---
title: "7 CRM systems you can run on your own server"
slug: "self-hosted-crm"
description: "Seven self-hosted CRM systems, from Twenty and Odoo to SuiteCRM and EspoCRM: what each one does, how to install it and the catch."
published: "2026-11-12"
verifiedAt: "2026-11-14"
picks: 7
canonical: "https://aifree.dev/best/self-hosted-crm"
---

# 7 CRM systems you can run on your own server

> Seven self-hosted CRM systems, from Twenty and Odoo to SuiteCRM and EspoCRM: what each one does, how to install it and the catch.

Published 2026-11-12. Last checked 2026-11-14.

A hosted CRM (customer relationship manager) keeps your leads, deals and notes in someone else's cloud. These seven store them in a database on your own server.

Every pick pushed a commit in the last 90 days (checked 2026-11-14), with an install path from its own repo or docs. Ordered by GitHub stars.

## The 7 CRMs at a glance

| CRM | What it does | Price | Install |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Twenty | The open Salesforce alternative | Free · OSS (AGPL-3.0 core) | install script (Docker Compose) |
| Odoo | CRM inside a full business suite | Free · OSS (LGPL-3.0 Community) | `docker pull odoo` |
| Monica | Personal CRM for friends and family | Free · OSS (AGPL-3.0) | `docker pull monica` |
| Krayin | CRM built on Laravel | Free · OSS (MIT) | `composer create-project krayin/laravel-crm` |
| SuiteCRM | The SugarCRM fork | Free · OSS (AGPL-3.0) | download + web installer |
| Frappe CRM | Sales CRM on the Frappe Framework | Free · OSS (AGPL-3.0) | wget + `docker compose up -d` |
| EspoCRM | Classic CRM with a clean interface | Free · OSS (AGPL-3.0) | `docker pull espocrm/espocrm` |

## 1. Twenty: the open alternative built for AI

[Twenty](https://github.com/twentyhq/twenty) is an open-source CRM that calls itself "The open alternative to Salesforce, designed for AI."

**What:** A TypeScript CRM where objects, fields and views are defined as code, with workflows and AI agents included.

**Why:** The `twenty` CLI scaffolds apps on top of it, and the repo ships skills for coding agents.

**Use when:** You want a modern CRM your developers can extend like a platform.

**Install:**

```bash
bash <(curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/twentyhq/twenty/main/packages/twenty-docker/scripts/install.sh)
```

**Catch:** Mostly AGPL-3.0, but files marked Enterprise need a commercial license. The installer accepts only full release tags, not `latest`.

## 2. Odoo: CRM with an entire business behind it

[Odoo](https://github.com/odoo/odoo) is "a suite of web based open source business apps", an open-source CRM among them.

**What:** A modular suite where CRM is one app beside accounting, inventory, eCommerce and HR.

**Why:** One deployment covers sales, stock and books.

**Use when:** You want CRM plus ERP (business management) in one system, and accept the suite's weight.

**Install:**

```bash
docker pull odoo
```

The image needs a running PostgreSQL server.

**Catch:** Two editions: Community (open source, LGPL-3.0) and Enterprise (licensed). Check which one a feature is in.

## 3. Monica: the personal CRM

[Monica](https://github.com/monicahq/monica) is a "Personal CRM. Remember everything about your friends, family and business relationships."

**What:** Contacts, relationships, birthday reminders, notes and a diary about the people in your life.

**Why:** The only pick for a person, not a sales team. Its README headline is "Document your life".

**Use when:** You want to remember birthdays and conversations, not forecast a quarter.

**Install:**

```bash
docker pull monica
```

The image needs a MySQL or MariaDB database.

**Catch:** The repo's main branch is a beta. The stable version is the 4.x branch, which the Docker image ships.

## 4. Krayin: the CRM for Laravel shops

[Krayin](https://github.com/krayin/laravel-crm) is a "Free & Open Source CRM Built with Laravel for Customer, Lead, and Sales Management."

**What:** A CRM built on Laravel (a PHP framework) and Vue.js, with a modular design, custom attributes and an admin dashboard.

**Why:** If your team ships Laravel, this is a CRM your developers can read end to end.

**Use when:** You want MIT-licensed code and a stack your PHP team can customize.

**Install:**

```bash
composer create-project krayin/laravel-crm
php artisan krayin-crm:install
```

Set `APP_URL`, the database and mail in `.env` between the two commands.

**Catch:** You run the PHP stack yourself: PHP 8.3 or higher, 3 GB of RAM, MySQL or MariaDB.

## 5. SuiteCRM: the SugarCRM fork

[SuiteCRM](https://github.com/SuiteCRM/suitecrm) is "Open source CRM for the world", a fork of SugarCRM built on its last open-source release.

**What:** An enterprise CRM on a LAMP stack (Apache, PHP, MySQL or MariaDB).

**Why:** It comes with an extensions directory, a partner network and vendor support plans.

**Use when:** You need an established enterprise CRM and already run LAMP servers.

**Install:** No one-line command. Download the release, unzip it into your web root and run the web installer, as in the [installation guide](https://docs.suitecrm.com/admin/installation-guide/downloading-installing/).

**Catch:** This repo is SuiteCRM 7; SuiteCRM 8 lives in a separate repo and is, per the README, "not yet as feature complete".

## 6. Frappe CRM: sales on the Frappe Framework

[Frappe CRM](https://github.com/frappe/crm) is "a simple, affordable, open-source CRM tool designed for modern sales teams", built on the Frappe Framework.

**What:** Leads and deals on one page with activities, notes and tasks, a kanban board, custom views, and call and WhatsApp integrations.

**Why:** Three commands start it with Docker, and the site answers at crm.localhost:8000/crm.

**Use when:** You want a sales CRM without deploying all of ERPNext, Frappe's business suite.

**Install:**

```bash
wget -O docker-compose.yml https://raw.githubusercontent.com/frappe/crm/develop/docker/docker-compose.yml
wget -O init.sh https://raw.githubusercontent.com/frappe/crm/develop/docker/init.sh
docker compose up -d
```

**Catch:** This Docker setup pulls the unstable `develop` branch; production uses the `easy-install.py` script. Change the default login (Administrator / admin) first.

## 7. EspoCRM: the classic CRM with a clean interface

[EspoCRM](https://github.com/espocrm/espocrm) is "a free, open-source CRM platform designed to help organizations build and maintain strong customer relationships".

**What:** Leads, contacts, opportunities, campaigns and support cases in a single-page app with a PHP REST API backend.

**Why:** The README promises "an uncluttered, minimalist, and fast user interface".

**Use when:** You want standard CRM done plainly, without a suite around it.

**Install:**

```bash
docker pull espocrm/espocrm
```

The docs' quick start runs it beside a MariaDB container.

**Catch:** Reports, workflows and business process management come in the Advanced Pack, an official add-on, not in the core.

## Which one to try first

Developer-extensible modern CRM → #1. Whole-business suite → #2. Relationships, not sales → #3. Laravel shop → #4. Established enterprise CRM → #5. Sales team on Docker → #6. Plain classic CRM → #7.

![EspoCRM's Leads table showing statuses from New to Converted with assigned users and a CRM sidebar](https://f.aifree.dev/media/best/self-hosted-crm/8b2dfc1e7aa78547.webp#w=1280&h=661)

## Picks

1. [Twenty](https://github.com/twentyhq/twenty)
2. [Odoo](https://github.com/odoo/odoo)
3. [Monica](https://github.com/monicahq/monica)
4. [Krayin](https://github.com/krayin/laravel-crm)
5. [SuiteCRM](https://github.com/SuiteCRM/suitecrm)
6. [Frappe CRM](https://github.com/frappe/crm)
7. [EspoCRM](https://github.com/espocrm/espocrm)

## Frequently asked questions

### Why run a CRM yourself instead of using Salesforce or HubSpot?

The customer data sits in a database you back up and migrate yourself, and you can change the code. The tradeoff is that you own uptime, updates and backups.

### What is the difference between Twenty, SuiteCRM and EspoCRM?

Twenty is built to be extended as code, with its own CLI and SDK. SuiteCRM is the SugarCRM fork on a LAMP stack, and EspoCRM is a single-page app with a PHP REST API.

### Is Odoo a CRM or an ERP?

Both: CRM is one app in the Odoo suite, beside accounting, inventory, eCommerce and HR. Pick Odoo if you want one system for the whole business, and a dedicated CRM from this list otherwise.

## Sources

- https://github.com/twentyhq/twenty
- https://github.com/odoo/odoo
- https://github.com/monicahq/monica
- https://github.com/krayin/laravel-crm
- https://github.com/SuiteCRM/suitecrm
- https://github.com/frappe/crm
- https://github.com/espocrm/espocrm
- https://docs.twenty.com/developers/self-host/capabilities/docker-compose
- https://docs.suitecrm.com/admin/installation-guide/downloading-installing/
- https://www.espocrm.com/extensions/advanced-pack/

HTML page: https://aifree.dev/best/self-hosted-crm