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CRM · head to head

SharpSpring vs SuiteCRM

SharpSpring logo

SharpSpring

CRM

Marketing automation for agencies

From
$50/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: SharpSpring still operates under the SharpSpring brand name (footer copyright SharpSpring 2026) as a Constant Contact product, serving over 2000 agencies and 10000 businesses per the vendor site; 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: SharpSpring covers Contact management, SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SharpSpring and SuiteCRM actually diverge.

Attributes where SharpSpring and SuiteCRM differ
AttributeSharpSpringSuiteCRM
Starting price$50/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android
Founded2014Unknown

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 SharpSpring

  • Contact management
  • Email marketing
  • Landing pages
  • Marketing automation
  • CRM
  • Reporting
  • White labeling
  • Zapier

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.

SharpSpring

  • Marketing automationnot SuiteCRM
  • Lead generationnot SuiteCRM
  • Client managementnot SuiteCRM

SuiteCRM

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

Where each one falls short

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

SharpSpring

  • Still operates under the SharpSpring brand name (footer copyright SharpSpring 2026) as a Constant Contact product, serving over 2000 agencies and 10000 businesses per the vendor site

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

SharpSpring

$50/month
  • Professional$50/month
    • Contact management
    • Email marketing
    • Landing pages
  • Agency$100/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Client management
    • White labeling
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Agency
    • Custom integration
    • Dedicated support

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 SharpSpring if

  • You need contact management.
  • You also want email marketing.
SharpSpring 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 SharpSpring or SuiteCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. SharpSpring starts at $50/month and SuiteCRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SharpSpring or SuiteCRM?
SuiteCRM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $50/month for SharpSpring and Free for SuiteCRM.
Does SharpSpring or SuiteCRM run on more platforms?
SharpSpring runs on Web. 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. SharpSpring starts at $50/month.
What is SharpSpring best used for?
SharpSpring is most often used for marketing automation, lead generation, client management. Of those, marketing automation and lead generation are not what SuiteCRM is typically brought in for.
What can SharpSpring do that SuiteCRM cannot?
SharpSpring covers Contact management, Email marketing, Landing pages, Marketing automation. SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder, Workflow engine, Opportunity and quote management, Case management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SharpSpring: Does SharpSpring offer different pricing for agencies versus enterprise customers?

SharpSpring explicitly tailors pricing to three customer segments: SMBs, Agencies, and Enterprise. Agencies receive month-to-month plans with flexible billing, while enterprise customers get custom plans designed to scale.

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.

SharpSpring: Are SharpSpring's agency plans billed monthly?

Yes. The site specifically mentions that agencies receive affordable month-to-month plans, indicating monthly billing flexibility rather than annual-only contracts.

Source
SuiteCRM: How does it relate to SugarCRM?

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

SharpSpring: What payment options are available for SharpSpring?

The site does not specify payment methods or models. Specific pricing details and payment options require contacting SharpSpring directly or visiting their dedicated pricing pages.

Source
SuiteCRM: Are there per user fees?

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

SharpSpring: Is SharpSpring more affordable than competitors?

SharpSpring describes itself as offering a full feature set for a fraction of the cost of leading competitors, particularly for SMBs. However, specific pricing amounts are not disclosed on the homepage.

Source
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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