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CRM · head to head

EspoCRM vs Hunter

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
Hunter logo

Hunter

CRM

Email finding, verification and cold outreach platform for B2B prospecting

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Hunter free plan is limited to 50 credits per month and a single connected inbox, restricting real usage.
  • They diverge on capability: EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Hunter covers Domain search.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which EspoCRM and Hunter actually diverge.

Attributes where EspoCRM and Hunter differ
AttributeEspoCRMHunter
Pricing modelPer user per monthfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, Androidweb, api
FoundedUnknown2015

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 EspoCRM

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

Only in Hunter

  • Domain search
  • Email verifier
  • Campaign sender
  • AI writing assistant
  • Browser extension
  • CRM integrations

What people use each for

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

EspoCRM

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

Hunter

  • Finding verified email addresses for a target companynot EspoCRM
  • Verifying email lists before a campaignnot EspoCRM
  • Running cold outreach sequences from connected inboxesnot EspoCRM
  • Enriching CRM records with contact emailsnot EspoCRM

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Hunter

  • Free plan is limited to 50 credits per month and a single connected inbox, restricting real usage.
  • Mobile phone or firmographic data is thinner than dedicated sales intelligence platforms.
  • Multichannel outreach (LinkedIn, calls, SMS) is not supported, unlike some competitors.
  • Higher-volume plans require annual billing to get the advertised discounted price.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Hunter

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50 credits per month
    • 1 connected email account
    • Up to 500 recipients per sequence
  • Starter$34/month
    • 2,000 monthly credits (billed yearly)
    • 3 connected email accounts
    • Advanced filters
  • Growth$104/month
    • 10,000 monthly credits (billed yearly)
    • 10 connected email accounts
    • Priority support
  • Scale$209/month
    • 25,000 monthly credits (billed yearly)
    • 20 connected email accounts
    • Account manager included

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Hunter if

  • You need domain search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want email verifier.
Hunter review

Questions people ask

Is EspoCRM or Hunter better?
Neither clearly leads. EspoCRM starts at Free and Hunter at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, EspoCRM or Hunter?
EspoCRM starts at Free and Hunter at Free.
Does EspoCRM or Hunter run on more platforms?
EspoCRM runs on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android. Hunter runs on web, api.
Can I use EspoCRM for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is EspoCRM best used for?
EspoCRM is most often used for a small business that wants a crm on its own hosting with no per-seat fee and no vendor holding its customer data, a public sector or healthcare team with data residency rules that rule out us-hosted commercial crm, a developer or agency needing a crm whose data model can be extended into a bespoke entity structure through configuration, an organisation with many light users, where self-hosting avoids paying seat prices for people who open the crm twice a month. Of those, a small business that wants a crm on its own hosting with no per-seat fee and no vendor holding its customer data and a public sector or healthcare team with data residency rules that rule out us-hosted commercial crm are not what Hunter is typically brought in for.
What can EspoCRM do that Hunter cannot?
EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Dynamic logic, Email integration, Sales pipeline. Hunter covers Domain search, Email verifier, Campaign sender, AI writing assistant.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Hunter: What does Hunter cost?

Hunter's Free plan gives 50 credits/month. Paid plans (billed yearly) start at $34/month for Starter (2,000 credits), rising to $104/month for Growth and $209/month for Scale, with custom Enterprise pricing above that.

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.

Hunter: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Yes, Hunter's Free plan includes 50 monthly credits, basic database filters, one connected email account, and sequences capped at 500 recipients.

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.

Hunter: How is usage metered?

Hunter meters usage in credits, consumed once per billing cycle for searches and verifications; credits reset monthly or accumulate annually depending on the billing plan.

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.

Hunter: What does Hunter integrate with?

Hunter offers a browser extension, a Google Sheets add-on, CRM connections, and an API, alongside MCP support for AI tool integrations.

Source
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