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CRM · head to head

Scratchpad vs SuiteCRM

Scratchpad logo

Scratchpad

CRM

Faster workspace over Salesforce for sales reps to update pipeline, take notes and manage deals

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: Scratchpad scratchpad works with Salesforce and nothing else, with no HubSpot support, so it is off the shortlist entirely for any company on a different CRM regardless of how good the interface is.; 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: Scratchpad covers Spreadsheet pipeline views, SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Scratchpad and SuiteCRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Scratchpad and SuiteCRM differ
AttributeScratchpadSuiteCRM
Pricing modelPer user per monthOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Chrome extensionWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android

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 Scratchpad

  • Spreadsheet pipeline views
  • Call recorder and notetaker
  • AI field updates
  • Deal and account agent
  • Hygiene monitor
  • Notes linked to records
  • Custom prompts
  • Kanban and forecast views

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.

Scratchpad

  • A 60-rep Salesforce team whose forecast is unreliable because opportunity fields are updated once a week in a panic before the pipeline callnot SuiteCRM
  • A rep who wants to update twenty opportunities in a grid rather than opening twenty Salesforce recordsnot SuiteCRM
  • A sales manager wanting stale and incomplete pipeline records flagged automatically instead of chased by emailnot SuiteCRM
  • A revenue operations lead trialling AI notetaking that writes back to CRM fields before committing budget, using the free tiernot SuiteCRM

SuiteCRM

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

Where each one falls short

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

Scratchpad

  • Scratchpad works with Salesforce and nothing else, with no HubSpot support, so it is off the shortlist entirely for any company on a different CRM regardless of how good the interface is.
  • AI credits are metered per user per month at 400 on Solo and 800 on Team, which means heavy notetaking use pushes teams towards Enterprise for capacity rather than for features.
  • There is no proper native mobile application, so representatives who wanted to update records from a car park between meetings are back in a mobile browser.
  • Sync with Salesforce and call processing can lag, and a pipeline view showing yesterday state during a forecast call undermines the exact meeting the tool was bought to improve.
  • It creates a second notes surface alongside native Salesforce notes, so organisations end up with deal history split across two places unless they explicitly ban one of them.

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

Scratchpad

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Workspace limited to 3 views
    • 10 hours a month of call recording and notetaking
    • AI field updates
  • Solo$19/month
    • Unlimited views with sheets and notes
    • Call recorder and notetaker
    • AI field updates
  • Team$49/month
    • Everything in Solo
    • 800 AI credits per user per month
    • Gong integration
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited AI credits
    • White-glove agent services included
    • Enterprise security and administration

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 Scratchpad if

  • You need spreadsheet pipeline views.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome extension.
  • You also want call recorder and notetaker.
Scratchpad 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 Scratchpad or SuiteCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Scratchpad 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, Scratchpad or SuiteCRM?
Scratchpad starts at Free and SuiteCRM at Free.
Does Scratchpad or SuiteCRM run on more platforms?
Scratchpad runs on Web, Chrome extension. SuiteCRM runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android.
Can I use Scratchpad for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Scratchpad best used for?
Scratchpad is most often used for a 60-rep salesforce team whose forecast is unreliable because opportunity fields are updated once a week in a panic before the pipeline call, a rep who wants to update twenty opportunities in a grid rather than opening twenty salesforce records, a sales manager wanting stale and incomplete pipeline records flagged automatically instead of chased by email, a revenue operations lead trialling ai notetaking that writes back to crm fields before committing budget, using the free tier. Of those, a 60-rep salesforce team whose forecast is unreliable because opportunity fields are updated once a week in a panic before the pipeline call and a rep who wants to update twenty opportunities in a grid rather than opening twenty salesforce records are not what SuiteCRM is typically brought in for.
What can Scratchpad do that SuiteCRM cannot?
Scratchpad covers Spreadsheet pipeline views, Call recorder and notetaker, AI field updates, Deal and account agent. SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder, Workflow engine, Opportunity and quote management, Case management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Scratchpad: Does Scratchpad work with HubSpot?

No. It is Salesforce-only.

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.

Scratchpad: Is the free plan usable in production?

Yes for an individual: full workspace with three views, 10 hours of recording and 100 AI credits a month. Teams outgrow it on views and credits.

SuiteCRM: How does it relate to SugarCRM?

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

Scratchpad: Does it replace Salesforce licences?

No. Every user still needs their own Salesforce licence; Scratchpad is an interface on top.

SuiteCRM: Are there per user fees?

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

Scratchpad: What are AI credits spent on?

Notetaking, summarisation, field update suggestions and agent queries. Enterprise removes the cap.

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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