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CRM · head to head

Lusha vs SuiteCRM

Lusha logo

Lusha

CRM

B2B contact and company intelligence

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: Lusha teams over 5 users must contact sales for configuration; no published per-user limits for standard plans; 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: Lusha covers Contact database, SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lusha and SuiteCRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Lusha and SuiteCRM differ
AttributeLushaSuiteCRM
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWebWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android
Founded2016Unknown

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 Lusha

  • Contact database
  • Email search
  • Company intelligence
  • Email verification
  • Chrome extension
  • Integrations
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot

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.

Lusha

  • Lead generationnot SuiteCRM
  • Contact researchnot SuiteCRM
  • Email verificationnot SuiteCRM

SuiteCRM

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

Where each one falls short

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

Lusha

  • Teams over 5 users must contact sales for configuration; no published per-user limits for standard plans
  • Unused credits on monthly plans roll over but cap at twice the monthly limit, creating potential waste
  • Annual plans do not roll over unused credits; they reset at cycle end

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

Lusha

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 40 credits per month
    • Basic prospecting features
    • Browser extension
  • Starter$49.9/month
    • 400 credits per month
    • All Free plan features
  • Professional$69.9/month
    • 600 credits per month
    • All Starter features
  • Premium$399.9/month
    • 3,400 credits per month
    • All Professional features

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 Lusha if

  • You need contact database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want email search.
Lusha 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 Lusha or SuiteCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Lusha 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, Lusha or SuiteCRM?
Lusha starts at Free and SuiteCRM at Free.
Does Lusha or SuiteCRM run on more platforms?
Lusha runs on Web. SuiteCRM runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android.
Can I use Lusha for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Lusha best used for?
Lusha is most often used for lead generation, contact research, email verification. Of those, lead generation and contact research are not what SuiteCRM is typically brought in for.
What can Lusha do that SuiteCRM cannot?
Lusha covers Contact database, Email search, Company intelligence, Email verification. SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder, Workflow engine, Opportunity and quote management, Case management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lusha: What does Lusha's Free plan include?

Lusha's Free plan provides 40 credits per month at no cost. It includes basic prospecting features, browser extension access, and CRM integrations. Credits are used for email reveals (1 credit per contact) and phone numbers (10 credits per contact).

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.

Lusha: How do Lusha credits work and what is the credit rollover policy?

Lusha uses a credit system where email reveals cost 1 credit and phone reveals cost 10 credits per contact. On monthly plans, unused credits roll over and accumulate up to twice your monthly credit limit. Annual plans reset unused credits at the cycle's end without rollover.

Source
SuiteCRM: How does it relate to SugarCRM?

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

Lusha: What is the annual pricing for Lusha plans?

Lusha offers annual pricing at a discount: Starter is $449.10/year (4,800 credits annually), Professional is $587.16/year (7,200 credits), and Premium is $3,119.21/year (40,800 credits). Annual plans are cheaper per credit than monthly but do not roll over unused credits.

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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