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CRM · head to head

EspoCRM vs Less Annoying CRM

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
Less Annoying CRM logo

Less Annoying CRM

CRM

Simple CRM built by small business experts

From
$30/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.; Less Annoying CRM there is no free tier, only a single $15 per user per month price
  • They diverge on capability: EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Less Annoying CRM covers Contact management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which EspoCRM and Less Annoying CRM actually diverge.

Attributes where EspoCRM and Less Annoying CRM differ
AttributeEspoCRMLess Annoying CRM
Starting priceFree$30/month
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2006

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

Only in Less Annoying CRM

  • Contact management
  • Task tracking
  • Pipeline management
  • Mobile app
  • Reporting
  • Mailchimp
  • Zapier
  • Google Calendar

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

Less Annoying CRM

  • CRM for small businessesnot EspoCRM
  • Simple contact managementnot 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.

Less Annoying CRM

  • There is no free tier, only a single $15 per user per month price
  • File storage is capped at 25 GB per user
  • The vendor advises staying below 50,000 total contacts, so very large databases sit outside the intended use even though no hard limit is enforced

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

Less Annoying CRM

$30/month
  • Standard$30/month
    • Contact management
    • Task management
    • Mobile app
  • Pro$50/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Email automation
    • Reporting
  • Business$100/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Advanced customization
    • API access

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 Less Annoying CRM if

  • You need contact management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want task tracking.
Less Annoying CRM review

Questions people ask

Is EspoCRM or Less Annoying CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. EspoCRM starts at Free and Less Annoying CRM at $30/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, EspoCRM or Less Annoying CRM?
EspoCRM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for EspoCRM and $30/month for Less Annoying CRM.
Does EspoCRM or Less Annoying CRM run on more platforms?
EspoCRM runs on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android. Less Annoying CRM runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use EspoCRM for free?
Yes. EspoCRM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Less Annoying CRM starts at $30/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 Less Annoying CRM is typically brought in for.
What can EspoCRM do that Less Annoying CRM cannot?
EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Dynamic logic, Sales pipeline, Case management. Less Annoying CRM covers Contact management, Task tracking, Pipeline management, Mobile app. 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.

Less Annoying CRM: How much does Less Annoying CRM cost?

Less Annoying CRM costs $15 per user per month plus applicable tax. There is one price for everyone with no tiered plans.

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.

Less Annoying CRM: What does Less Annoying CRM include?

All users get unlimited contacts, 25GB file storage, unlimited pipelines, task management, email logging, mobile access, user permissions, unlimited custom fields, and free support.

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.

Less Annoying CRM: Does Less Annoying CRM offer a free trial?

Yes, Less Annoying CRM offers a 30-day free trial with no questions asked, no credit card required, and no limitations.

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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