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CRM · head to head

Copper vs SuiteCRM

Copper logo

Copper

CRM

Gmail-native CRM for growth teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SuiteCRM logo

SuiteCRM

CRM

Open source fork of SugarCRM with no per user licence fee, sold as hosting and support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Copper the Basic plan caps at 2,500 contacts and 25 companies, which is small for a CRM at $23 per user per month; SuiteCRM the interface still carries SugarCRM conventions from over a decade ago, and sales teams used to modern CRMs frequently resist adoption, which is the most common reason SuiteCRM projects fail rather than any technical limit.
  • They diverge on capability: Copper covers Gmail integration, SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 2 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Copper and SuiteCRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Copper and SuiteCRM differ
AttributeCopperSuiteCRM
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWebWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android
Founded2014Unknown

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 Copper

  • Gmail integration
  • Contact management
  • Deal tracking
  • Pipeline management
  • Email tracking
  • Automation
  • Gmail
  • Google Calendar

Only in SuiteCRM

  • Studio module builder
  • Workflow engine
  • Opportunity and quote management
  • Case management
  • Campaign module
  • Reporting engine
  • Security groups
  • REST API

What people use each for

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

Copper

  • CRM for teams working inside Google Workspacenot SuiteCRM
  • Pipeline and deal trackingnot SuiteCRM
  • Contact enrichment and activity capturenot SuiteCRM
  • Workflow automation on the higher tiersnot SuiteCRM

SuiteCRM

  • An organisation with two hundred occasional CRM users where per seat pricing from Salesforce or HubSpot would dominate the budgetnot Copper
  • A public sector body or regulated firm that must host customer data on infrastructure it controlsnot Copper
  • A company that needs custom modules modelling its own objects and wants to build them in Studio rather than pay for platform licencesnot Copper
  • A business that wants open source economics but whose procurement requires a warranty, which SuiteASSURED suppliesnot Copper

Where each one falls short

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

Copper

  • The Basic plan caps at 2,500 contacts and 25 companies, which is small for a CRM at $23 per user per month
  • Professional at $59 per user per month still caps at 15,000 contacts and 50 companies
  • Workflow automation, bulk email and reporting all require Professional
  • Email sequences, custom reports and multi-currency are Business tier only at $99 per user per month
  • The advertised prices are the annual rates; monthly billing runs from $29 to $134 per user

SuiteCRM

  • The interface still carries SugarCRM conventions from over a decade ago, and sales teams used to modern CRMs frequently resist adoption, which is the most common reason SuiteCRM projects fail rather than any technical limit.
  • Zero licence fee does not mean zero cost: hosting, ten hours of annual support and a quick start implementation together run into thousands of pounds before anyone has configured a pipeline.
  • The integration marketplace is small compared with Salesforce or HubSpot, so common connections to marketing, telephony and finance tools are often paid third party add-ons or custom builds.
  • Upgrades between major versions can break customisations made outside Studio, so heavily customised instances tend to lag behind current releases and accumulate security debt.
  • Native email marketing and campaign functionality is basic next to a dedicated tool, so most deployments end up paying for a separate marketing platform and syncing it, undoing part of the cost saving.

Pricing, plan by plan

Copper

Free
  • Basic$undefined/mo
  • Professional$undefined/mo
  • Business$undefined/mo

SuiteCRM

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • GPL licensed with no per user fee at any user count
    • All core CRM modules included
    • You provide hosting, upgrades and support
  • Managed hosting$50/month
    • Hosting, security patching, updates and monitoring
    • Still no per user licence fee
    • Support purchased separately
  • Standard support$1200/year
    • Ten support hours per year
    • Discount available when bought with managed hosting
    • Does not include implementation work
  • SuiteASSURED$3350/year
    • Warranty and legal indemnification over the open source code
    • Priority support and security assurances
    • Aimed at organisations whose procurement rules block unwarranted open source

Which should you pick?

Choose Copper if

  • You need gmail integration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want contact management.
Copper review

Choose SuiteCRM if

  • You need studio module builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android.
  • You also want workflow engine.
SuiteCRM review

Questions people ask

Is Copper or SuiteCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Copper starts at Free and SuiteCRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Copper or SuiteCRM?
Copper starts at Free and SuiteCRM at Free.
Does Copper or SuiteCRM run on more platforms?
Copper runs on Web. SuiteCRM runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android.
Can I use Copper for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Copper best used for?
Copper is most often used for crm for teams working inside google workspace, pipeline and deal tracking, contact enrichment and activity capture, workflow automation on the higher tiers. Of those, crm for teams working inside google workspace and pipeline and deal tracking are not what SuiteCRM is typically brought in for.
What can Copper do that SuiteCRM cannot?
Copper covers Gmail integration, Contact management, Deal tracking, Pipeline management. SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder, Workflow engine, Opportunity and quote management, Case management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Copper: How much does Copper cost per person?

Basic is $29/month (or $23/month annual). Professional is $69/month (or $59/month annual). Business is $134/month (or $99/month annual). All pricing is per seat in USD, excluding taxes.

Source
SuiteCRM: Is SuiteCRM really free?

The software is, at any user count. SalesAgility charges for managed hosting from about 50 GBP per month, support from about 1,200 GBP per year and SuiteASSURED from about 3,350 GBP per year.

Copper: What contact limit does each plan allow?

Basic allows 2,500 contacts. Professional allows 15,000 contacts. Business allows unlimited contacts.

Source
SuiteCRM: How does it relate to SugarCRM?

It is a fork of SugarCRM Community Edition, created after SugarCRM discontinued its open source release.

Copper: How much can I save by paying annually?

Annual billing saves 14-26% vs. monthly: Basic saves 20%, Professional saves 14%, Business saves 26%. For example, Professional costs $69/month on monthly billing but only $59/month when billed annually.

Source
SuiteCRM: Are there per user fees?

No. This is the central commercial argument for it, particularly for organisations with many occasional users.

Copper: Is there a free trial or free plan?

Yes. Copper offers a 14-day free trial with instant activation and no credit card required. Trial includes full access to all features.

Source
SuiteCRM: What is SuiteASSURED?

A paid subscription that adds warranty, indemnification and legal protections on top of the open source licence, for buyers whose procurement rules block unwarranted software.

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