | A team that wants CRM only, without paying for or configuring unrelated apps |
Figures checked on vendor pricing pages, September 2026, including espocrm.com/pricing, suitecrm.com and odoo.com/pricing. Krayin and Vtiger's self-hosted editions were considered but their current published figures were not independently confirmed for this table, so they are left out rather than guessed.
The field, ranked
1. Twenty
A modern interface and a genuine managed-cloud option at a clear per-user price if self-hosting proves to be more work than expected. Not for a team that wants a mature, feature-complete tool out of the box without customization.
2. EspoCRM
More built-in functionality without plugins, including email sync and a report builder, at a lighter server footprint. Not for a team that prioritizes the newest interface.
3. SuiteCRM
Genuinely free at any headcount, with no per-seat fee even on the managed-hosting or support add-ons. Not for a team that wants a single vendor to host, patch and support it without a separate implementation project.
4. Odoo
CRM bundled with a much wider operational app suite, useful if the team also needs inventory or accounting from the same vendor. Not for a team that wants CRM only, since the paid plans price and configure the whole suite together.
How to choose
Choose Twenty if you want a modern interface with a managed cloud at $9/user/mo if self-hosting turns into too much work. Choose EspoCRM if you want more built in, like email sync and a report builder, on a lighter server. Choose SuiteCRM if you want it free at any headcount. Choose Odoo if you also need inventory or accounting from the same vendor. If nobody on your team wants to run a server, pick the managed option of whichever you choose.
If data ownership is the reason you are looking at open source, SalesCrew gives each client its own database with a full export, at one price with unlimited seats. The pricing page lists every tier. Disclosure: SalesCrew is our product.
Questions
- Is open-source the same as free?
- The software is free to run yourself, but self-hosting is not free in practice: it costs server time, setup effort and ongoing maintenance. Most open-source CRM vendors also sell a managed-cloud version of the same software for a monthly fee that covers hosting and support instead.
- Why would a team self-host instead of paying for a managed CRM?
- Full control over the data and infrastructure, no per-seat pricing at scale, and the ability to modify the source code directly. The tradeoff is that the team, not a vendor, is responsible for uptime, backups, security patches and upgrades.
- Is self-hosted the same as single-tenant?
- Not necessarily. Self-hosted means you run the software on your own infrastructure. Single-tenant means each customer gets an isolated database and instance, whether hosted by the vendor or by you. A CRM can be single-tenant without being open source, and open source without being single-tenant if it is run as one shared instance for many teams.
- How does SalesCrew compare on data ownership?
- Disclosure: SalesCrew is our product. It is single-tenant: each client gets its own Supabase project and a full data export. It is here as a comparison point for teams weighing data ownership against open-source control.