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CRM · head to head

Clearbit vs EspoCRM

Clearbit logo

Clearbit

CRM

B2B data enrichment and intelligence

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: Clearbit pricing can be expensive at scale with usage-based model; 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: Clearbit covers Company enrichment, EspoCRM covers Entity manager.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clearbit and EspoCRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Clearbit and EspoCRM differ
AttributeClearbitEspoCRM
Pricing modelUnknownPer user per month
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Clearbit

  • Company enrichment
  • Contact enrichment
  • Lead scoring
  • Reveal (website visitors)
  • Forms shortening
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Marketo

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.

Clearbit

  • Lead enrichmentnot EspoCRM
  • Account targetingnot EspoCRM
  • Personalizationnot EspoCRM
  • Lead scoringnot 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 Clearbit
  • A public sector or healthcare team with data residency rules that rule out US-hosted commercial CRMnot Clearbit
  • A developer or agency needing a CRM whose data model can be extended into a bespoke entity structure through configurationnot Clearbit
  • An organisation with many light users, where self-hosting avoids paying seat prices for people who open the CRM twice a monthnot Clearbit

Where each one falls short

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

Clearbit

  • Pricing can be expensive at scale with usage-based model
  • Batch enrichment has per-row cost that adds up quickly for large datasets
  • Limited data for smaller or private companies
  • Now integrated into HubSpot as Breeze Intelligence, may affect standalone availability

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

Clearbit

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Clearbit review.

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 Clearbit if

  • You need company enrichment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want contact enrichment.
Clearbit 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 Clearbit or EspoCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Clearbit 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, Clearbit or EspoCRM?
Clearbit starts at Free and EspoCRM at Free.
Does Clearbit or EspoCRM run on more platforms?
Clearbit runs on Web, API. EspoCRM runs on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android.
Can I use Clearbit for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Clearbit best used for?
Clearbit is most often used for lead enrichment, account targeting, personalization, lead scoring. Of those, lead enrichment and account targeting are not what EspoCRM is typically brought in for.
What can Clearbit do that EspoCRM cannot?
Clearbit covers Company enrichment, Contact enrichment, Lead scoring, Reveal (website visitors). EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Dynamic logic, Email integration, Sales pipeline.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Clearbit: Does Clearbit offer a free tier?

Yes. The first 50 real-time lookups are free. After that, usage-based pricing applies with 500 free credits included in subscription plans.

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.

Clearbit: How does Clearbit batch enrichment pricing work?

Batch enrichment costs $0.30 USD per row, with totals rounded to $5 increments. Bulk batch discounts are not available, but large volumes can negotiate lower rates through monthly/annual subscription to the Enrichment API.

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.

Clearbit: What data does Clearbit provide?

Clearbit maintains information on over 20 million companies with over 100 rich attributes including demographic and technographic data, industry classification, and company size information.

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.

Clearbit: Is there an API available?

Yes. Clearbit offers REST APIs for real-time enrichment and bulk batch processing, allowing direct integration into applications and workflows.

Source
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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