ClosaraOpen-source and self-hosted Copper alternatives
Copper lives inside Gmail. Closara lives on your server, and plugs into your mail without depending on it.
The open-source CRMs that replace Copper
Copper 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.
Copper and Closara, line by line
| Copper | 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 a Google Workspace integration that is the entire argument. | One tier plus modules, unlimited seats |
| Price | Copper 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 Copper bills
Per seat, with a Google Workspace integration that is the entire argument. Tiers gate automations, reporting and contact counts.
What keeps you on Copper
Lock-in is almost never a contract clause. It is accumulated work you cannot take with you.
- The product lives inside Gmail: leaving Google means losing most of its value.
- Data stays with the vendor: check the hosting region in its documentation.
- Advanced reporting is reserved for higher tiers.
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 Copper to Closara
CSV export covers people, companies and opportunities; email threads stay in Gmail, which makes the move easier.
- Read before writing: a full Copper 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 Copper 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 Copper
If your whole company lives in Google Workspace and nobody wants to leave Gmail, a Gmail-integrated CRM like Copper makes sense.
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 Copper?
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 Copper open source?
No. Copper 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 Copper?
No. No edition of Copper 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 Copper to Closara?
CSV export covers people, companies and opportunities; email threads stay in Gmail, which makes the move easier. 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 Copper?
It depends on your headcount, and we do not quote their prices: they change. Copper 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 Copper?
CSV export covers people, companies and opportunities; email threads stay in Gmail, which makes the move easier.
When should you stay on Copper?
If your whole company lives in Google Workspace and nobody wants to leave Gmail, a Gmail-integrated CRM like Copper makes sense. 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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