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CRM · head to head

Clari vs EspoCRM

Clari logo

Clari

CRM

Revenue platform for full-funnel accuracy

From
On request
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

  • Only EspoCRM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Clari limited customization; built for specific use cases and cannot make predictions outside core objects; 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: Clari covers Forecast management, EspoCRM covers Entity manager.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clari and EspoCRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Clari and EspoCRM differ
AttributeClariEspoCRM
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer user per month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (CRM).

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 Clari

  • Forecast management
  • Pipeline inspection
  • Revenue intelligence
  • Deal signals
  • Activity capture
  • Salesforce
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • HubSpot

Only in EspoCRM

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

What people use each for

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

Clari

  • Revenue forecastingnot EspoCRM
  • Pipeline managementnot EspoCRM
  • Deal inspectionnot EspoCRM
  • Revenue planningnot 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 Clari
  • A public sector or healthcare team with data residency rules that rule out US-hosted commercial CRMnot Clari
  • A developer or agency needing a CRM whose data model can be extended into a bespoke entity structure through configurationnot Clari
  • An organisation with many light users, where self-hosting avoids paying seat prices for people who open the CRM twice a monthnot Clari

Where each one falls short

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

Clari

  • Limited customization; built for specific use cases and cannot make predictions outside core objects
  • Requires extensive manual data inputs; depends on spreadsheet-based consolidation creating data gaps and inaccurate predictions
  • English-only with no multilingual support for global teams
  • High total cost of ownership including mandatory implementation services and expensive add-ons
  • Overlaps with other tools; if already using Gong or Outreach, Clari duplicates conversation intelligence and engagement features

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

Clari

On request
  • ProfessionalFree
    • Forecast management
    • Pipeline inspection
    • Deal signals
  • EnterpriseFree
    • All Professional features
    • Mutual action plans
    • Revenue intelligence

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 Clari if

  • You need forecast management.
  • You also want pipeline inspection.
Clari 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 Clari or EspoCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Clari starts at On request and EspoCRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clari or EspoCRM?
EspoCRM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Clari and Free for EspoCRM.
Does Clari or EspoCRM run on more platforms?
Clari runs on Web. EspoCRM runs on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android.
Can I use EspoCRM for free?
Yes. EspoCRM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Clari starts at On request.
What is Clari best used for?
Clari is most often used for revenue forecasting, pipeline management, deal inspection, revenue planning. Of those, revenue forecasting and pipeline management are not what EspoCRM is typically brought in for.
What can Clari do that EspoCRM cannot?
Clari covers Forecast management, Pipeline inspection, Revenue intelligence, Deal signals. EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Dynamic logic, Email integration, Sales pipeline.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Clari: What are Clari's core features?

Clari provides revenue AI agents for automated forecasting and deal inspection, real-time pipeline visibility, conversation intelligence via Copilot, data capture and quality management, Groove for sales engagement, and Align for buyer collaboration.

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.

Clari: What integrations does Clari offer?

Clari integrates natively with Salesforce (Classic and Lightning), Slack via Copilot for call insights and notifications, and has a partner API with 40+ integrated solutions available in the Clari Integration Hub.

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.

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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