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CRM · head to head

Insightly vs SuiteCRM

Insightly logo

Insightly

CRM

CRM & project management for any business

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SuiteCRM logo

SuiteCRM

CRM

Open source fork of SugarCRM with no per user licence fee, sold as hosting and support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Insightly record counts are capped by plan, at 100,000 on Plus and 500,000 on Enterprise, so the database size decides the tier; SuiteCRM the interface still carries SugarCRM conventions from over a decade ago, and sales teams used to modern CRMs frequently resist adoption, which is the most common reason SuiteCRM projects fail rather than any technical limit.
  • They diverge on capability: Insightly covers Contact management, SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Insightly and SuiteCRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Insightly and SuiteCRM differ
AttributeInsightlySuiteCRM
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android
Founded2010Unknown

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 Insightly

  • Contact management
  • Deal tracking
  • Project management
  • Task management
  • Email integration
  • Reporting
  • Mobile app
  • Mailchimp

Only in SuiteCRM

  • Studio module builder
  • Workflow engine
  • Opportunity and quote management
  • Case management
  • Campaign module
  • Reporting engine
  • Security groups
  • REST API

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Insightly

  • CRM with project delivery tracking after the salenot SuiteCRM
  • Managing leads, opportunities and customer projects in one record setnot SuiteCRM

SuiteCRM

  • An organisation with two hundred occasional CRM users where per seat pricing from Salesforce or HubSpot would dominate the budgetnot Insightly
  • A public sector body or regulated firm that must host customer data on infrastructure it controlsnot Insightly
  • A company that needs custom modules modelling its own objects and wants to build them in Studio rather than pay for platform licencesnot Insightly
  • A business that wants open source economics but whose procurement requires a warranty, which SuiteASSURED suppliesnot Insightly

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Insightly

  • Record counts are capped by plan, at 100,000 on Plus and 500,000 on Enterprise, so the database size decides the tier
  • Workflow automation requires the Professional plan at $49 per user per month
  • AI Copilot is metered by query, at 75 on Plus and 100 on Professional
  • Mass email is capped daily, at 2,500 on Plus and 10,000 on Enterprise
  • CRM, Marketing and Service are sold as three separate products, and Marketing is priced per account by prospect count starting at $99 for 2,000
  • Sandboxes and audit logging are Enterprise only at $99 per user per month

SuiteCRM

  • The interface still carries SugarCRM conventions from over a decade ago, and sales teams used to modern CRMs frequently resist adoption, which is the most common reason SuiteCRM projects fail rather than any technical limit.
  • Zero licence fee does not mean zero cost: hosting, ten hours of annual support and a quick start implementation together run into thousands of pounds before anyone has configured a pipeline.
  • The integration marketplace is small compared with Salesforce or HubSpot, so common connections to marketing, telephony and finance tools are often paid third party add-ons or custom builds.
  • Upgrades between major versions can break customisations made outside Studio, so heavily customised instances tend to lag behind current releases and accumulate security debt.
  • Native email marketing and campaign functionality is basic next to a dedicated tool, so most deployments end up paying for a separate marketing platform and syncing it, undoing part of the cost saving.

Pricing, plan by plan

Insightly

Free
  • CRM Plus$29/user/month
    • lead and contact management
    • project management
    • advanced reports
  • CRM Professional$49/user/month
    • all Plus features
    • lead assignment/routing
    • workflow automation
  • CRM Enterprise$99/user/month
    • all Professional features
    • sandboxes
    • products/pricebooks/quotes

SuiteCRM

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • GPL licensed with no per user fee at any user count
    • All core CRM modules included
    • You provide hosting, upgrades and support
  • Managed hosting$50/month
    • Hosting, security patching, updates and monitoring
    • Still no per user licence fee
    • Support purchased separately
  • Standard support$1200/year
    • Ten support hours per year
    • Discount available when bought with managed hosting
    • Does not include implementation work
  • SuiteASSURED$3350/year
    • Warranty and legal indemnification over the open source code
    • Priority support and security assurances
    • Aimed at organisations whose procurement rules block unwarranted open source

Which should you pick?

Choose Insightly if

  • You need contact management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want deal tracking.
Insightly review

Choose SuiteCRM if

  • You need studio module builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android.
  • You also want workflow engine.
SuiteCRM review

Questions people ask

Is Insightly or SuiteCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Insightly starts at Free and SuiteCRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Insightly or SuiteCRM?
Insightly starts at Free and SuiteCRM at Free.
Does Insightly or SuiteCRM run on more platforms?
Insightly runs on Web, Ios, Android. SuiteCRM runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android.
Can I use Insightly for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Insightly best used for?
Insightly is most often used for crm with project delivery tracking after the sale, managing leads, opportunities and customer projects in one record set. Of those, crm with project delivery tracking after the sale and managing leads, opportunities and customer projects in one record set are not what SuiteCRM is typically brought in for.
What can Insightly do that SuiteCRM cannot?
Insightly covers Contact management, Deal tracking, Project management, Task management. SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder, Workflow engine, Opportunity and quote management, Case management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Insightly: How much does Insightly CRM cost?

Insightly CRM plans are priced per user per month when billed annually: Plus at $29, Professional at $49 (the most popular option), and Enterprise at $99. All plans include a 14-day free trial that requires no credit card.

Source
SuiteCRM: Is SuiteCRM really free?

The software is, at any user count. SalesAgility charges for managed hosting from about 50 GBP per month, support from about 1,200 GBP per year and SuiteASSURED from about 3,350 GBP per year.

Insightly: Is there a free trial for Insightly?

Yes, Insightly offers a 14-day free trial across most products with no credit card required, allowing you to test CRM, Marketing Automation, Support & Ticketing, and AppConnect features.

Source
SuiteCRM: How does it relate to SugarCRM?

It is a fork of SugarCRM Community Edition, created after SugarCRM discontinued its open source release.

Insightly: What record storage limits apply to Insightly CRM plans?

Insightly CRM Plus includes 100,000 records, Professional includes 250,000 records, and Enterprise includes 500,000 records. File storage increases from 10 GB on Plus to 100 GB on Professional and 250 GB on Enterprise.

Source
SuiteCRM: Are there per user fees?

No. This is the central commercial argument for it, particularly for organisations with many occasional users.

SuiteCRM: What is SuiteASSURED?

A paid subscription that adds warranty, indemnification and legal protections on top of the open source licence, for buyers whose procurement rules block unwarranted software.

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