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 why, along with a couple of top alternatives depending on your specific needs:

### 1. **EspoCRM** (Best Overall for Small Teams)
* **Why it’s best:** It is lightweight, modern, extremely responsive, and specifically designed for sales automation and relationship management without unnecessary bloat.
* **Key Features:** Contact/Lead management, sales pipeline tracking, email integration, calendar sync, and automated workflows.
* **Ease of Use:** High. It has one of the cleanest user interfaces among open-source CRMs, making adoption easy for sales reps.

---

### Key Alternatives:

* **SuiteCRM** *(Best for Advanced Customization)*
  * **Why choose it:** If you need an enterprise-grade, highly customizable system similar to Salesforce.
  * **Trade-off:** Steeper learning curve and requires more technical effort to set up and maintain.

* **Odoo (Community Edition)** *(Best for All-in-One Business Operations)*
  * **Why choose it:** If you want a CRM that seamlessly connects with inventory, invoicing, and project management apps.
  * **Trade-off:** The open-source version lacks some advanced features present in their paid tier.

---

**Summary Recommendation:**
Go with **EspoCRM** for a quick setup, intuitive sales workflow, and low maintenance. Go with **SuiteCRM** if you need complex, highly tailored business processes.


Best self-hosted CRM for a 20-person company

For a 20-person company, the best self-hosted CRM depends on your technical resources and specific workflow needs:

### 1. Best Overall: **EspoCRM**
* **Why it’s best:** Modern, clean interface, fast performance, and very easy to configure without heavy coding. It scales exceptionally well for a 20-person team.
* **Key Features:** Sales automation, lead/contact management, email integration, customizable entities, and built-in calendar/tasks.
* **Best for:** Companies that want a user-friendly, modern CRM that sales teams will actually enjoy using.

### 2. Best for Complex/Enterprise Workflows: **SuiteCRM**
* **Why it’s best:** The most feature-rich open-source CRM available (a fork of SugarCRM). Highly powerful, but has a steeper learning curve and a more dated UI.
* **Key Features:** Advanced workflow automation, contract/quote management, customer portal, and deep reporting.
* **Best for:** Companies with complex B2B sales cycles, heavy quoting needs, or dedicated IT resources to maintain it.

### 3. Best if You Need ERP Capabilities: **Odoo (Community Edition)**
* **Why it’s best:** Extensible modular architecture. You can start with the CRM module and add invoicing, inventory, and project management as needed.
* **Key Features:** Seamless integration with other business apps, pipeline management, and lead scoring.
* **Best for:** Companies wanting an all-in-one business management platform, not just a standalone CRM.

---

### Summary Recommendation:
Go with **EspoCRM** for the best balance of modern UI, ease of self-hosting, and user adoption for a team of 20. Choose **SuiteCRM** only if you require highly complex, enterprise-level business logic and custom workflows.


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 for self-hosting on-premises, categorized by their strengths:

### 1. SuiteCRM
* **Best for:** Enterprise-grade features and direct alternatives to Salesforce/SugarCRM.
* **Key Strengths:** Highly mature, rich feature set out of the box (sales, marketing, service), strong reporting, and no artificial feature limits in the open-source version.

### 2. EspoCRM
* **Best for:** Modern UI, fast performance, and ease of customization.
* **Key Strengths:** Lightweight, highly responsive, easy to build custom entities and automated workflows, with excellent REST API support.

### 3. Odoo (Community Edition)
* **Best for:** Businesses that want CRM closely integrated with ERP functionality (inventory, invoicing, accounting).
* **Key Strengths:** Modular design, modern interface, and a massive ecosystem of add-ons.
* *Note:* Some advanced features are reserved for the paid Enterprise version.

### 4. Vtiger CRM (Open Source Edition)
* **Best for:** All-in-one sales, support, and marketing management.
* **Key Strengths:** Strong customer support/ticketing features built-in alongside standard pipeline management, project management, and inventory tracking.

### 5. ERPNext
* **Best for:** Organizations needing a full, 100% open-source ERP with strong CRM capabilities.
* **Key Strengths:** Modern tech stack (Python/JS), clean interface, completely free with no gated features, and seamless integration between leads, quotes, inventory, and finance.

---

### Evaluation Criteria Recommendation
When testing these, prioritize:
1. **Customizability:** How easily can you modify lead stages, fields, and workflows to match your business?
2. **Maintenance Overhead:** The underlying stack (PHP/MySQL vs. Python/PostgreSQL) and the technical effort required to update and back up the system.
3. **Data Security:** Ease of implementing role-based access control (RBAC) to ensure strict data governance.


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

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

### Top Pick: **EspoCRM**
* **Why it’s great for B2B:** Designed specifically for B2B models, featuring an intuitive Kanban-style sales pipeline, relationship tracking between accounts and contacts, sales forecasting, and automated workflows.
* **Tech & Deployment:** Lightweight, fast, easy to self-host (PHP/MySQL), and available via Docker.

---

### Key Alternatives

1. **SuiteCRM** *(Best for Enterprise Complexity)*
   * **Best if:** You need deep customization, complex security roles, or a free alternative to Salesforce Enterprise.
   * **Drawback:** Steeper learning curve and an older interface compared to EspoCRM.

2. **Twenty** *(Best Modern UI)*
   * **Best if:** You want a sleek, modern, fast interface (built with React/Node.js) with a focus on ease of use.
   * **Drawback:** Newer project, so it has fewer advanced legacy enterprise features than SuiteCRM or EspoCRM.


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

### 1. **SuiteCRM** (Best Overall Salesforce Alternative)
* **Cost:** 100% Free (Self-hosted) | Paid cloud hosting available.
* **Best For:** Businesses needing robust automation and deep customization without user caps.
* **Key Features:** Advanced reporting, workflow automation, sales pipeline tracking, and full control over your data.

### 2. **EspoCRM** (Best for Ease of Use)
* **Cost:** Free (Self-hosted) | Cloud starts around $15/user/month.
* **Best For:** Small teams looking for a lightweight, modern interface.
* **Key Features:** Fast setup, lead/contact management, built-in calendar, and smooth email integration.

### 3. **Odoo CRM** (Best for Scalability & ERP Integration)
* **Cost:** Free for a single app (CRM) | Community Edition is free self-hosted.
* **Best For:** SMBs that plan to add inventory, invoicing, or HR tools in the future.
* **Key Features:** Intuitive Kanban pipeline view, automated lead scoring, and access to Odoo’s vast app ecosystem.

### 4. **Vtiger (Community Edition)** (Best All-in-One Capabilities)
* **Cost:** Free (Self-hosted).
* **Best For:** SMBs needing sales, customer service, and marketing in one tool.
* **Key Features:** Contact management, helpdesk ticketing, inventory tracking, and project management modules.

### 5. **Twenty** (Best Modern/Startup UI)
* **Cost:** Free (Self-hosted).
* **Best For:** Tech-forward SMBs wanting a fast, modern design inspired by modern SaaS tools.
* **Key Features:** High performance, customizable data fields, and active developer community.

---

### Recommendation:
* **Zero Software Budget + Technical Skill:** Go with **SuiteCRM** or **EspoCRM** self-hosted.
* **Easiest Path to Add ERP Later:** Go with **Odoo CRM**.


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

Small companies that choose to self-host open-source CRMs generally stick to a few proven, actively maintained options depending on their technical capability and specific needs:

### 1. Dedicated Pure CRMs (Most Popular)
* **EspoCRM:** The most recommended option for small businesses today. It has a modern, responsive interface, is lightweight, easy to self-host (PHP/MySQL), and offers powerful customization and automation out of the box.
* **Twenty:** The fast-rising, modern alternative built on a modern tech stack (Node.js, React, GraphQL). It features a clean, Notion-like UI and is ideal for tech-forward startups and small teams.
* **SuiteCRM:** The long-standing traditional choice (a fork of SugarCRM). It is feature-rich and handles complex sales pipelines extremely well, though the interface feels slightly dated compared to modern tools.

### 2. All-in-One Business Suites (CRM + ERP/Invoicing)
* **ERPNext:** A 100% open-source, fully featured platform. Small companies use this when they need CRM capabilities tightly integrated with inventory, accounting, project management, and HR without paywalls.
* **Odoo (Community Edition):** Widely used due to its modern user interface and modular app system. The open-source community edition includes a solid CRM module, though advanced features require paid add-ons or enterprise upgrades.

### 3. Established Alternatives
* **Vtiger (Community Edition):** A mature PHP-based CRM with robust reporting, document management, and customer support portal features built-in.

---

### Quick Recommendation:
* **For a modern, easy-to-use dedicated CRM:** Go with **EspoCRM** or **Twenty**.
* **For complex sales processes:** Go with **SuiteCRM**.
* **If you also need invoicing and inventory:** Go with **ERPNext**.


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 self-hostable, open-source CRM options are:

### 1. **EspoCRM** (Top Recommendation)
* **Why it fits:** Fast, modern, lightweight, and highly customizable. It has exceptionally fine-grained Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and detailed audit logs (Stream/Field History), which are critical for HIPAA/GDPR compliance.
* **Best for:** Companies wanting a clean UI, straightforward API integration, and easy maintenance via Docker.

### 2. **SuiteCRM**
* **Why it fits:** The most mature enterprise-grade open-source CRM (a fork of SugarCRM). It supports complex patient/client workflows, custom modules, and advanced security models out of the box.
* **Best for:** Large organizations with complex, multi-department healthcare workflows requiring deep customization.

### 3. **Odoo (Community Edition)**
* **Why it fits:** An all-in-one ERP/CRM ecosystem. If you need patient scheduling, invoicing, and document management tightly coupled with your CRM, Odoo handles it all in one platform.
* **Best for:** Healthcare businesses needing a full operational backend beyond just CRM functionality.

---

### Key Technical Next Steps for Healthcare Compliance:
Regardless of the platform you choose:
1. **Host on isolated infrastructure:** Deploy on-premises or within a private cloud VPC (e.g., AWS EC2/GCP) configured for zero external access except via VPN.
2. **Enable Encryption:** Ensure strict TLS 1.3 for data in transit and AES-256 for database encryption at rest.
3. **Audit Logging:** Turn on strict field-level change logging to track who accesses or modifies Patient Health Information (PHI).


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

The best open-source, self-hosted CRM for managing leads and deal stages depends on your preference for user interface and complexity:

1. **EspoCRM (Best Overall Pick)**
   * **Why it’s best:** It features a modern, clean UI specifically designed for sales pipeline management. It includes a drag-and-drop Kanban board for deal stages, easy lead conversion, and simple self-hosting setup via PHP/MySQL.

2. **SuiteCRM (Best for Enterprise & High Customization)**
   * **Why it’s best:** A feature-packed fork of SugarCRM. It offers robust lead management, deep customization, and complex workflow automation, though the user interface feels slightly more traditional.

3. **Odoo Community Edition (Best Visual Pipeline)**
   * **Why it’s best:** Excellent Kanban-style deal stage tracking with a sleek modern design. Ideal if you plan to integrate other business modules (invoicing, inventory) later, though it is heavier to maintain on your own server.

**Recommendation:** Go with **EspoCRM** if you want a lightweight, modern sales pipeline out of the box, or **SuiteCRM** if you need deep customization and complex workflows.


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:

### 1. **EspoCRM** (Recommended)
* **Best for:** Lightweight, fast, and highly customizable UI.
* **Why:** Has an official, well-maintained Docker image (`espocrm/espocrm`). It covers sales, marketing, and customer service without heavy resource overhead.
* **Docker Setup:** Official `docker-compose` setup available using MySQL/MariaDB.

### 2. **Twenty**
* **Best for:** A modern, open-source alternative to Salesforce.
* **Why:** Built from the ground up for modern self-hosting. Features an ultra-clean UI, GraphQL API, and active development.
* **Docker Setup:** Designed to run natively via Docker Compose (PostgreSQL + Redis + Server container).

### 3. **SuiteCRM**
* **Best for:** Enterprise-level features and complex workflows.
* **Why:** A mature, feature-rich fork of SugarCRM CE. Extremely powerful for large datasets and complex business logic.
* **Docker Setup:** Best deployed using Bitnami's maintained Docker image (`bitnami/suitecrm`).

### 4. **Odoo (Community Edition - CRM Module)**
* **Best for:** Businesses that want CRM integrated with accounting, inventory, or HR.
* **Why:** Highly extensible modular system with an official Docker image (`odoo`).
* **Docker Setup:** Official Docker image paired with a PostgreSQL container via Docker Compose.

---

### Quick Recommendation
* Choose **EspoCRM** if you want a dedicated, easy-to-use CRM that works right out of the box.
* Choose **Twenty** if you prefer modern, modern tech stacks and sleek designs.
* Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need advanced custom automation and enterprise-grade tools.


Best free and open source CRM software for lead management

Here are the top free and open-source CRM software options for lead management:

### 1. **SuiteCRM** (Best Overall)
A powerful, feature-rich alternative to Salesforce with no feature paywalls.
* **Lead Features:** Automatic lead capture, lead scoring, flexible lead assignment rules, workflow automation, and email marketing.
* **Best for:** Businesses needing complex workflows and deep customization.

### 2. **EspoCRM** (Best User Interface)
A lightweight, fast, and modern web application focused purely on CRM functions.
* **Lead Features:** Easy lead-to-opportunity conversion, web-to-lead forms, lead capture from emails, and customizable sales pipelines.
* **Best for:** Small-to-medium businesses wanting a clean, easy-to-use interface.

### 3. **Odoo CRM (Community Edition)** (Best Visual Pipeline)
A modular CRM that integrates seamlessly with Odoo’s large ecosystem of open-source business apps.
* **Lead Features:** Drag-and-drop Kanban lead pipeline, automated lead routing, call/email tracking, and lead scoring.
* **Best for:** Companies looking for an all-in-one business software solution.

### 4. **Vtiger CRM (Open Source Edition)**
A mature CRM platform with strong out-of-the-box features for sales teams.
* **Lead Features:** Web-to-lead form builder, lead scoring, built-in email marketing, and detailed reporting on lead sources.
* **Best for:** Teams needing end-to-end sales and customer support management.

---

### Quick Recommendation:
* Choose **EspoCRM** if you want something simple, fast, and easy to set up.
* Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need enterprise-level features and complex automation.


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

**SuiteCRM** is widely considered the most active and mature open-source CRM specifically designed for enterprise sales teams. It offers feature parity with major proprietary platforms like Salesforce Enterprise, including advanced workflow automation, complex reporting, role-based security, and deep customization capabilities.

If you are looking for broader business software activity, **Odoo** has the overall most active open-source developer community, though it operates as a full ERP ecosystem with a dedicated CRM module rather than a standalone CRM.


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 three best open-source, self-hosted CRMs based on ease of use, feature set, and maintenance overhead:

### 1. EspoCRM *(Top Recommendation)*
* **Best for:** Modern user experience, fast setup, and strong B2B pipeline management.
* **Why it fits:** It has a clean, fast web interface, excellent customizable modules (Leads, Opportunities, Accounts, Contacts), and built-in calendar/email integration. It is lightweight and easy to self-host via Docker or standard PHP/MySQL server setups.

### 2. SuiteCRM
* **Best for:** Deep customization, complex workflow automation, and enterprise-grade features.
* **Why it fits:** Based on SugarCRM, it is the most mature and feature-complete open-source CRM available. It handles contract management, quoting, and detailed reporting out of the box, though its interface feels slightly dated compared to EspoCRM.

### 3. Odoo (Community Edition)
* **Best for:** Consolidating CRM, project management, time-tracking, and invoicing into one tool.
* **Why it fits:** If your consultancy wants to eliminate SaaS fees for *more* than just CRM, Odoo provides integrated apps for client management, project boards, and billing.

---

### **Final Verdict:**
Go with **EspoCRM**. It offers the best balance of a modern UI (which ensures high adoption from your team) and low hosting overhead, making it ideal for a small consultancy.


Top open source CRM tools with custom fields and pipeline management

Here are the top open-source CRM tools that feature custom fields and pipeline management:

### 1. **EspoCRM**
* **Custom Fields:** Very easy to create custom fields and entities using its built-in *Entity Manager* (no coding required).
* **Pipeline Management:** Features an intuitive drag-and-drop Kanban view, customizable sales stages, and flexible lead/opportunity tracking.
* **Best For:** Small to mid-sized businesses wanting a clean, lightweight, and highly customizable CRM.

### 2. **SuiteCRM**
* **Custom Fields:** Includes a powerful tool called *Studio* that allows full customization of fields, layouts, and modules without writing code.
* **Pipeline Management:** Advanced opportunity tracking, customizable sales funnels, and automated workflow triggers based on pipeline stages.
* **Best For:** Enterprises looking for a feature-rich, open-source alternative to Salesforce.

### 3. **Twenty**
* **Custom Fields:** Designed natively around flexible data structures—adding and modifying custom fields is fast and seamless.
* **Pipeline Management:** Modern, Notion/Airtable-like UI with drag-and-drop Kanban boards, custom views, and filters for pipeline stages.
* **Best For:** Teams looking for a modern, fast, and developer-friendly open-source CRM.

### 4. **Vtiger CRM (Open Source Edition)**
* **Custom Fields:** Offers a robust Layout & Field Editor to add, remove, or modify fields and dependency logic across all modules.
* **Pipeline Management:** Visually track opportunities through customizable deal stages, complete with forecasting and automated task creation.
* **Best For:** Businesses needing comprehensive sales automation alongside CRM features.

### 5. **Odoo CRM (Community Edition)**
* **Custom Fields:** Easily extensible through custom modules or Python/developer settings (note: no-code field creation is limited in the free tier compared to Enterprise).
* **Pipeline Management:** Exceptional visual drag-and-drop Kanban pipeline for tracking leads, deal values, and probability of closing.
* **Best For:** Companies looking to integrate CRM into a broader ERP ecosystem (inventory, invoicing, etc.).


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

The top self-hosted CRM options for GDPR compliance and strict data ownership are:

1. **SuiteCRM** *(Best for Enterprise & Complex Needs)*
   * **Why:** Fully open-source and free. It includes dedicated GDPR compliance features out of the box, such as consent management, data retention policies, dynamic anonymization, and data export/deletion tools. You have complete control over your database and server environment.

2. **EspoCRM** *(Best Modern & Lightweight Option)*
   * **Why:** Open-source, fast, and easy to maintain. It offers specific GDPR features to log customer consent, handle "right to be forgotten" (data erasure) requests, and export personal data in standard formats.

3. **Odoo (Community Edition)** *(Best for CRM + Business Apps)*
   * **Why:** Fully self-hostable open-source software. It allows strict access control, audit logging, and custom data-retention rules on your own infrastructure, though GDPR workflows require slight configuration.

**Recommendation:** Choose **EspoCRM** for a modern, lightweight interface that is easy to deploy, or **SuiteCRM** if you need advanced enterprise features and deep customization.


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 corporate CRMs focused on sales pipelines, CiviCRM is designed out of the box for fundraising, donor management, constituent tracking, and grant management.
* **Key Features:** Event registration, membership management, advocacy campaigns, peer-to-peer fundraising, and automated email marketing.
* **CMS Integration:** It integrates seamlessly into popular content management systems like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla.

### Alternative Option:
If you prefer a more traditional, corporate-style sales/lead management interface that you can adapt for non-profit use, consider **EspoCRM** or **SuiteCRM**.


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

Here are the best self-hostable, open-source CRM options for 50 users with strong contact management and email integration:

### 1. **EspoCRM** *(Top Recommendation)*
* **Best for:** Ease of use, fast setup, and modern UI.
* **Email Features:** Full two-way email sync (IMAP/SMTP), email templates, automated tracking, and direct attachment of emails to contacts/accounts.
* **50-User Fit:** Lightweight and efficient; runs smoothly on modest server hardware.

### 2. **SuiteCRM**
* **Best for:** Advanced customization and enterprise-level features.
* **Email Features:** In-app email client, campaign management, automated workflows based on email triggers.
* **50-User Fit:** Highly scalable (forked from SugarCRM), ideal if you need complex user permissions and custom modules.

### 3. **Odoo (Community Edition)**
* **Best for:** Teams needing room to expand into ERP, invoicing, or project management.
* **Email Features:** Integrated mail gateway, automatic log of incoming/outgoing emails to contact timelines.
* **50-User Fit:** Robust backend, though it requires slightly more server resources to run smoothly for 50 concurrent users.

---

### **Recommendation:**
Go with **EspoCRM** via Docker for the easiest setup, lowest system resource overhead, and cleanest email-to-contact interface. Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need complex workflow automation and deep customization.


best self hosted open source sales crm software

Here are the best self-hosted, open-source sales CRM options based on different needs:

### 1. **EspoCRM** (Best Overall for Sales)
* **Why it’s great:** Modern, fast, and specifically designed for sales automation and lead management. It offers lead tracking, deal pipelines, account management, and email integration out of the box.
* **Best for:** Small to medium businesses looking for an easy-to-use, pure sales CRM without unnecessary clutter.

### 2. **SuiteCRM** (Best Enterprise/Salesforce Alternative)
* **Why it’s great:** The most feature-rich and established open-source CRM (originally derived from SugarCRM). Highly customizable with advanced workflow automation, reporting, and customer service modules.
* **Best for:** Larger businesses requiring deep customization and complex automation.

### 3. **Twenty** (Best Modern / Next-Gen CRM)
* **Why it’s great:** A modern, sleek open-source alternative to Salesforce built on a contemporary tech stack (React, Node.js). It offers a modern UI, fast keyboard shortcuts, and strong developer APIs.
* **Best for:** Tech teams and startups wanting a fresh UI and a modern platform to build upon.

### 4. **Odoo (Community Edition)** (Best for CRM + Business ERP)
* **Why it’s great:** Extremely clean Kanban-style sales pipeline. If you need your sales CRM connected to inventory, invoicing, accounting, or marketing tools, Odoo's modular ecosystem handles it all seamlessly.
* **Best for:** Businesses looking for an all-in-one suite beyond just sales tracking.

---

### **Quick Recommendation:**
* Go with **EspoCRM** if you want something lightweight, reliable, and easy to deploy today.
* Go with **SuiteCRM** if you need complex workflows and enterprise-level features for free.


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 for both REST API quality and mobile experience.

### Why EspoCRM:
* **REST API:** It offers a modern, fast, and fully documented REST API. Every custom entity, field, and workflow created in the system is automatically exposed through the API, making integrations straightforward.
* **Mobile App:** It uses a responsive Progressive Web App (PWA) architecture alongside official iOS and Android apps. It delivers a fast, native-like user experience on mobile devices without requiring expensive third-party connectors.

---

### Top Alternative:
* **ERPNext:** If you want a native mobile app and don't mind a broader ERP system that includes a strong CRM module, ERPNext (built on the Frappe framework) offers an exceptional REST API and dedicated native mobile apps.


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

Here are the top open-source CRMs best suited for self-hosting on AWS Kubernetes (EKS):

### 1. **Twenty** (Best Modern / Cloud-Native Option)
* **Tech Stack:** Node.js, React, PostgreSQL
* **Why it fits K8s:** Built with a modern microservices architecture, making it natively container-friendly and easy to scale horizontally.
* **Best for:** Teams looking for a modern, fast, Salesforce-like UI with a strong developer API (GraphQL).

### 2. **Odoo (Community Edition)** (Best All-in-One / Extensible)
* **Tech Stack:** Python, PostgreSQL
* **Why it fits K8s:** Widely deployed on Kubernetes; well-maintained community Helm charts exist (e.g., Bitnami Odoo).
* **Best for:** Organizations needing CRM combined with ERP features (invoicing, inventory, HR).

### 3. **SuiteCRM** (Best Traditional Enterprise CRM)
* **Tech Stack:** PHP, MySQL/MariaDB
* **Why it fits K8s:** Easy to deploy using standard PHP-FPM/Nginx container patterns or Bitnami Helm charts.
* **Best for:** Deep, complex B2B sales pipelines and heavy customization requiring a feature-complete Salesforce alternative.

### 4. **EspoCRM** (Best Lightweight / Fast Option)
* **Tech Stack:** PHP, MySQL/MariaDB
* **Why it fits K8s:** Extremely lightweight footprint with low resource consumption, ideal for smaller cluster nodes.
* **Best for:** Fast performance, simple customization, and streamlined lead/account management.

---

### Recommended AWS Kubernetes Architecture Pattern
To keep your K8s pods **stateless** and resilient:
* **Compute:** AWS EKS (or self-managed K8s)
* **Database:** AWS RDS (PostgreSQL or MySQL depending on the CRM) instead of running databases inside K8s.
* **File Storage:** AWS S3 (via CSI driver) or EFS for shared uploads/attachments.
* **Deployment Tool:** Use **Helm** charts for easy installation and upgrades.


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

The best open-source CRM for a real estate agency requiring full data ownership is **EspoCRM** (self-hosted).

### Why EspoCRM is the top choice:
* **100% Data Ownership:** Can be hosted on your own servers or private cloud, giving you complete control over client and property data.
* **Property Management Ready:** Its flexible layout allows you to easily create custom entities like "Properties," "Listings," "Offers," and "Showings," and link them directly to contacts and leads.
* **Modern & Fast:** Unlike older open-source CRMs, it features a clean, responsive UI with built-in Kanban boards for tracking sales pipelines.
* **Document & Email Integration:** Built-in tools for tracking PDF contracts, offer letters, and email history per client or property.

---

### Best Alternative:
* **SuiteCRM:** Ideal if you need an enterprise-grade, highly complex CRM with advanced workflow automation, though it has a steeper learning curve and a less modern interface out of the box.


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

The best options depend on whether you prefer Python or PHP:

### **Best for Python: ERPNext (Frappe Framework)**
* **Why it’s easiest:** It is built on the Frappe framework, which allows you to extend and customize the CRM using standard Python code, custom scripts, and a built-in low-code interface ("DocTypes").
* **Pros:** Modern architecture, clean REST APIs, easy database model customization, and active community.

---

### **Best for PHP: EspoCRM**
* **Why it’s easiest:** EspoCRM has a modern, clean PHP backend and a well-structured extension architecture. You can easily add custom PHP logic, hooks, and API endpoints without modifying the core code.
* **Pros:** Highly responsive UI, lightweight, easy layout/field manager in the admin panel, and developer-friendly documentation.

*(Alternative PHP choice: **SuiteCRM** is the most widely used legacy PHP CRM with a massive community, but its codebase is heavier and harder to customize than EspoCRM).*


open source self hosted crm with email marketing and lead tracking

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

### 1. **SuiteCRM**
* **Best for:** Enterprise-grade CRM capabilities.
* **Lead Tracking:** Comprehensive lead lifecycle management, web-to-lead forms, and automated assignment rules.
* **Email Marketing:** Built-in campaign management, HTML email templates, newsletter dispatch, and open/click tracking.

### 2. **EspoCRM**
* **Best for:** Modern UI, fast performance, and easy customization.
* **Lead Tracking:** Excellent lead scoring, pipeline management, conversion tracking, and automated workflows.
* **Email Marketing:** Mass email campaigns, auto-responders, template creation, and email tracking integrations.

### 3. **Mautic**
* **Best for:** Advanced email marketing paired with lead tracking (Marketing Automation first, CRM second).
* **Lead Tracking:** Deep contact activity tracking, dynamic lead scoring, and web visitor tracking.
* **Email Marketing:** Best-in-class automated email sequences, drag-and-drop builder, A/B testing, and audience segmentation.

### 4. **Odoo (Community Edition)**
* **Best for:** All-in-one business software (requires installing CRM + Email Marketing modules).
* **Lead Tracking:** Kanban-style pipeline, automatic lead generation from incoming emails, and lead scoring.
* **Email Marketing:** Sleek drag-and-drop newsletter builder, campaign statistics, and contact segment management.

---

### **Recommendation:**
* Choose **EspoCRM** for a clean, modern CRM experience that handles emails and leads easily out of the box.
* Choose **Mautic** if complex email marketing automation and deep web tracking are your top 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 overall Salesforce alternative)
* **Best for:** Enterprise-level customization, deep feature sets, and complex workflows.
* **Key Features:** Originally forked from SugarCRM, it offers advanced reporting, workflow automation, lead/account management, and a massive community.
* **Tech Stack:** PHP, MySQL/MariaDB.

### 2. **EspoCRM** (Best modern UI and ease of use)
* **Best for:** Small-to-midsize businesses that want a clean, fast, and responsive interface.
* **Key Features:** Highly customizable layouts and entity creators, strong REST API, email integration, and built-in calendar/task management.
* **Tech Stack:** PHP, MySQL.

### 3. **Twenty** (Best modern tech stack)
* **Best for:** Teams looking for a cutting-edge, modern UI similar to Notion or modern SaaS apps.
* **Key Features:** Built from the ground up as a modern open-source Salesforce alternative. Offers strong developer extensibility, high performance, and rapid feature development.
* **Tech Stack:** React, Node.js, PostgreSQL.

### 4. **Odoo (Community Edition)** (Best CRM + ERP combo)
* **Best for:** Companies that need an all-in-one platform for CRM, invoicing, inventory, and project management.
* **Key Features:** Seamless integration with Odoo’s modular ecosystem. Great lead scoring and pipeline management out of the box.
* **Tech Stack:** Python, PostgreSQL.

### 5. **Vtiger CRM**
* **Best for:** All-in-one sales, support, and marketing features.
* **Key Features:** Combines CRM with helpdesk ticketing, inventory tracking, and email marketing features.
* **Tech Stack:** PHP, MySQL.

---

### **Recommendation Summary:**
* Go with **EspoCRM** for the best balance of speed, modern UI, and simplicity.
* Go with **SuiteCRM** if you need heavy enterprise customizations and complex workflow rules.
* Go with **Twenty** if you prefer a modern tech stack (Node/React/Postgres) and developer-friendly design.
* Go with **Odoo** if you need operational/ERP capabilities beyond sales.

*(Note: Most of these offer official Docker images for easy self-hosting).*


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 Pick:
* **Enterprise Security & Compliance:** It can be hosted entirely on-premises or in a private cloud, giving you complete control over sensitive financial data to meet strict regulatory requirements (GDPR, FINRA, etc.).
* **Deep Customization:** Easily tailor fields, modules, and workflows to track complex financial products, client portfolios, net worth, and compliance checkpoints.
* **Process Automation:** Automate client onboarding, KYC (Know Your Customer) document tracking, and scheduled financial reviews.
* **Cost-Effective:** Fully open-source with no user licensing fees, allowing you to scale your team freely.

---

### Strong Alternatives:
* **Odoo (Community Edition):** Best if you want a CRM integrated directly with built-in open-source accounting, invoicing, and document management modules.
* **EspoCRM:** Best if you prefer a lightweight, modern, and highly responsive user interface with strong REST API capabilities for custom integrations.


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 Pick: **Twenty**
* **Why it’s best:** It is a modern, open-source alternative to Salesforce designed specifically for developers. It features a modern tech stack (TypeScript, React, Node.js, GraphQL, PostgreSQL), making it easy to extend, contribute to, and customize.
* **Best for:** Startups that want a clean UI, a modern API, and the ability to customize features directly in code.

---

### Key Alternatives depending on your tech stack:

1. **EspoCRM**
   * **Why:** Lightweight, fast, and highly customizable via a robust REST API and custom PHP/JS modules.
   * **Best for:** Teams looking for a mature, customizable CRM with low resource overhead.

2. **SuiteCRM**
   * **Why:** The most feature-complete open-source CRM (a fork of SugarCRM). Highly customizable with extensive developer documentation.
   * **Best for:** Startups needing complex, enterprise-grade sales pipelines out of the box.

3. **Odoo (Community Edition)**
   * **Why:** Python-based ecosystem that expands beyond CRM into full ERP (invoicing, inventory, HR).
   * **Best for:** Startups that plan to build a custom internal tool ecosystem beyond just sales management.

### Recommendation
Go with **Twenty** if you want a modern developer experience and modern web technologies. Choose **EspoCRM** if you need a lightweight, production-ready system today with a traditional REST API.


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

**SuiteCRM** is one of the best open-source, enterprise-grade CRM platforms for self-hosting on a local server.

### Why SuiteCRM?
* **100% Free & Open-Source:** No feature limitations, hidden fees, or user caps.
* **Full Control:** Can be installed on a local web server (LAMP/LEMP stack).
* **Rich Feature Set:** Includes sales automation, lead management, customer service/ticketing, reporting, and marketing campaigns.
* **Customizable:** Highly flexible module builder to tailor fields, workflows, and layouts.

---

### Alternative Option:
* **EspoCRM:** A faster, more modern, and lightweight open-source CRM that is easier to set up and administer on a local server if you prefer a streamlined user interface.


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

The top self-hosted open-source CRMs that natively handle both sales opportunities and quotes are:

1. **EspoCRM (Recommended)**
   * **Why:** Fast, modern, lightweight, and easy to deploy via Docker or PHP/MySQL.
   * **Key Features:** Native support for Sales Pipelines (Opportunities), Quotes, Sales Orders, and Invoices. Excellent visual Kanban boards for pipeline management.

2. **SuiteCRM**
   * **Why:** The most feature-complete open-source alternative to Salesforce/SugarCRM.
   * **Key Features:** Robust built-in Quotes, Products, and Contracts modules with advanced workflow automation, suitable for complex B2B sales processes.

3. **Odoo (Community Edition)**
   * **Why:** Best if you plan to expand beyond CRM into invoicing, accounting, or inventory.
   * **Key Features:** Seamless integration between the CRM module (Opportunities) and the Sales module (PDF Quotes/E-signatures).

### Quick Recommendation:
* Deploy **EspoCRM** for a clean, modern user interface that is quick to set up.
* Deploy **SuiteCRM** if you need complex business automation and deep permissions control out of the box.


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

**EspoCRM** is generally the best overall choice for a 30-person B2B agency, with **SuiteCRM** and **Odoo** as top alternatives depending on your specific priorities.

Here is how to choose between the top options:

### 1. EspoCRM (Best Overall Balance)
* **Why it fits:** It is natively designed for B2B relational data (Accounts, Contacts, Deals), has a modern and fast user interface, and requires lower server overhead to maintain than older platforms.
* **Best for:** Agencies that want a clean, user-friendly system for 30 people to track leads, pipelines, client relationships, and emails without heavy complexity.

### 2. SuiteCRM (Best for Complex Sales Pipelines)
* **Why it fits:** The most feature-rich open-source CRM (a direct alternative to Salesforce Enterprise). It offers advanced workflow automation, deep reporting, and fine-grained user permissions.
* **Best for:** Agencies with multi-stage, complex B2B sales cycles and dedicated IT resources to handle setup and customization.

### 3. Odoo Community Edition (Best for Integrated Agency Operations)
* **Why it fits:** Extends beyond CRM to include project management, time tracking, and invoicing in the same ecosystem.
* **Best for:** Agencies looking to manage the entire client lifecycle—from pitch to project delivery and billing—in a single platform.

---

### Recommendation Summary
* Choose **EspoCRM** for the best balance of modern UI, ease of use, and B2B features.
* Choose **Odoo** if your 30 staff members need project management and time-tracking tied directly to the CRM.


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

**EspoCRM** and **SuiteCRM** are the two best open-source, self-hosted CRMs that offer both automated sales workflows and lead scoring capabilities:

1. **EspoCRM:** Features a modern interface, a built-in workflow engine for automating sales tasks, and a Formula script feature that allows you to automatically calculate and update lead scores based on custom triggers and conditions.
2. **SuiteCRM:** A widely used, feature-rich enterprise CRM that includes a robust **Workflow Module** (AOW) allowing you to automate complex sales processes and set up rule-based lead scoring models automatically.

*Alternative:* **Odoo (Community Edition)** also supports self-hosted automated sales actions and lead scoring when using its CRM module.


self-hosted open source CRM for digital marketing agency

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

### 1. **EspoCRM** (Best Overall for Agencies)
* **Why it fits:** Extremely fast, modern interface, and highly customizable. Excellent for managing accounts, leads, and sales pipelines.
* **Key Features:** Strong API for connecting to agency tools (Zapier, Make, Google Workspace), email integration, customizable entities, and workflow automation.

### 2. **Odoo Community Edition** (Best All-in-One)
* **Why it fits:** Goes beyond CRM by integrating CRM, project management, time tracking, and invoicing in a single platform.
* **Key Features:** Sales funnel tracking, client project management, retainer billing, and email marketing apps.

### 3. **Twenty** (Best Modern / HubSpot Alternative)
* **Why it fits:** A modern, next-generation open-source CRM with an interface similar to Notion or HubSpot.
* **Key Features:** Clean UI, fast performance, highly flexible data models, and strong developer accessibility.

### 4. **SuiteCRM** (Best for Complex Enterprise Workflows)
* **Why it fits:** A mature fork of SugarCRM that can handle massive amounts of data and complex B2B sales cycles.
* **Key Features:** Deep reporting, advanced access controls (useful for multi-team agencies), and built-in campaign management.

---

### Recommended Companion Tool
* **Mautic:** While not a pure CRM, Mautic is the leading open-source **marketing automation platform**. Pairing EspoCRM or Twenty with Mautic gives you a full open-source alternative to HubSpot (CRM + Lead Nurturing/Email Automation).


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

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

### 1. **EspoCRM** *(Best for modern UI and ease of setup)*
* **Lead Capture:** Built-in web-to-lead forms, API access, and automatic email-to-lead conversion.
* **Contact History:** Centralized timeline tracking emails, calls, tasks, notes, and stage changes.
* **Sales Analytics:** Customizable dashboards, visual sales funnels, and custom reporting (conversion rates, revenue forecasts).

### 2. **SuiteCRM** *(Best for deep customization and complex workflows)*
* **Lead Capture:** Web forms, automated lead assignment, and campaign tracking.
* **Contact History:** Comprehensive activity logs, document attachments, and full interaction history.
* **Sales Analytics:** Robust reporting engine, KPI tracking, and pipeline/sales forecasting.

### 3. **Odoo CRM (Community Edition)** *(Best if you want to expand into ERP/Invoicing later)*
* **Lead Capture:** Seamless integration with website forms and email gateways.
* **Contact History:** Next-activity scheduling, email integration, and interaction history.
* **Analytics:** Intuitive visual pipeline reporting, win/loss analysis, and team performance metrics.

---

### Recommendation:
* Choose **EspoCRM** if you want a lightweight, modern interface that is easy to deploy and maintain.
* Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need enterprise-level features and complex workflow automation.


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

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

1. **SuiteCRM**
   * **Best for:** Deep customization and complex sales processes.
   * **Why it’s stable:** Built on the mature SugarCRM codebase, it has a massive global community, enterprise-grade security, and a rich feature set (sales, marketing, customer support) with no license fees.

2. **EspoCRM**
   * **Best for:** Lightweight, fast, and modern sales force automation.
   * **Why it’s stable:** Highly reliable PHP/MySQL architecture, clean API, and extremely easy to self-host and maintain. It excels at core CRM functionalities (leads, contacts, opportunities) without unnecessary bloat.

3. **Odoo (Community Edition)**
   * **Best for:** Businesses needing an all-in-one ERP + CRM solution.
   * **Why it’s stable:** Backed by a major commercial vendor with millions of users. The CRM module seamlessly integrates with Odoo's stable ecosystem for inventory, invoicing, and project management.

4. **Vtiger CRM (Open Source)**
   * **Best for:** All-in-one sales, support, and marketing out of the box.
   * **Why it’s stable:** Active for over 15 years, it offers a proven, complete toolkit including helpdesk ticketing, inventory tracking, and built-in reporting.

**Recommendation:** Choose **EspoCRM** for simplicity and performance, **SuiteCRM** for complex workflows, or **Odoo** if you plan to expand into full business management (ERP).


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

**EspoCRM** has the lowest system resource requirements for a full-featured, open-source business CRM.

* **Minimum Requirements:** 512 MB – 1 GB RAM, 1 vCPU, standard PHP/MySQL stack.
* **Why:** It uses a lightweight single-page application (SPA) frontend and a highly optimized PHP backend, making it significantly lighter and faster on low-end VPS instances than alternatives like SuiteCRM or Odoo.

*(Note: If you only need a personal CRM for managing individual relationships rather than sales pipelines, **Monica** is an even lighter option.)*


open source CRM for high security air-gapped network deployment

The top open-source CRMs for high-security, air-gapped deployments are:

### 1. **EspoCRM** (Recommended)
* **Why it fits:** Extremely lightweight, modern, and easy to deploy offline using standard PHP/MySQL or Docker containers.
* **Security & Air-Gap Features:**
  * Granular Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and Field-Level Security.
  * No mandatory external dependencies or web-font calls (can easily host assets locally).
  * Built-in API security and simple offline backup/restore mechanisms.

### 2. **SuiteCRM**
* **Why it fits:** The enterprise standard for open-source CRMs (forked from SugarCRM). Ideal for complex workflows and deep customization.
* **Security & Air-Gap Features:**
  * Highly robust security model, audit logging, and strict user permissions.
  * Completely self-contained LAMP/LEMP stack installation.
  * Large, well-documented architecture for hard-hardening PHP/MySQL environments.

### 3. **Odoo (Community Edition - CRM Module)**
* **Why it fits:** Best option if you need CRM integrated with inventory, document management, or ERP features in an offline environment.
* **Security & Air-Gap Features:**
  * Simple deployment via standalone offline Docker images (PostgreSQL + Odoo).
  * Strict record-level access rules.

---

### Critical Steps for Air-Gapped Deployment
To ensure zero internet dependency and high security:

1. **Local Asset Bundling:** Ensure the CRM isn't calling external CDNs (e.g., Google Fonts, FontAwesome, external JS libraries). Download and host these assets locally within the web server directory.
2. **Disable Telemetry & Auto-Updates:** Turn off version-checking, telemetry, and automated update notifications in the configuration files (e.g., in EspoCRM or SuiteCRM settings).
3. **Containerized Deployment:** Package the application, database, and web server (Nginx/Apache) into Docker images on an internet-connected machine using `docker save`, then transfer and `docker load` them onto the air-gapped network.
4. **Database Encryption:** Enable encryption-at-rest for MySQL/PostgreSQL and enforce strict local socket or TLS connections between the application and database.


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

Here are the best self-hosted, open-source CRMs tailored for B2B account and lead management, particularly suited for manufacturing:

### 1. **ERPNext** *(Best Overall for Manufacturing)*
* **Why it fits:** While it offers a complete open-source ERP (inventory, manufacturing, supply chain), its **CRM module is standalone and robust**. It tracks leads, opportunities, communications, and customer accounts seamlessly. Choosing ERPNext makes it easy to integrate your sales pipeline directly with production and quoting later on.
* **License:** GNU GPLv3
* **Tech Stack:** Python / Frappe Framework / MariaDB

### 2. **SuiteCRM** *(Best for Enterprise-Grade CRM)*
* **Why it fits:** A powerful fork of SugarCRM, SuiteCRM is one of the most mature open-source CRMs available. It excels at complex B2B sales cycles, lead scoring, account management, contract tracking, and workflow automation.
* **License:** AGPLv3
* **Tech Stack:** PHP / MySQL

### 3. **EspoCRM** *(Best Modern & Lightweight Option)*
* **Why it fits:** EspoCRM offers a fast, modern UI with a strong focus on B2B relationship management (Accounts, Contacts, Leads, and Opportunities). It is highly customizable via the UI without requiring deep coding knowledge.
* **License:** GPLv3
* **Tech Stack:** PHP / MySQL

### 4. **Odoo (Community Edition)** *(Best for Modular Growth)*
* **Why it fits:** Highly popular modular platform. The CRM module handles leads and pipelines well. However, be aware that some advanced features (like automated lead enrichment) require the paid Enterprise version.
* **License:** LGPLv3
* **Tech Stack:** Python / PostgreSQL

---

### Recommendation:
* **Go with ERPNext** if you want a system that can eventually link sales leads directly to quotes, bill of materials (BOM), and production orders.
* **Go with EspoCRM or SuiteCRM** if you *only* want a dedicated sales and account tracking tool without any operational software overhead.


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 it is deployed.

### Why EspoCRM is the easiest:
* **Modern, Clean UI:** Unlike older open-source options, its interface looks and feels like modern commercial SaaS CRMs (similar to Pipedrive or Salesforce).
* **Intuitive Navigation:** Simple layout for managing leads, contacts, opportunities, and sales pipelines without clutter.
* **Customizable Dashboards:** Admins can easily hide unused features so non-technical staff only see the exact fields and layout they need.
* **Mobile-Friendly:** Fully responsive layout that works well on phones and tablets out of the box.

### Notable Runner-Up:
* **Twenty:** A newer, ultra-modern open-source CRM with a sleek, spreadsheet/Notion-like interface. It is extremely easy to use, though still rapidly evolving compared to EspoCRM.


Best open source CRM for software development agencies

The best open-source CRM for a software development agency depends on whether you want a pure sales CRM or an all-in-one system that includes project management and billing.

Here are the top recommendations:

### 1. **ERPNext** *(Best Overall / All-in-One)*
* **Why it fits dev agencies:** It goes beyond simple CRM. It combines lead and pipeline management with project management, time tracking, task management, contracts, and invoicing in a single system.
* **Key Strength:** Eliminates the need for separate tools between sales and project delivery.

### 2. **EspoCRM** *(Best Lightweight & API-Friendly CRM)*
* **Why it fits dev agencies:** Extremely fast, modern, and highly customizable. It features a robust REST API, making it easy for developer teams to integrate with their existing tech stack, custom portals, or webhooks.
* **Key Strength:** Flexible data modeling and automated workflows without bloated overhead.

### 3. **Twenty** *(Best Modern / Developer-First CRM)*
* **Why it fits dev agencies:** A modern, open-source alternative to Salesforce built on a modern stack (React, Node.js, GraphQL, PostgreSQL). It is fast, intuitive, and designed to be easily extended by developers.
* **Key Strength:** Excellent developer experience, self-hostable via Docker, and modern UI.

### 4. **SuiteCRM** *(Best Enterprise-Grade / Salesforce Alternative)*
* **Why it fits dev agencies:** Deep feature set covering complex sales cycles, contract management, quote generation, and client portals.
* **Key Strength:** Highly customizable and battle-tested for handling complex B2B sales pipelines.

---

### **Recommendation Summary:**
* Choose **ERPNext** if you want to manage leads, projects, and invoices in one tool.
* Choose **EspoCRM** or **Twenty** if you already use tools like Jira/ClickUp and just want a clean, API-driven CRM to track deals and clients.


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 meet your exact requirements:

1. **EspoCRM** *(Best overall balance of UI and features)*
   * **Multi-Currency:** Native support for multiple currencies with configurable conversion rates.
   * **Pipelines:** Easily create multiple, highly custom sales stages and lead flows via an intuitive interface.
   * **Tech Stack:** PHP / MySQL. Lightweight and easy to deploy via Docker or standard web hosting.

2. **SuiteCRM** *(Best for complex, enterprise-level workflows)*
   * **Multi-Currency:** Full multi-currency support built into its core financial and deal tracking features.
   * **Pipelines:** Deeply customizable sales processes, custom fields, and automated workflow triggers.
   * **Tech Stack:** PHP / MySQL. Forked from SugarCRM CE; very mature ecosystem.

3. **Odoo (Community Edition)** *(Best if you also need ERP features)*
   * **Multi-Currency:** Excellent multi-currency handling natively tied to deals and invoicing.
   * **Pipelines:** Drag-and-drop Kanban view with fully custom deal stages and multiple distinct pipelines.
   * **Tech Stack:** Python / PostgreSQL. Available via Docker.

**Recommendation:** Go with **EspoCRM** if you want a clean, modern interface that is easy to set up, or **SuiteCRM** if you need complex automated workflows.


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

For a 10-person e-commerce company, the top recommendations depend on whether you need **just a CRM** or a **CRM integrated with inventory and orders**:

### 1. Best Overall for E-Commerce: **ERPNext**
* **Why:** It is 100% open-source (no feature paywalls) and combines a CRM with order management, inventory control, and native integrations for platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce.
* **Best for:** E-commerce teams that want customer data tied directly to purchase history, inventory, and support in one system.

### 2. Best Modular System: **Odoo (Community Edition)**
* **Why:** Highly flexible with a polished, user-friendly interface. You can deploy the CRM module alongside sales, e-commerce, and inventory modules.
* **Best for:** Teams that want an easy-to-use UI and plan to scale into other business apps over time.

### 3. Best Pure/Lightweight CRM: **EspoCRM**
* **Why:** Fast, modern, and easy to self-host via Docker. It focuses strictly on relationship management, lead tracking, and customer support ticketing without the bloat of a full ERP.
* **Best for:** Teams that already have a dedicated inventory/order system and *only* need a standalone CRM.

---

### Recommendation:
Deploy **ERPNext** if you want seamless e-commerce integrations out of the box, or **EspoCRM** if you strictly want a simple, standalone CRM.


lightweight self hosted open source crm software

Here are the top lightweight, self-hosted, and open-source CRM options:

### 1. **EspoCRM** (Best Overall for Business)
* **Tech Stack:** PHP / MySQL
* **Why it's great:** Extremely fast, highly customizable, and resource-efficient. It includes lead management, sales pipelines, account tracking, and email integration without the bloat of traditional CRMs like SuiteCRM.
* **Deployment:** Simple Docker setup or standard PHP web hosting.

### 2. **Twenty** (Best Modern / Sleek Option)
* **Tech Stack:** TypeScript / React / GraphQL / PostgreSQL
* **Why it's great:** A modern, beautifully designed alternative to Salesforce. It is fast, intuitive, and designed to be lightweight with a Notion-like user experience.
* **Deployment:** Docker / Docker Compose.

### 3. **Monica** (Best for Personal CRM & Small Networks)
* **Tech Stack:** PHP / Laravel / MySQL
* **Why it's great:** Designed specifically to track personal and professional relationships (notes, interaction history, reminders, birthdays) without complex sales funnels.
* **Deployment:** Docker or standard PHP server.

### 4. **Krayin CRM** (Ultra-Lightweight Sales CRM)
* **Tech Stack:** PHP / Laravel
* **Why it's great:** Built from the ground up to be lightweight and modular. Focuses purely on lead management, deal pipelines, and basic customer tracking. Very easy on server resources.
* **Deployment:** Standard PHP/Laravel environment or Docker.

### 5. **NocoDB** or **Baserow** (Best Customizable / No-Code)
* **Tech Stack:** Node.js / Vue (NocoDB) or Python / Django (Baserow)
* **Why it's great:** Open-source Airtable alternatives. While not strictly CRMs, you can spin up a custom, ultra-lightweight CRM in minutes using pre-made templates.
* **Deployment:** Single Docker container.

---

### **Recommendation:**
* Choose **EspoCRM** for standard B2B sales pipelines and business operations.
* Choose **Twenty** if you want a modern, modern-looking UI.
* Choose **Monica** if you just need to manage personal/business contact relationships.


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

The best overall open-source CRM for a law firm requiring strict on-premises data isolation is **SuiteCRM**, with **EspoCRM** as a close modern alternative.

### 1. **SuiteCRM** (Best for Enterprise & Strict Access Control)
* **Why it fits:** It is a mature, 100% open-source, enterprise-grade CRM that can be completely isolated on local servers (even air-gapped environments).
* **Key Features for Law Firms:**
  * **Granular Role-Based Access Control (RBAC):** Crucial for law firms to enforce strict confidentiality, ensuring attorneys only see cases/clients they are assigned to.
  * **Deep Customization:** Easily adaptable to track matters, billable contacts, court dates, and document relationships.
  * **No Vendor Lock-in:** Completely free software with no hidden telemetry or forced cloud calls.

---

### 2. **EspoCRM** (Best for Ease of Use & Custom Entities)
* **Why it fits:** A lightweight, modern, self-hosted open-source CRM that is easier to set up and maintain than SuiteCRM.
* **Key Features for Law Firms:**
  * **Custom Entities:** Allows you to easily create a dedicated "Matters" or "Cases" entity with custom relationships (Clients, Opposing Counsel, Documents).
  * **Strict Data Security:** Runs entirely on your local infrastructure (PHP/MySQL) with robust security and permission settings.
  * **Cleaner UI:** Highly intuitive interface requiring less user training for attorneys and staff.

### Recommendation:
* Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need complex, multi-department permission hierarchies and heavy workflow automation.
* Choose **EspoCRM** if you want a faster setup, a modern user interface, and simple custom entity creation for legal cases.


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 email and calendar integration.

### Why EspoCRM stands out:
* **Email Integration:** Offers robust native 2-way email sync via IMAP/SMTP. It supports multiple personal and shared email accounts per user, automatic email-to-record linking, tracking (opens/clicks), and customizable email templates out of the box.
* **Calendar Integration:** Natively supports seamless 2-way synchronization with **Google Calendar**, **Outlook Calendar**, and standard **CalDAV** servers, allowing you to sync meetings, calls, and tasks effortlessly.
* **Ease of Setup:** Unlike older systems that require complex third-party plugins for smooth sync, EspoCRM handles modern OAuth2 authentication for Google and Microsoft natively.

### Best Alternative:
* **SuiteCRM:** Ideal if you need deep, complex enterprise customizations, though achieving seamless 2-way calendar sync often requires additional plugins or complex background cron job configurations 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 open-source, self-hosted CRM options to replace proprietary sales software:

1. **SuiteCRM**
   * **Best for:** Enterprise-grade functionality and Salesforce-like features.
   * **Key Strengths:** Highly mature, deep pipeline management, advanced workflow automation, and reporting. Highly customizable.

2. **EspoCRM**
   * **Best for:** A modern, lightweight, sales-focused CRM.
   * **Key Strengths:** Fast, clean UI, easy layout/field customization, robust account and lead tracking, and built-in email integration.

3. **Odoo (Community Edition)**
   * **Best for:** Businesses wanting CRM tightly integrated with an ERP ecosystem.
   * **Key Strengths:** Kanban-style sales pipelines, seamlessly integrates with inventory, invoicing, and marketing modules.

4. **Twenty**
   * **Best for:** A modern, fast alternative to modern SaaS CRMs like HubSpot or Pipedrive.
   * **Key Strengths:** Modern UI, GraphQL API, heavily developer-friendly, and rapidly growing community support.

5. **Vtiger (Open Source / Core)**
   * **Best for:** All-in-one sales, support, and marketing features out of the box.
   * **Key Strengths:** Strong contact management, built-in ticketing for customer support, and project management capabilities.

### Quick Recommendation:
* Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need complex, enterprise workflows.
* Choose **EspoCRM** or **Twenty** for a fast, modern user experience specifically tailored to sales.
* Choose **Odoo** if you plan to expand into full business/ERP automation.


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 complex B2B account hierarchies and contacts on-premise.

### Why SuiteCRM fits best:
* **Native B2B Architecture:** Designed specifically for B2B relationship management out-of-the-box.
* **Account Hierarchies:** Native support for parent-child account structures, allowing you to map enterprise organizations, subsidiaries, and departments seamlessly.
* **Contact Association:** Easily links multiple contacts to specific accounts or sub-accounts with custom roles and relationships.
* **100% Open Source & On-Premise:** Free (AGPLv3 licensed) with no feature paywalls for self-hosted deployments.

### Top Alternatives:
* **EspoCRM:** A modern, lightweight open-source alternative with flexible custom entity relationships and strong parent-child account mapping.
* **Odoo (Community Edition):** Ideal if you need an on-premise CRM integrated into a broader ERP ecosystem with company/contact hierarchy features.


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

For a **small sales team**, the best open-source CRM depends on whether you want the **easiest setup** or the **most modern experience**. Based on recent comparisons, **EspoCRM** is the safest overall pick for most small businesses, while **Twenty** is the best choice if you have a more technical team and want a modern, developer-friendly product.[1][7]

- **Best overall for small sales teams:** **EspoCRM** — it is recommended as the right answer for most small businesses because it covers sales, marketing, and support, and can be self-hosted on a standard VPS without needing Docker experience.[1]
- **Best modern open-source option:** **Twenty** — it is described as the top pick for most teams in 2026 thanks to its modern UI and native AI integration, but it is especially attractive if you have technical comfort in-house.[1][14]
- **Best for pure sales workflows:** **Vtiger** — its free plan includes pipeline management, email sequences, workflows, and a mobile app for up to 10 users, making it a strong fit if your team mainly cares about sales execution rather than full CRM breadth.[2]

If you want one recommendation without overthinking it: **pick EspoCRM** for the best balance of features, simplicity, and small-team fit.[1][12] If your team is developer-led and values a more modern interface, choose **Twenty** instead.[1][14]


Best self-hosted CRM for a 20-person company

For a **20-person company**, the best self-hosted CRM is usually **Twenty** if you want the most modern, lightweight option, or **SuiteCRM** if you need a more mature, all-around business CRM.[1][2][3]

- **Best overall for most small teams:** **Twenty** — it is repeatedly highlighted as a top self-hosted CRM, including being the top-scored tool in a 2026 self-hosted CRM directory and described as a modern CRM choice for developer-led teams.[1][2][3]
- **Best for broad feature depth / traditional CRM workflows:** **SuiteCRM** — it is also ranked near the top in the 2026 directory and is frequently listed as a leading self-hosted option for general business use.[2][9]
- **Best if you want a more configurable platform beyond CRM:** **Odoo Community (CRM)** — it is highly ranked in the 2026 directory and can make sense if you expect to extend into other business apps later.[2]

A practical way to choose for a 20-person team:

- Pick **Twenty** if your priority is **modern UI, simplicity, and low admin overhead**.[1][3]
- Pick **SuiteCRM** if you want **maturity, breadth of CRM features, and a conventional CRM structure**.[2][9]
- Pick **Odoo Community** if CRM is only one part of a broader ERP-style stack you may want later.[2]

If you want, I can also give you a **shortlist by use case** like “best for sales teams,” “best for customization,” or “best if you need marketing automation.”


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

If you want to **self-host on-premise** and keep customer data under your own control, the main open-source CRMs to evaluate are **SuiteCRM**, **EspoCRM**, **Twenty**, **Odoo Community**, **Vtiger**, **Krayin**, **Dolibarr**, and **Corteza/Crust CRM**.[1][2][4][7][11][14]

A practical short list, based on the sources, would be:

- **SuiteCRM** — strong choice for a traditional Salesforce-like CRM with a large community and self-hosted deployment.[4][7][18][20]
- **EspoCRM** — good if you want a flexible, clean, customizable CRM that developers can control deeply.[4][7][11][14][20]
- **Twenty** — a modern, code-first CRM that can be deployed on any cloud or on-premise.[1][2][7][19]
- **Odoo Community** — best if you want CRM plus ERP/business apps in one modular platform.[2][4][11][15]
- **Vtiger** — useful for teams that want a stable CRM with an easier upgrade path.[4][20]
- **Krayin** — worth evaluating if your team prefers Laravel/PHP and a permissive MIT license.[11][13]
- **Dolibarr** — a broader SMB suite if you may want CRM plus accounting/ERP-style modules.[11][13]
- **Corteza/Crust CRM** — highlighted for data privacy and protection.[4]

For **privacy-first on-premise deployment**, the most relevant evaluation criteria are:

- **Deployment model**: confirm it supports true on-premise or self-hosted installation.[1][4][14]
- **License**: AGPL/GPL/LGPL vs MIT can matter for internal customization and redistribution obligations.[7][11][13]
- **Customization model**: code-first vs low-code/admin UI customization.[4][11]
- **Ecosystem/community**: larger communities often mean easier upgrades and more documentation.[4][18][20]
- **Scope**: CRM-only versus CRM + ERP + support + marketing.[2][4][11]

If your priority is **fast adoption with strong community support**, start with **SuiteCRM** and **EspoCRM**.[4][20] If you want a **modern architecture** and have technical staff, add **Twenty** and **Krayin** to the shortlist.[1][2][11][19]

If you want, I can turn this into a **decision matrix** for your team by comparing deployment complexity, customization, license, and fit for regulated data.


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

For a **B2B sales pipeline**, my top self-hosted open-source recommendation is **SuiteCRM** if you want the broadest Salesforce-like feature set, and **Twenty** if you want a newer, cleaner sales-first experience with self-hosting support.[6][12][15][16]

If you want the shortest practical shortlist, I’d rank them like this:

- **SuiteCRM** — best for a mature, feature-rich B2B CRM and complex sales processes; it is widely described as the closest open-source equivalent to Salesforce in breadth.[6][12][16][17]
- **EspoCRM** — best for teams that want a lighter, self-hosted CRM with strong pipelines, reporting, and automation.[6][12][17]
- **Krayin CRM** — best for a free MIT-licensed Laravel CRM focused on leads, contacts, activities, quotations, and products.[2][6]
- **Twenty** — best for a modern, sales-pipeline-first CRM that explicitly supports self-hosting.[7][10][15]
- **OroCRM** — best for more complex B2B account-based selling, especially if you need 360-degree account views and workflow automation.[6]

If you want one recommendation only: **SuiteCRM** is the safest default for a B2B sales pipeline because it is self-hosted, open source, and repeatedly positioned as the strongest all-around Salesforce alternative for feature breadth.[6][12][16][17]

If you tell me your priorities — for example **simple setup**, **best UI**, **deep customization**, or **enterprise B2B features** — I can narrow it to one best fit.


If you want an **affordable open-source CRM for an SMB**, the strongest low-cost options are **EspoCRM**, **Twenty**, and **SuiteCRM**. For most small businesses, **EspoCRM** is the best balance of ease of setup, low cost, and SMB-friendly features, while **Twenty** is attractive if you want a modern free self-hosted CRM and **SuiteCRM** if you need deeper enterprise-style functionality.[1][8][9]

- **EspoCRM**: free to self-host, described as low-to-medium setup difficulty, and recommended for SMBs wanting a zero-code-style setup; it is also highlighted as the best answer for many small businesses.[1][8][9]
- **Twenty**: free when self-hosted, aimed at teams that want a completely free CRM, with low running costs beyond infrastructure.[1][17][20]
- **SuiteCRM**: free and open source, with strong sales/marketing depth and a larger feature set, but usually more complex to deploy and maintain.[1][5][8][19]

If “affordable” means *lowest total cost*, remember that open source is often **free to license but not free to run**; several sources note typical self-hosting infrastructure can still cost about **$20–50/month** for a small team.[1][13]

A simple SMB recommendation:

- Choose **EspoCRM** if you want the safest default for a small team.[1][8][9]
- Choose **Twenty** if you want a modern, minimal-cost self-hosted option.[1][17][20]
- Choose **SuiteCRM** if you need more advanced CRM depth and can handle more setup work.[1][8][19]

If you want, I can also narrow this down by **team size**, **self-hosted vs cloud**, or **must-have features** like email sync, pipelines, automations, or invoicing.


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

The short answer is: **EspoCRM, SuiteCRM, Twenty, Odoo Community, Krayin, and Vtiger** are the self-hosted open-source CRMs that come up most often as real small-business choices, with **EspoCRM** and **Twenty** most frequently positioned as the best fit for small teams. [6][8][9][14]

What small companies *actually* seem to use, based on current rankings, directories, and SMB-focused writeups:

| CRM | Why small companies pick it | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| **EspoCRM** | Repeatedly described as the pragmatic SMB pick: quick to install, no-code admin, and strong enough for sales/marketing/support workflows. [6][8][9][14] | Some features may be behind paid extensions, even when self-hosted. [8] |
| **Twenty** | A modern UI, code-first architecture, and growing popularity among startups and small teams. [7][8][9][14] | Self-hosting and upgrades can be more technical than simpler options. [8] |
| **SuiteCRM** | Widely listed as the classic full-featured self-hosted CRM and a common Salesforce-style alternative. [6][8][13][20] | More complex and fiddly to administer than lighter CRMs. [8] |
| **Odoo Community** | Chosen when a small company wants CRM plus ERP-style modules in one system. [7][8][15][19] | Heavier setup and broader than many small teams need. [7][8] |
| **Krayin** | Frequently mentioned for Laravel teams and companies wanting a permissive MIT-licensed CRM. [3][7][13] | Smaller ecosystem and less mainstream than EspoCRM or SuiteCRM. [3][7] |
| **Vtiger** | Commonly cited for sales + support workflows in SMBs. [8][13][19] | Open-source edition tends to lag the commercial cloud offering. [8] |

If you want the most practical shortlist for a small company, the evidence points to:

- **EspoCRM** if you want the safest “just works” self-hosted SMB CRM. [8][9][14]
- **Twenty** if you want the most modern interface and your team is comfortable with a more technical stack. [7][8][9][14]
- **SuiteCRM** if you want the most established, feature-rich traditional CRM. [6][8][13][20]
- **Odoo Community** if you want CRM as part of a broader business suite. [7][8][15][19]

A useful nuance: directories and benchmark-style posts show many more “available” open-source CRMs, but the ones repeatedly recommended for *small businesses* are the few above, not the long tail of niche projects. [4][6][8][14][15]

If you want, I can turn this into a **“best for” recommendation by company type** — for example, *non-technical small business*, *startup with developers*, or *sales-heavy team*.


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 safest default choice is **EspoCRM** if you want a general-purpose self-hosted CRM with strong data control and low operational friction.[4][7][17] If you need a more healthcare-specific platform for patient records and clinical workflows rather than classic sales CRM, **OpenEMR** is the better fit because it is a full open-source EHR/practice-management system, not just a CRM.[13][11]

What the results suggest:

- **EspoCRM** is explicitly self-hostable, open source, and designed to keep data under your control, with no per-user fees and a built-in customer portal, workflows, dashboards, and email campaigns.[7][4]
- **Krayin** is also a credible self-hosted open-source option, and its materials explicitly mention GDPR alignment and healthcare use, but the evidence here is more marketing-oriented and less established than EspoCRM’s broader open-source CRM presence.[1][3]
- **SuiteCRM** is a mature open-source CRM with an enterprise-ready positioning and a long-running community, making it a strong alternative if you want a more established CRM ecosystem.[14][19]
- **OpenEMR** is the strongest choice if your core need is healthcare operations, because it is an open-source electronic health records and medical practice management application rather than a generic CRM.[13]
- **Mere Medical** and **Fasten** are self-hosted, privacy-focused medical record aggregators, but they are not CRM platforms; they are better suited for personal health record aggregation than customer relationship management.[6][16]

My practical recommendation:

- Choose **EspoCRM** if you need a **true CRM** and care most about self-hosting, privacy, and ease of deployment.[7][17]
- Choose **OpenEMR** if you need a **healthcare system** with patient records, scheduling, and billing.[13][11]
- Consider **Krayin** if you want a modern Laravel-based CRM and are comfortable validating its maturity and support model yourself.[1][3]

If you want, I can also give you a short **decision matrix** for EspoCRM vs SuiteCRM vs Krayin vs OpenEMR based on HIPAA/privacy, customization, and deployment 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**, **Twenty** is the strongest default pick if you want a modern, self-hosted CRM focused on pipelines and sales workflows.[1][9] If you want the safest, most established self-hosted option, **SuiteCRM** is the most widely recognized open-source CRM and is still a top recommendation for full-featured CRM needs.[2][6]

- **Choose Twenty** if you want:
  - A **modern UI**
  - Strong **deal pipeline** support
  - Easy **self-hosting** via Docker
  - A lighter, more contemporary CRM experience[1][9]

- **Choose SuiteCRM** if you want:
  - The most **battle-tested** open-source CRM
  - Broader enterprise-style CRM functionality
  - A long-running self-hosted deployment path[2][6]

- **Choose EspoCRM** if you want:
  - A simpler, flexible CRM with **leads, contacts, opportunities, and sales pipeline** support
  - A straightforward open-source codebase you can adapt on your own servers[4]

If your main priority is specifically **lead tracking + deal stages** on self-hosted infrastructure, my recommendation is **Twenty first**, **SuiteCRM second**, and **EspoCRM third** based on the current comparisons and product descriptions.[1][4][6][9]


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

If you want a **self-hosted CRM that works well with Docker on Linux**, the strongest current picks are **Twenty**, **EspoCRM**, and **Frappe CRM**.[3][4][17]

- **Twenty**: Best if you want a modern, Docker-first CRM and a straightforward Linux setup. It is described as the top open-source CRM pick for 2026, with **Docker Compose** support and a Linux VPS requirement.[3] Another self-hosting guide says Twenty uses Docker Engine + Docker Compose V2 and is production-ready for single-tenant self-hosted deployments.[5]
- **EspoCRM**: Best if you want a mature, lightweight option with an official Docker image. EspoCRM says its Docker image sets up **NGINX and MySQL automatically**, and it is explicitly a free, open-source CRM you can host on your own infrastructure.[4]
- **Frappe CRM**: Best if you want a fuller-featured CRM and don’t mind a slightly more involved deployment. Its repository documents both a production install path and a **Docker** setup using Docker Compose.[17]

Two other options worth considering:

- **Relaticle**: A newer self-hosted CRM with Docker support; community posts and the project page describe it as self-hostable and Docker-friendly.[2][9][12]
- **Dolibarr**: Mentioned in a 2026 open-source CRM roundup as self-hostable on Linux via Docker, though it is generally more of an ERP/CRM hybrid than a pure CRM.[3]

If you want the shortest recommendation:
- Choose **Twenty** for a modern Docker-based deployment.[3][5]
- Choose **EspoCRM** for stability and a simpler server footprint.[4]
- Choose **Frappe CRM** if you want more flexibility and can handle a more involved setup.[17]

If you want, I can also give you a **feature-by-feature comparison** or a **Docker Compose starter setup** for the best option.


Best free and open source CRM software for lead management

For **lead management**, the strongest free and open-source CRM options are **EspoCRM**, **SuiteCRM**, **YetiForce**, and **Odoo Community**, with **EspoCRM** and **SuiteCRM** usually the best starting points for small to mid-sized teams.[4][6][8][19]

- **EspoCRM** is a free, open-source CRM designed for customer relationship management and includes sales automation, analytics, and lead-related workflows; it is available as a self-hosted download with no license fee.[4][13]
- **SuiteCRM** is a free open-source CRM with broad CRM functionality and is commonly recommended as a full-featured self-hosted option.[6][8][10]
- **YetiForce** is highlighted for strong contact management, lead tracking, and customization options, which makes it a good fit if lead pipeline control is a priority.[8]
- **Odoo Community** includes a free CRM in its open-source edition, and reviews note it as one of the free open-source CRM choices, though some advanced features may require paid modules or services.[19][8]

A practical shortlist by use case:

| Best for | CRM | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|
| Easy self-hosted setup with strong lead workflows | **EspoCRM** | Clean structure, sales automation, reporting, lead management focus[4][13] |
| All-around open-source CRM depth | **SuiteCRM** | Mature, widely recommended, free open-source version[6][8][10] |
| Heavy contact and lead tracking customization | **YetiForce** | Strong lead tracking and configurable widgets[8] |
| Broader business suite with CRM included | **Odoo Community** | Free CRM inside a larger open-source ecosystem[19] |

If your main goal is **lead management specifically**, I’d pick **EspoCRM** first and **SuiteCRM** second.[4][6][8] If you want, I can also narrow this down for **small business**, **self-hosted**, or **sales-team workflows**.


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 **Twenty**. It is repeatedly described in 2026 roundups as the top open-source CRM overall, and one guide says it has **45,500 GitHub stars** and the fastest growth among the listed projects, which is a strong proxy for current community activity.[5]

If you mean *enterprise-ready and widely adopted* rather than simply *most active*, **SuiteCRM** is the other leading candidate: its maintainers describe it as an **“enterprise-ready”** CRM, and its project page says it aims to be the most adopted open-source enterprise CRM.[14][19] However, the provided results suggest Twenty has the stronger momentum signal right now, while SuiteCRM has the longer enterprise track record.[5][14][17]

If you want, I can also rank the top 3 open-source CRMs for enterprise sales teams by **activity**, **maturity**, and **self-hosting fit**.


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 best default choice is **EspoCRM** if you want the easiest self-hosted option with the least operational pain, and **Twenty** if you want the most modern, developer-friendly CRM and are willing to do a bit more setup and maintenance.[3][7][8]

A practical shortlist:

- **EspoCRM** — best for most small teams that want a lightweight, self-hosted CRM with strong admin-panel customization and minimal coding.[3][8][16]
- **Twenty** — best if your team wants a modern UI, API-first architecture, and expects to customize workflows or data models in code.[3][7][9]
- **SuiteCRM** — best if you want a more traditional, feature-heavy CRM and don’t mind a heavier setup.[4][8][19]
- **ERPNext** — best only if you want CRM *plus* accounting, HR, or operations in one system rather than just a CRM.[11]

If your main pain is **monthly SaaS fees** and you want a sane migration path, I’d start with **EspoCRM**: sources describe it as lightweight, easy to self-host, and configurable largely from the UI, which makes it a good fit for a 15-person consultancy without a dedicated internal platform team.[3][8][16]

If your team has developers and wants a more future-proof platform, choose **Twenty** instead: multiple 2026 roundups call it the top modern open-source CRM, highlighting its TypeScript/React stack and API-first design.[3][7][9]

If you want, I can also give you a **migration recommendation by use case**:
- sales pipeline only
- client/project-heavy consultancy
- needs email sync and automation
- need minimal admin overhead


Top open source CRM tools with custom fields and pipeline management

For **open source CRM tools** with both **custom fields** and **pipeline management**, the strongest options in the results are **SuiteCRM**, **EspoCRM**, **Vtiger CRM (Community Edition)**, and **Odoo Community Edition**.[1][8][10][11]

- **SuiteCRM** — strongest choice for **deep custom-field support** and broad extensibility; it has unlimited custom fields, 15+ built-in field types, dependent picklists, and developer-extensible custom field types, while also supporting workflow automation and pipeline-style sales processes.[1][10]
- **EspoCRM** — best for **no-code customization**; it supports custom objects/fields through an admin UI and is repeatedly described as strong for building custom workflows and pipelines without much coding.[2][11][19]
- **Vtiger CRM Community Edition** — good for **custom workflows and multiple pipelines**; sources highlight customizable workflows, multiple pipelines, and strong tailoring for sales processes.[8][18]
- **Odoo Community Edition** — highly modular, with **sales pipeline management** and strong customization potential, though some deeper flexibility may require Python development.[1][10]

If you want a quick pick:
- **Best overall for custom fields:** **SuiteCRM**.[1]
- **Best no-code option:** **EspoCRM**.[2][11]
- **Best for workflow-heavy sales teams:** **Vtiger**.[8]
- **Best if you also want a broader modular business suite:** **Odoo**.[1][10]

A simple comparison:

| CRM | Custom fields | Pipeline management | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| SuiteCRM | Excellent | Yes | Complex data models and advanced customization |
| EspoCRM | Excellent | Yes | Non-technical teams wanting no-code setup |
| Vtiger CRM CE | Strong | Yes | Sales workflows and multiple pipelines |
| Odoo CE | Strong | Yes | Businesses wanting CRM plus other business apps |

If you want, I can narrow this to the **best free self-hosted option**, the **easiest to set up**, or the **best for SMBs vs. developers**.


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

For **strict data ownership**, **Twenty CRM** is the strongest default pick among self-hosted CRMs in the results because it is explicitly described as open-source, self-hosted, and built around full data ownership with GDPR compliance by default.[4][8] If you want a more established, enterprise-style option with strong compliance controls, **SuiteCRM** is the best alternative because it is repeatedly described as self-hosted and suitable for GDPR-focused deployments.[7][10][15]

A practical ranking from the results would be:

| CRM | Best for | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|
| **Twenty CRM** | **Best overall for data ownership** | Self-hosted, no vendor lock-in, full data ownership, GDPR compliance by default, exportability, and EU-hosting/self-hosting options.[4][8] |
| **SuiteCRM** | **Best for established enterprise compliance** | Self-hosted, strong access control/audit-trail positioning, and explicitly recommended for GDPR-sensitive deployments.[7][10][15] |
| **Corteza CRM** | **Best for API-first control** | Described as fully API-first with strong access controls, audit logs, and GDPR compliance.[6] |
| **YetiForce** | **Best for GDPR-focused organizations** | Specifically called out as data-secure and GDPR-focused.[7][15] |
| **EspoCRM** | **Good self-hosted general-purpose option** | Listed as a full self-hosted CRM, but the results provide less direct evidence of compliance features than the options above.[15] |

If your top priority is **owning the data infrastructure and minimizing third-party dependence**, choose **Twenty CRM**.[4][8] If your top priority is **mature compliance tooling and a more proven enterprise footprint**, choose **SuiteCRM**.[7][10][15]

One important caveat: **GDPR compliance is not guaranteed by the CRM alone**; it also depends on your hosting setup, access controls, retention rules, audit logs, consent handling, and deletion/export processes.[5][10]


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

For a **non-profit**, the strongest default recommendation is **CiviCRM** because it is built specifically for nonprofits, associations, and advocacy groups, and it is widely positioned as an open-source CRM for donor, membership, event, and constituent management.[3][6][9][15]

If you want a broader shortlist, I’d rank them like this:

| CRM | Best fit | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|
| **CiviCRM** | Nonprofits that need donor, event, and membership workflows | Purpose-built for nonprofits and designed as an open-source constituent relationship system.[6][9][15] |
| **SuiteCRM** | Nonprofits that want a general-purpose CRM with strong customization | Open source and self-hosted; often recommended as a flexible alternative, though not nonprofit-specific.[2][5][10] |
| **EspoCRM** | Smaller teams that want a lighter self-hosted CRM | Free, open source, and self-hosted; good if you want something simpler than a nonprofit-specialized suite.[9][12] |
| **Dolibarr** | Small organizations wanting CRM plus light ERP-style features | Mentioned as a good nonprofit option in comparison guides, though it is more general-purpose.[10][13] |

A practical recommendation is:

- Choose **CiviCRM** if your nonprofit cares most about **donations, memberships, events, volunteers, and constituent history**.[6][9][17]
- Choose **SuiteCRM** if you want a **more general CRM** and expect to customize workflows heavily.[2][5][10]
- Choose **EspoCRM** if you want a **simpler self-hosted system** and have lighter needs.[9][12]

Two implementation notes matter for nonprofits:

- Self-hosted open-source CRMs give you **full data control** and avoid per-user licensing fees, but you are responsible for hosting, maintenance, security, and updates.[2][17]
- If your staff is nontechnical, CiviCRM can still be a good fit, but you may want **managed hosting or a consultant** to reduce setup friction.[6]

If you tell me your nonprofit’s size and needs, I can narrow this to a single best choice.


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

For a **50-user, self-hostable CRM with email integration and contact management**, the strongest fits from the results are **EspoCRM**, **SuiteCRM**, and **Twenty**.[1][3][6][12]

- **EspoCRM** is a free, open-source CRM you can host on your own server, and it includes **contact management**, deals, support cases, a customer portal, and **email campaigns**.[6]
- **SuiteCRM** is described as the most feature-complete open-source CRM for teams in the **5–50 user** range, with **contacts, pipelines, workflows, reporting, and email campaigns**.[3]
- **Twenty** is presented as a modern self-hosted CRM with **contacts, accounts, leads, opportunities, cases, emails, calendar, and documents**, and it is positioned as a strong overall choice for self-hosted deployments.[11][12][16]

If your priority is **best all-around fit for 50 users**, I would start with **EspoCRM** or **SuiteCRM**.[3][6][9]

- Choose **EspoCRM** if you want a flexible, established CRM with built-in email and contact features and a clear self-hosting option.[6]
- Choose **SuiteCRM** if you want broader CRM depth and a solution explicitly recommended for **5–50 users**.[3]
- Choose **Twenty** if you want a more modern UI and an API-first approach, with self-hosted unlimited-user deployments commonly discussed in the sources.[11][12][9]

From a deployment and scaling perspective, self-hosted CRMs in these guides generally support **unlimited users**, so **50 users** is typically a licensing non-issue; the main constraint is server sizing and administration.[9][14]

If you want, I can narrow this to:
- **best open-source option**
- **easiest to self-host**
- **best email workflow**
- **best for sales teams vs. support teams**


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**.[9][4][18]

- **Twenty** is a good choice if you want the most modern sales-CRM experience; one 2026 roundup calls it the standout for teams wanting a modern sales CRM, and it is explicitly self-hostable and free.[9][11]
- **EspoCRM** is often recommended for a balance of sales features and lighter self-hosted deployment; TechRadar lists it as a top open-source CRM and notes its free self-hosted version.[4]
- **SuiteCRM** is a long-established, fully open-source CRM that is widely used for more traditional sales and customer management workflows.[18][19]

If you want a quick recommendation by use case:

- **Best overall modern sales CRM:** **Twenty**[9][11]
- **Best mature all-around self-hosted CRM:** **EspoCRM**[4]
- **Best for enterprise-style traditional CRM workflows:** **SuiteCRM**[18][19]

A few practical notes:
- Open-source CRM roundups consistently describe these tools as **free to self-host**.[9][1][2]
- Some sources also mention **Krayin** as a lightweight self-hosted option, but the most consistently highlighted “top tier” choices are the three above.[9]

If you want, I can narrow this down further based on your priorities, such as **ease of setup, sales pipeline features, email integration, automation, or Docker deployment**.


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** in a self-hosted open-source CRM, **Twenty** is the strongest overall pick based on the available comparisons, with **EspoCRM** as the main alternative if you prioritize a mature mobile experience and straightforward REST access.[13][16]

- **Twenty** stands out for API quality: it is described as shipping **both GraphQL and REST**, and comparison notes call it the “cleanest to integrate with modern apps.”[16]
- Twenty is also rated the top self-hosted CRM in one 2026 editorial directory, which gives it the best overall score among the compared tools.[13]
- **EspoCRM** is repeatedly highlighted in 2026 open-source CRM roundups for being self-hostable and offering robust documentation and reporting, but the results you provided do not show it clearly beating Twenty on mobile app quality or API breadth.[14]
- **SuiteCRM** and **Odoo Community** are strong self-hosted CRMs, but the comparison result notes that Odoo uses **XML-RPC and JSON-RPC instead of plain REST**, which makes it a weaker fit if REST is a requirement.[16]

If your priority is specifically:

- **Best API integration**: **Twenty**[16]
- **Best balance of mobile + API**: **Twenty**, with **EspoCRM** close behind based on general product reputation in the results[13][14]
- **Most traditional CRM with broad ecosystem**: **SuiteCRM**[13][19]

I should note that the search results do **not** include a definitive head-to-head mobile-app benchmark, so the mobile-app part of the answer is partly inferred from overall product quality and integration focus rather than a direct test ranking.[13][14][16]


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**. All three are explicitly self-hostable; Twenty’s docs say it can be deployed on your own infrastructure, EspoCRM provides a Docker-based self-host install, and SuiteCRM is available as a self-hosted open-source CRM stack.[12][5][2]

A practical ranking for Kubernetes on AWS:

- **EspoCRM** — best balance of simplicity and self-hosting readiness. Its official docs offer a Docker setup that bundles NGINX and MySQL, which makes it straightforward to containerize and adapt to Kubernetes.[5]
- **SuiteCRM** — very mature and widely used. The project is open source, and the AWS Marketplace image shows it as a self-hosted PHP/MySQL/Nginx stack, which is also Kubernetes-friendly.[7][2]
- **Twenty** — modern architecture, but it is more infrastructure-heavy. Its self-host guide shows it expects PostgreSQL, Redis, and object storage components, so it is workable on Kubernetes but usually requires more setup than EspoCRM.[12][8]

A quick comparison:

| CRM | Open source | Self-hostable | Kubernetes fit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **EspoCRM** | Yes | Yes | **Good** | Docker install is officially documented; simpler stack.[5] |
| **SuiteCRM** | Yes | Yes | **Good** | Mature PHP/MySQL app; strong ecosystem and AWS self-hosted option.[7][2] |
| **Twenty** | Yes | Yes | **Good to very good** | Modern stack with Postgres/Redis/worker/services; more moving parts.[12][8] |

If your priority is **fastest path to a stable Kubernetes deployment**, I’d start with **EspoCRM**.[5]
If your priority is **feature depth and long-term maturity**, **SuiteCRM** is the safer bet.[2][7]
If your priority is **modern architecture and a newer Salesforce-style experience**, consider **Twenty**, but expect more Kubernetes plumbing.[12][8]

If you want, I can next give you a **recommended Kubernetes architecture on AWS** for one of these, including namespaces, ingress, database, storage, and Helm/Kustomize options.