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CRM · head to head

Krayin vs ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Krayin logo

Krayin

CRM

Open source Laravel CRM for sales teams that want to own the code

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus logo

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Customer Support

IT help desk and ITSM software

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Krayin it is far less mature than EspoCRM, SuiteCRM or Vtiger, with thinner reporting, weaker forecasting and fewer built-in integrations, so evaluations that start from a feature checklist will not favour it.; ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus pricing structure based on per-technician model can become expensive for large teams
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Krayin and ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus actually diverge.

Attributes where Krayin and ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus differ
AttributeKrayinManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, Docker, LinuxWeb
CategoryCRMCustomer Support

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Krayin

  • Lead pipelines
  • Contacts and organisations
  • Quotes
  • Workflow automation
  • Email integration
  • Custom attributes
  • Roles and permissions
  • Laravel package architecture

Only in ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Nothing recorded that Krayin does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Krayin

  • A PHP or Laravel development shop wants a CRM it can fork and rebrand for clients without paying per seat or negotiating an OEM licence.not ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
  • An organisation under data residency rules needs the customer database physically on its own infrastructure, which rules out every hosted CRM.not ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
  • A small sales team wants an unlimited-user CRM where adding a tenth or fiftieth user costs nothing beyond server capacity.not ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus
  • A Bagisto ecommerce store wants a CRM from the same vendor that shares its technology stack and conventions rather than a bridged integration.not ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

  • IT service desk for small to enterprise organizationsnot Krayin
  • IT asset management and change managementnot Krayin

Where each one falls short

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

Krayin

  • It is far less mature than EspoCRM, SuiteCRM or Vtiger, with thinner reporting, weaker forecasting and fewer built-in integrations, so evaluations that start from a feature checklist will not favour it.
  • Practical functionality such as certain telephony, messaging and marketing connectors sits in paid marketplace extensions from Webkul, so the free CRM plus the extensions you actually need is not free.
  • The roadmap is controlled by a single services company whose revenue depends on selling implementation and extensions, so there is a structural incentive against making the core complete.
  • You are responsible for the whole operational burden: PHP and MySQL hosting, backups, security patching, mail deliverability and upgrades, and a botched upgrade of a customised install is your problem alone.
  • The cloud hosting page does not publish prices, so the managed option that would remove that burden cannot be budgeted without contacting sales, which undercuts the transparency the open licence otherwise offers.

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

  • Pricing structure based on per-technician model can become expensive for large teams
  • Asset management requires Professional tier or above, increasing costs for enterprises needing full inventory control
  • No explicit limit published for number of technicians, making cost projections difficult for scaling teams

Pricing, plan by plan

Krayin

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Full MIT-licensed source
    • Unlimited users
    • No feature gating
  • Cloud hosting and extensions$undefined/month
    • Starter and Pro managed hosting packs from Webkul
    • Premium extensions sold individually in the Krayin marketplace
    • White label and custom development quoted separately

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus

Free
  • Standard$13/monthly
    • IT help desk functionality
    • Per technician or administrator pricing
    • Unlimited IT end users
  • Professional$27/monthly
    • IT help desk
    • Asset management
    • Per technician pricing
  • Enterprise$67/monthly
    • IT help desk
    • Asset management
    • Change management

Which should you pick?

Choose Krayin if

  • You need lead pipelines.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Linux.
  • You also want contacts and organisations.
Krayin review

Choose ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus if

  • You want to start without paying.
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus review

Questions people ask

Is Krayin or ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus better?
Neither clearly leads. Krayin starts at Free and ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Krayin or ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus?
Krayin starts at Free and ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus at Free.
Does Krayin or ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus run on more platforms?
Krayin runs on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Linux. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus runs on Web.
Can I use Krayin for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Krayin best used for?
Krayin is most often used for a php or laravel development shop wants a crm it can fork and rebrand for clients without paying per seat or negotiating an oem licence., an organisation under data residency rules needs the customer database physically on its own infrastructure, which rules out every hosted crm., a small sales team wants an unlimited-user crm where adding a tenth or fiftieth user costs nothing beyond server capacity., a bagisto ecommerce store wants a crm from the same vendor that shares its technology stack and conventions rather than a bridged integration.. Of those, a php or laravel development shop wants a crm it can fork and rebrand for clients without paying per seat or negotiating an oem licence. and an organisation under data residency rules needs the customer database physically on its own infrastructure, which rules out every hosted crm. are not what ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus is typically brought in for.
What can Krayin do that ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus cannot?
Krayin covers Lead pipelines, Contacts and organisations, Quotes, Workflow automation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Krayin: Is Krayin really free?

The CRM itself is MIT licensed with no user limit and no enterprise edition. Premium extensions, managed hosting and custom development from Webkul are paid.

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus: How is pricing calculated for ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus?

Pricing is based on the number of administrators and technicians using the platform. There is no restriction on the number of IT end users. If you use IT asset management, you pay for the number of IT assets managed.

Source
Krayin: Who maintains it?

Webkul Software of Noida, India, the same company behind the Bagisto open source ecommerce platform.

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus: Is there a free tier available?

Yes, the Standard edition is available free for up to 5 technicians. Free tier includes 250 IT assets managed and basic IT help desk features.

Source
Krayin: What do I need to run it?

A standard LAMP or LEMP stack with PHP, Composer and MySQL or MariaDB. Any host that runs Laravel will run Krayin.

ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus: What are the billing options?

ManageEngine offers both monthly and yearly billing options. Annual billing provides discounted rates compared to monthly. You can deploy on-premises or use cloud-based SaaS deployment.

Source
Krayin: How does it compare to EspoCRM?

EspoCRM is more mature with deeper reporting and a longer track record. Krayin is easier for a Laravel developer to extend and has a more permissive licence.

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