Corteza, EspoCRM, and Twenty are all free-to-self-host, open-source CRMs, but they solve different problems. Corteza bundles CRM with a general low-code app…
Freemium / Open Source · From Free (self-hosted, AGPLv3); EspoCRM Cloud from EUR 12.90 per user per month
Best for: Small and midsize businesses that want a mature, self-hostable CRM with an established extension marketplace and an optional managed Cloud plan.
freemium · From Free (self-hosted); Cloud Pro from $9/user/month
Best for: Technical teams that want a modern, spreadsheet-style CRM with a developer SDK and AI-assisted customization tools.
At a Glance
Corteza
EspoCRM
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
Freemium / Open Source
freemium
Starting price
Free
Free (self-hosted, AGPLv3); EspoCRM Cloud from EUR 12.90 per user per month
Free (self-hosted); Cloud Pro from $9/user/month
Free plan
Yes
Yes
Yes
Free trial
Not documented
Yes
Not documented
Platforms
Web
Web, Mac, Windows
Web
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Not documented
Yes
Public API
Yes
Yes
Yes
Standout Differences
Only one bundles CRM, low-code, and messaging
Corteza is the sole option here that ships an enterprise messaging module and a general-purpose low-code app builder alongside its CRM, letting teams build additional internal tools on the same platform.
Corteza
Most established extension ecosystem
EspoCRM has been in active development since 2014 and offers official paid extensions like the Advanced Pack and Sales Pack for workflow automation, quoting, and invoicing, all bundled free into its EspoCRM Cloud plans.
EspoCRM
Modern developer-first architecture
Twenty is built on a TypeScript and React stack with a dedicated SDK for custom server-side logic and components, plus integrations with AI coding tools like Claude and Cursor for faster configuration.
Twenty
License terms differ in ways that matter for redistribution
Corteza uses the permissive Apache 2.0 license, while EspoCRM and Twenty are both AGPLv3, which requires organizations that redistribute a modified, hosted version to open-source those changes or buy a commercial license.
Corteza, EspoCRM, Twenty
Transparent managed-cloud pricing
EspoCRM Cloud and Twenty Cloud both publish fixed per-user monthly pricing for teams that do not want to self-host, while Corteza's support and hosting options are quoted directly by Planet Crust.
EspoCRM, Twenty
Feature-by-Feature
Licensing and Hosting
Feature
Corteza
EspoCRM
Twenty
Free self-hosted deployment
Available
Available
Available
Published managed-cloud pricing
Unavailable
Available
Available
Permissive (non-network-copyleft) license
Available
Unavailable
Unavailable
Core CRM Capabilities
Feature
Corteza
EspoCRM
Twenty
Built-in CRM application out of the box
Available
Available
Available
No-code custom objects, fields, and views
Available
Available
Available
Native enterprise messaging or chat module
Available
Unavailable
Unavailable
Automation and Extensibility
Feature
Corteza
EspoCRM
Twenty
Built-in workflow automation on the free self-hosted tier
Available
Limited
Available
Dedicated developer SDK for custom extensions
Limited
Available
Available
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
EspoCRM
Self-Hosted (Community) — Free N/A
Cloud Basic — EUR 12.90 per user/month 6 months or annual, minimum 3 users
Cloud Enterprise — EUR 22.00 per user/month 6 months or annual, minimum 5 users
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
EspoCRM
Pros
Free, self-hosted core edition released under the AGPLv3 open-source license, with full access to the source code.
Highly customizable data model, allowing new entities, fields, and layouts to be created without writing code.
EspoCRM Cloud bundles all official extensions, including the Advanced Pack and Sales Pack, into every plan at no extra charge.
Active open-source community with a public GitHub repository, community translations, and an ongoing release cadence.
Cons
Self-hosted deployments require server administration skills and infrastructure, and paid extensions are sold separately from the free core.
No official first-party mobile application for iOS or Android; only third-party companion apps are available.
Cloud plans carry minimum user requirements, which can raise the effective cost for very small teams.
Smaller out-of-the-box ecosystem of pre-built integrations compared with larger commercial CRM platforms like HubSpot CRM or Zoho CRM.
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 that want CRM, workflow automation, and internal team messaging combined in one self-hosted, license-fee-free platform.
Choose EspoCRM: Small and midsize businesses that want a mature, self-hostable CRM with an established extension marketplace and an optional managed Cloud plan.
Choose Twenty: Technical teams that want a modern, spreadsheet-style CRM with a developer SDK and AI-assisted customization tools.
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.
EspoCRM
Cost-conscious small business sales team — A small business self-hosts the free EspoCRM edition to manage leads, contacts, and its sales pipeline without paying per-seat CRM subscription fees.
Agency deploying customized CRM for clients — A digital agency uses EspoCRM's no-code entity and field customization to build tailored CRM instances for multiple clients from a single open-source codebase.
Support and service operations — A customer service team tracks and resolves support cases, automates follow-up workflows with the Advanced Pack, and manages customer communication history in one system.
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
Are Corteza, EspoCRM, and Twenty all completely free to self-host?
Yes for the core CRM. Corteza and Twenty include their full Pro-level feature sets in the free self-hosted version, while EspoCRM's self-hosted core is free but its official Advanced Pack and Sales Pack extensions are sold separately.
Which one is best for a team that wants CRM plus general internal tools?
Corteza, since it combines its CRM module with a broader low-code application builder and an enterprise messaging tool in the same self-hosted platform.
Which has the most mature, battle-tested feature set?
EspoCRM, which has been developed since 2014 and offers official integrations for VoIP, calendars, payments, and a documented extension marketplace.
Which is easiest for a developer-heavy team to customize?
Twenty, which is built on a modern TypeScript and React codebase with a dedicated SDK and AI-assisted development workflows.
Do the AGPLv3 licenses on EspoCRM and Twenty affect how a company can use them?
Only if a company modifies the software and offers it as a hosted product to others; in that case AGPLv3 requires releasing those modifications as open source or purchasing a commercial license. Internal self-hosted use is unaffected.
Which offers the simplest path to a managed, non-self-hosted plan?
Both EspoCRM Cloud and Twenty Cloud publish fixed per-user monthly pricing, while Corteza's managed hosting is arranged directly with Planet Crust on a custom basis.