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CRM · head to head

EspoCRM vs Lever

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
Lever logo

Lever

Recruitment

Talent acquisition suite built for collaboration

From
On request
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.; Lever customized pricing requires sales contact, no public pricing
  • They diverge on capability: EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Lever covers Applicant Tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which EspoCRM and Lever actually diverge.

Attributes where EspoCRM and Lever differ
AttributeEspoCRMLever
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer user per monthquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryCRMRecruitment
FoundedUnknown2012

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Lever

  • Applicant Tracking
  • Candidate CRM
  • Sourcing
  • Interview Management
  • Analytics
  • Offer Management
  • LinkedIn
  • Indeed

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

Lever

  • Applicant tracking from sourcing through offernot EspoCRM
  • Building and nurturing talent pipelines of passive candidatesnot EspoCRM
  • Automating interview scheduling, follow-ups and offer lettersnot EspoCRM
  • Reporting on hiring performance across sourcesnot EspoCRM
  • Screening at volume with AI ranking and recommendationsnot 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.

Lever

  • Customized pricing requires sales contact, no public pricing
  • Premium features like advanced CRM functionality require additional fees
  • Implementation requires some technical configuration

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

Lever

On request
  • LeverTRM$undefined/month
    • ATS
    • CRM
    • Sourcing
  • LeverTRM for Enterprise$undefined/month
    • All LeverTRM features
    • Advanced Security
    • Dedicated Support

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 Lever if

  • You need applicant tracking.
  • You also want candidate crm.
Lever review

Questions people ask

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

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.

Lever: What is Lever used for?

Lever is modern recruiting software that centralizes recruiting into a single system for sourcing candidates, managing applications, scheduling interviews, collaborating with hiring managers, automating workflows, and measuring hiring performance.

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.

Lever: Does Lever include both ATS and CRM?

Yes. Lever integrates comprehensive Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and Candidate Relationship Management (CRM) functionalities within a single offering called LeverTRM, with features like AI-powered screening and interview transcripts.

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.

Lever: What integrations does Lever support?

Lever integrates with 300+ tools including Slack for notifications, Zoom for interviews, calendar applications for scheduling, background check services, job boards, and leading HRIS platforms for talent management workflows.

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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