Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Capsule CRM VS Groundbase

Compare Capsule CRM VS Groundbase and see what are their differences

Capsule CRM logo Capsule CRM

Online hosted CRM system for individuals, small businesses and sales teams wanting a simple, effective and affordable solution.

Groundbase logo Groundbase

BYO Twilio. BYO Resend. $9/mo flat โ€” no per-seat, no markup on your texts, no surprise bills. CRM, bulk SMS, email campaigns, automations, MCP. For solo founders, indie operators, and small agencies.
  • Capsule CRM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-07
  • Groundbase Dashboard Overview
    Dashboard Overview //
    2026-08-02
  • Groundbase Drag-and-drop deal pipeline
    Drag-and-drop deal pipeline //
    2026-08-02
  • Groundbase SMS conversations through your own Twilio number
    SMS conversations through your own Twilio number //
    2026-08-02
  • Groundbase Contact record with custom fields and activity timeline
    Contact record with custom fields and activity timeline //
    2026-08-02
  • Groundbase Email and SMS campaigns
    Email and SMS campaigns //
    2026-08-02
  • Groundbase Built-in softphone
    Built-in softphone //
    2026-08-02
  • Groundbase Android app
    Android app //
    2026-08-02

Groundbase is a CRM built for technical solo operators โ€” solo founders, indie hackers, freelance developers, and agencies of one.

Flat $9/month. No per-seat pricing, no tiers, no upsells, no "contact sales."

BYO infrastructure

You connect your own Twilio account for SMS and voice, and your own Resend account for email. Your cost per message is whatever those providers charge you โ€” Groundbase takes no markup and doesn't sit between you and your vendors. A CRM that resells you SMS at 5x cost is a CRM with a conflict of interest.

MCP-native

Groundbase ships a Model Context Protocol server. Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client can read and act on your CRM data directly โ€” list contacts, create deals, send SMS, build workflows, all from your AI assistant. Most CRMs bolt a chat sidebar onto their UI. Groundbase exposes the data and lets you bring your own model.

What's included

Contacts and companies ยท Deal pipeline with drag-and-drop kanban ยท Tasks and calendar ยท Bulk SMS ยท Softphone and voicemail drops ยท Email campaigns with drip sequences and A/B testing ยท Multi-step cadences ยท Automations, workflows, and webhooks ยท Custom fields and saved views ยท CSV import/export ยท Google Calendar sync ยท Public booking pages

Available on web, Windows desktop, and Android.

Who it isn't for

Enterprise sales teams. There's no SSO, no lead routing, no approval workflows, and no SOC 2. If you have SDRs and a RevOps person, use HubSpot or Salesforce โ€” they're better at that job.

Built and maintained by one person.

Capsule CRM

$ Details
-
Platforms
-
Release Date
-
Startup details
Country
United Kingdom

Groundbase

$ Details
paid Free Trial $9 / Monthly (Flat rate โ€” all features included)
Platforms
Web Windows Android
Release Date
2026 June
Startup details
Country
Canada
State
Ontario
Founder(s)
Adam Rao
Employees
1 - 9

Capsule CRM features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Capsule CRM offers an intuitive and simple interface, making it easy for users to navigate and manage their contacts and sales pipelines without extensive training.
  • Customizable
    Provides custom fields and tags, allowing users to tailor the CRM to their specific business needs and workflows.
  • Integration Capabilities
    Supports a wide range of integrations with other popular business applications, such as G Suite, MailChimp, and Zapier, enabling seamless data flow between platforms.
  • Mobile Access
    Offers mobile apps for both iOS and Android, enabling users to access their CRM data and manage their tasks on the go.
  • Affordable Pricing
    Capsule CRM is priced competitively compared to other CRMs in the market, making it a cost-effective solution for small to medium-sized businesses.
  • Task Management
    Includes robust task management features that allow users to create and assign tasks, set deadlines, and receive notifications to stay on top of their activities.

Possible disadvantages of Capsule CRM

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Might lack some advanced features found in more comprehensive CRM solutions, such as advanced analytics and extensive automation capabilities.
  • Customization Limits
    While it is customizable, the extent of customization may not be sufficient for very complex business processes or larger enterprises.
  • Email Marketing
    Does not include a built-in email marketing tool, requiring users to rely on third-party integrations for email marketing campaigns.
  • Scale Limitations
    May not be ideal for rapidly growing businesses or large enterprises that need more extensive features and scalability options.
  • Integration Depth
    Although it offers several integrations, the depth and functionality of these integrations might not be as advanced or seamless as those offered by other competitors.

Groundbase features and specs

  • Web-Based Platform
    Works in any modern browser at app.groundbasecrm.com
  • Android App
    Direct .apk download, near-full feature parity with desktop
  • Windows
    Native desktop app (.exe installer)
  • BYO Twilio
    Connect your own Twilio account. No markup on SMS or voice โ€” you pay Twilio's published rates directly.
  • BYO Resend
    Connect your own Resend account for email. No platform markup, no imposed sending limits.
  • MCP Server
    Model Context Protocol server โ€” Claude, Chatgpt, or any MCP client can read and act on your CRM data.
  • Flat Pricing
    $9/month. No per-seat, no tiers, no usage-based billing.
  • Deal Pipeline
    Drag-and-drop kanban board with custom stages.
  • Bulk SMS
    Send to filtered contact lists through your own Twilio number.
  • Email & SMS Campaigns
    Drip sequences, A/B testing, and analytics pulled from your own Resend account.
  • Cadences
    Multi-step outreach sequences mixing SMS, email, tasks, and tags.
  • Automations & Webhooks
    Trigger-based workflows plus inbound and outbound webhooks.
  • Softphone
    In-browser calling and voicemail drops via Twilio Voice.
  • Custom Fields
    Unlimited custom fields on contacts, companies, and deals.
  • Google Calendar Sync
    Two-way sync plus public booking pages.

Analysis of Capsule CRM

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Capsule CRM is a solid choice for businesses looking for a straightforward yet powerful CRM solution. It provides essential CRM functionalities without overwhelming complexity, making it accessible for teams without extensive technical expertise.

Why this product is good

  • Capsule CRM is considered good due to its user-friendly interface, comprehensive feature set, and scalability for small to medium-sized businesses. It offers an intuitive design that helps users easily manage contacts, sales opportunities, and customer interactions. The platform integrates well with various third-party applications like email and social media, enhancing its utility. Additionally, its robust customization options allow businesses to tailor the CRM to their specific needs.

Recommended for

    Capsule CRM is recommended for small to medium-sized businesses that require a cost-effective CRM solution with a clean interface and essential integrations. It's particularly useful for companies looking to improve their customer relationship management strategies without the need for advanced or industry-specific CRM capabilities.

Capsule CRM videos

Capsule CRM Demo

More videos:

  • Review - Capsule CRM Review - Beginner to Expert Guide PREVIEW by Bizversity.com
  • Review - Capsule CRM - Yes it's Simple, But Does is it Enough? (2019 Review)

Groundbase videos

No Groundbase videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Capsule CRM and Groundbase)
CRM
99 99%
1% 1
MCP Servers
0 0%
100% 100
Sales
100 100%
0% 0
CRM Platforms
100 100%
0% 0

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Capsule CRM and Groundbase.

What makes your product unique?

Groundbase's answer:

Two things.

First, BYO infrastructure. You connect your own Twilio account and your own Resend account. Your cost per SMS is whatever Twilio bills you, on an invoice with your name on it. I don't mark it up and I don't sit between you and your vendors. Most CRMs that offer SMS set their own rate, and you have no way to audit it.

Second, it has an MCP server. Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client can read your contacts, create deals, send SMS, and build workflows using your real data. I didn't bolt a chat sidebar onto the UI. I exposed the data and let you bring whatever AI you already pay for.

Also $9 a month, flat. One plan. No per-seat, no tiers, nothing gated behind an upgrade.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

Groundbase's answer:

Technical solo operators. Solo founders, indie hackers, freelance developers, agencies of one.

Concretely: someone who reads "bring your own Twilio account" and thinks "good, I want control" instead of "ugh, more setup." Someone who already knows what an API key is and where to find it. Someone who'd rather assemble a few sharp tools than buy one bundled platform that's mediocre at everything.

If "Twilio account SID" makes you nauseous, this isn't the right tool and I'd rather say so now. Zoho Bigin or HubSpot's free tier will treat you better.

What's the story behind your product?

Groundbase's answer:

I built the CRM I wanted and couldn't find. Everything out there either assumed I had a sales team I don't have, or was the cheap entry tier of someone else's upsell funnel.

The part worth telling is what I removed. Groundbase originally had a credits system. Customers topped up a wallet, sent SMS through my master Twilio account, and I marked up the rate. That was supposed to be platform revenue.

I killed it. A few reasons: A2P 10DLC compliance for a multi-tenant setup is brutal for one person, every credits system generates "where did my $10 go" support emails, and refund accounting on partial balances is miserable.

But the real reason was simpler. I built this to get away from platforms that mark up Twilio, and there I was marking up Twilio. So customers connect their own account now. I lost the markup revenue and got back a product I'd actually buy.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

Groundbase's answer:

Cloudflare Workers for the backend and API. Turso (libSQL) for the database. Stripe for billing. Twilio for SMS and voice, though that runs on the customer's own account, not mine. Resend for email, same arrangement.

The web app is React on Vite. Desktop is Electron with a local SQLite store. Mobile is React Native. The MCP server is a separate Worker speaking Streamable HTTP.

No framework on the backend, just TypeScript and the Workers runtime. The marketing site runs on Vercel. Everything else, the API, the app, and the MCP server, is on Cloudflare Workers, mostly for the cost curve. At $9 a month with thin margins, a bandwidth bill that scales on multiple axes is a real problem.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Groundbase's answer:

Depends who you are, and for a lot of people the honest answer is you shouldn't.

If you run a sales team, use HubSpot or Close. They're built for that and I'm not. No lead routing, no approval workflows, no SSO, no SOC 2.

If you're one person, the math changes, because the tier where the useful things live is never the cheap one. HubSpot Sales Hub Professional, where sequences and real automation sit, is $90 per seat per month on annual billing plus a required one-time $1,500 onboarding fee. Close Growth, the tier that unlocks the Power Dialer, is $99 per seat per month annually. Groundbase is $9, one plan, nothing gated behind an upgrade.

Then there's messaging cost. With bundled telephony you pay whatever rate the platform sets and you have no way to audit it. With Groundbase you connect your own Twilio account and the bill arrives with your name on it.

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Capsule CRM and Groundbase

Capsule CRM Reviews

9 Cheap Salesforce Alternatives that Make CRM as Simple as Amazon.com
Yes, Insightly has a free version and Capsule is cheap, but they arenโ€™t even close to being Salesforce alternative. Heck, they canโ€™t even compete against free Bitrix24, because they are too basic.

Groundbase Reviews

We have no reviews of Groundbase yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Capsule CRM seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 2 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Capsule CRM mentions (2)

  • Organize Digital Files for Small Office
    Another service, without quoting, is https://capsulecrm.com at $36/mo./user. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Show HN: Simple CRM and Sales Automation
    Speaking for myself, email automations isn't a needed feature. As I said, I deal with a dozen or so clients per year, so it's perfectly doable manually, even considering all other things going on. I got instantly interested in Wobaka because of it's simplicity (take that as a compliment) and the direct to the point approach. I tested several CRMs last year, and the closest to my needs was Capsule CRM[1] โ€” yet it's... - Source: Hacker News / almost 5 years ago

Groundbase mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Groundbase yet. Tracking of Groundbase recommendations started around Aug 2026.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Capsule CRM and Groundbase, you can also consider the following products

Pipedrive - Sales pipeline software that gets you organized. Helps you focus on the right deals, so easy to use that salespeople just love it. Great for small teams.

Attio - Attio is a radically new type of CRM that is real-time, entirely customizable and intuitively collaborative. Using Attio, your team can create, build and deploy your CRM exactly as you want it.

Zoho CRM - Omnichannel CRM for Businesses of all sizes

Salesflare - Simply powerful CRM. Automates your data to build better relationships and make more sales.

Copper - Copper (formerly ProsperWorks) is easy-to-use customer relationship management for small businesses. Capture contacts and sales leads direct from Gmail with our simple CRM.

OnePageCRM - OnePageCRM is a powerful contact management system for small businesses. With this CRM, you can easily focus on what needs to be done next, follow up with every lead and client, keep the team on the same page, and close more deals.