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CRM · head to head

EspoCRM vs Streak

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
Streak logo

Streak

CRM

CRM superpowers for Gmail

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.; Streak the free tier is email tools only, with pipelines, contact records and automation all requiring the Pro plan
  • They diverge on capability: EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Streak covers Pipeline management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which EspoCRM and Streak actually diverge.

Attributes where EspoCRM and Streak differ
AttributeEspoCRMStreak
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, AndroidWeb
FoundedUnknown2011

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

Only in Streak

  • Pipeline management
  • Email tracking
  • Automation
  • Document tracking
  • Live engagement metrics
  • Gmail
  • Outlook
  • Google Sheets

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

Streak

  • Managing sales pipelines directly inside Gmailnot EspoCRM
  • Tracking email opens and running mail merges from an inboxnot 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.

Streak

  • The free tier is email tools only, with pipelines, contact records and automation all requiring the Pro plan
  • Free mail merge is capped at 50 a day
  • The entry paid plan is $49 per user per month, which is high for a CRM that lives inside Gmail
  • Integrations require a paid plan

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

Streak

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Email tracking
    • Mail merge 50 per day
    • Snippets
  • Pro$49/month
    • Core CRM features
    • Mail merge
    • Shared pipelines
  • Pro+$69/month
    • Advanced reports
    • Integrations and automations
    • Archived users
  • Enterprise$129/month
    • Custom roles
    • Data validation
    • 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 Streak if

  • You need pipeline management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want email tracking.
Streak review

Questions people ask

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

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.

Streak: Is there a free version of Streak?

Yes, Streak offers a free tier with email tracking, mail merge up to 50 per day, snippets, and other basic features forever at no cost.

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.

Streak: What discount is available for annual billing?

Streak offers a 20% discount when you pay annually instead of monthly on all paid plans.

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.

Streak: What is the difference between Pro and Pro+ plans?

Pro+ costs $69 per month versus $49 for Pro and adds advanced reports, integrations, automations, and increases AI credits from 20 to 150 per user per month.

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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