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Proposals · head to head

Dubsado vs SuiteCRM

Dubsado logo

Dubsado

Proposals

Business management for creatives

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: Dubsado automated workflows, scheduling and public proposals all require the Premier plan at $525 a year; 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: Dubsado covers Scheduler, SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dubsado and SuiteCRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Dubsado and SuiteCRM differ
AttributeDubsadoSuiteCRM
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWebWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android
CategoryProposalsCRM
Founded2016Unknown

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 Dubsado

  • Scheduler
  • CRM
  • Invoicing
  • Contracts
  • Automation workflows
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • QuickBooks

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.

Dubsado

  • Client management and project workflows for freelancers and studiosnot SuiteCRM
  • Sending proposals, contracts and invoices with automated follow upnot SuiteCRM

SuiteCRM

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

Where each one falls short

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

Dubsado

  • Automated workflows, scheduling and public proposals all require the Premier plan at $525 a year
  • The Starter plan allows a single lead capture form
  • Zapier and bookkeeping integrations are excluded from Starter
  • Additional brands are $10 a month each
  • Only 3 users are included, with 4 to 10 costing $25 a month and 21 to 30 costing $60

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

Dubsado

Free
  • Starter$335/year
    • Limited to 1 active lead capture form
    • Email integration
    • Unlimited projects & clients
  • Premier$525/year
    • Unlimited active lead capture forms
    • All Starter features
    • Bookkeeping integration

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 Dubsado if

  • You need scheduler.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want crm.
Dubsado 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 Dubsado or SuiteCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Dubsado 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, Dubsado or SuiteCRM?
Dubsado starts at Free and SuiteCRM at Free.
Does Dubsado or SuiteCRM run on more platforms?
Dubsado runs on Web. SuiteCRM runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android.
Can I use Dubsado for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Dubsado best used for?
Dubsado is most often used for client management and project workflows for freelancers and studios, sending proposals, contracts and invoices with automated follow up. Of those, client management and project workflows for freelancers and studios and sending proposals, contracts and invoices with automated follow up are not what SuiteCRM is typically brought in for.
What can Dubsado do that SuiteCRM cannot?
Dubsado covers Scheduler, CRM, Invoicing, Contracts. SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder, Workflow engine, Opportunity and quote management, Case management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dubsado: Does Dubsado offer a free trial?

Yes, Dubsado offers a 21-day free trial with full access to the Premier plan. Annual billing saves 2 months of costs compared to monthly billing.

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.

Dubsado: What is the cost of adding team users?

Dubsado includes 3 free team users. Additional team users cost $25/month for 4-10 users, $45/month for 11-20 users, $60/month for 21-30 users, and custom pricing for 30+ users.

Source
SuiteCRM: How does it relate to SugarCRM?

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

Dubsado: Can you add multiple brands to Dubsado?

Yes, additional brands cost $10/month per brand beyond the included brand.

Source
SuiteCRM: Are there per user fees?

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

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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