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EspoCRM vs Frappe CRM

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted crm & business apps options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
EspoCRM Fast and lightweight open-source CRM VS Frappe CRM Simple, modern open-source CRM
FeatureEspoCRMFrappe CRM
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupUnder-an-hour setup
Health score88 · Excellent88 · Excellent
CategoryCRM & Business AppsCRM & Business Apps
LicenseAGPL-3.0AGPL-3.0
LanguagePHPVue
Setup difficultyMediumMedium
Min. RAM1,024 MB1,024 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metaldocker, source
GitHub stars★ 3,383★ 3,585
First released20142023
ReplacesSalesforce, HubSpotHubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive

What are EspoCRM and Frappe CRM?

EspoCRM

EspoCRM is a fast, lightweight, open-source CRM for managing contacts, leads, opportunities, and customer relationships. It targets small and mid-sized businesses wanting a responsive CRM. It is deployed via Docker or a PHP stack.

  • Responsive single-page interface
  • Customizable entities and layouts
  • Workflow automation
  • Email and calendar integration

Read the full EspoCRM guide →

Frappe CRM

Frappe CRM is a clean, modern, and open-source customer relationship management tool built on the Frappe framework. It manages leads, deals, and customer communication.

  • Lead and deal pipelines
  • Built-in call and email
  • Kanban deal views
  • Custom fields and automations

EspoCRM vs Frappe CRM: key differences

EspoCRM is written in PHP, while Frappe CRM is built with Vue. EspoCRM is the more established project (first released 2014), while Frappe CRM arrived in 2023.

Why pick each one

Choose EspoCRM if…

  • Fast and responsive
  • Highly customizable
  • Lightweight

Watch out for

  • Advanced extensions are paid
  • Smaller ecosystem
EspoCRM details

Choose Frappe CRM if…

  • Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Active community (3.6k GitHub stars)
  • Written in Vue
Frappe CRM details

Frequently asked questions

Is EspoCRM or Frappe CRM better?

Neither is universally better. Frappe CRM has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are EspoCRM and Frappe CRM free and open-source?

Yes. EspoCRM is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Frappe CRM under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run EspoCRM and Frappe CRM with Docker?

EspoCRM: yes. Frappe CRM: yes.

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