Open-source and self-hosted Close alternatives
Close offers built-in calling. Closara calls too, and keeps the recordings and the AI on your server.
The open-source CRMs that replace Close
Close is proprietary software offered as SaaS: it does not install on your server. These CRMs do; the licence is read from their public repository.
| CRM | Licence | Language | Source code |
|---|---|---|---|
| EspoCRM | AGPL-3.0 | PHP | github.com/espocrm/espocrm |
| SuiteCRM 8 | AGPL-3.0 | PHP | github.com/SuiteCRM/SuiteCRM-Core |
| Odoo Community | LGPL-3.0 | Python | github.com/odoo/odoo |
| Twenty | AGPL-3.0 (some files under a commercial licence) | TypeScript | github.com/twentyhq/twenty |
| Closara | Proprietary, source code delivered (not an OSI licence) | Node.js, SQLite | - |
Licences checked on 2026-09-24 in each public repository's licence file. All of them install on your own server; so does Closara, but its code is delivered under a proprietary licence.
Close and Closara, line by line
| Close | Closara | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | SaaS, on the vendor's servers | Your server or your VPS |
| Code licence | Proprietary, code not published | Proprietary, source code delivered (not an OSI licence) |
| Billing model | Per seat, with calling and sequences included. | One tier plus modules, unlimited seats |
| Price | Close pricing page | Closara pricing |
No price is copied here: prices change without notice. We compare billing models, and each column links to the original pricing page.
How Close bills
Per seat, with calling and sequences included. Call minutes and numbers bill on top: for a floor that dials a lot, that is the line to estimate first.
What keeps you on Close
Lock-in is almost never a contract clause. It is accumulated work you cannot take with you.
- Call history, recordings and sequences live with the vendor.
- If you use AI call analysis, check in the vendor's documentation where your conversations are processed.
- If your team makes a lot of calls, compare the charges tied to your call volume with your budget.
What Closara does instead
- On your server, not in their cloud
- No per-seat subscription
- The AI runs locally
- White-label included
- The code and the database are yours
Details, the demo and pricing are on the Closara page.
Migrating from Close to Closara
Leads, contacts, opportunities and activities export via API; call recordings need a dedicated pull: do it BEFORE you cancel.
- Read before writing: a full Close export is loaded read-only into Closara. Nothing is deleted on their side, nothing is irreversible.
- One week in parallel: the team works in both tools for seven days. Deliberately short: beyond that, nobody keeps it up and the data diverges.
- Move the users: accounts move to Closara, running sequences are replayed at the same cadence, meetings follow.
- Cancel, not before: the Close subscription stops once a full week has run without falling back. Keep a dated export: that is your safety net.
When you should stay on Close
A pure outbound calling team with no data-hosting requirement: Close is built for that job, and staying spares you a migration.
We would rather lose a sale than install a tool nobody will use. A migration costs team time, and that time never comes back.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an open-source alternative to Close?
Yes: EspoCRM (AGPL-3.0), SuiteCRM 8 (AGPL-3.0), Odoo Community (LGPL-3.0) and Twenty (AGPL-3.0, some files under a commercial licence) are open source and install on your own server (licences checked in their repositories on 2026-09-24). Closara is not open source: it is a self-hosted CRM whose code is delivered to you, with local AI and unlimited seats.
Is Close open source?
No. Close is proprietary software hosted by its vendor: you can export your data, but you cannot audit the code, install it in-house, or modify its code.
Can you self-host Close?
No. No edition of Close installs on your infrastructure. If self-hosting is your criterion, the answer is not to negotiate with them but to change tool category.
How do you migrate from Close to Closara?
Leads, contacts, opportunities and activities export via API; call recordings need a dedicated pull: do it BEFORE you cancel. The switch happens in four steps: pull the data read-only, run one week of outbound in parallel, move the users, then shut the old tool down. Nobody works in two tools for more than seven days.
Is Closara cheaper than Close?
It depends on your headcount, and we do not quote their prices: they change. Close applies its own model, described on its pricing page; Closara charges one tier plus modules, never the number of users, and hosting it yourself is free. Run the numbers with your seat count on Closara's pricing page, which compares the two models.
What data can you export from Close?
Leads, contacts, opportunities and activities export via API; call recordings need a dedicated pull: do it BEFORE you cancel.
When should you stay on Close?
A pure outbound calling team with no data-hosting requirement: Close is built for that job, and staying spares you a migration. We would rather say it plainly: a failed migration costs more than a subscription.
The other comparisons
More on self-hosted CRMs
Written by Skander Mallek, founder of INEYA Studio, which builds Closara. Reviewed and updated on 2026-09-24. For information only, not advice: check pricing and features with the vendor before deciding.
Your CRM. On your server.
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