Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

CiviCRM VS SuiteCRM

Compare CiviCRM VS SuiteCRM and see what are their differences

CiviCRM logo CiviCRM

A Constituent relationship management for the Civic Sector

SuiteCRM logo SuiteCRM

SuiteCRM, Open Source CRM for the world Fully featured Open Source CRM, as powerful as Salesforce and Dynamics. Try the online demo! Online Demo Sign up for the SuiteCRM Master Classes. First class on June 6! Download
  • CiviCRM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-18
  • SuiteCRM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-05-06

CiviCRM features and specs

  • Open Source
    CiviCRM is open-source, meaning it is free to use and can be modified to fit specific organizational needs. This allows for cost savings and flexibility.
  • Integrations
    CiviCRM integrates well with popular CMS platforms like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla, allowing for seamless incorporation into existing websites.
  • Comprehensive Features
    The software offers a wide range of features such as contact management, event management, membership management, contributions tracking, and email marketing.
  • Community Support
    Being open-source, CiviCRM benefits from an active global community providing regular updates, plugins, and support.
  • Customizability
    Organizations can tailor the software to meet their specific needs through extensive customization options and add-ons.

Possible disadvantages of CiviCRM

  • Complexity
    CiviCRM can be complex to set up and manage, which may necessitate technical expertise for optimal configuration and maintenance.
  • User Interface
    The user interface is often considered less intuitive and aesthetically outdated compared to other modern CRM systems.
  • Performance
    The system can be resource-intensive, potentially leading to slower performance if not properly optimized or on lower-end servers.
  • Initial Learning Curve
    Due to its comprehensive feature set, new users might experience a steep learning curve before they can use the system effectively.
  • Limited Professional Support
    While community support is strong, professional support options are somewhat limited, which might be a drawback for organizations looking for direct assistance.

SuiteCRM features and specs

  • Open Source
    SuiteCRM is open-source software, meaning that the source code is freely available for anyone to inspect, modify, and enhance. This provides greater flexibility and control to customize the software according to specific business needs without incurring additional licensing costs.
  • Cost-Effective
    Since SuiteCRM is open source, it is free to download and use, which can significantly reduce software acquisition costs. Businesses need only invest in hosting, maintenance, and any necessary customizations.
  • Customizability
    SuiteCRM offers a high degree of customizability. Users can tailor modules, workflows, and dashboards to fit unique business processes, providing a personalized CRM experience.
  • Large Community Support
    The SuiteCRM community is robust and active, providing a wealth of plugins, third-party extensions, and community-driven support. This can be particularly helpful for troubleshooting and finding solutions.
  • Scalability
    SuiteCRM is scalable and can grow with your business. It can handle both small and large data sets and adapt to increasing user counts without significant performance degradation.
  • Feature-Rich
    SuiteCRM offers a wide array of features, including sales automation, customer support, marketing automation, and analytics, making it a comprehensive CRM solution.

Possible disadvantages of SuiteCRM

  • Complex Installation and Setup
    The installation and initial setup of SuiteCRM can be complex and may require technical expertise, particularly for those with limited IT experience.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    Due to its extensive features and customization options, there can be a steep learning curve for new users. Training may be required to utilize the CRM to its full potential.
  • Limited Official Support
    SuiteCRM relies heavily on community support. While this can be advantageous, official and timely support may be limited compared to proprietary solutions that offer dedicated support teams.
  • Performance Issues
    As with many open-source solutions, SuiteCRM may sometimes encounter performance issues, particularly when handling very large datasets or complex customizations.
  • Interface Design
    The user interface of SuiteCRM can appear dated and less intuitive compared to some modern, proprietary CRM systems. This could impact user adoption and ease of use.
  • Customization Complexity
    While highly customizable, making significant changes or adding new features often requires coding knowledge. This can be a barrier for businesses without in-house development capabilities.

Analysis of CiviCRM

Overall verdict

  • CiviCRM is considered a good choice for non-profit and advocacy organizations that need a comprehensive, customizable, and cost-effective CRM solution. Its strengths lie in its community-driven development, feature-rich functionality, and ability to handle a wide range of constituent management tasks.

Why this product is good

  • CiviCRM is a free, open-source CRM solution designed specifically for the needs of non-profit, civic sector, and advocacy organizations. It offers a wide range of features such as contact management, fundraising, event management, email marketing, and membership management, which are tailored to help organizations effectively engage and manage their constituents. Its integration capabilities with popular content management systems like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal make it a flexible option for organizations using these platforms.

Recommended for

    Non-profits, civic organizations, advocacy groups, and other organizations in the public sector seeking a tailored CRM solution to manage contacts, donations, events, communications, and more without the expense of commercial CRM systems.

Analysis of SuiteCRM

Overall verdict

  • SuiteCRM is a good choice for businesses looking for a flexible, customizable, and cost-effective CRM solution. Its open-source nature and vibrant community support make it a reliable option, especially for small to medium-sized enterprises. However, some users may find the initial setup and customization challenging, requiring some technical knowledge or support.

Why this product is good

  • SuiteCRM is an open-source customer relationship management (CRM) application that offers a wide range of features comparable to paid CRM solutions.
  • It is highly customizable, allowing businesses to tailor it to their specific needs without incurring large costs.
  • The platform supports integration with various third-party applications, enhancing its capabilities and providing flexibility to users.
  • Being open-source, SuiteCRM benefits from a community of developers who contribute to its continuous development and improvement.
  • It offers robust functionalities for sales, marketing, support, and project management, making it versatile for different business requirements.

Recommended for

  • Small to medium-sized businesses that need a budget-friendly CRM solution.
  • Organizations that require flexibility and customization in their CRM systems.
  • Companies with tech-savvy teams or access to IT support who can handle initial setup and customization.
  • Businesses that want to integrate CRM with various third-party applications.
  • Non-profit organizations looking for cost-effective solutions without compromising on essential features.

CiviCRM videos

2014 CiviCRM User Summit Review

More videos:

  • Review - CiviLive: COVID-19 – Using WordPress & CiviCRM
  • Review - CiviCRM for Absolute Beginners

SuiteCRM videos

SuiteCRM Generic Overview

More videos:

  • Review - Introduction to SuiteCRM
  • Demo - SuiteCRM Demo & Introduction (the free CRM)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to CiviCRM and SuiteCRM)
CRM
31 31%
69% 69
Sales
33 33%
67% 67
Sales Workflow
48 48%
52% 52
CRM Platforms
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using CiviCRM and SuiteCRM. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SuiteCRM should be more popular than CiviCRM. It has been mentiond 18 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.

CiviCRM mentions (10)

  • Self hosted club management software
    Apart from Admidio which has already been mentioned, another option to explore is CiviCRM. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Is it possible for a political candidate to run completely off of free press?
    As a software developer, I looked at some of what they did, and some of what is commercially available for candidates. The guy who won in the races I ran in was spending $1500/month for a website that was a simple brochure. Something that could be set up for even folks running for school board might be a simple hosted brochure/blog site with Wordpress as a front-end, with CivCRM keeping track of volunteers and... Source: about 2 years ago
  • Looking for a membership management system
    Https://civicrm.org/ [this works with a cms like drupal, wordpress, joomla etc]. Source: about 3 years ago
  • CRM for a freelancer / for software related companies
    So far I found Chatwoot, CiviCRM, Corteza, ERPNext, EspoCRM, Dolibarr, Odoo, OroCRM, Mautic, SuiteCRM and X2CRM and there are probably even much more available. It seems that Odoo and ERPNext are huge but also very flexible (with many extensions available). Source: about 3 years ago
  • Management of non-profit organisation
    If you are already using wordpress, you may also want to look at CiviCRM [https://civicrm.org/] for managing members etc. It is used by non-profit orgs. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

SuiteCRM mentions (18)

  • Best Open Source CRM
    SuiteCRM SuiteCRM is a comprehensive CRM solution offering modules for sales, marketing, and customer support. Its flexibility and scalability make it suitable for businesses of all sizes. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • 25 Project Ideas from Beginner to Advanced with Open Source Contributions
    SuiteCRM 7.14.6 Website | Demo | Maintainers | Contributors | Community & Forum | Partners | Extensions Directory | Translations | Code of Conduct SuiteCRM is the award-winning open-source, enterprise-ready Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software application. Our vision is to be the most adopted open source enterprise CRM in the world, giving users full control of their data and freedom to own and... - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Newbie Help
    Https://suitecrm.com Main site has tutorials, manuals, guides and forum. Also you can find some beginner guides on youtube. Additionally you can try search SugarCrm 6CE guides, there are old, but in some cases can be handy. And ChatGPT know SuiteCrm codebase, so at simple tasks it can help. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Searching for a Client database solution with keeping history interactions
    Even though you don't want a CRM, I suggest looking at the opensource SuiteCRM and customise it to your needs via its Studio to hide items not required. I have used, including the old opensource SugarCRM. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Best free CRM for a small coworking space?
    Depending on the features of a CRM required, you can try SuiteCRM. You can self-host it. You may also have to customise or switch off modules you do not need. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing CiviCRM and SuiteCRM, you can also consider the following products

EspoCRM - EspoCRM is open source CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software that allows you to see, enter and evaluate all your company relationships regardless of the type.

Zoho CRM - Omnichannel CRM for Businesses of all sizes

Pipeliner CRM - Pipeliner CRM empowers small to medium-sized sales teams to close more deals and lower risk. Implementation and training are a breeze. Mac & Windows.

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.

Odoo CRM - Open Source CRM

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.