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Technology · head to head

Attio vs EspoCRM

Attio logo

Attio

Technology

The CRM built for the next generation of companies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
EspoCRM logo

EspoCRM

CRM

AGPL open source CRM in PHP that you can self-host free or buy as cloud with seat minimums

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Attio the free plan stops at 3 seats and 50,000 records; EspoCRM the AGPLv3 licence obliges you to publish source modifications if you make the modified software available over a network, which blocks resellers who want to offer a customised hosted version without opening their code.
  • They diverge on capability: Attio covers Custom data model, EspoCRM covers Entity manager.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Attio and EspoCRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Attio and EspoCRM differ
AttributeAttioEspoCRM
Pricing modelfreemiumPer user per month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android
CategoryTechnologyCRM
Founded2021Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Attio

  • Custom data model
  • Flexible views
  • Calendar sync
  • Automations
  • Mobile app
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Templates
  • Gmail

Only in EspoCRM

  • Entity manager
  • Dynamic logic
  • Sales pipeline
  • Case management
  • Reports and dashboards
  • Workflow automation
  • REST API

Both cover

  • Email integration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Attio

  • Sales pipelinenot EspoCRM
  • Customer managementnot EspoCRM
  • Deal trackingnot EspoCRM
  • Investor relationsnot EspoCRM
  • Partnership managementnot EspoCRM

EspoCRM

  • A small business that wants a CRM on its own hosting with no per-seat fee and no vendor holding its customer datanot Attio
  • A public sector or healthcare team with data residency rules that rule out US-hosted commercial CRMnot Attio
  • A developer or agency needing a CRM whose data model can be extended into a bespoke entity structure through configurationnot Attio
  • An organisation with many light users, where self-hosting avoids paying seat prices for people who open the CRM twice a monthnot Attio

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Attio

  • The free plan stops at 3 seats and 50,000 records
  • Outbound email is capped at 200 messages a month on the free plan and 1,000 on Plus
  • Call Intelligence, sequences, advanced reporting and permission controls all require the Pro tier
  • Custom objects are capped at 3 on free, 5 on Plus and 12 on Pro, with unlimited objects reserved for Enterprise
  • File storage is capped at 50 GB on the free and Plus tiers

EspoCRM

  • The AGPLv3 licence obliges you to publish source modifications if you make the modified software available over a network, which blocks resellers who want to offer a customised hosted version without opening their code.
  • Cloud plans carry seat minimums of three, five and ten users, so a two-person consultancy pays for three seats and a small team wanting the Ultimate features pays for ten.
  • Record ceilings are real on the cheaper cloud tiers, with Basic capped at 100,000 records, and hitting the cap means a tier upgrade rather than a small overage charge.
  • Marketing automation, sequences and native telephony are thin compared with HubSpot or Zoho, so most deployments end up wiring in a separate mailing tool and a separate dialler.
  • Self-hosting shifts the entire cost to your own team: PHP version upgrades, database backups and security patching are yours, and a neglected instance becomes an internet-facing liability holding your customer list.

Pricing, plan by plan

Attio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 seats
    • 50000 records
    • 3 objects
  • Plus$44/month
    • Up to 10 seats
    • 250000 records
    • 5 objects
  • Pro$99/month
    • Unlimited seats
    • 1000000 records
    • 12 objects
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited objects
    • Custom record limits

EspoCRM

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • AGPLv3 licence, no fee
    • Runs on PHP with MySQL or MariaDB
    • Advanced Pack, Sales Pack and other extensions sold separately as one-off purchases
  • Cloud Basic$15/month
    • Three-user minimum
    • 3GB storage per user
    • Up to 100,000 records
  • Cloud Enterprise$25/month
    • Five-user minimum
    • 10GB storage per user
    • Up to 10 million records, extendable for a fee
  • Cloud Ultimate$69/month
    • Ten-user minimum
    • 400GB total storage
    • Unlimited records

Which should you pick?

Choose Attio if

  • You need custom data model.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want flexible views.
Attio review

Choose EspoCRM if

  • You need entity manager.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android.
  • You also want dynamic logic.
EspoCRM review

Questions people ask

Is Attio or EspoCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Attio starts at Free and EspoCRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Attio or EspoCRM?
Attio starts at Free and EspoCRM at Free.
Does Attio or EspoCRM run on more platforms?
Attio runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. EspoCRM runs on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android.
Can I use Attio for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Attio best used for?
Attio is most often used for sales pipeline, customer management, deal tracking, investor relations. Of those, sales pipeline and customer management are not what EspoCRM is typically brought in for.
What can Attio do that EspoCRM cannot?
Attio covers Custom data model, Flexible views, Calendar sync, Automations. EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Dynamic logic, Sales pipeline, Case management. Both handle Email integration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Attio: How much does Attio cost per user?

Attio's Plus plan is $44/user/month (or $35/month annually with 20% discount). Pro is $99/user/month (or $79/month annually). The Free plan includes up to 3 seats at no cost.

Source
EspoCRM: Is the self-hosted version really full featured?

The core CRM is, but several paid extension packs including Advanced Pack for reports and BPM are sold separately as one-off purchases and are not in the free download.

Attio: What are Attio's seat and record limits for each plan?

Free plan includes up to 3 seats with 50,000 records. Plus supports up to 10 seats with 250,000 records. Pro offers unlimited seats with 1 million records. Enterprise has custom record limits.

Source
EspoCRM: What are the cloud seat minimums?

Three users on Basic, five on Enterprise and ten on Ultimate, so the advertised per-user rate is not the smallest bill you can pay.

Attio: Are there additional costs for Attio beyond the per-user subscription?

Yes, workspace credits are available as add-ons ($70-$475/month depending on volume). Annual billing provides a 20% discount on the base per-user cost.

Source
EspoCRM: What does it need to run?

PHP, MySQL or MariaDB and a web server. It installs on ordinary shared hosting or a small VPS, which is unusual for a modern CRM.

EspoCRM: Can I move from cloud to self-hosted later?

Yes. EspoCRM states customers own their database and data files, so an export and reinstall is possible, though you take on all maintenance when you do.

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