Twenty
Twenty is an open-source CRM — a modern alternative to Salesforce and HubSpot — that you can self-host on your own cloud with no per-seat license fees. It supports custom objects, pipelines, workflows, and APIs, so the CRM can model how your business actually sells instead of forcing everything into contacts, companies, and deals.
- Replaces:
- Salesforce, HubSpot
- Open source:
- AGPLv3 (some enterprise-licensed files)
Twenty in plain terms
Twenty is one of the most active open-source CRM projects on GitHub. Its core is licensed under AGPLv3, with a small set of enterprise-licensed files. It runs as a server and a background worker on PostgreSQL and Redis, exposes GraphQL and REST APIs, and can be extended with custom objects and fields without forking the code.
A good fit when…
- Small and mid-sized teams whose per-seat CRM bill keeps rising with headcount
- Businesses that need custom records and relationships — properties, projects, policies, assets — not just deals
- Companies that want customer data on infrastructure they control
- Teams that want to build a client portal or internal tools on top of their CRM data via API
Choose something else when…
- Large sales organizations that depend on enterprise forecasting, territory management, or CPQ
- Teams that rely on a specific Salesforce or HubSpot marketplace app with no equivalent
- Teams with nobody to own upkeep — Twenty’s own cloud plan is the simpler route there
What running it involves
- PostgreSQL database
- Redis
- Twenty server container and a separate worker container
- Docker and Docker Compose
- At least 2 GB of RAM (Twenty’s docs warn that less can crash processes)
- An encryption key for sensitive data, plus a reverse proxy with SSL for external access
A single small cloud server runs Twenty comfortably for most small and mid-sized teams. Backups of the PostgreSQL database are the part that must not be skipped.
If you’d rather not self-host
Twenty Cloud lists at $9 per user per month (Pro) or $19 per user per month (Organization), as of September 2026. It is a sensible choice if you want Twenty without running servers, at the cost of reintroducing per-seat pricing.
Requirements and prices are from the project’s own docs and pricing pages as of September 2026 — see sources below.
Deploying and customizing Twenty
Data model
Custom objects, fields, and relations that match your business — not a generic sales template.
Pipelines and workflows
Stages, required fields, assignments, and automated follow-ups that mirror your real process.
Email and calendar
Gmail or Microsoft 365 sync so activity is captured without manual logging.
Integrations
Billing, accounting, support desk, and product data connected through Twenty’s APIs.
Client portal or internal tools
Custom apps on top of CRM data, so clients and staff see the same source of truth.
Hosting and backups
Deployment on your AWS or other cloud with automated database backups and monitoring.
Migrating to Twenty
Contacts, companies, deals, activities, and custom fields can be exported from HubSpot, Salesforce, or spreadsheets and mapped into Twenty’s data model. Automations are rebuilt as Twenty workflows or small services. Running both systems briefly in parallel before cutover keeps the sales team from losing momentum.
Twenty vs Salesforce
Twenty vs Salesforce compared on cost, customization, data ownership, and ecosystem — with list prices and when each is the right choice.
Twenty vs HubSpot
Twenty vs HubSpot Sales Hub compared on per-seat cost, onboarding fees, customization, and marketing tools — with list prices and an honest verdict.
Custom CRM Development
Custom CRM development built around your sales and service process — your pipeline, your data model, no per-seat fees — or a customized open-source CRM.
Twenty — common questions
Is Twenty CRM free?+
What do you need to self-host Twenty?+
Can Twenty replace HubSpot or Salesforce?+
Can Twenty be customized?+
Sources
Customizing Twenty CRM: An Open-Source Alternative to Salesforce
Why Twenty CRM is the open-source CRM worth building on in 2026, and how to customize and self-host it for your sales process without vendor lock-in.
How to Choose a CRM in 2026: Open-Source vs Managed
A practical 2026 CRM buying guide — open-source vs managed, total cost of ownership, customization, and how to pick a CRM that fits your sales process.
Self-Hosted vs SaaS: The True Cost of Per-Seat Software
Per-seat SaaS looks cheap until you scale. Here's how self-hosted open-source software compares on total cost of ownership — and when switching pays off.
Thinking about Twenty?
Tell us what you use today and what you need. We'll tell you honestly whether Twenty fits, and scope it if it does.