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CRM · head to head

EspoCRM vs Twenty

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
Twenty logo

Twenty

CRM

Open-source CRM platform for technical teams at AI speed

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.; Twenty requires technical expertise to customize and maintain compared to no-code CRM platforms
  • They diverge on capability: EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Twenty covers Open-Source Framework.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which EspoCRM and Twenty actually diverge.

Attributes where EspoCRM and Twenty differ
AttributeEspoCRMTwenty
Pricing modelPer user per monthUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, iOS, AndroidWeb, Self-hosted

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 Twenty

  • Open-Source Framework
  • Custom Database Objects
  • Multiple View Types
  • AI Integration
  • Workflow Engine
  • Data Migration
  • API Access
  • Multi-Language Support

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

Twenty

  • Building custom CRM solutions for complex business processesnot EspoCRM
  • Migrating from Salesforce or HubSpot while maintaining data ownershipnot EspoCRM
  • Technical teams needing TypeScript-based customizationnot EspoCRM
  • Organizations requiring self-hosted or air-gapped deploymentsnot EspoCRM
  • Enterprises combining CRM with AI-powered workflowsnot 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.

Twenty

  • Requires technical expertise to customize and maintain compared to no-code CRM platforms
  • Self-hosting increases operational overhead and infrastructure costs
  • Limited ecosystem of pre-built integrations compared to Salesforce
  • Smaller community and third-party extension library than established CRMs
  • Enterprise plan requires custom negotiation with no transparent pricing

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

Twenty

Free
  • Pro$9/month
    • Full customization
    • Custom apps
    • AI Agents
  • Organization$19/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Row-level permissions
    • SAML and OIDC SSO
  • Enterprise$null/year
    • Everything in Organization
    • Single-tenant isolation
    • IP allow-listing

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 Twenty if

  • You need open-source framework.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want custom database objects.
Twenty review

Questions people ask

Is EspoCRM or Twenty better?
Neither clearly leads. EspoCRM starts at Free and Twenty at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, EspoCRM or Twenty?
EspoCRM starts at Free and Twenty at Free.
Does EspoCRM or Twenty run on more platforms?
EspoCRM runs on Web, Linux, Docker, iOS, Android. Twenty runs on Web, Self-hosted.
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 Twenty is typically brought in for.
What can EspoCRM do that Twenty cannot?
EspoCRM covers Entity manager, Dynamic logic, Email integration, Sales pipeline. Twenty covers Open-Source Framework, Custom Database Objects, Multiple View Types, AI 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.

Twenty: Is Twenty free or paid?

Twenty offers a 30-day free trial without credit card. Cloud plans start at $9 per user per month (Pro) when billed annually, with Organization plan at $19 per user per month.

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.

Twenty: Can I migrate data from Salesforce or HubSpot?

Yes, Twenty supports CSV and API-based migration from Salesforce and HubSpot, with support for 50,000+ records.

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.

Twenty: What programming languages does Twenty support?

Twenty is built with TypeScript and provides a TypeScript-based Apps framework for creating custom extensions.

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.

Twenty: How long does enterprise deployment take?

Enterprise deployment typically takes 1-2 weeks with Onboarding Packs or certified partners.

Source
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