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CRM · head to head

EspoCRM vs Insightly

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
Insightly logo

Insightly

CRM

CRM & project management for any business

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.; Insightly record counts are capped by plan, at 100,000 on Plus and 500,000 on Enterprise, so the database size decides the tier
  • They diverge on capability: EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Insightly covers Contact management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which EspoCRM and Insightly actually diverge.

Attributes where EspoCRM and Insightly differ
AttributeEspoCRMInsightly
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2010

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
  • Sales pipeline
  • Case management
  • Reports and dashboards
  • Workflow automation
  • REST API

Only in Insightly

  • Contact management
  • Deal tracking
  • Project management
  • Task management
  • Reporting
  • Mobile app
  • Mailchimp
  • Slack

Both cover

  • Email integration

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

Insightly

  • CRM with project delivery tracking after the salenot EspoCRM
  • Managing leads, opportunities and customer projects in one record setnot 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.

Insightly

  • Record counts are capped by plan, at 100,000 on Plus and 500,000 on Enterprise, so the database size decides the tier
  • Workflow automation requires the Professional plan at $49 per user per month
  • AI Copilot is metered by query, at 75 on Plus and 100 on Professional
  • Mass email is capped daily, at 2,500 on Plus and 10,000 on Enterprise
  • CRM, Marketing and Service are sold as three separate products, and Marketing is priced per account by prospect count starting at $99 for 2,000
  • Sandboxes and audit logging are Enterprise only at $99 per user per month

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

Insightly

Free
  • CRM Plus$29/user/month
    • lead and contact management
    • project management
    • advanced reports
  • CRM Professional$49/user/month
    • all Plus features
    • lead assignment/routing
    • workflow automation
  • CRM Enterprise$99/user/month
    • all Professional features
    • sandboxes
    • products/pricebooks/quotes

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 Insightly if

  • You need contact management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want deal tracking.
Insightly review

Questions people ask

Is EspoCRM or Insightly better?
Neither clearly leads. EspoCRM starts at Free and Insightly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, EspoCRM or Insightly?
EspoCRM starts at Free and Insightly at Free.
Does EspoCRM or Insightly run on more platforms?
EspoCRM runs on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android. Insightly runs on Web, Ios, Android.
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 Insightly is typically brought in for.
What can EspoCRM do that Insightly cannot?
EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Dynamic logic, Sales pipeline, Case management. Insightly covers Contact management, Deal tracking, Project management, Task management. Both handle Email integration.

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.

Insightly: How much does Insightly CRM cost?

Insightly CRM plans are priced per user per month when billed annually: Plus at $29, Professional at $49 (the most popular option), and Enterprise at $99. All plans include a 14-day free trial that requires no credit card.

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.

Insightly: Is there a free trial for Insightly?

Yes, Insightly offers a 14-day free trial across most products with no credit card required, allowing you to test CRM, Marketing Automation, Support & Ticketing, and AppConnect features.

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.

Insightly: What record storage limits apply to Insightly CRM plans?

Insightly CRM Plus includes 100,000 records, Professional includes 250,000 records, and Enterprise includes 500,000 records. File storage increases from 10 GB on Plus to 100 GB on Professional and 250 GB on Enterprise.

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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