EspoCRM vs Monica
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted crm & business apps options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | EspoCRM | Monica |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 66 · Good |
| Category | CRM & Business Apps | CRM & Business Apps |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,383 | ★ 25,354 |
| First released | 2014 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Salesforce, HubSpot | Salesforce, HubSpot |
What are EspoCRM and Monica?
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
Monica
Monica is a personal CRM that helps you record and remember details about friends, family, and personal contacts. It targets individuals who want to nurture personal relationships. It is deployed via Docker or a PHP stack.
- Tracks personal relationships
- Reminders for important dates
- Notes, gifts and activities
- Contact journaling
EspoCRM vs Monica: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Monica is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for EspoCRM. EspoCRM is the more established project (first released 2014), while Monica arrived in 2017. Monica has the considerably larger community, at 25,354 GitHub stars versus 3,383.
Why pick each one
Choose EspoCRM if…
- Fast and responsive
- Highly customizable
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Advanced extensions are paid
- Smaller ecosystem
Choose Monica if…
- Unique personal CRM focus
- Helps maintain relationships
- Open source
Watch out for
- Not for business sales
- Development pace varies
Frequently asked questions
Is EspoCRM or Monica better?
Neither is universally better. Monica has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are EspoCRM and Monica free and open-source?
Yes. EspoCRM is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Monica under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run EspoCRM and Monica with Docker?
EspoCRM: yes. Monica: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, EspoCRM or Monica?
Monica has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for EspoCRM. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.