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CRM · head to head

Krayin vs SuiteCRM

Krayin logo

Krayin

CRM

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

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: 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.; 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: Krayin covers Lead pipelines, SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Krayin and SuiteCRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Krayin and SuiteCRM differ
AttributeKrayinSuiteCRM
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, Docker, LinuxWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), 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 Krayin

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

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.

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 SuiteCRM
  • An organisation under data residency rules needs the customer database physically on its own infrastructure, which rules out every hosted CRM.not SuiteCRM
  • A small sales team wants an unlimited-user CRM where adding a tenth or fiftieth user costs nothing beyond server capacity.not SuiteCRM
  • A Bagisto ecommerce store wants a CRM from the same vendor that shares its technology stack and conventions rather than a bridged integration.not SuiteCRM

SuiteCRM

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

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

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

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 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 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 Krayin or SuiteCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Krayin 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, Krayin or SuiteCRM?
Krayin starts at Free and SuiteCRM at Free.
Does Krayin or SuiteCRM run on more platforms?
Krayin runs on Web, Self-hosted, Docker, Linux. SuiteCRM runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android.
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 SuiteCRM is typically brought in for.
What can Krayin do that SuiteCRM cannot?
Krayin covers Lead pipelines, Contacts and organisations, Quotes, Workflow automation. SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder, Workflow engine, Opportunity and quote management, Case management.

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.

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.

Krayin: Who maintains it?

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

SuiteCRM: How does it relate to SugarCRM?

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

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.

SuiteCRM: Are there per user fees?

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

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.

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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