More and more companies do not want to pay per user or keep client and partner data in someone else's cloud. Open-source software is the answer: the code is public, you run the system on your own server, and you can change features to fit your process.
Here are 9 open-source CRM and PRM (partner relationship management) projects. I write as the founder of PartnerType, so our project is on the list too. Facts about the others come from their own sites and GitHub repositories (as of 30 October 2026). If something has changed, write to kontakt@partnertype.com and we will fix it.
The short answer
- You build your own business app with a dev team: Open Mercato.
- You want a modern CRM instead of Salesforce: Twenty.
- You need a whole company system, with partner commissions: Odoo Community with OCA modules.
- You want a proven, simple CRM: EspoCRM, SuiteCRM or Krayin.
- You run a referral or affiliate programme: Refref or Refferq.
- You sell through partners and want a PRM with an AI agent: PartnerType.
What the 80/20 model means in open source
The makers of Open Mercato put it like this: in every business system project about 80% of the code is the same foundation (login, permissions, data, interface). The other 20% is what makes a particular company different. You get the ready 80% for free and build the 20% yourself or with the vendor's help. It is the author's estimate, not a measurement, but it describes modern open-source business software well.
PartnerType follows the same model: the partner platform is ready, and a company adds only what its process needs.
1. Open Mercato
Open Mercato is a framework for building CRM and ERP systems, written in TypeScript (Next.js, MikroORM). It is not a ready app to click through but a foundation for a dev team. The MIT licence allows use in closed products too. The project started in September 2025 and has about 1.9k stars on GitHub.
A good choice when the company has developers and wants to build its own system rather than adapt a ready one.
2. Twenty
Twenty calls itself the open alternative to Salesforce, designed for AI. It is written in TypeScript and has about 60k stars, more than any other open-source CRM in this list. The repository describes the licence terms (GitHub shows no single licence for the whole code).
A good choice when a sales team wants a modern CRM and can run it on its own server.
3. Odoo Community and OCA modules
Odoo is a suite of business apps in Python: CRM, sales, invoicing, inventory and much more. The Community edition is open, and the OCA community adds free modules such as Commission (partner commissions, AGPL-3.0) and Agreement (channel rebates and agreements).
A good choice when the company wants one system for everything and has an Odoo implementation partner.
4. EspoCRM
EspoCRM is a mature CRM in PHP under AGPL-3.0, with about 3.5k stars and regular releases. It runs on ordinary web hosting.
A good choice when you need a classic CRM with low running costs.
5. SuiteCRM
SuiteCRM grew out of the old SugarCRM and is one of the longest-developed open-source CRMs. AGPL-3.0 licence, written in PHP.
A good choice when the company wants a feature-rich CRM with a long history and a large community.
6. Krayin CRM
Krayin is a CRM built on the Laravel framework (PHP), under the MIT licence, with about 24k stars. It is easy to extend if the team knows Laravel.
A good choice when the company has PHP developers and wants a simple starting point.
7. Refref and Refferq
Two young projects for referral and affiliate programmes: Refref (TypeScript, AGPL-3.0) and Refferq (TypeScript, MIT). They handle referral links, tracking and commissions, so they fit affiliate programmes more than B2B partner sales.
A good choice when a SaaS company wants a referral programme on its own server.
8. BiznisBox
BiznisBox is an all-in-one platform for small companies, with partner and contract modules. AGPL-3.0 licence, about 50 stars, actively developed.
A good choice when a small company wants one simple system for the whole business.
9. PartnerType
PartnerType is a PRM for companies that sell through partners. The vendor and its partners submit leads and change statuses on the platform or through an AI agent in Teams, Slack, WhatsApp or text messages. It has its own MCP server, so you can ask about your partner channel in ChatGPT, Claude or Le Chat, and a local AI model runs on the company's server. Built with Python (Flask), PostgreSQL and Docker. AGPL-3.0 licence, the code opens on 6 November 2026.
A good choice when the company has a dozen or more partners and wants a ready partner platform with AI, adding its own 20% itself or with us.
Comparison table
| Tool | Type | Licence | Language | GitHub stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open Mercato | CRM/ERP framework | MIT | TypeScript | about 1.9k |
| Twenty | CRM | See repository | TypeScript | about 60k |
| Odoo Community | Business suite | Open (Community) | Python | about 55k |
| EspoCRM | CRM | AGPL-3.0 | PHP | about 3.5k |
| SuiteCRM | CRM | AGPL-3.0 | PHP | about 5.8k |
| Krayin CRM | CRM | MIT | PHP | about 24k |
| Refref / Refferq | Referral and affiliate | AGPL-3.0 / MIT | TypeScript | about 240 / 130 |
| BiznisBox | All-in-one | AGPL-3.0 | PHP | about 50 |
| PartnerType | PRM with an AI agent | AGPL-3.0 | Python | from 6.11.2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is an open-source PRM?
A system for running a partner channel (submissions, statuses, commissions, payouts) whose code is public. A company can run it on its own server and change it to fit its process.
Does open source mean free?
The licence is free, but the company pays for the server, maintenance and any code changes. That is why many vendors also offer a paid cloud or implementation.
How is AGPL different from MIT?
MIT lets you take the code and close it inside your own product. AGPL-3.0 also lets you use the code for free, commercially too, but whoever offers a changed version to others over the network must share their changes.
Who helps with the roll-out?
The project's community or its makers. At PartnerType we do the roll-out and code changes for a company's process ourselves or through partners, quoted individually.