Corteza, Django-CRM, and Twenty are all free, open-source, self-hostable CRMs that avoid per-seat licensing, but they target different technical profiles.…
freemium · From Free (self-hosted); Cloud Pro from $9/user/month
Best for: Technical teams wanting a modern, actively developed, self-hostable CRM with a spreadsheet-like interface and an affordable managed cloud option.
At a Glance
Corteza
Django-CRM
Twenty
Primary category
CRM
CRM
CRM
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Free / Open Source (self-hosted); optional paid support from Planet Crust
Free / Open Source
freemium
Starting price
Free
Free
Free (self-hosted); Cloud Pro from $9/user/month
Free plan
Yes
Yes
Yes
Free trial
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Platforms
Web
Web
Web
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Not documented
Yes
Public API
Yes
Yes
Yes
Standout Differences
Full Low-Code Platform, Not Just a CRM
Corteza's CRM module sits alongside a low-code application builder, workflow automation, and Slack-like enterprise messaging in one connected workspace.
Corteza
Familiar Framework for Deep Customization
Django-CRM is built directly on the Django framework, making it straightforward to customize for teams that already have Python and Django expertise.
Django-CRM
Modern Spreadsheet-Style Interface
Twenty offers a fast, spreadsheet-like record view for managing contacts, companies, and deals, built on a TypeScript architecture with a developer SDK.
Twenty
Affordable Managed Cloud Alternative
Twenty offers Cloud Pro and Cloud Organization tiers starting at $9 per user per month for teams that don't want to self-host, unlike Django-CRM's self-hosted-only model.
Twenty
Feature-by-Feature
Core CRM Features
Feature
Corteza
Django-CRM
Twenty
Lead and deal pipeline tracking
Available
Available
Available
Built-in email marketing
Not documented
Available
Not documented
No-code workflow automation
Available
Not documented
Available
Deployment and Customization
Feature
Corteza
Django-CRM
Twenty
Free self-hosted edition
Available
Available
Available
Official managed cloud hosting
Limited
Unavailable
Available
Platform Scope
Feature
Corteza
Django-CRM
Twenty
Low-code custom objects and fields
Available
Not documented
Available
Built-in team messaging
Available
Unavailable
Unavailable
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Corteza
Community (Self-Hosted) — Free N/A
Planet Crust Support and Hosting — Custom Custom
Django-CRM
Self-Hosted (Open Source) — Free Free forever
Twenty
Self-Hosted (Community) — Free N/A
Cloud Pro — $9/user/month Annual
Cloud Organization — $19/user/month Annual
Pros & Cons
Corteza
Pros
Fully open source under Apache 2.0 with no per-user licensing fees, unlike Salesforce or other commercial CRM/low-code platforms
Combines low-code app building, CRM, and enterprise messaging in a single self-hosted platform
Backed by Planet Crust for optional paid support, custom development, and managed hosting
Self-hosting gives organizations full control over data residency and governance
Cons
Smaller community, ecosystem, and third-party integration marketplace than Salesforce or well-funded commercial competitors
Self-hosting requires in-house or contracted DevOps capability (Docker/Kubernetes familiarity)
UI polish and out-of-the-box templates can lag well-funded commercial low-code vendors
Fewer prebuilt native integrations compared to mainstream SaaS CRM and low-code platforms
Django-CRM
Pros
Completely free with no per-user or licensing fees
Full self-hosted data ownership avoids vendor lock-in
Deep customization potential for Python/Django developers
Production-stable and used in real business deployments
Cons
Requires Django/Python expertise to install, customize, and maintain
No official managed cloud or SaaS hosting option
AGPL-3.0 license requires open-sourcing modifications used as a network service
Smaller support community than commercial CRMs like HubSpot or Salesforce
Twenty
Pros
Fully open source under AGPLv3 with free, unlimited self-hosting
No vendor lock-in and full data ownership when self-hosted
Modern, developer-friendly architecture built on TypeScript
Active, fast-growing open-source community with frequent updates
Transparent, affordable cloud pricing compared to legacy CRMs
Cons
Self-hosting requires technical setup and ongoing maintenance
AGPLv3 license requires open-sourcing modifications if redistributed as a hosted product
Younger platform with a smaller feature set than mature CRMs like Salesforce
Fewer native third-party integrations than long-established CRM platforms
Use Cases
Choose Corteza: Organizations wanting a full low-code platform, CRM plus workflow automation and messaging, rather than a CRM alone.
Choose Django-CRM: Python and Django development teams who want a mature, free, self-hosted CRM they can deeply customize in a familiar framework.
Choose Twenty: Technical teams wanting a modern, actively developed, self-hostable CRM with a spreadsheet-like interface and an affordable managed cloud option.
Corteza
Self-Hosted Salesforce Alternative — Organizations wanting to avoid Salesforce's per-seat licensing costs and data lock-in deploy Corteza as a fully self-hosted, open-source alternative.
Custom Record-Based Business Applications — Developers use Corteza's low-code builder to create custom internal applications for case management, project tracking, or other structured workflows.
Unified CRM and Team Communication — Teams combine Corteza CRM with Corteza Messaging to manage sales pipelines and internal communication within a single connected platform.
Django-CRM
Developer-Led CRM Deployments — Python/Django development shops adopt Django-CRM as a self-hosted CRM they can extend to match internal workflows.
Cost-Conscious Small Businesses — Small businesses and freelancers avoid per-seat SaaS CRM costs by self-hosting Django-CRM instead.
Data-Ownership-Focused Teams — Organizations with compliance or data-residency needs self-host Django-CRM to keep full ownership of customer data.
Twenty
Self-hosted CRM for data-sensitive organizations — Organizations with strict data residency or privacy requirements self-host Twenty to keep full control of customer data.
Custom CRM development for technical teams — Engineering teams use Twenty's SDK and open codebase to build a CRM tailored precisely to their sales process.
Cost-conscious CRM replacement — Growing companies switch from expensive per-seat CRMs like Salesforce to Twenty's lower-cost cloud or free self-hosted plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Corteza just a CRM like Django-CRM and Twenty?
No. Corteza CRM is one module of a broader low-code platform that also includes a low-code application builder, workflow automation, and enterprise messaging, whereas Django-CRM and Twenty are purpose-built CRMs.
Which of these three has an official managed cloud plan?
Twenty offers Cloud Pro and Cloud Organization tiers. Corteza offers custom hosting and support through Planet Crust rather than fixed self-serve tiers, and Django-CRM has no official managed cloud option.
Do all three require self-hosting expertise?
By default, yes, all three are open-source and self-hosted. Twenty is the only one with a standard managed cloud alternative if a team doesn't want to run its own infrastructure.
Which is best for developers who already know Django?
Django-CRM, since it's built directly on the Django framework and is straightforward to customize for teams with existing Python and Django expertise.
Which CRM has the most active, fast-growing open-source community?
Twenty is described as an actively developed, fast-growing open-source project with frequent updates, and it was founded more recently, in 2023, than Corteza or Django-CRM.