Softwr

CRM · head to head

lemlist vs SuiteCRM

lemlist logo

lemlist

CRM

Multichannel cold outreach platform for email, LinkedIn, SMS and calling

From
$55/month
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

  • Only SuiteCRM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: lemlist no standalone free plan, only a 14-day trial after which new campaigns cannot be launched without upgrading.; 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: lemlist covers Multichannel sequences, SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which lemlist and SuiteCRM actually diverge.

Attributes where lemlist and SuiteCRM differ
AttributelemlistSuiteCRM
Starting price$55/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
Platformsweb, apiWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android
Founded2018Unknown

Identical on both: 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 lemlist

  • Multichannel sequences
  • Lead database
  • Deliverability hub
  • AI agents
  • CRM integrations
  • API, CLI and MCP access

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.

lemlist

  • Running multichannel outbound campaigns across email and LinkedInnot SuiteCRM
  • Finding verified emails and phone numbers for prospectsnot SuiteCRM
  • Protecting sender reputation with automated inbox warm-upnot SuiteCRM
  • Combining calling and messaging into a single outreach sequencenot SuiteCRM

SuiteCRM

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

Where each one falls short

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

lemlist

  • No standalone free plan, only a 14-day trial after which new campaigns cannot be launched without upgrading.
  • Multichannel plan pricing scales per sender/user, which can get costly for larger teams.
  • Enterprise features like SSO/SAML require a custom-priced plan and a 5-user minimum.
  • Advanced AI agent capabilities are newer and less proven than long-established outreach features.

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

lemlist

$55/month
  • Email$55/month
    • 50,000 emails/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Email and phone finder
  • Multichannel$87/month
    • Unlimited emails and messages
    • 5 senders per user
    • LinkedIn, SMS and WhatsApp automation
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • 5+ users minimum
    • Dedicated account manager
    • SSO/SAML security

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 lemlist if

  • You need multichannel sequences.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want lead database.
lemlist 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 lemlist or SuiteCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. lemlist starts at $55/month and SuiteCRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, lemlist or SuiteCRM?
SuiteCRM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $55/month for lemlist and Free for SuiteCRM.
Does lemlist or SuiteCRM run on more platforms?
lemlist runs on web, api. SuiteCRM runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android.
Can I use SuiteCRM for free?
Yes. SuiteCRM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. lemlist starts at $55/month.
What is lemlist best used for?
lemlist is most often used for running multichannel outbound campaigns across email and linkedin, finding verified emails and phone numbers for prospects, protecting sender reputation with automated inbox warm-up, combining calling and messaging into a single outreach sequence. Of those, running multichannel outbound campaigns across email and linkedin and finding verified emails and phone numbers for prospects are not what SuiteCRM is typically brought in for.
What can lemlist do that SuiteCRM cannot?
lemlist covers Multichannel sequences, Lead database, Deliverability hub, AI agents. SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder, Workflow engine, Opportunity and quote management, Case management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

lemlist: What does lemlist cost?

lemlist's Email plan starts at $55/month (billed annually) for 50,000 emails, the Multichannel plan starts at $87/month for unlimited emails and messages plus LinkedIn/SMS/WhatsApp, and Enterprise is custom-priced.

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.

lemlist: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

lemlist offers a 14-day free trial with full Multichannel plan access and no credit card required; after the trial, the account remains accessible but new campaigns cannot be launched without a paid subscription.

Source
SuiteCRM: How does it relate to SugarCRM?

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

lemlist: What does lemlist integrate with?

lemlist integrates with CRMs like HubSpot, Salesforce and Pipedrive, automation tools like Zapier, Make and n8n, VoIP platforms such as Aircall and Ringover, and offers API, CLI and MCP access.

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.

Share

Related pages

More on lemlist

More on SuiteCRM

Keep looking

Other head to heads