Softwr

CRM · head to head

EspoCRM vs LeadSquared

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
LeadSquared logo

LeadSquared

CRM

Indian marketing automation and CRM platform for lead management

From
$1200/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only EspoCRM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; LeadSquared marketing Pro limited to 100,000 emails monthly
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which EspoCRM and LeadSquared actually diverge.

Attributes where EspoCRM and LeadSquared differ
AttributeEspoCRMLeadSquared
Starting priceFree$1200/year
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, AndroidWeb

Identical on both: 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 LeadSquared

Nothing recorded that EspoCRM does not also cover.

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

LeadSquared

  • Email marketing automationnot EspoCRM
  • Marketing automation for agenciesnot 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.

LeadSquared

  • Marketing Pro limited to 100,000 emails monthly
  • Both plans capped at 2 users
  • Custom plans required for enterprise needs

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

LeadSquared

$1200/year
  • Marketing Pro$1200/year
    • List Segmentation
    • Social Media Connectors
    • 1,000 Chatbot/Converse sessions
  • Marketing Super$2000/year
    • All Pro features
    • Website Event Tracking
    • 2,000 Chatbot/Converse sessions

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 LeadSquared if

Nothing in the data separates LeadSquared from EspoCRM on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

LeadSquared review

Questions people ask

Is EspoCRM or LeadSquared better?
Neither clearly leads. EspoCRM starts at Free and LeadSquared at $1200/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, EspoCRM or LeadSquared?
EspoCRM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for EspoCRM and $1200/year for LeadSquared.
Does EspoCRM or LeadSquared run on more platforms?
EspoCRM runs on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android. LeadSquared runs on Web.
Can I use EspoCRM for free?
Yes. EspoCRM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. LeadSquared starts at $1200/year.
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 LeadSquared is typically brought in for.
What can EspoCRM do that LeadSquared cannot?
EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Dynamic logic, Email integration, Sales pipeline.

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.

LeadSquared: How much does LeadSquared cost?

LeadSquared pricing starts at $1,200 per year for the Marketing Pro plan and $2,000 per year for the Marketing Super plan. Custom plans are available upon request.

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.

LeadSquared: What is the difference between Marketing Pro and Super plans?

Marketing Super adds Website Event Tracking, doubles chatbot sessions (2,000 vs 1,000), increases email inclusions to 250,000/month (vs 100,000), and adds Advanced workflow automation. Storage increases from 2GB to 10GB and reports capacity doubles to 50.

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.

LeadSquared: How many users can I add to each plan?

Both Marketing Pro and Super plans include 2 users. Unlimited contacts are supported on both tiers.

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.

Share

Related pages

More on EspoCRM

More on LeadSquared

Keep looking

Other head to heads