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The Top 10 Open-Source CRM Solutions
Issue
Open-source software is not for businesses who want out-of-the-box complete applications, but it makes sense for companies that want to tailor every aspect of the CRM experience from the ground up.
CRM buyers might have very few choices were it not for open-source applications. The CRM field is dominated by huge players such as Oracle Corp. and SAP, and the open-source model is perhaps the easiest way into the CRM market for new companies. Open-source CRM projects have been proliferating; SourceForge Inc. lists 369 active open-source CRM projects. The following 10 open-source CRM solutions have risen to the top of the list.
Analysis
1. SugarCRM Inc. is the 800-pound gorilla in the open-source CRM category. Founded in 2004 by John Roberts, Clint Oram and Jacob Taylor, the Sugar open-source code has been downloaded more than 3 million times. The company has received $26 million in venture financing and employs more than 100 people. More than 12,000 companies use SugarCRM including Honeywell International, Starbucks Corp., First Federal Bank and BDO Seidman LLP. SugarCRM is written in PHP and is compatible with the MySQL database.
2. SplendidCRM Software Inc.'s development team formed in November 2005. The application is built on the Microsoft platform (Windows, ISS, SQL Server, C# and ASP). Designed for system integrators, SplendidCRM allows administrators to add user-customizable features such as .NET 2.0’s Themes, Web Parts and AJAX. SplendidCRM is positioned as a competitor to SugarCRM, as the two applications share many of the same features. For instance, both offer an Outlook plug-in and the ability to add custom fields.
3. CentricCRM has been around for seven years and has achieved a great deal of stability and robustness. In June 2007, CentricCRM (renamed Concursive as of December 2007) received investment funding from Intel Capital, the venture capital arm of Intel Corp. CentricCRM is aimed at the small-business market, although it has scaled up within Fortune 500 companies. Its more complex features can be turned off if they are not needed, and the administrative console allows for a great deal of customization. The free version comes with five user licenses. Centric CRM is written in Java and is compatible with MySQL databases.
4. Hipergate bills itself as “the most complete open-source Java CRM and groupware.” That’s a lot to pack into a single package, but this enterprise-class application seems to have it all. Its functional modules include collaboration and groupware; contact management; project management and support-issues tracking; an e-shopping module with multiple catalogs and payment processing; a content -management module; mass email distribution and tracking; a corporate library; roles-based security; queries and reports; and more. Written in Java and JSP, hipergate is operating system-independent. Databases with which it is compatible include Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle and PostgreSQL.
5. Compiere Inc. offers a complete ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and CRM application with support for marketing and sales, human resources, inventory control and more. There is even a full business-accounting package, something often seen in open-source software. Compiere received a $6 million injection of venture capital in June 2006. Compiere is written in Java, JavaScript and PL/SQL, and it is compatible with JDBC and Oracle databases.
6. Vtiger CRM is built upon the LAMP/WAMP (Linux/Windows, Apache, MySQL and PHP) architecture, with the main development team based in Chennai, India. Vtiger CRM includes SFA (Sales Force Automation), customer-support and -service, marketing automation, inventory-management, multiple database support, security-management, product-customization, calendaring and email-integration features. It also offers add-ons (Outlook Plug-in, Office Plug-in, Thunderbird Extension, Customer Self-service Portal and Web Forms) and support for other add-ons. Vtiger is written in JavaScript, PHP and Visual Basic. It is compatible with ADOdb, MySQL and PostgreSQL databases.
7. CentraView Inc.'s offering is a combination of contact management, SFA and CRM functions. Its source code is J2EE-based and builds on the MySQL database. The first version of CentraView was released in November 2004, for the Linux and Windows 2000/XP platforms. Today, the software is offered in both hosted and downloadable forms. Centraview CRM is written in Java and JSP and is compatible with MySQL databases.
8. XRMS CRM is a Web-based application suite that incorporates human-resources management, SFA and CRM. It is an on-premise solution for the small to midsize company. XRMS CRM includes computer telephony integration and the ability to add plug-ins for programs such as Outlook. XRMS CRM is operating-system independent, and it is written in an interpreted language (PHP). Compatible databases include ADOdb, SQL-based, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL and other network-based DBMS.
9. Cream CRM is a multilingual application designed for media organizations. The application tracks sales orders, payments, shipments, services, online and print subscriptions, and the effectiveness of promotional campaigns. Modules allow communication with customers via newsletters, email and a Web interface. Cream CRM is an initiative of the Media Development Loan Fund's Center for Advanced Media in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Cream CRM runs on FreeDSB, Linux and Windows 2000/XP. It is written in Java and JavaScript.
10. Tustena CRM is a Microsoft-centric application written for enterprise-class organizations. It comes in three solutions: On Demand, Business and Open Source. On Demand is the hosted version, while the Business version is installed on clients' site and features tech support. Users who opt for the Open Source version get the source code and can modify it as they wish, relying on the community for support. Tustena CRM is written in C#, ASP.NET and JavaScript. It is compatible with Microsoft SQL Server.
Recommendations
Although many companies opt for major CRM offerings such as Salesforce and Oracle, open-source solutions are proving to be popular among businesses with limited costs and unique needs. Before investing in an open-source solution, however, be sure to investigate your options to find the right vendor for your company.
For more information on CRM, check out the CRM Resource Center. There, you'll find in-depth research, topical research briefs and advice from the Focus community.
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25 Comments
Another good company worth taking a look at is Intelestream. Founded in 1996, originally as an Open Source CRM Consulting and Implementation firm. Over the years our team had made so many customizations to open source platforms that we decided to create our own application, intelecrm. Check it out at www.intelestream.net/intelecrm
Zurmo is an open source CRM that has been getting a good deal of attention. Built on top of a PHP framework, Yii, and relying heavily on test driven development, Zurmo is software engineering at its best. Might be worth a look: http://zurmo.org
An new one in the space is ofuz.net its in private beta and will come out this month.
With on-demand and open source download.
http://ofuz.net/
thanks for the compilation.
I am wondering if there is a difference between OpenSource and (let's say) SaaS solutions in regards to customization?
Something you have to do anyhow, don't you?
Where would you draw the line?
Hi Robert,
I think there is a significant difference between open source systems and customizing SaaS systems.
In my experience open source systems allow the user to manipulate the system code thus providing the most complete control over customization. Everything from re-designing forms to integration with existing systems can be done with an open source system so long as the user knows what they're doing. Users can also enlist the support of consultants and freelance IT professionals if they're not confident with the coding.
SaaS solution allow the user to customize up to a certain point (i.e.: drag & drop fields for forms, view windows, etc.), or they offer 3rd party plug-ins to "customize" the system. More detailed customization needs (i.e.: integration with an existing software) have to be directed back to the vendor whom will probably charge an additional fee for this type of customization.
I hope this helps clarify things a bit. Feel free to submit a question to our Q&A section if you need more advice.
Regards,
Caty
Very nice list here. I think it's pretty much exhaustive when it comes to the big in Open Source CRM.
If you are looking to expand from CRM to see a Top 10 list of all business software, here's a good article on that:
http://www.office123.net/s/top10os
Hi Caty,
I am still new at CRM, I hope I don't sound silly.
1. I am keen to understand if there are community based crm that is not back by a private or public company.?
2.? With open source CRM that is backed by private or public company are we allowed to use their code to rebuild and create a new crm software?
Thanks
Mohamad,
I hope you and Caty (or the Focus crew) don't mind me jumping in to respond, but ...
1) There probably are some open source CRMs available that are just written by one or two folks who created their own system for whatever reason. But such situations can be risky for a company to adopt, because there's really only one or two people who truly know the system. (Being "open source" doesn't necessarily mean there are people using it or who understand it.) You might be better off with a better-known open source offering, for reasons that I'll get into when replying to your second question.
2) Many of the more successful open source projects have their roots in a few folks getting frustrated with commercial, shrink-wrapped software, so they decide to build a better mouse trap on their own. But they keep it open (rather than proprietary, like MS Word) so that others can contribute to the project -- maybe help them finish certain features, or improve them. True "open source" software means that the actual source code is available for download for free, so that you (or a talented programmer, if you don't happen to be one) can modify it to your heart's content. Often, one open source project will "fork" and develop one or more derivative variants. The Linux operating system is a great example of this: under the hood, Red Hat/Fedora, Suse, ubuntu and other strains of Linux are all pretty much the same. But each company enhances it in different ways. Those companies then typically provide services -- like support contracts for maintenance or administration -- for a fee, which helps to cover the cost of their 'free' product. Or, like RedHat, they offer a basic free version, but charge for their high-end version that has more included tools, a better GUI interface, or whatever.
The nice thing about the big companies is that they have the resources to provide some support (possibly/usually for a fee), so if you get in a jam, you've got someone to turn to for help. There also tend to be plenty of folks who customize the source from the bigger players, so you've got a pool of talent that you can tap into, should you need it, to accomplish the customization goals that you've mapped out.
I hope that helps clarify things.
-jason
Another good CRM tool I would recommend you to have a look at is WorkforceTrack. We chose this system because of its being multifunctional (CRM, Project management, another 20+ business tools) and that it has very flexible prices and discounts specially designed for small and mid-sized organizations
Hello guys.
I would like to start a crm tool. Which one is easy to install and to run? Though I have experience with other open source applications, I am a begginer, and I am a little bit scared!
Thanks for your help!!
Victor
Hi,
any ideas which of these is strongest on enterprise campaign management,
regs Donal
I Promote Dolibarr CRM www.dolibarr.org
sugar crm is good one we are using it since last 4 years team aceofkerala
www.aceofkerala.com
Am looking for the most ideal open source crm fo use in a call center, any suggestions as to which of this packages is best suited?
Try EBI Neutrino R1
http://www.ebineutrino.org
New release of MY IMS CRM 2011
MY IMS is pleased to announce the new beta release of version 3.
An Open Source CRM based on .NET 4.0 and SQL express which is fairly easy to get into.
We’d love your feedback on the new and exciting user interface.
Just go to www.myims.com.au and click the Online Demo link.
The starting point should be a good need analysis, so you have a better idea of what you are looking for. There are no shortage of alternatives. One of the advantages of an open source project is that you can evaluate the community version to see if it meets your needs. One of the things that you will find is that every solution has advantages and disadvantages. There is no one solution that is best for everyone. You have to weigh the pros and cons and decide which is best for you. (This is more difficult to do with a traditional proprietary product).
Looking for a simple, easy-to-deploy LAMP based CRM to track faculty and researcher consultations for use in an academic environment. Needs to be secure and we'd like to host it here on-site. We want to track things like consultations, appointments, grants, research interests, communications and services used. Outlook integration would be a HUGE plus.
Any suggestions?
@h cw Most of the above would be able to do this. One of the benefits of open source is that you can evaluate them and decide which is best for you. Personally, I am more familiar with Sugar, and vtiger. I am just looking at something now called info@hand, which is different, but also interesting.
What could work nicely with a free CRM is a free invoicing solution. http://www.fetchflow.com offers 100% unlimited free invoices. No limits on customers, no limits on invoices. Now that's free :-)
Great article and list of different CRM solutions. I personally would recommend KPI as great CRM solution which has project management and hrms features as well. http://www.kpi.com
Hi Guys,
Well i got an interesting question... I have a very unique company and yeah one, i have the most comprehensive database of companies in my country, so what i wanted to was create a website(which i already have running joomla) but now i want to free access to my data using a crm package through the website thus creating an environment where clients can manage just their sales functionality through my site...
now im not sure how this process would work from a licence perspective if i used Sugar for example, would i need to pay a licence fee for each user who used the data through the site?
why i ask is my target market is not large corporates its small businesses.... anyway guidance would be great
After 30 years in IT Sales and I starting my new role as a Realtor. Any suggestions as to an Open Source CRM for this business application?
check free ecor CRM based on Drupal
ecorCRM gives you CRM functionality within a powerful CMS system.
Some of the functions are:
Manage Contacts (simple contacts, leads, customers)
Individuals and/or Businesses
Financial Status,Files,Next Actions, Notes… and many more
Newsletter with newsletter history
Campaign Details
Connect Contact with Campaign, Producs, CRM Users
Various Reports and Filters
Personal and Public Notes for personal organization
Common library for organization documents
Able to give access to customer for customer specific information
Use Calendar
Web based, can be accessed from everywhere
Easy of Customization and localization
No changes to Drupal core so you got all of Drupal Power.
Also available as Drupal Module.
view more at
http://www.tecorange.com/index.php/download-free-open-source-software/89-ecor...
check free ecor CRM based on Drupal
ecorCRM gives you CRM functionality within a powerful CMS system.
Some of the functions are:
Manage Contacts (simple contacts, leads, customers)
Individuals and/or Businesses
Financial Status,Files,Next Actions, Notes… and many more
Newsletter with newsletter history
Campaign Details
Connect Contact with Campaign, Producs, CRM Users
Various Reports and Filters
Personal and Public Notes for personal organization
Common library for organization documents
Able to give access to customer for customer specific information
Use Calendar
Web based, can be accessed from everywhere
Easy of Customization and localization
No changes to Drupal core so you got all of Drupal Power.
Also available as Drupal Module.
view more at
http://www.tecorange.com/index.php/download-free-open-source-software/89-ecor...
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