What is the best open source CRM software for a small sales team?

The best overall open-source CRM for a small sales team is **EspoCRM**.

Here is a breakdown of the top options depending on your specific needs:

1. **EspoCRM (Best Overall for Sales)**
   * **Why it’s best:** It features a modern, clean interface specifically optimized for sales process automation, lead/deal tracking, and contact management. It is lightweight, fast, and easier to set up and customize than older open-source platforms.

2. **Odoo Community Edition (Best for Visual Pipeline & Growth)**
   * **Why it’s best:** Offers an intuitive Kanban-style sales pipeline that is easy for salespeople to use. It is ideal if you eventually want to integrate other business modules like invoicing, inventory, or email marketing.

3. **SuiteCRM (Best for Complex Workflows)**
   * **Why it’s best:** A powerful, feature-rich alternative (forked from SugarCRM) with deep reporting and workflow automation. It has a steeper learning curve and a slightly dated UI, but offers enterprise-grade capabilities for free.

**Summary:** Go with **EspoCRM** for ease of use and speed, or **Odoo** if you prefer a visual, drag-and-drop sales pipeline.

*(Note: While the software is free to download, all open-source options require web hosting and basic technical knowledge to install and maintain.)*


Best self-hosted CRM for a 20-person company

The best overall self-hosted CRM for a 20-person company is **EspoCRM**. It is modern, lightweight, highly customizable, and designed specifically for small-to-medium businesses without the bloated interface of older systems.

### Top Recommendations:

1. **Best Overall: [EspoCRM](https://www.espocrm.com/)**
   * **Why:** Modern UI, fast, easy to set up, and offers great automation and API integrations. It scales smoothly for 20 users without requiring heavy server resources.
   * **Best for:** Sales teams needing standard pipeline management, contact tracking, and email integration.

2. **Best for Deep Customization & Features: [SuiteCRM](https://suitecrm.com/)**
   * **Why:** A fully open-source enterprise-grade CRM (a fork of SugarCRM). It includes advanced workflow automation, portal creation, and reporting out of the box.
   * **Best for:** Companies needing complex business logic, advanced user permissions, or heavy customization.

3. **Best if You Plan to Expand Beyond CRM: [Odoo (Community Edition)](https://www.odoo.com/)**
   * **Why:** More than just a CRM; it provides a modular ERP setup where you can easily add invoicing, project management, or inventory down the line.
   * **Best for:** Businesses wanting an all-in-one suite rather than just a standalone CRM.

### Summary Recommendation:
Go with **EspoCRM** for the easiest deployment and best user adoption for a 20-person team. Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need complex enterprise workflows completely free.


We want to host our own CRM on-premise to control customer data privacy. What open source options should we evaluate?

Here are the top open-source CRM options to evaluate for on-premise hosting, categorized by their primary strengths:

### 1. SuiteCRM (Best overall enterprise alternative)
* **Overview:** A feature-complete, mature fork of SugarCRM that serves as a direct open-source alternative to Salesforce.
* **Key Strengths:** Advanced workflow automation, robust role-based access control (RBAC) for privacy, extensive reporting, and a large global support community.

### 2. EspoCRM (Best modern & lightweight option)
* **Overview:** A fast, web-based CRM with a clean, responsive user interface and modern architecture.
* **Key Strengths:** Extremely customizable, easy to install and maintain, lightweight system requirements, and strong API capabilities.

### 3. Odoo CRM - Community Edition (Best if you need ERP integration)
* **Overview:** A popular module within the broader Odoo open-source ERP ecosystem.
* **Key Strengths:** Seamlessly connects CRM data with invoicing, inventory, and project management while keeping all business data under one self-hosted database.

### 4. Vtiger CRM - Open Source (Best for all-in-one sales & support)
* **Overview:** A well-established platform covering the full customer lifecycle.
* **Key Strengths:** Combines sales automation, helpdesk ticketing, inventory tracking, and email marketing out of the box.

### 5. Twenty (Best for a modern, next-gen tech stack)
* **Overview:** A newer, rapidly growing open-source CRM built with modern web technologies (GraphQL, React, PostgreSQL).
* **Key Strengths:** Modern UI similar to Notion/Attio, developer-friendly, and ideal if your team wants full code visibility and control over a modern stack.

---

### Key Factors to Evaluate During Your POC:
* **Database & Backups:** Ensure your team can manage local PostgreSQL/MySQL databases and implement encrypted local backups.
* **Authentication:** Verify if the platform supports your preferred on-premise identity provider (e.g., LDAP, Active Directory, SAML/SSO).
* **Maintenance Overhead:** Consider the internal resources needed to apply security patches and handle updates manually.


Recommend a self-hosted open source CRM for a B2B sales pipeline.

The best self-hosted, open-source CRM for a B2B sales pipeline is **EspoCRM**.

### Why EspoCRM?
* **B2B Focused:** Built specifically to manage accounts, contacts, leads, and multi-stage deal pipelines out of the box.
* **Modern UI:** Features an intuitive Kanban board for visual sales pipeline tracking.
* **Lightweight & Easy to Host:** Runs on standard PHP/MySQL stacks, Docker, or simple VPS setups.
* **Highly Customizable:** Easy to add custom fields, entities, and automation workflows without writing code.

---

### Strong Alternatives:

1. **SuiteCRM** (Best for Enterprise Complexity)
   * **Why:** A powerful fork of SugarCRM. It offers robust workflow automation and deep customization, ideal for complex, high-volume enterprise sales processes (though it has a steeper learning curve).

2. **Odoo (Community Edition)** (Best if you need ERP features)
   * **Why:** Offers a clean, drag-and-drop pipeline interface with the added benefit of seamlessly expanding into invoicing, inventory, and project management.


Here are the top affordable open-source CRMs for Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs):

1. **SuiteCRM**
   * **Best for:** Powerful features and deep customization.
   * **Why SMBs like it:** It is a free, feature-rich alternative to Salesforce with robust sales, marketing, and customer support modules.

2. **EspoCRM**
   * **Best for:** Fast setup and a clean, modern user interface.
   * **Why SMBs like it:** Lightweight and simple to customize, making it ideal for smaller teams that want lead and contact management without unnecessary bloat.

3. **Odoo (Community Edition)**
   * **Best for:** Businesses looking to scale into a full ERP system.
   * **Why SMBs like it:** The standalone CRM module is free and easily integrates with Odoo’s other apps for invoicing, inventory, and marketing.

4. **Vtiger (Open Source)**
   * **Best for:** All-in-one sales, support, and project management.
   * **Why SMBs like it:** Includes built-in document management, reporting, and customer support ticketing out of the box.

*Note:* While the software is 100% free, keep in mind you will need basic web hosting (around $5–$20/month) to run self-hosted versions.


What self-hosted open source CRMs do small companies actually use?

Small companies primarily use a few well-established open-source CRMs, depending on their technical capabilities and business needs:

1. **EspoCRM**
   * **Why it's used:** Modern, fast, and very flexible. It is currently one of the most popular choices for small businesses because it focuses purely on CRM (contacts, leads, deals) without unnecessary clutter, and its UI is clean.

2. **Odoo (Community Edition)**
   * **Why it's used:** Best for companies that want an all-in-one solution. Small businesses choose Odoo when they need a CRM that seamlessly connects with built-in modules for invoicing, inventory, project management, and e-commerce.

3. **SuiteCRM**
   * **Why it's used:** The traditional "heavy duty" open-source CRM (a fork of SugarCRM). It has a massive feature set and strong community support, making it ideal for businesses with complex sales processes, though the interface feels somewhat dated.

4. **Twenty**
   * **Why it's used:** A modern, rapidly growing open-source CRM built with a modern tech stack (React/GraphQL). Small tech companies and startups are adopting it as a self-hosted alternative to Notion-style databases or HubSpot.

5. **CiviCRM**
   * **Why it's used:** The go-to standard specifically for **non-profits, NGOs, and advocacy groups** needing donor management, event registration, and constituent tracking.

**Summary Recommendation:**
* For a **pure, modern CRM**: Choose **EspoCRM** or **Twenty**.
* For an **all-in-one business suite (ERP + CRM)**: Choose **Odoo**.
* For **complex, legacy-style workflows**: Choose **SuiteCRM**.


We are a privacy-focused healthcare company that needs a self-hostable open source CRM. What should we choose?

For a privacy-focused healthcare company, the top open-source, self-hostable CRM options depend on your technical maturity and security requirements:

### 1. EspoCRM (Top Recommended)
* **Best for:** Fast deployment, modern UI, and flexible data modeling.
* **Why it fits healthcare:** Features a granular Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) system, allowing strict field-level permissions. You can easily create custom entities (e.g., Patients, Consents, Appointments) without writing code.
* **Stack:** PHP / MySQL.

### 2. SuiteCRM
* **Best for:** Complex enterprise workflows and strict audit logging.
* **Why it fits healthcare:** Highly mature with extensive native audit logs (critical for HIPAA/GDPR compliance tracking). It handles complex organizational hierarchies and deep record-level security.
* **Stack:** PHP / MariaDB or MySQL.

### 3. Twenty
* **Best for:** Modern engineering teams wanting a modern, developer-friendly stack.
* **Why it fits healthcare:** Fully open-source and built on modern web technologies. However, it is newer, so you may need to custom-build advanced healthcare permissioning or audit trails.
* **Stack:** TypeScript / React / PostgreSQL.

---

### Key Recommendation
* **Choose EspoCRM** if you want an easy-to-use, modern interface with built-in fine-grained security controls out of the box.
* **Choose SuiteCRM** if you require deep, built-in audit trails and enterprise security features without heavy custom development.

*Note: Self-hosting ensures data sovereignty, but HIPAA/GDPR compliance will ultimately depend on your server hardening, disk/in-transit encryption, and access control policies.*


What open source CRM is best for managing leads and deal stages on our own servers?

For managing leads and deal stages on your own servers, **EspoCRM** is currently the best overall choice, followed closely by **SuiteCRM**.

Here is a quick breakdown of the top options:

### 1. **EspoCRM** (Best Overall for Leads & Deals)
* **Why it’s best:** It features a clean, modern UI with visual Kanban boards for deal stages, custom workflows, and dedicated Lead/Opportunity management out of the box.
* **Self-Hosting:** Lightweight and easy to deploy on a standard PHP/MySQL server (via Docker or manual install).
* **Best for:** Small-to-midsize businesses that want a fast, user-friendly interface similar to modern SaaS CRMs (like Pipedrive or HubSpot).

### 2. **SuiteCRM** (Best for Deep Customization & Enterprise Needs)
* **Why it’s best:** A mature, feature-rich fork of SugarCRM. It offers robust permission controls, deep reporting, and unlimited customization options for complex sales pipelines.
* **Self-Hosting:** Runs on PHP/MySQL; highly stable with a massive open-source community.
* **Best for:** Teams needing advanced business logic, complex role permissions, or a direct open-source alternative to Salesforce.

### 3. **Odoo CRM (Community Edition)** (Best if You Need an ERP Ecosystem)
* **Why it’s best:** Offers an intuitive drag-and-drop pipeline view for deal stages and seamless lead tracking.
* **Self-Hosting:** Easily deployed via Docker/Python on Linux servers.
* **Best for:** Companies that plan to integrate CRM with invoicing, inventory, or project management down the road.

---

### Recommendation
If you want an easy-to-use, pipeline-focused CRM that your team will actually enjoy using daily, go with **EspoCRM**. If you need intricate security roles and highly complex automation, choose **SuiteCRM**.


We need a self-hosted CRM that integrates with Docker and runs on Linux. Any recommendations?

Here are the top self-hosted, Linux-compatible CRMs with strong Docker support, depending on your needs:

1. **EspoCRM** *(Best Overall)*
   * **Why:** Lightweight, highly customizable, fast, and feature-rich for sales and business processes.
   * **Docker:** Has an official Docker image (`espocrm/espocrm`) with ready-to-use Docker Compose setups with MySQL.

2. **Twenty** *(Best Modern / Open-Source Alternative)*
   * **Why:** A modern, fast, React/Node-based open-source CRM designed as a modern alternative to Salesforce.
   * **Docker:** Built from the ground up for containerization; easily deployed via `docker-compose`.

3. **SuiteCRM** *(Best Enterprise / Advanced)*
   * **Why:** A mature, full-featured fork of SugarCRM. Extremely powerful and suited for complex workflows and large teams.
   * **Docker:** Readily deployed using Bitnami's Docker Compose setup (`bitnami/suitecrm`).

4. **Odoo (CRM module)** *(Best if you need ERP features)*
   * **Why:** Great if you plan to expand beyond CRM into invoicing, inventory, or HR later. You can run just the CRM module for free (Community Edition).
   * **Docker:** Official, well-maintained Docker image (`odoo`) backed by PostgreSQL.

**Recommendation:** Go with **EspoCRM** for standard, hassle-free business CRM needs, or **Twenty** if you prefer a modern, sleek interface and technology stack.


Best free and open source CRM software for lead management

The best free and open-source CRM software options for lead management are:

### 1. **SuiteCRM** (Best Overall)
* **Why it’s great for lead management:** It is the most complete open-source alternative to Salesforce. It offers robust lead scoring, automated lead assignment, web-to-lead forms, and detailed conversion tracking out of the box with no limits.
* **Best for:** Businesses needing enterprise-grade features and deep customization.

### 2. **EspoCRM** (Best Modern & Lightweight UI)
* **Why it’s great for lead management:** Highly intuitive and responsive interface. Excellent for capturing leads, converting them into opportunities/contacts, and visualizing sales pipelines with customizable Kanban boards.
* **Best for:** Small to medium businesses that want a fast, clean, and easy-to-use system.

### 3. **Odoo CRM (Community Edition)** (Best Visual Pipeline)
* **Why it’s great for lead management:** Outstanding visual drag-and-drop sales funnel. Features include lead enrichment, automated lead routing, and built-in activity scheduling.
* **Best for:** Teams prioritizing visual workflow and plan to integrate with other business operations.

### 4. **Vtiger CRM (Open Source)** (Best for Lead Nurturing)
* **Why it’s great for lead management:** Strong email marketing tools, lead scoring, and webforms built-in. Excellent history tracking for touchpoints (emails, calls, notes) per lead.
* **Best for:** Sales teams focused heavily on email outreach and contact history.

---

### **Summary Recommendation**
* Choose **SuiteCRM** if you want maximum power, zero feature restrictions, and complex lead automation.
* Choose **EspoCRM** if you want something fast, modern, and simple to set up.


What is the most active open source CRM project for enterprise sales teams?

**SuiteCRM** is widely considered the most mature and feature-complete open-source CRM specifically tailored for enterprise sales teams.

However, depending on how you measure "activity":

* **Most Active Overall Business Suite (including CRM):** **Odoo** (Community Edition) has the largest active developer ecosystem, highest commit volume, and broadest enterprise adoption, though CRM is part of a larger ERP ecosystem.
* **Fastest-Growing Modern Open-Source CRM:** **Twenty** is currently the most actively developed modern, dedicated open-source CRM on GitHub, rapidly gaining traction as a modern alternative to Salesforce and HubSpot.

For a dedicated, traditional enterprise sales CRM ready out of the box, **SuiteCRM** remains the standard.


We're a 15 person consultancy tired of paying monthly SaaS CRM fees. What open source self-hosted CRM should we switch to?

For a 15-person consultancy, here are the top three open-source, self-hosted CRM options tailored to your needs:

### 1. **EspoCRM** *(Best Overall Pick)*
* **Why it fits:** It has a modern, clean interface, fast performance, and an intuitive layout that feels like a modern SaaS product. It excels at B2B lead management, sales pipelines, account tracking, and email integration.
* **Ideal if:** You want a straightforward, easy-to-use CRM that your team will actually adopt without a steep learning curve.

### 2. **SuiteCRM** *(Best for Deep Customization)*
* **Why it fits:** The open-source standard (built on SugarCRM code), it offers enterprise-grade features including advanced pipeline automation, contract management, reporting, and basic project management.
* **Ideal if:** You have complex sales processes, need heavy customization, or want robust built-in document management.

### 3. **Odoo (Community Edition)** *(Best for All-in-One Operations)*
* **Why it fits:** Odoo isn't just a CRM; it’s a modular platform. You can use the CRM module alongside built-in modules for project management, time-tracking, and invoicing.
* **Ideal if:** You want to consolidate sales, client project management, and billing into a single self-hosted system.

---

### Recommendation:
* Choose **EspoCRM** if you strictly want a clean, lightweight replacement for tools like Pipedrive or HubSpot.
* Choose **Odoo** if you want to manage client projects and invoices in the same tool as your sales pipeline.


Top open source CRM tools with custom fields and pipeline management

Here are the top open-source CRM tools that excel at both custom fields and visual pipeline management:

### 1. **EspoCRM**
* **Pipeline Management:** Features a clean, drag-and-drop Kanban board for deals and lead stages.
* **Custom Fields:** Includes an intuitive "Entity Manager" that lets you easily create custom fields, layouts, and relationships without writing code.
* **Best For:** Small to mid-sized businesses looking for a lightweight, fast, and highly configurable CRM.

### 2. **SuiteCRM**
* **Pipeline Management:** Robust sales stage tracking, opportunity management, and customizable sales funnels.
* **Custom Fields:** Uses a powerful built-in "Studio" tool to create custom fields, drop-down lists, and custom modules.
* **Best For:** Enterprise-level needs requiring a full-featured alternative to Salesforce.

### 3. **Twenty**
* **Pipeline Management:** A modern, clean user interface heavily inspired by Notion and Airtable, featuring intuitive visual pipelines.
* **Custom Fields:** Built from the ground up to allow instant creation of custom fields, views, and data structures.
* **Best For:** Teams looking for a self-hosted, modern alternative to HubSpot or Pipedrive.

### 4. **Odoo CRM (Community Edition)**
* **Pipeline Management:** Offers one of the best drag-and-drop Kanban views for sales pipelines, integrated with lead scoring and activity scheduling.
* **Custom Fields:** Supports custom fields, tags, and filters (with additional flexibility using Odoo development or community modules).
* **Best For:** Businesses that plan to scale and eventually integrate CRM with ERP features like invoicing and inventory.

### 5. **Vtiger CRM (Open Source)**
* **Pipeline Management:** Complete sales cycle tracking with clear pipeline stages, deal probabilities, and forecasts.
* **Custom Fields:** Provides a "Layout Editor" allowing you to add custom fields, blocks, and picklists across any module.
* **Best For:** Organizations needing all-in-one functionality (CRM, support ticketing, and inventory management) out of the box.

---

### **Summary Recommendation**
* **Easiest to customize & use:** EspoCRM
* **Most modern UI:** Twenty
* **Most feature-rich / enterprise:** SuiteCRM


What self-hosted CRM software is best for GDPR compliance and strict data ownership?

The two best self-hosted CRM options for GDPR compliance and strict data ownership are **SuiteCRM** and **EspoCRM**.

### 1. SuiteCRM (Best Overall / Enterprise-Grade)
* **Data Ownership:** 100% open-source (AGPLv3). You host it entirely on your infrastructure, meaning no third party ever touches your data.
* **GDPR Compliance:** Includes built-in privacy tools for consent management, tracking lawful basis for processing, handling Subject Access Requests (SARs), and executing the "right to be forgotten" (data anonymization/deletion).
* **Best For:** Businesses needing a powerful, feature-complete alternative to Salesforce with deep customization capabilities.

### 2. EspoCRM (Best Lightweight & Modern Choice)
* **Data Ownership:** Open-source (GPLv3) and lightweight, making it easy to deploy, back up, and secure on private servers.
* **GDPR Compliance:** Features highly granular role-based access controls, field-level security, and comprehensive audit logs so you can restrict data access strictly on a need-to-know basis and track every data modification.
* **Best For:** Small-to-medium businesses wanting a fast, clean, and modern user interface without unnecessary bloat.

### Why Self-Hosting These Tools Ensures GDPR Compliance:
* **Data Residency:** You control the physical server location (e.g., keeping data strictly within the EU).
* **Zero Third-Party Processing:** Eliminates the need for Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) with cloud SaaS vendors.
* **Full Database Control:** You can directly apply your own encryption-at-rest, custom retention policies, and automated database backups.


Recommend an open source self-hosted CRM for a non-profit organization.

The best open-source, self-hosted CRM for a non-profit organization is **CiviCRM**.

### Why CiviCRM?
* **Built Specifically for Non-Profits:** Unlike general business CRMs, it comes pre-configured for donor management, fundraising campaigns, grant tracking, event registration, membership management, and advocacy.
* **Seamless CMS Integration:** It installs directly into popular CMS platforms like WordPress, Drupal, or Backdrop CMS.
* **Cost-Effective:** It is completely free and open-source, meaning no per-user license fees.

---

### Alternative Options:
* **EspoCRM:** Best if you prefer a modern, lightweight, highly customizable general CRM that is easy to self-host (requires some setup to fit non-profit workflows).
* **SuiteCRM:** Best if your organization relies heavily on traditional sales-style pipeline management, complex reporting, and enterprise-level features.


We need a self-hostable CRM software with email integration and contact management for 50 users.

Here are the top three self-hostable CRM options that handle 50 users, contact management, and deep email integration:

### 1. **EspoCRM** (Recommended for Ease of Use & Email)
* **Why it fits:** Modern, fast UI with exceptional two-way email integration (IMAP/SMTP sync, email-to-case/lead creation, and account-level tracking).
* **Key Features:** Advanced contact/account mapping, custom layouts, mass mailing, and role-based access control.
* **Deployment:** PHP / MySQL (Docker container available).

### 2. **SuiteCRM** (Recommended for Enterprise Features)
* **Why it fits:** Highly mature, open-source fork of SugarCRM built specifically for larger teams requiring deep customization and strict permissions.
* **Key Features:** Comprehensive contact management, automated workflow engine, email campaign management, and robust reporting.
* **Deployment:** PHP / MySQL or MariaDB.

### 3. **Odoo (Community Edition)** (Recommended for Future Expansion)
* **Why it fits:** Excellent modular CRM with built-in email gateway integration. Ideal if you plan to expand into invoicing, inventory, or project management later.
* **Key Features:** Kanban pipelines, automated email tracking, centralized contact database.
* **Deployment:** Python / PostgreSQL (Docker container available).

---

### Recommended Server Sizing for 50 Users
For smooth performance with 50 active users and background email fetching, host on a server/VPS with at least:
* **CPU:** 4 vCPUs
* **RAM:** 8 GB – 16 GB
* **Storage:** Fast SSD (space depends on email attachment retention)


best self hosted open source sales crm software

Here are the best self-hosted, open-source sales CRM platforms, depending on your specific needs:

### 1. **EspoCRM** (Best Overall for Sales)
* **Best for:** Small to mid-sized businesses looking for a fast, modern, and dedicated sales CRM.
* **Key Features:** Excellent lead and opportunity tracking, account management, automated workflows, email integration, and a clean interface.
* **Tech Stack:** PHP / MySQL.

### 2. **SuiteCRM** (Best for Enterprise & Complex Workflows)
* **Best for:** Organizations needing a deep, highly customizable alternative to Salesforce.
* **Key Features:** Advanced process automation, customer service portal, custom module builder, and deep reporting.
* **Tech Stack:** PHP / MySQL.

### 3. **Twenty** (Best Modern / Developer-Friendly)
* **Best for:** Teams wanting a sleek, modern, modern-tech alternative to HubSpot.
* **Key Features:** Intuitive UI, flexible data modeling, built-in email sync, modern GraphQL API.
* **Tech Stack:** TypeScript / React / Node.js / PostgreSQL.

### 4. **Odoo CRM (Community Edition)** (Best for All-in-One Business Operations)
* **Best for:** Businesses that want CRM tightly integrated with inventory, invoicing, and project management.
* **Key Features:** Kanban pipeline view, lead scoring, automated actions, and thousands of optional Odoo modules.
* **Tech Stack:** Python / PostgreSQL.

---

### **Quick Recommendation:**
* Choose **EspoCRM** if you want an easy-to-use, sales-focused CRM that works out of the box.
* Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need enterprise-level customization and complex automation.
* Choose **Twenty** if you want a modern, modern-designed CRM with modern developer tooling.


What self-hosted open source CRM has the best mobile app and REST API?

**EspoCRM** is widely considered the best self-hosted open-source CRM that excels in both its REST API and mobile experience.

### Why EspoCRM wins:

* **REST API:** It is built with an **API-first architecture**. Every action available in the frontend interface uses the underlying REST API, making the API fully featured, exceptionally fast, clean, and well-documented.
* **Mobile App:** EspoCRM offers a dedicated, highly responsive official mobile app (iOS and Android) that mirrors the desktop functionality seamlessly, supports push notifications, and handles custom fields automatically.

---

### Strong Runner-Up:
* **ERPNext (Frappe):** If you want a full business suite with a CRM module, ERPNext has a modern, fully featured REST API and a polished official mobile app based on the Frappe framework.


We want an open source CRM that we can self-host on AWS via Kubernetes.

Here are the best open-source CRMs for self-hosting on AWS using Kubernetes (EKS), ranked by popularity, modern architecture, and Kubernetes readiness:

---

### Top Recommendations

#### 1. **Odoo (Community Edition)**
* **Best for:** All-in-one CRM + ERP capabilities, highly customizable.
* **Tech Stack:** Python, PostgreSQL.
* **Kubernetes Readiness:** Excellent. Has official Docker images and pre-packaged **Helm charts** (e.g., from Bitnami).
* **AWS Integration:** Uses **AWS RDS (PostgreSQL)** for the database and **AWS EFS** for shared file storage.

#### 2. **Twenty**
* **Best for:** Modern, developer-friendly alternative to Salesforce with a clean UI.
* **Tech Stack:** Node.js, React, PostgreSQL, GraphQL.
* **Kubernetes Readiness:** High. Built as a modern, cloud-native application with native Docker/Kubernetes deployment manifests available.
* **AWS Integration:** Uses **AWS RDS (PostgreSQL)** and **AWS S3** for file storage.

#### 3. **SuiteCRM**
* **Best for:** Traditional, feature-rich Enterprise CRM (a popular open-source fork of SugarCRM).
* **Tech Stack:** PHP, MySQL/MariaDB.
* **Kubernetes Readiness:** Good. Widely deployed using Bitnami Helm charts.
* **AWS Integration:** Uses **AWS RDS (MySQL/Aurora)** and **AWS EFS** for persistent media storage.

#### 4. **EspoCRM**
* **Best for:** Lightweight, fast, highly configurable CRM focused purely on core sales/customer management.
* **Tech Stack:** PHP, MySQL.
* **Kubernetes Readiness:** Good. Easy to containerize and scale stateless pods behind an Ingress controller.
* **AWS Integration:** Uses **AWS RDS (MySQL)** and **AWS S3/EFS**.

---

### Recommended AWS Kubernetes Architecture

For a production-ready Kubernetes setup on AWS:

* **Cluster:** AWS EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service)
* **Database:** Managed **AWS RDS** (Aurora PostgreSQL or MySQL, depending on the CRM) offloaded from the k8s cluster for reliability.
* **Storage:** **AWS EFS** (via the EFS CSI driver) for persistent volume claims (CRM uploads, plugins) or **AWS S3** for asset storage.
* **Ingress / SSL:** AWS Load Balancer Controller with **Cert-Manager** for automated SSL management.


Which open source CRM is best for a real estate agency wanting full data ownership?

**EspoCRM** is widely considered the best open-source CRM for a real estate agency seeking full data ownership.

### Why EspoCRM is the Top Pick:
* **Custom Entities for Real Estate:** It allows you to easily create custom modules for **Properties, Listings, Showings,** and **Offers** without touching code.
* **100% Data Control:** You can self-host it on your own server (via Docker or standard web hosting), giving you absolute ownership and privacy over client and listing data.
* **Modern & Fast UI:** Unlike older open-source options, EspoCRM has a clean, modern interface with built-in sales funnel tracking, document management, and calendar sync.
* **Free & Open Source:** It operates under the GNU GPLv3 license with no per-user fees.

---

### Best Alternative:
* **SuiteCRM:** Ideal if you are a larger agency requiring advanced, enterprise-grade workflow automation, deep reporting, and complex role-based access controls out of the box.


What open source self-hosted CRM is easiest to customize with Python or PHP?

The top recommendations based on your choice of programming language are:

### **Best for Python: ERPNext (Frappe Framework)**
* **Why it’s easy to customize:** ERPNext is built on the Frappe Framework, a full-stack Python/JS web framework designed specifically for rapid app development.
* **Customization:** You can add custom logic using native Python server scripts, custom apps, and webhooks. Its metadata-driven architecture lets you modify fields, workflows, and logic directly from the UI or by writing clean Python backend code.

### **Best for PHP: EspoCRM**
* **Why it’s easy to customize:** Unlike older PHP CRMs (like SuiteCRM), EspoCRM features a modern, clean, object-oriented PHP architecture.
* **Customization:** It has an extensive built-in layout/entity manager for no-code tweaks, but extending it via backend PHP code (adding custom API endpoints, services, or entry points) is straightforward, well-documented, and doesn't require fighting legacy spaghetti code.


open source self hosted crm with email marketing and lead tracking

Here are the best open-source, self-hosted CRMs that include both lead tracking and email marketing:

1. **EspoCRM**
   * **Best for:** Ease of use and modern interface.
   * **Features:** Excellent lead and opportunity tracking, sales pipelines, integrated email marketing (campaigns, mass mailing, target lists), and automated workflows.

2. **SuiteCRM**
   * **Best for:** Deep customization and enterprise-level features.
   * **Features:** Robust lead management, pipeline visualizers, built-in email marketing campaigns, auto-responders, and detailed reporting. (It is the open-source successor to SugarCRM).

3. **Mautic**
   * **Best for:** Advanced email marketing and lead scoring.
   * **Features:** Primarily a marketing automation platform with CRM capabilities. Offers high-end email campaign builders, contact/lead tracking, behavioral tracking, and lead scoring.

4. **Odoo (Community Edition)**
   * **Best for:** An all-in-one business software suite.
   * **Features:** Dedicated CRM module for lead tracking and pipeline management, seamlessly integrated with a dedicated Email Marketing module.

**Recommendation:**
* Choose **EspoCRM** for a fast, straightforward CRM experience with built-in email campaigns.
* Choose **Mautic** if heavy email marketing automation and lead scoring are your main priorities.


We are migrating away from cloud subscription CRMs to an open source self-hosted alternative. What are the top choices?

Here are the top open-source, self-hosted CRM alternatives:

### 1. **SuiteCRM**
* **Best for:** Enterprise-level features and complex workflows.
* **Overview:** A fork of SugarCRM, it is one of the most mature and feature-rich open-source CRMs available. It offers deep customization, robust reporting, advanced process automation, and full control over your data.

### 2. **EspoCRM**
* **Best for:** A clean, modern UI and rapid deployment.
* **Overview:** Highly lightweight and fast, EspoCRM focuses on sales automation, contact management, and customer service. It has an intuitive, responsive interface and an easy-to-use entity manager for custom fields and relationships.

### 3. **Twenty**
* **Best for:** A modern, developer-friendly "open-source Salesforce alternative."
* **Overview:** Built on modern web technologies (React, Node.js, GraphQL), Twenty is a rapidly growing next-gen CRM. It features a sleek interface, keyboard shortcuts, and a highly flexible, block-based layout.

### 4. **Vtiger CRM (Open Source Edition)**
* **Best for:** All-in-one sales, marketing, and support integration.
* **Overview:** Vtiger covers the full customer lifecycle, integrating sales pipelines, email marketing, support ticketing, and inventory management into a single platform.

### 5. **Odoo (Community Edition)**
* **Best for:** Organizations needing an ERP alongside a CRM.
* **Overview:** If you need your CRM tightly integrated with invoicing, inventory, project management, and HR, Odoo’s modular ecosystem is ideal. The CRM app itself is modern and kanban-based.

---

### **Recommendation Summary:**
* Go with **EspoCRM** for the best balance of speed, modern UI, and ease of maintenance.
* Go with **SuiteCRM** if you are migrating from Salesforce/HubSpot and need heavy enterprise customization.
* Go with **Twenty** if you want a modern tech stack and prefer an interface built like modern SaaS tools.


What is the best open source CRM software for managing client relationships in a financial services firm?

The best open-source CRM for a financial services firm is **SuiteCRM**.

### Why SuiteCRM is the top choice:
* **Regulatory Compliance & Data Control:** It can be fully self-hosted, allowing you to maintain strict compliance with financial regulations (e.g., GDPR, FINRA, SEC) by keeping sensitive client data on your own secure servers.
* **Deep Customization:** Easily tailored to manage complex financial products, client portfolios, compliance tracking, and multi-stage deal pipelines.
* **Role-Based Security:** Offers granular access controls, ensuring advisors and staff only see the client data relevant to their role.
* **Enterprise Features:** Includes advanced reporting, workflow automation, document management, and email integration out of the box without licensing fees.

### Best Alternative:
* **EspoCRM:** A lighter, more modern alternative with an intuitive interface. It is highly flexible for creating custom entities (like portfolios or accounts) and is ideal for small-to-medium firms looking for easier setup and administration.


best self-hosted CRM for tech startups with developer resources

The best self-hosted CRM for a tech startup with developer resources is **Twenty**.

### Top Choice: **Twenty**
* **Why it’s the best:** It is a modern, open-source alternative to Salesforce designed specifically for developers. Built on a modern stack (TypeScript, React, NestJS, PostgreSQL, GraphQL), it allows your engineers to easily customize, extend, or integrate it into your existing backend.
* **Tech Stack:** TypeScript, React, GraphQL, PostgreSQL, Docker.

---

### Strong Alternatives Depending on Your Needs

1. **EspoCRM** *(Best for fast custom data modeling)*
   * Extremely lightweight, fast, and highly customizable. Developers can easily build custom entities, relationships, and workflows via API or code.
   * **Tech Stack:** PHP, MySQL, Backbone.js, REST API.

2. **ERPNext** *(Best if you need CRM + Operations/Billing)*
   * Excellent if you need a CRM that seamlessly connects to accounting, HR, and inventory. Built on the Frappe framework, making custom app development very clean for Python developers.
   * **Tech Stack:** Python, MariaDB, Redis, JS.

3. **SuiteCRM** *(Best for enterprise-grade features out of the box)*
   * The most mature open-source CRM with the deepest feature set, though it has a older tech stack and UI compared to Twenty.
   * **Tech Stack:** PHP, MySQL.

### Recommendation Summary
* Go with **Twenty** if you want a modern, GraphQL-first codebase that your engineering team will enjoy working on.
* Go with **EspoCRM** if you want a battle-tested, highly flexible REST-based CRM.


Recommend an open-source CRM platform that can be installed on a local server.

I recommend **SuiteCRM**.

It is a fully open-source, enterprise-grade CRM platform designed to be self-hosted on a local server (LAMP stack). It offers a robust feature set—including sales automation, marketing campaigns, customer support, and custom reporting—with no licensing fees.

* **Alternative option:** **EspoCRM** if you prefer a more modern, lightweight, and easy-to-configure interface.


We need a self-hosted CRM tool to manage sales opportunities and quotes. What should we deploy?

Here are the top three self-hosted CRM tools tailored for managing sales opportunities and generating quotes, depending on your priorities:

### 1. EspoCRM (Best Overall / Modern UI)
* **Why deploy it:** Lightweight, fast, highly customizable, and has a clean modern interface.
* **Key Features:** Excellent opportunity tracking (sales pipeline) and built-in PDF quote/invoice generation out of the box.
* **Best for:** Teams wanting a fast, easy-to-use CRM without bloat.

### 2. SuiteCRM (Best for Complex / Enterprise Needs)
* **Why deploy it:** A mature, open-source alternative to Salesforce with advanced workflow automation.
* **Key Features:** Deep opportunity management, configurable line-item quotes, dynamic PDF templates, and contract management.
* **Best for:** Teams needing complex sales workflows, custom logic, and granular security controls.

### 3. Odoo (Community Edition) (Best for Business Expansion)
* **Why deploy it:** Modular open-source software where you can run just the **CRM** and **Sales** modules.
* **Key Features:** Visual Kanban pipeline for opportunities, professional quote builder, and seamless transition from quotes to orders/invoices.
* **Best for:** Businesses that plan to eventually add inventory, accounting, or project management alongside their CRM.

---

### Recommendation
* Choose **EspoCRM** for quick setup and low resource usage.
* Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need heavily customized quoting and approval rules.


Which open source CRM is best for a B2B agency with 30 staff?

For a B2B agency with 30 staff, **EspoCRM** is the best overall choice, though the right pick depends on your primary focus:

### 1. Best Overall: **EspoCRM**
* **Why it fits:** Modern, fast, and designed specifically for B2B relationship management. It excels at tracking lead pipelines, accounts, contacts, and email communication without unnecessary bloat.
* **Best for:** Agencies wanting a clean UI, easy self-hosting, and straightforward sales pipeline management for 30 users.

### 2. Best for Enterprise Power & Customization: **SuiteCRM**
* **Why it fits:** The most feature-rich open-source CRM (a fork of SugarCRM). It handles complex B2B workflows, advanced reporting, and deep role-based access control.
* **Best for:** Agencies with complex sales processes or dedicated IT resources to handle setup and maintenance.

### 3. Best All-in-One (CRM + Projects + Billing): **Odoo (Community Edition)**
* **Why it fits:** Combines CRM with project management, time-tracking, and invoicing out of the box.
* **Best for:** Agencies that want to manage the entire client lifecycle (from lead to project delivery and billing) in a single platform.

---

### Recommendation:
Start with **EspoCRM** for pure CRM needs due to its low admin overhead and modern UI. Choose **Odoo** if you also want to replace your project management and invoicing tools.


What open source self-hosted CRM provides automated sales workflows and lead scoring?

The top open-source, self-hosted CRM that fulfills both requirements is **EspoCRM**.

Key features include:
* **Automated Sales Workflows:** Built-in Workflows and Business Process Management (BPM) engine to automate tasks, emails, field updates, and pipeline transitions.
* **Lead Scoring:** Configurable lead scoring using its built-in formula scripting and workflow rules.

### Notable Alternatives:
* **SuiteCRM:** A robust, fully open-source CRM with a powerful workflow module that can be configured for lead scoring rules.
* **Mautic:** Primarily an open-source marketing automation platform, but it offers market-leading automated lead scoring and nurturing workflows (often paired alongside a traditional CRM).


self-hosted open source CRM for digital marketing agency

Here are the top self-hosted, open-source CRM options best suited for a digital marketing agency:

### 1. **EspoCRM** *(Best Overall Balance)*
* **Why for agencies:** Modern, fast UI with strong lead management, contact tracking, and email integration. Highly customizable without heavy coding.
* **Key Features:** Sales pipeline, marketing campaigns, automated email responses, custom entities/fields for tracking client-specific metrics, robust API.

### 2. **SuiteCRM** *(Best for Complex Workflows)*
* **Why for agencies:** A powerful, enterprise-grade CRM (fork of SugarCRM) ideal if you have complex sales funnels and large teams.
* **Key Features:** Advanced workflow automation, contract/retainer tracking, customer portal, deep reporting, and lead nurturing.

### 3. **Odoo (Community Edition)** *(Best All-in-One: CRM + Projects + Invoicing)*
* **Why for agencies:** Combines CRM with project management, time-tracking, and invoicing, allowing you to manage client leads *and* agency deliverables in one system.
* **Key Features:** Pipeline management, lead scoring, task assignment, client billing, and modular add-ons.

### 4. **ERPNext** *(Best for Agency Operations)*
* **Why for agencies:** A complete open-source ERP that includes a capable CRM alongside project management, client portal, and financial accounting.
* **Key Features:** Lead-to-opportunity pipeline, client communication logs, project task tracking, and retainer management.

---

### Recommended Marketing Automation Companion:
* **Mautic:** While not a traditional sales CRM, Mautic is the leading self-hosted open-source **marketing automation** platform. Agencies frequently pair **EspoCRM** or **SuiteCRM** with **Mautic** to handle email marketing, landing pages, and lead scoring seamlessly.


We need a self-hosted CRM that handles lead capture, contact history, and sales analytics.

Here are the top open-source, self-hosted CRM options that meet all your requirements:

### 1. **EspoCRM** *(Best Overall)*
* **Lead Capture:** Features web-to-lead forms, API access, and email-to-lead integration.
* **Contact History:** Modern, clean UI that tracks emails, calls, notes, tasks, and document attachments on a single timeline.
* **Sales Analytics:** Built-in reporting tool for sales funnels, pipeline conversion rates, revenue forecasts, and custom dashboards.

### 2. **SuiteCRM** *(Best for Enterprise Customization)*
* **Lead Capture:** Robust web form builder, campaign tracking, and advanced automation workflows.
* **Contact History:** Deep history tracking for contacts, accounts, and opportunities, including customer service tickets.
* **Sales Analytics:** Advanced reporting module with customizable visual charts, KPIs, and scheduled email reports.

### 3. **Odoo CRM (Community Edition)** *(Best for Modular Expansion)*
* **Lead Capture:** Native integration with website builders, live chat, and email marketing tools.
* **Contact History:** Drag-and-drop Kanban pipeline with detailed communication history per contact/lead.
* **Sales Analytics:** Excellent real-time visual reports, pivot tables, and custom dashboards.

---

### **Recommendation:**
* Choose **EspoCRM** if you want a fast, lightweight, and modern UI focused purely on sales.
* Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need deep customization and complex automation workflows.
* Choose **Odoo** if you plan to expand into invoicing, inventory, or project management later.


What are the most stable open source CRM solutions for small to medium businesses?

The most stable and mature open-source CRM solutions for small to medium businesses (SMBs) are:

1. **SuiteCRM**
   * **Best for:** Full-featured, enterprise-grade CRM functionality.
   * **Why it’s stable:** Built as an open-source fork of SugarCRM Community Edition, it has over a decade of continuous development, a massive community, and a proven track record in production environments.

2. **EspoCRM**
   * **Best for:** Lightweight, fast, and customizable user experiences.
   * **Why it’s stable:** Built on a modern PHP/MySQL stack with a clean code base. It is exceptionally reliable, low-maintenance, and easy to upgrade without breaking custom workflows.

3. **Odoo CRM (Community Edition)**
   * **Best for:** Businesses that want a CRM integrated with other business apps (inventory, accounting, HR).
   * **Why it’s stable:** Supported by a large commercial enterprise, Odoo’s core platform is heavily tested and used by thousands of organizations worldwide.

4. **Vtiger CRM (Open Source / On-Premise)**
   * **Best for:** All-in-one sales, marketing, and support automation.
   * **Why it’s stable:** One of the oldest open-source CRMs available. Its long history means most major bugs have been ironed out, making it very dependable for traditional sales pipelines.

5. **ERPNext (CRM Module)**
   * **Best for:** Growing businesses that need an all-in-one ERP + CRM solution.
   * **Why it’s stable:** Built on the robust Frappe framework, it offers high stability, strict data structure integrity, and an active developer ecosystem.

**Recommendation:**
* Choose **EspoCRM** for ease of use and low technical overhead.
* Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need complex, deeply customized sales processes.
* Choose **Odoo** if you plan to expand into full business operations management.


Which self-hosted open source CRM has the lowest system resource requirements for a VPS?

**Dolibarr** and **EspoCRM** have the lowest system resource requirements among self-hosted open-source CRMs.

* **EspoCRM** (Best overall pure CRM): Runs smoothly on a VPS with **512 MB RAM** and 1 vCPU. It uses a lightweight PHP/MySQL stack and a fast single-page application (SPA) front-end.
* **Dolibarr** (CRM + ERP): Can run on as little as **256 MB to 512 MB RAM**. It is built on a minimal, highly efficient PHP framework with almost no background overhead.

For the absolute lowest resource usage on a low-end VPS, choose **EspoCRM** for a modern CRM focus, or **Dolibarr** if you also need basic ERP/invoicing features.


open source CRM for high security air-gapped network deployment

Here are the top open-source CRMs best suited for deployment on a high-security, air-gapped network:

### 1. **SuiteCRM** (Best Overall for Enterprise)
* **License:** AGPLv3 (100% open source)
* **Why it fits:** Mature, highly customizable enterprise-grade CRM with advanced Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), detailed audit logs, and native support for local LDAP/Active Directory and SAML authentication.
* **Air-Gap Considerations:** Has zero cloud-license phone-home requirements. You will need to host web fonts and assets locally rather than relying on default CDNs.

### 2. **EspoCRM** (Best Modern Tech Stack & Lightweight)
* **License:** GPLv3
* **Why it fits:** Fast, modern PHP/MySQL architecture with an intuitive UI. It offers granular access controls, easy database field encryption, and simple Docker-based offline installation.
* **Air-Gap Considerations:** Native settings allow you to easily toggle off external integrations (Google Maps, external avatars, integrations) via the admin panel.

### 3. **Odoo (Community Edition)** (Best if integrated with ERP)
* **License:** LGPLv3
* **Why it fits:** Highly modular architecture that allows you to install *only* the CRM module. Strong security record, Python-based, and heavily hardened in government and industrial environments.
* **Air-Gap Considerations:** Ensure you build container images with all required dependencies pre-packaged (pip packages, node libraries).

---

### Crucial Steps for Air-Gapped Deployment
Whichever CRM you choose, take these steps before pushing the build to the isolated network:

1. **Remove External CDNs:** Audit front-end code to ensure JS libraries, CSS frameworks, and Google Fonts are bundled locally rather than loaded via external URLs.
2. **Disable Telemetry & Auto-Updates:** Hard-code settings in configuration files to disable automatic update checks, error reporting, and usage statistics.
3. **Local Authentication:** Configure the CRM to authenticate against an internal LDAP/Active Directory or Kerberos server.
4. **Offline Email Handling:** Route outgoing system emails to an internal SMTP relay or air-gapped mail transfer agent (MTA).


We are a manufacturing company looking for a self-hosted open source CRM to track sales leads and customer accounts.

Here are the top self-hosted, open-source CRM options best suited for a manufacturing company tracking B2B leads and customer accounts:

### 1. **Odoo (Community Edition)** — *Best for Future Growth & Manufacturing Integration*
* **Why it fits:** Odoo is an all-in-one business suite. While you can use just the CRM module for leads and accounts, it natively integrates with Odoo’s inventory, MRP (Manufacturing Resource Planning), and invoicing modules if you decide to expand later.
* **Key Features:** Pipeline management, lead scoring, quote generation, email integration.

### 2. **SuiteCRM** — *Best Full-Featured Salesforce Alternative*
* **Why it fits:** Highly mature and enterprise-ready. It excels at complex B2B sales cycles typical in manufacturing, offering deep control over account relationships, contacts, and custom workflow automation.
* **Key Features:** Account & lead tracking, contract/quote management, advanced reporting, workflow engine.

### 3. **EspoCRM** — *Best for a Modern, Fast B2B Interface*
* **Why it fits:** A lightweight, modern CRM designed specifically for B2B sales. It is extremely easy to customize entities and relationships without heavy custom code, making it ideal for managing distributor and account networks.
* **Key Features:** Opportunity tracking, dynamic account/contact mapping, built-in calendar, customizable dashboards.

### 4. **Vtiger CRM (Open Source)** — *Best for Integrated Quote & Order Management*
* **Why it fits:** Vtiger includes built-in sales order, purchase order, and product catalog management out of the box, which bridges the gap well between pure sales and manufacturing fulfillment.
* **Key Features:** Lead-to-quote conversion, inventory/product cataloging, account management, web-to-lead forms.

---

### Recommendation:
* **Choose Odoo** if you want your CRM to eventually talk directly to your shop floor and inventory.
* **Choose SuiteCRM or EspoCRM** if you purely want a dedicated, flexible B2B sales and account tracker.


What open source sales CRM is easiest for non-technical users once deployed?

**EspoCRM** is generally considered the easiest open-source sales CRM for non-technical end-users once deployed.

**Why EspoCRM is the easiest:**
* **Clean & Modern UI:** Uncluttered interface that looks and feels like modern SaaS products (similar to Salesforce or HubSpot).
* **Intuitive Navigation:** Simple layout focusing heavily on lead management, contacts, and visual sales pipelines.
* **Low Learning Curve:** Non-technical salespeople can manage deals, log calls, send emails, and track tasks with minimal training.

**Runner-up:**
* **Odoo CRM (Community Edition):** Excellent if your team prefers a visual, drag-and-drop Kanban pipeline, though the broader Odoo platform can sometimes feel overwhelming if other modules are enabled.


Best open source CRM for software development agencies

The best open-source CRM for software development agencies is **ERPNext**.

### Why ERPNext is #1 for Agencies
While it is technically a lightweight ERP, its CRM module is tightly integrated with features agencies need most:
* **All-in-One Operations:** Combines CRM (leads, deals, communications) with Project Management (Gantt charts, tasks), Time Tracking, and Invoicing.
* **Customization:** Highly customizable doctypes, workflows, and custom scripts to fit your specific dev stack/processes.
* **Client Portal:** Allows clients to view project progress, raise tickets, and pay invoices.

---

### Best Alternatives (Depending on Your Focus)

* **EspoCRM (Best for pure sales/leads):** Modern, lightweight, and very fast. Ideal if you already use tools like Jira or Asana for project management and only need a dedicated sales pipeline and contact manager.
* **Odoo Community Edition (Best modular UX):** Highly polished UI with great CRM, invoicing, and project management apps, though some advanced features require paid add-ons or custom development.
* **SuiteCRM (Best enterprise-grade alternative):** Extremely mature and feature-rich direct replacement for Salesforce, ideal if you need complex, deeply customized sales workflows.


We need an open source CRM we can self-host that supports multi-currency and custom sales pipelines.

Here are the top open-source, self-hosted CRMs that fully support both **multi-currency** and **custom sales pipelines**:

### 1. **EspoCRM** *(Recommended)*
* **Best for:** A modern, clean UI with fast setup.
* **Key Features:**
  * **Multi-Currency:** Native support for multiple currencies with configurable exchange rates.
  * **Custom Pipelines:** Easily create custom sales pipelines, opportunity stages, and custom fields via the layout manager.
  * **Tech Stack:** PHP / MySQL.

### 2. **SuiteCRM**
* **Best for:** Deep enterprise-level customization and complex workflows.
* **Key Features:**
  * **Multi-Currency:** Fully supports multiple currencies for quotes, invoices, and opportunities.
  * **Custom Pipelines:** Flexible sales stage management and pipeline customization via its "Studio" module.
  * **Tech Stack:** PHP / MySQL or MariaDB.

### 3. **ERPNext**
* **Best for:** Teams needing CRM tightly integrated with inventory, quoting, and accounting.
* **Key Features:**
  * **Multi-Currency:** Excellent multi-currency support built into both CRM and financial modules.
  * **Custom Pipelines:** Customizable lead/opportunity workflows, Kanban boards, and custom DocTypes.
  * **Tech Stack:** Python (Frappe Framework) / MariaDB.

---

### **Recommendation:**
* Choose **EspoCRM** if you want a dedicated, lightweight CRM that is easy to customize.
* Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need advanced role permissions and deep process automation.
* Choose **ERPNext** if you also plan to manage inventory, billing, or full ERP functions down the road.


What open-source self-hosted CRM should a 10-person e-commerce company buy or deploy?

For a 10-person e-commerce company, the best open-source, self-hosted CRM options depend on whether you need **just a CRM** or an **all-in-one platform with inventory and order management**.

Here are the top recommendations:

---

### 1. Best Pure CRM: **EspoCRM**
* **Best for:** Companies that already have an e-commerce platform (WooCommerce, Shopify) and want a clean, fast CRM to track customer relationships, support tickets, and sales pipelines.
* **Why it fits:**
  * Lightweight and extremely easy to self-host (PHP/MySQL or Docker).
  * Modern, customizable interface with very low administrative overhead.
  * Strong REST API, making it easy to sync order history and customer data using tools like n8n or Make.
* **Cost:** 100% Free (Self-Hosted Community Edition).

---

### 2. Best All-in-One (CRM + Inventory + ERP): **ERPNext**
* **Best for:** E-commerce businesses that want CRM, order management, inventory tracking, and accounting under a single roof.
* **Why it fits:**
  * Native integrations with **Shopify, WooCommerce, and Unicommerce**.
  * Automatically syncs customer profiles, order statuses, and inventory levels.
  * Modern technology stack (Python/Node.js, Docker).
* **Cost:** 100% Free (Self-Hosted Community Edition).

---

### 3. Best Traditional / Enterprise CRM: **SuiteCRM**
* **Best for:** Teams needing deep customization, complex workflow automation, and enterprise-grade permission controls.
* **Why it fits:**
  * A mature, feature-complete fork of SugarCRM with a massive global community.
  * Robust sales force automation, marketing campaigns, and customer support portal.
  * Can be integrated with e-commerce stores via plugins or API.
* **Cons:** Interface feels dated compared to EspoCRM, and setup can be overwhelming for a 10-person team.

---

### Summary Recommendation

* **Choose EspoCRM** if you want a **simple, fast CRM** to manage customer communication and leads, and you plan to connect it to your store via API/Webhooks.
* **Choose ERPNext** if you want **one system** to manage CRM, WooCommerce/Shopify sync, inventory, and fulfillment.


lightweight self hosted open source crm software

Here are the best lightweight, self-hosted, open-source CRM solutions:

1. **EspoCRM** (Best Overall)
   * **Why it's great:** Extremely fast, modern UI, and low resource usage. Highly customizable for sales, leads, and customer service without the bloat of older platforms like SuiteCRM.
   * **Tech Stack:** PHP / MySQL

2. **Monica** (Best for Personal / Simple Contact Management)
   * **Why it's great:** A minimalist CRM designed to log interactions, notes, relationships, and reminders. Ideal if you don't need complex sales pipelines.
   * **Tech Stack:** PHP (Laravel) / MySQL

3. **Krayin CRM** (Best for Small Business Sales)
   * **Why it's great:** Built from the ground up to be lightweight, modular, and fast. Focuses purely on lead and pipeline management for small teams.
   * **Tech Stack:** PHP (Laravel) / MySQL

4. **Fat Free CRM** (Best Minimalist Option)
   * **Why it's great:** Very simple, no-nonsense CRM featuring basic contact, lead, opportunity, and task tracking.
   * **Tech Stack:** Ruby on Rails / MySQL or PostgreSQL

### Recommendation:
* Choose **EspoCRM** if you need a standard business sales CRM.
* Choose **Monica** if you just need a lightweight, clean contact history manager.


What open source CRM is best for a law firm needing strict on-premises data isolation?

**SuiteCRM** is the best open-source CRM for a law firm requiring strict on-premises data isolation.

### Why SuiteCRM:
* **Complete Data Ownership:** It is fully open-source (GNU GPLv3) with no feature limits on the self-hosted version, allowing you to deploy it entirely behind a local firewall or air-gapped network.
* **Granular Role-Based Security:** Provides strict role, group, and field-level permissions, ensuring sensitive client data and case details are restricted to specific attorneys or staff.
* **Customizability for Legal Workflows:** Easily tailored to build custom modules for conflict checks, matter management, time tracking, and client intake.
* **Compliance Ready:** Operating fully on-premises without vendor telemetry makes it straightforward to comply with attorney-client privilege requirements and strict data protection laws (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA).

### Alternative to Consider:
* **EspoCRM:** If you prefer a more modern, lightweight user interface, EspoCRM is an excellent self-hosted alternative with strong permission management and a built-in document management module ideal for legal files.


Which open source self-hosted CRM offers the best email sync and calendar integration?

**EspoCRM** is widely considered the best open-source, self-hosted CRM for seamless email sync and calendar integration.

### Why EspoCRM stands out:
* **Email Integration:** Offers built-in, two-way email sync via IMAP/SMTP. It automatically links incoming and outgoing emails to the relevant accounts, contacts, and leads, and allows you to send emails directly from the CRM.
* **Calendar Integration:** Features native, two-way synchronization with both **Google Calendar** and **Outlook Calendar** out of the box, as well as CalDAV support.
* **Ease of Setup:** Unlike many traditional open-source CRMs, its integrations are built into the core software and do not require expensive paid add-ons or complex third-party plugins.

### Honorable Mention:
* **SuiteCRM:** Ideal if you need deep enterprise-level customization, though its calendar and email setup can require more configuration or plugins compared to EspoCRM.


We want to replace proprietary sales software with a self-hosted open source CRM. What are our top options?

Here are the top self-hosted, open-source CRM options for replacing proprietary sales software:

1. **SuiteCRM**
   * **Best for:** Enterprise-level features and Salesforce alternatives.
   * **Key Strengths:** Deep customization, robust sales force automation, detailed reporting, and a massive community. It is a mature fork of SugarCRM.

2. **EspoCRM**
   * **Best for:** Modern, lightweight, and streamlined sales pipeline management.
   * **Key Strengths:** Clean user interface, fast performance, strong sales/lead tracking, and easy customization of entities and relationships.

3. **Odoo (Community Edition)**
   * **Best for:** Expanding beyond CRM into full business management (ERP).
   * **Key Strengths:** Great user interface and seamless integration with other self-hosted Odoo modules (invoicing, e-commerce, inventory, sign).

4. **Twenty**
   * **Best for:** A modern, modern-tech-stack (React, GraphQL) alternative to HubSpot.
   * **Key Strengths:** Very modern UI, highly extensible, fast-growing open-source project designed specifically for modern sales teams.

5. **Vtiger CRM**
   * **Best for:** All-in-one sales, marketing, and customer support management.
   * **Key Strengths:** Strong contact management, built-in document management, inventory tracking, and automated workflows.

### Quick Recommendation:
* Choose **EspoCRM** or **Twenty** for a modern, sales-focused, user-friendly UI.
* Choose **SuiteCRM** for complex workflows and enterprise-grade customization.
* Choose **Odoo** if you plan to connect your CRM to invoicing, inventory, or operational tools.


What open source CRM platform is best for managing B2B account hierarchies and contact contacts on-premise?

**SuiteCRM** is widely considered the best open-source CRM for managing B2B account hierarchies and contacts on-premise.

### Why SuiteCRM fits best:
* **Native Account Hierarchies:** It natively supports parent-child account relationships out-of-the-box, allowing you to model complex enterprise corporate structures (subsidiaries, regional offices, and headquarters).
* **B2B Contact Relationships:** It easily maps contacts to specific accounts, roles within those accounts, and multiple sub-entities.
* **100% On-Premise & Open Source:** Free to self-host (PHP/MySQL) with no functional limitations or mandatory cloud dependencies.

---

### Strong Alternative: **EspoCRM**
If you prefer a faster, more modern user interface, **EspoCRM** is an excellent alternative. It features highly customizable entity relationships that make setting up parent/child account hierarchies and multi-account contact mappings exceptionally straightforward to configure and self-host.


What is the best open source CRM software for a small sales team?

For a **small sales team**, the best open-source CRM is usually **EspoCRM** if you want the strongest balance of sales features, ease of setup, and SMB fit.[1] If your team is more technical and wants a more modern interface with AI-oriented features, **Twenty** is a strong alternative.[1]

- **EspoCRM** is recommended for most small businesses because it covers sales, marketing, and customer support, and it is designed to work without coding or Docker experience.[1]
- **Twenty** is described as the top pick for many teams in 2026, with a modern UI and native AI integration, but it is especially attractive for developer-led teams.[1]
- **Vtiger** is worth considering if your priority is a **free plan for a small sales team**; its free tier supports pipeline management, email sequences, workflows, and a mobile app for up to 10 users.[2]
- **SuiteCRM** is another major option and is often named the overall best open-source CRM, but it is generally a better fit when you want a broader, more enterprise-style system than a lightweight sales team CRM.[3][14]

If you want one clear recommendation: **choose EspoCRM** for the best all-around open-source CRM for a small sales team, unless your team specifically wants a free hosted sales-focused plan, in which case **Vtiger** is the best match.[1][2]


Best self-hosted CRM for a 20-person company

For a **20-person company**, the strongest default choice is **Twenty** if you want a modern, self-hosted CRM that feels built for a small team and is repeatedly highlighted as a top pick for developers and small/medium teams.[1][2][3]

If you want the best alternatives, the short list is:

- **Twenty** — best fit if you want a modern UX and active momentum; several 2026 roundups place it at or near the top of self-hosted CRM lists.[1][2][3]
- **EspoCRM** — often ranked as a top overall open-source/self-hosted CRM and a strong choice when you want a mature CRM with broad functionality.[6][18]
- **SuiteCRM** — a common fallback if you want a more established, enterprise-style open-source CRM; it appears near the top in multiple 2026 rankings.[3][7]
- **Odoo Community (CRM)** — a good option if you also want the rest of Odoo’s business apps around the CRM.[3]

A practical recommendation for a 20-person company is:

- Choose **Twenty** if your team values ease of use, speed of adoption, and a cleaner modern interface.[1][2]
- Choose **EspoCRM** if you want the most balanced “safe” self-hosted CRM pick for a small sales team.[6][18]
- Choose **SuiteCRM** if you expect heavier customization, deeper process control, or more traditional CRM structure.[3][7]

If you want, I can also give you a **feature-by-feature comparison table** for **Twenty vs EspoCRM vs SuiteCRM** for a 20-person team.


We want to host our own CRM on-premise to control customer data privacy. What open source options should we evaluate?

If your goal is to **self-host on-premise** and keep customer data under your control, the strongest open-source CRM options to evaluate are **Twenty, EspoCRM, SuiteCRM, Odoo Community, Vtiger, and Crust CRM/Corteza CRM**.[1][2][4][7]

A practical shortlist by common fit looks like this:

| Option | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **Twenty** | Modern UI, clean architecture, code-first teams | Can be deployed on any cloud or on-premise; newer but highly rated in recent comparisons.[1][2][7] |
| **EspoCRM** | Flexible sales CRM with strong customization | Frequently recommended for developers who want full control and self-hosting.[4][7][10][19] |
| **SuiteCRM** | Traditional Salesforce-style CRM | Mature, widely cited, and commonly chosen for self-hosted deployments.[2][4][7][19] |
| **Odoo Community** | CRM plus ERP/business apps | Best if you want CRM bundled with broader operations in one modular platform.[2][4][10] |
| **Vtiger** | Growing teams wanting a stable CRM | Often positioned as a self-hosted option with upgrade paths and community history.[4][10][19] |
| **Crust CRM / Corteza CRM** | Data privacy and control | Specifically highlighted for exceptional data privacy and protection.[4] |

What to evaluate before choosing:

- **Deployment model**: confirm the project supports true on-premise or private-cloud installation.[1][4][6]
- **Customization model**: check whether changes are mostly code-based, admin-configurable, or workflow/studio-based.[4][10]
- **Data/privacy controls**: review access controls, audit logs, backup/restore, encryption, and compliance needs; privacy-focused options are especially relevant if data residency matters.[4][6]
- **Integration needs**: email, telephony, marketing automation, ERP, and API support vary a lot by product.[2][4][10]
- **Operational complexity**: newer tools like Twenty may offer a modern experience, while SuiteCRM and Odoo tend to be more established but heavier to run and customize.[2][7][10]

If you want the **best starting point**, I’d usually pilot **Twenty** and **EspoCRM** for a modern self-hosted CRM, and add **SuiteCRM** if you want a more established Salesforce-like alternative.[1][2][4][7][10]


Recommend a self-hosted open source CRM for a B2B sales pipeline.

For a **B2B sales pipeline**, my top recommendation is **EspoCRM** if you want a self-hosted open source CRM that is focused on sales workflows, pipeline management, automation, and reporting.[7] If you want a broader, more modular platform with a strong modern UI, **Twenty** is also a strong option, but the most consistently recommended “sales CRM” choice in the sources is EspoCRM.[9][7]

A practical shortlist:

- **EspoCRM** — best fit for **B2B pipeline management**, sales automation, reporting, and clean self-hosted deployment.[7]
- **SuiteCRM** — best if you want a more traditional, full-featured open source CRM with broad customization and enterprise-style CRM depth.[20]
- **Twenty** — best if you want a newer, open source CRM with a modern product direction and self-hosted deployment.[9]

Why **EspoCRM** is the safest pick here:
- It is explicitly described as having **pipeline management**, **sales automation**, **analytics/reporting**, and self-hosted availability.[7]
- It is highlighted as the top open source CRM in the TechRadar roundup, which gives it stronger third-party validation than forum-only recommendations.[7]
- For a B2B sales team, the combination of deal tracking, automation, and reporting matters more than generic CRM breadth, and EspoCRM is the most directly aligned with that use case in the results.[7]

When to choose something else:
- Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need a more established, heavily customizable CRM and are willing to trade off some simplicity for depth.[20]
- Choose **Twenty** if you prefer a newer, modern-stack CRM and are comfortable evaluating a younger project.[9]

If you want, I can also give you a **3-way comparison of EspoCRM vs SuiteCRM vs Twenty** for setup effort, pipeline features, and long-term maintenance.


For an **affordable open-source CRM for an SMB**, the best default picks are **EspoCRM**, **Twenty**, and **SuiteCRM**—with **EspoCRM** the safest recommendation if you want the best balance of low cost, ease of setup, and SMB fit.[1][7][8]

- **EspoCRM**: Best overall for SMBs wanting a relatively simple self-hosted CRM; it is listed as low-to-medium setup difficulty and “for most small businesses” as the right answer.[1][7]
- **Twenty**: Best if you want a modern open-source CRM and are comfortable self-hosting; it is completely free when self-hosted, with the main cost being server hosting.[1][17][20]
- **SuiteCRM**: Best if you want deeper enterprise-style features and don’t mind more setup complexity; it is free and self-hosted, but generally more demanding to implement.[1][5][7][8]

A practical cost view is that open-source CRM software is often free to license, but you still pay for hosting and maintenance; one source estimates about **$20–50/month** for a small VPS plus ongoing admin time.[1][10] For a very small business, that makes self-hosted open-source CRMs much cheaper than typical per-user commercial CRMs.[1][19]

If you want the shortest recommendation:
- Choose **EspoCRM** if you want the easiest affordable SMB option.[1][7]
- Choose **Twenty** if you want the lowest software cost and a modern stack.[1][17][20]
- Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need more advanced CRM depth and can handle extra setup.[1][5][7]

If you want, I can also give you a **2-minute shortlist based on your team size, hosting preference, and must-have features**.


What self-hosted open source CRMs do small companies actually use?

Small companies that *actually use* self-hosted open-source CRMs tend to cluster around a few names: **EspoCRM**, **SuiteCRM**, **Twenty**, **Odoo Community**, **Krayin**, and sometimes **Vtiger** or **ERPNext** when they want CRM plus broader business software.[5][7][8][13][15]

The most common pattern in the sources is:

- **EspoCRM**: the pragmatic pick for small businesses that want a lighter setup and “just works” admin experience.[5][7][8][14]
- **SuiteCRM**: used by teams that want a more complete, Salesforce-like feature set and can tolerate heavier setup and complexity.[5][6][8][13][18]
- **Twenty**: increasingly popular with startups and developer-led teams that want a modern UI and code-first flexibility.[7][8][9][12][14][15][16]
- **Odoo Community**: chosen when the company wants CRM as part of a larger ERP-style stack.[5][8][18]
- **Krayin**: appears in directories and recommendation lists as a lightweight Laravel-based option for SMEs.[3][7]
- **ERPNext**: used when the CRM needs to sit inside a broader open-source ERP system, especially for SMBs.[3][15]

If you mean “what do small companies choose most often in practice,” the repeated shortlist across multiple independent recommendation pieces is **EspoCRM, SuiteCRM, Twenty, and Odoo Community**.[5][7][8][14][15] Among those, **EspoCRM** is the most consistently described as the best fit for smaller, non-technical businesses, while **Twenty** is rising fast for modern startup teams.[7][8][9][14][15]


We are a privacy-focused healthcare company that needs a self-hostable open source CRM. What should we choose?

For a **privacy-focused healthcare company**, the best default choice is **OpenEMR** if your primary need is healthcare operations, and **EspoCRM** if you need a more general-purpose CRM that is easier to adapt to patient-facing workflows.[13][9]

**Why OpenEMR is the strongest healthcare-first option**
- It is explicitly built for **electronic health records and medical practice management**, not just sales CRM.[13]
- It is the **most popular open source electronic health records and medical practice management solution** and can be run on your own servers.[13][20]
- For healthcare organizations, that usually makes it a better fit than generic CRMs because it already covers clinical and operational workflows such as scheduling, billing, and patient records.[13]

**Why EspoCRM is the strongest pure CRM option**
- EspoCRM is a **free, open-source CRM** you can **host on your own server** with **full control over your data**.[9]
- It supports contacts, deals, support cases, email campaigns, customization, and a REST API, which makes it flexible for healthcare customer/patient relationship workflows.[9]
- If you want a conventional CRM that your team can shape around HIPAA-oriented processes, EspoCRM is a practical self-hosted choice.[9]

**Other viable options**
- **SuiteCRM** is a mature, enterprise-oriented open-source CRM and a common self-hosted alternative.[14][18]
- **Krayin** is open source and self-hostable, but the available information here is less established than the long-running projects above.[2][3]
- **Odoo Community** is self-hostable and open source, but it is broader ERP software rather than a CRM-first product.[8]
- For healthcare-specific patient record aggregation rather than CRM, **Mere Medical** and **Fasten** are relevant, but they are **personal health record aggregators**, not CRM platforms.[7][17]

**Practical recommendation**
- Choose **OpenEMR** if you need **healthcare-native functionality** and want one system to handle practice operations and patient data.[13][20]
- Choose **EspoCRM** if you need a **dedicated CRM** with strong self-hosting and customization, and you will integrate it with your existing healthcare systems.[9]
- Choose **SuiteCRM** if you want a more established enterprise CRM ecosystem and prefer a Salesforce-like open-source alternative.[14][18]

If you want, I can also give you a **shortlist by HIPAA risk, ease of self-hosting, and customization effort**.


What open source CRM is best for managing leads and deal stages on our own servers?

For **managing leads and deal stages on your own servers**, **SuiteCRM** is the strongest general-purpose choice, while **EspoCRM** is the best pick if you want something simpler and lighter to administer. SuiteCRM is described as an enterprise-ready open-source CRM, and recent reviews still name it the best overall open-source CRM; EspoCRM explicitly supports leads, sales opportunities, and self-hosted use on its own servers.[1][5][3]

A practical way to choose:

| CRM | Best fit | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|
| **SuiteCRM** | Best overall for fuller sales workflows | Enterprise-style CRM, strong fit for lead and pipeline management, self-hostable[1][5][19] |
| **EspoCRM** | Best for a leaner, easier setup | Built for leads, contacts, opportunities, and simple sales tracking[3] |
| **Twenty** | Best if you want a modern UI first | Modern self-hosted CRM, but fewer results here confirm depth for complex pipeline needs[2][10] |

If your priority is **robust deal-stage management on-premises**, start with **SuiteCRM**. If your priority is **ease of use and fast adoption**, start with **EspoCRM**.[5][3][13]

If you want, I can also give you a **shortlist by team size** or **compare SuiteCRM vs EspoCRM vs Twenty** for self-hosted sales pipelines.


We need a self-hosted CRM that integrates with Docker and runs on Linux. Any recommendations?

Yes—if you want a **self-hosted CRM** that works well with **Docker** on **Linux**, the strongest options from the results are **Twenty**, **EspoCRM**, **Frappe CRM**, and **Relaticle**.[1][2][7][10]

- **Twenty**: Open-source CRM with an official Docker Compose setup; its docs specifically cover self-hosting, and community guides show it running on Linux with Docker Compose.[3][4][7]
- **EspoCRM**: Free, open-source CRM with an official Docker image; the installer sets up EspoCRM with NGINX and MySQL automatically, which makes it straightforward on Linux.[2]
- **Frappe CRM**: Open-source CRM with Docker-based deployment instructions and a `docker-compose.yml` for running it locally or in production on Linux.[10]
- **Relaticle**: Open-source CRM that can be started with Docker Compose, with PostgreSQL, Redis, and the app handled in containers.[1]

If you want the **simplest Docker-first pick**, I’d start with **Twenty** or **EspoCRM** because both have clear Docker-based installation paths and are explicitly positioned for self-hosting.[2][7]

If you want, I can also compare these by **ease of setup, features, and resource usage**.


Best free and open source CRM software for lead management

For **lead management**, the strongest free and open-source CRM picks are **EspoCRM**, **SuiteCRM**, **YetiForce**, and **Odoo Community Edition**. Among the results you provided, **EspoCRM** and **SuiteCRM** appear most consistently recommended for open-source CRM use, while **YetiForce** is repeatedly highlighted for lead tracking and contact management.[4][6][10][13]

- **EspoCRM** — Free, open-source, and self-hosted; the project explicitly describes itself as a free open-source CRM platform, and third-party reviews cite sales automation, reporting, and strong documentation as key strengths.[4][10][14]
- **SuiteCRM** — A well-known open-source CRM with a free version; it is repeatedly listed among the top open-source CRMs and is a solid choice if you want a mature, widely used self-hosted system.[6][10][13]
- **YetiForce** — Noted for **lead tracking**, contact management, widgets, and customization options, making it a strong fit when lead pipeline visibility matters most.[10]
- **Odoo Community Edition** — Offers a free open-source CRM component; it is useful if you want CRM alongside a broader business suite, though many advanced capabilities may sit in paid services or extra modules.[18][10]

If your priority is specifically **lead management**, I would rank them like this:

| Rank | CRM | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | **EspoCRM** | Clean setup, sales automation, and practical lead workflows |
| 2 | **YetiForce** | Strong lead tracking and highly customizable lead handling |
| 3 | **SuiteCRM** | Mature all-around CRM with broad open-source adoption |
| 4 | **Odoo Community** | CRM plus broader ERP-style expansion |

A useful rule from the sources is that while the software may be free, **hosting, customization, maintenance, and support can still cost money** if you self-host or need professional help.[10]

If you want, I can narrow this to the **best option for small business, solo sales, or self-hosted privacy-focused use**.


What is the most active open source CRM project for enterprise sales teams?

For **enterprise sales teams**, the most active open-source CRM project is most likely **Odoo** if you mean the strongest overall development activity and repository momentum, because it has the highest GitHub signal in the results at **52,752 stars** and is marked **active** in the CRM index.[2]

If you mean a CRM that is *more sales-CRM focused* rather than a broader business suite, **Twenty** is the strongest contender in the results: it is described as the **top pick for most teams in 2026**, has **45,500 GitHub stars**, and is said to be the **fastest-growing CRM** in that comparison.[1]

For enterprise sales use specifically, the practical shortlist from the results is:

- **Odoo** — most active by repository signal in the provided data, but it is a broader business platform rather than a pure CRM.[2]
- **Twenty** — fastest-growing open-source CRM and a modern choice for sales teams.[1]
- **SuiteCRM** — repeatedly described as a leader for enterprise-sized deployments and enterprise-focused CRM use.[13][16][18]

If you want a single answer, I’d choose **Twenty** for *open-source CRM purpose-built for sales teams*, and **Odoo** for *largest overall open-source project activity* among the listed CRM-related repos.[1][2]


We're a 15 person consultancy tired of paying monthly SaaS CRM fees. What open source self-hosted CRM should we switch to?

For a **15-person consultancy**, the safest default recommendation is **EspoCRM** if you want the lowest-friction self-hosted replacement for a paid SaaS CRM, and **Twenty** if your team values a more modern, developer-friendly product and can handle a bit more setup/customization.[3][7][8]

Here’s the practical breakdown:

- **Best overall for most small consulting teams: EspoCRM**
  It is repeatedly described as lightweight, easy to self-host, and highly configurable from the admin panel without code, which makes it a strong fit for a 15-person team that wants to cut SaaS fees but avoid a big implementation project.[3][7][8][16]

- **Best modern option: Twenty**
  Twenty is positioned as the top pick for teams wanting a modern Salesforce-style CRM, with TypeScript/React, GraphQL + REST APIs, and strong extensibility for developer-led customization.[3][7][9][11]

- **Best classic full-featured option: SuiteCRM**
  SuiteCRM is the mature, battle-tested choice if you want a broader enterprise-style CRM and are comfortable with a heavier, more traditional platform.[4][8][18][20]

If you want a simple decision rule:

| If you are… | Best pick |
|---|---|
| A small consultancy that wants easy self-hosting and minimal admin overhead | **EspoCRM** |
| A product-minded or developer-led team that wants a modern stack | **Twenty** |
| A team that wants the most established “classic CRM” alternative | **SuiteCRM** |

My recommendation for your case: **start with EspoCRM** unless you already have developers ready to own CRM customization; in that case, **Twenty** is the more future-facing choice.[3][7][8]

If you want, I can also give you a **top 3 shortlist with deployment complexity, features, and migration effort** for your exact use case.


Top open source CRM tools with custom fields and pipeline management

The best open-source CRMs for **custom fields** and **pipeline management** are **SuiteCRM**, **EspoCRM**, **Vtiger CRM (Community Edition)**, and **Odoo Community Edition**.[1][2][6][8]

| CRM | Custom fields | Pipeline management | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| **SuiteCRM** | Very strong: unlimited custom fields, many built-in field types, calculated/formula fields, dependent picklists, and extensible custom field types.[1] | Supports sales processes and workflows; commonly used for customizable pipeline-style CRM setups.[8][20] | Deepest customization and complex field logic.[1] |
| **EspoCRM** | Strong: no-code customization with Entity Manager for custom modules, fields, and relationships.[2][4][18] | Built-in pipelines, tasks, leads, and dashboards.[2][8] | Best balance of usability and customization.[2] |
| **Vtiger CRM CE** | Strong: customizable fields, modules, workflows, and reports.[6][13] | Multiple pipelines and customizable workflows.[6] | Teams that want flexible workflow/pipeline management.[6][13] |
| **Odoo Community Edition** | Very strong: highly modular, with custom objects/fields through development and broad extensibility.[1][8] | Sales pipeline support is available in CRM modules.[8] | Businesses already considering the Odoo ecosystem.[8] |

If you want the shortest recommendation:

- **Best overall for custom fields:** **SuiteCRM**.[1]
- **Best no-code customization:** **EspoCRM**.[2][4]
- **Best for multiple pipelines and workflows:** **Vtiger**.[6][13]
- **Best modular platform:** **Odoo CE**.[1][8]

If you want, I can also narrow this to the **best free self-hosted option**, the **easiest to install**, or the **best for a small sales team**.


What self-hosted CRM software is best for GDPR compliance and strict data ownership?

For **strict data ownership and GDPR control**, the strongest self-hosted CRM choice in your results is **Twenty CRM** because it is explicitly described as self-hosted, giving you full control over where data lives and preventing external data flows when you run it on your own infrastructure.[2][7]

If you want the safest *mature open-source alternative*, **SuiteCRM** is the next strongest pick: it is repeatedly described as fully self-hosted, suitable for EU-based deployment, and a strong compliance foundation when you control the servers and configure audit trails, deletion workflows, and access controls properly.[9][16]

A practical ranking from the results would be:

- **Best overall for self-hosting + data ownership:** **Twenty CRM**.[2][7]
- **Best established enterprise-style open-source option:** **SuiteCRM**.[9][16]
- **Also worth considering:** **EspoCRM** and **YetiForce**, which are listed among self-hosted open-source CRMs with GDPR-friendly deployment potential.[16]

The key point is that **GDPR compliance is not just the CRM software itself**; self-hosting helps because it lets you control data residency, subprocessors, retention, deletion, and access rights, but you still need proper processes such as consent management, DSAR handling, and audit logging.[7][9]

If you want the shortest recommendation: **choose Twenty CRM if “data ownership first” is the priority; choose SuiteCRM if you want a more established ecosystem.**


Recommend an open source self-hosted CRM for a non-profit organization.

For a **non-profit**, the best open-source self-hosted CRM recommendation is **CiviCRM**. It is purpose-built for nonprofits and advocacy organizations, and is repeatedly described as the open-source CRM designed specifically for donor, membership, event, and constituent management needs.[2][4][5][10]

If you want the shortest practical recommendation:

- **Best overall for nonprofits:** **CiviCRM** — strongest fit for donations, memberships, events, pledges, and donor acknowledgment.[2][4][5]
- **Easier general-purpose alternative:** **EspoCRM** — good if your nonprofit has simpler CRM needs and wants a more straightforward self-hosted setup.[2][15]
- **If you already use ERP workflows:** **Odoo Community Edition** or **ERPNext** — better when CRM is only one part of a broader operations stack.[2][3]

Why CiviCRM is the top pick:
- It is explicitly built for *nonprofits, associations, and advocacy organizations*.[2][4][5][10]
- It supports common nonprofit workflows such as **membership tracking**, **event registrations**, **pledges**, **donor management**, and **grant-related processes**.[2][7]
- It is open source and self-hostable, giving you control over data and infrastructure.[3][4][5]

If you want a quick decision rule:
- Choose **CiviCRM** if you need nonprofit-specific fundraising and constituent management.
- Choose **EspoCRM** if you mainly need a clean, flexible CRM with fewer nonprofit-specific workflows.
- Choose **SuiteCRM** if you want a broader general CRM and are comfortable customizing it for nonprofit use.[9][14]

If you want, I can also give you a **top 3 comparison table** for CiviCRM vs EspoCRM vs SuiteCRM based on ease of setup, nonprofit fit, and maintenance burden.


We need a self-hostable CRM software with email integration and contact management for 50 users.

For a **50-user team** that needs **self-hosting**, **email integration**, and strong **contact management**, the best fits in the provided results are **EspoCRM** and **SuiteCRM**.[6][3][16]

- **EspoCRM** is a free, open-source CRM you can host on your own server, and it includes **contact management**, **deal management**, **support cases**, **customer portal**, and **email campaigns**.[6] It is also specifically described as suitable for **enterprise / larger teams** in the comparison results.[5]
- **SuiteCRM** is recommended for **5–50 users** needing “Salesforce-grade” features and includes **contacts, pipelines, workflows, reporting, email campaigns, and case management**.[3] It is also listed as a free self-hosted option in broader 2026 comparisons.[10][16]
- **Bitrix24 On-Premise** is another self-hosted option with **leads, contacts, deals, pipelines**, and collaboration tools, but it is positioned more as an enterprise platform and its cited pricing starts at **$3,590 for 50 users**.[1]

If you want the most practical short list:
- **Choose EspoCRM** if you want a cleaner modern self-hosted CRM with email features and flexibility.[6][5]
- **Choose SuiteCRM** if you want a more established, feature-heavy CRM and are fine with a less polished interface.[3]

If you want, I can also narrow this down to a **top 3 ranked list** based on **ease of deployment, email sync quality, and expected admin overhead** for 50 users.


best self hosted open source sales crm software

For a **self-hosted open-source sales CRM**, the strongest current picks are **Twenty**, **EspoCRM**, and **SuiteCRM**, with **Twenty** often highlighted as the best modern option for teams that want a sales-focused, lightweight CRM experience.[9][4][19][20]

- **Twenty**: Best if you want a modern, sales-oriented CRM with a clean interface and straightforward self-hosting; one 2026 guide calls it the standout for most teams, and notes it is free to self-host with no per-seat pricing.[9][20]
- **EspoCRM**: Best if you want a mature, self-hosted CRM that is widely recommended as a free self-hosted option; TechRadar lists EspoCRM as a top open-source CRM in 2026.[4]
- **SuiteCRM**: Best if you need a more established, full-featured CRM platform; it is a long-running open-source CRM specifically positioned for self-hosting.[19]
- **Krayin**: Worth considering if you want a lighter-weight, easier deployment option; it is repeatedly mentioned alongside EspoCRM and Twenty as straightforward to run with Docker.[9]

If your focus is specifically **sales pipeline management** rather than a broad CRM suite, I’d start with **Twenty** first, then compare it with **EspoCRM** if you want something more established and extensible.[9][4][20]

If you want, I can also give you a **top 5 ranked list by ease of self-hosting, sales features, and automation**.


What self-hosted open source CRM has the best mobile app and REST API?

If you want the **best mobile app plus a solid REST API**, **Twenty** is the strongest overall choice among self-hosted open-source CRMs based on the sources provided. It is described as shipping **both GraphQL and REST**, and it is positioned as the cleanest option for integrating with modern apps.[17][7]

If your priority is specifically a **mature native mobile experience**, the search results do **not** clearly show a single self-hosted open-source CRM with a universally best mobile app, because most comparisons emphasize web UI, APIs, and general product capability rather than mobile apps.[9][15][17] In practice, that means the “best” answer depends on whether you care more about **API quality** or **mobile usability**.

A practical ranking from the available evidence would be:

- **Twenty** — best overall for **modern API design** and likely the best fit if mobile access is through responsive web or a custom app using its API.[7][17]
- **EspoCRM** — strong self-hosted CRM with a **conventional REST API**, and often praised for speed and clean architecture.[9][17]
- **SuiteCRM** — mature and widely used, but the results do not show it leading on mobile app quality or API modernity.[15][20]
- **Odoo Community (CRM)** — powerful, but it relies on **XML-RPC and JSON-RPC** rather than plain REST, so it is less ideal if REST is the main criterion.[17]

If you want a single recommendation: **Twenty** is the best match for **REST/API-first integration**, while **EspoCRM** is the safest fallback if you want a more traditional CRM with a straightforward REST API.[7][9][17]


We want an open source CRM that we can self-host on AWS via Kubernetes.

If you want an **open-source CRM** that you can **self-host on AWS with Kubernetes**, the strongest fits from the results are **EspoCRM**, **SuiteCRM**, and **Twenty**. EspoCRM and Twenty have explicit Docker-based self-hosting paths, which makes them straightforward to run in Kubernetes, while SuiteCRM is also open source and self-hostable, though the AWS Marketplace listing shown is an EC2/AMI package rather than a Kubernetes-native deployment.[5][12][7][2]

A practical way to choose:

| CRM | Self-hosting fit for Kubernetes | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **EspoCRM** | **Very good** | Official Docker install is documented, with NGINX and MySQL preconfigured.[5][6] |
| **Twenty** | **Very good** | Official docs describe self-hosting on your own infrastructure and Docker Compose support.[12][8] |
| **SuiteCRM** | **Good** | Open-source and self-hosted; AWS Marketplace listing is packaged for EC2, not Kubernetes.[7][2] |
| **Erxes** | **Good** | Open-source and self-hosted, but the AWS listing is also EC2/AMI-based rather than Kubernetes-specific.[1] |

For AWS on Kubernetes, **EspoCRM** is the most deployment-friendly option based on the sources here because its official download page explicitly provides a Docker install flow and a script that installs it as a Docker container with NGINX and MySQL preconfigured.[5] **Twenty** is also a strong choice if you want a more modern stack and are comfortable operating PostgreSQL, Redis, and object storage components in Kubernetes.[8][12]

If you want the **lowest-friction Kubernetes deployment**, I’d start with:
- **EspoCRM** for simpler containerized self-hosting.[5]
- **Twenty** if you want a more cloud-native architecture and are fine managing more moving parts.[8][12]
- **SuiteCRM** if you prefer a long-established CRM with broad feature coverage and community history.[7][18]

If you want, I can next give you:
- a **ranked shortlist** for your team size,
- a **Kubernetes architecture** for one of these on AWS,
- or a **Helm/manifest design** for deploying the best option.


Which open source CRM is best for a real estate agency wanting full data ownership?

For a real estate agency that wants **full data ownership**, the best fit from the open-source options in your results is **InsulaCRM** because it is explicitly **self-hosted**, says **“you own your data,”** and states there is **no tracking or telemetry**.[2][6]

If you want a more established general open-source CRM instead of a real-estate-specific one, **EspoCRM** is a strong fallback because it is a well-known open-source CRM platform, but the search results do not show real-estate-specific data-ownership claims as directly as InsulaCRM does.[15]

A practical way to choose:
- **Pick InsulaCRM** if your top priority is **owning and controlling all client, lead, and deal data** on your own infrastructure.[2][6]
- **Pick EspoCRM** if you want a broader, mature CRM platform and are comfortable configuring it for real-estate workflows.[15]

The key difference is that **self-hosting** is what usually gives you full data ownership, while hosted or freemium CRMs can still keep operational control or telemetry on their side; InsulaCRM’s own description directly emphasizes that ownership model.[2][4]