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CRM · head to head

EspoCRM vs lemlist

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
lemlist logo

lemlist

CRM

Multichannel cold outreach platform for email, LinkedIn, SMS and calling

From
$55/month
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.; lemlist no standalone free plan, only a 14-day trial after which new campaigns cannot be launched without upgrading.
  • They diverge on capability: EspoCRM covers Entity manager, lemlist covers Multichannel sequences.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which EspoCRM and lemlist actually diverge.

Attributes where EspoCRM and lemlist differ
AttributeEspoCRMlemlist
Starting priceFree$55/month
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, Androidweb, api
FoundedUnknown2018

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 lemlist

  • Multichannel sequences
  • Lead database
  • Deliverability hub
  • AI agents
  • CRM integrations
  • API, CLI and MCP access

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

lemlist

  • Running multichannel outbound campaigns across email and LinkedInnot EspoCRM
  • Finding verified emails and phone numbers for prospectsnot EspoCRM
  • Protecting sender reputation with automated inbox warm-upnot EspoCRM
  • Combining calling and messaging into a single outreach sequencenot 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.

lemlist

  • No standalone free plan, only a 14-day trial after which new campaigns cannot be launched without upgrading.
  • Multichannel plan pricing scales per sender/user, which can get costly for larger teams.
  • Enterprise features like SSO/SAML require a custom-priced plan and a 5-user minimum.
  • Advanced AI agent capabilities are newer and less proven than long-established outreach features.

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

lemlist

$55/month
  • Email$55/month
    • 50,000 emails/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Email and phone finder
  • Multichannel$87/month
    • Unlimited emails and messages
    • 5 senders per user
    • LinkedIn, SMS and WhatsApp automation
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • 5+ users minimum
    • Dedicated account manager
    • SSO/SAML security

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 lemlist if

  • You need multichannel sequences.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want lead database.
lemlist review

Questions people ask

Is EspoCRM or lemlist better?
Neither clearly leads. EspoCRM starts at Free and lemlist at $55/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, EspoCRM or lemlist?
EspoCRM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for EspoCRM and $55/month for lemlist.
Does EspoCRM or lemlist run on more platforms?
EspoCRM runs on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android. lemlist runs on web, api.
Can I use EspoCRM for free?
Yes. EspoCRM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. lemlist starts at $55/month.
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 lemlist is typically brought in for.
What can EspoCRM do that lemlist cannot?
EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Dynamic logic, Email integration, Sales pipeline. lemlist covers Multichannel sequences, Lead database, Deliverability hub, AI agents.

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.

lemlist: What does lemlist cost?

lemlist's Email plan starts at $55/month (billed annually) for 50,000 emails, the Multichannel plan starts at $87/month for unlimited emails and messages plus LinkedIn/SMS/WhatsApp, and Enterprise is custom-priced.

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.

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

lemlist offers a 14-day free trial with full Multichannel plan access and no credit card required; after the trial, the account remains accessible but new campaigns cannot be launched without a paid subscription.

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.

lemlist: What does lemlist integrate with?

lemlist integrates with CRMs like HubSpot, Salesforce and Pipedrive, automation tools like Zapier, Make and n8n, VoIP platforms such as Aircall and Ringover, and offers API, CLI and MCP access.

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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