EspoCRM vs OroCRM
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 | OroCRM |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 62 · Good |
| Category | CRM & Business Apps | CRM & Business Apps |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | OSL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,383 | ★ 685 |
| First released | 2014 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Salesforce, HubSpot | Salesforce, HubSpot |
What are EspoCRM and OroCRM?
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
OroCRM
OroCRM is an open-source customer relationship management application designed for B2B and multi-channel sales. It offers strong reporting, segmentation, and workflow automation.
- B2B sales pipeline
- Advanced segmentation
- Workflow automation
- Detailed analytics
EspoCRM vs OroCRM: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for EspoCRM versus OSL-3.0 for OroCRM. EspoCRM is the lighter option, starting around 1,024 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for OroCRM. EspoCRM has the considerably larger community, at 3,383 GitHub stars versus 685.
Why pick each one
Choose EspoCRM if…
- Fast and responsive
- Highly customizable
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Advanced extensions are paid
- Smaller ecosystem
Choose OroCRM if…
- Released under the OSL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is EspoCRM or OroCRM better?
EspoCRM is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider OroCRM if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are EspoCRM and OroCRM free and open-source?
Yes. EspoCRM is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and OroCRM under OSL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run EspoCRM and OroCRM with Docker?
EspoCRM: yes. OroCRM: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, EspoCRM or OroCRM?
EspoCRM has the smaller minimum footprint at 1,024 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for OroCRM. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.