Twenty vs Krayin CRM: which to choose

Twenty or Krayin: which CRM fits a small self-hosted team

A small team that wants its CRM inside its own infrastructure should decide between Twenty and Krayin by two questions: which stack its people can operate, and how much custom build it can absorb. Twenty fits teams that want to model their data as code. Its custom objects and fields are defined as code, it exposes GraphQL and REST APIs, and it runs on a TypeScript backend with PostgreSQL and Redis. The Docker Compose guide runs a server, a worker, PostgreSQL and Redis and asks for at least 2 GB of RAM, so the team needs someone comfortable operating that set of services and keeping workers healthy.

Krayin fits teams already hosting PHP. It is built on Laravel with a Vue.js front end, runs on MySQL or MariaDB, and is MIT licensed, with the project stating it will always be free under that license. Its README asks for PHP 8.3 or higher, Composer 2.5 or higher and at least 3 GB of RAM, and installs with composer create-project followed by php artisan krayin-crm:install. A team with Laravel or LAMP-style hosting skills will find the operating model familiar. Confirm before committing that the team can take on Krayin's license and extension model, since its paid extensions and cloud offer sit beside a free core.

The decision turns on three things. First, existing stack skills: a PHP and MySQL team and a TypeScript and PostgreSQL team will carry very different run costs. Second, whether single sign-on is required at launch. Twenty lists SAML or OIDC SSO on its Organization plan, while Krayin's README and website do not document SAML, OpenID Connect or LDAP for the core CRM, so SSO would need custom development or an extension. Third, how much custom build the team can absorb. Ask any implementation partner for a written scope covering SSO, data migration and upgrades before choosing.

Which scenarios favor Twenty and which favor Krayin

This table maps common team situations to the platform that fits each one better, and the condition that makes that true. Read each row as a decision rule: if the condition holds for your team, the named platform is the stronger starting point. Where neither fits cleanly, the row says what to confirm first.

Scenario	Better fit	Condition that decides it
Team with Node or TypeScript and PostgreSQL skills	Twenty	Your engineers can operate a NestJS server, a worker, PostgreSQL and Redis, and want to extend the data model in code.
Team with PHP and MySQL or MariaDB hosting	Krayin	Your hosts already run PHP 8.3 or higher, Composer 2.5 or higher and MySQL 8.0.32 or MariaDB 11.4 LTS or higher with Apache or NGINX.
SSO needed on day one	Twenty (paid plan)	SAML or OIDC SSO is listed for the Organization plan, not the free core. Krayin's README and website do not document SAML, OIDC or LDAP, so SSO would need custom work or an extension.
Free self-hosted core with no SSO requirement	Either, on fit alone	Twenty's core is free to self-host, and Krayin is MIT-licensed. Decide on stack skills and the extensions you need.
Multi-tenant hosting for several client organizations	Krayin (confirm)	Krayin lists a paid Multi Tenant SaaS extension for isolated tenants on one instance. Twenty's isolation options are listed on its paid tiers, so confirm tenancy design with the vendor before choosing.
Team that wants a managed cloud option	Both offer one	Twenty Cloud is priced per user, and Krayin Cloud Hosting is advertised at 20 US dollars a month with unlimited users. Confirm what each managed plan includes, including data location and backups.
Small team that wants the lowest licensing commitment	Krayin	Krayin's MIT license places fewer conditions on modification and redistribution than Twenty's AGPL-3.0 with an additional application exception. Have counsel confirm the terms that apply to your use.
Need for custom objects and fields managed as code	Twenty	Twenty supports custom objects and fields defined as code and exposes GraphQL and REST APIs. Confirm the extension workflow your developers would use against your release cadence.

How Twenty and Krayin are built and what that means for operations

Twenty and Krayin both run as self-hosted web applications, but they sit on different language runtimes, databases and background-job setups. Those differences decide which hosting skills your team needs, how many moving parts you patch and back up, and how much memory you reserve before any users log in.

Twenty's application layers

Twenty's backend runs on NestJS with BullMQ, uses PostgreSQL and Redis, and has a React frontend. It exposes both GraphQL and REST APIs. For a team that already writes TypeScript, that stack is familiar. For a PHP shop, it means learning a new runtime, a queue system and a cache layer before you can debug a production incident. Check who on your team can own the Node.js side.

Twenty's server, worker and Redis footprint

The Docker Compose guide runs a server, a worker, PostgreSQL and Redis as separate services. The worker processes background jobs such as workflows and sync tasks, so a stopped worker can look like a working web app with stalled automation. The guide warns that insufficient memory can crash processes. Ask your vendor how workers scale and where Redis data is persisted before you size the host.

Krayin's Laravel and Vue.js stack

Krayin is a Laravel application with a Vue.js front end. It requires PHP 8.3 or higher, Composer 2.5 or higher, and MySQL 8.0.32 or higher or MariaDB 11.4 LTS or higher, with 11.8 LTS recommended. A PHP team can usually operate it with existing skills, but the database engine and PHP version pins must match the README exactly. Confirm that your MySQL or MariaDB build meets the minimum before planning the install.

Krayin's web server and memory floor

Krayin runs on Apache 2 or NGINX and needs at least 3 GB of RAM, which is more than the Twenty minimum. The web server is a conventional choice that most operations teams already support, and it removes a separate job queue from the basic setup. The higher memory floor still matters on small virtual machines. Ask whether the minimum covers queue workers and scheduled jobs if you enable email or campaign features.

Krayin's install paths

Krayin is installed with composer create-project followed by php artisan krayin-crm:install. The developer documentation also describes a Docker installation. The Composer path gives you direct control over PHP extensions and file permissions, while Docker shifts image updates and rebuilds into your container workflow. Pick one path before go-live, because moving between them later means reconciling dependency versions and database state.

Upgrade and release cadence

Twenty ships frequent releases, and v2.48.0 followed v2.47.0 by one day. Krayin's v2.2.6 came out on September 10, 2026, and v2.2.7 on October 16, 2026. A fast release train means more upgrade windows to test against your own integrations and custom objects. Ask each vendor which changes are breaking, how migrations run, and whether a staging rehearsal is part of your plan.

Feature, licensing and identity capabilities compared

This table compares licensing, data modeling, automation, APIs, access control, sales features and identity options for Twenty and Krayin CRM. Read the identity row first if single sign-on is a requirement, because Twenty's SSO sits on paid plans while Krayin's documentation does not describe it for the core CRM.

Capability	Twenty	Krayin CRM
License	Mostly AGPL-3.0 with an application exception. Files with an Enterprise license header fall under commercial terms.	MIT License. The README states the project will always be free under MIT.
Custom objects and fields	Unlimited custom objects, fields, views and records on all plans, defined as code and in the UI.	Unlimited custom fields in the core CRM, per the Krayin website.
Workflow automation	Workflow automation is part of the open-source codebase. Confirm which triggers and actions you need against the current release.	Confirm workflow and automation depth in the core product with Krayin before you rely on it.
Email and calendar sync	Email and calendar sync is listed in the repository feature set. Confirm provider support for your mail system.	Email marketing and campaign features are listed on the website. Confirm two-way mailbox and calendar sync with the vendor.
Role-based access	Role-based permissions are in the free core. Row-level permissions are reserved for the Organization and Enterprise plans.	Role-based access control is listed on the website. Confirm whether record-level restrictions are available.
APIs and webhooks	REST and GraphQL APIs and webhooks are included on all plans, including the free self-hosted core.	Confirm the API surface, authentication methods and webhook support for your integration needs.
Product inventory and campaigns	Core product and campaign features are limited. Confirm whether inventory and marketing needs require custom objects or an add-on.	Products with inventory tracking and campaign and email marketing are listed on the website.
SAML or OIDC single sign-on	Listed for the Organization and Enterprise plans. Not part of the free self-hosted core.	Not described in the README or website for the core CRM. Confirm with the vendor or plan custom development.
SCIM provisioning and IP allow-listing	SCIM provisioning and IP allow-listing are listed for the Enterprise plan only.	Not described in the README or website. Confirm with the vendor before assuming availability.

What is free and what is paid on each platform

Twenty's open-source core can be self-hosted at no license charge, and its pricing page says so directly. The core is mostly AGPL-3.0 with an additional application exception, while files marked with an Enterprise license header are under a commercial license. Your costs on this path are the infrastructure and the people who run it, not a vendor fee.

Included features: All plans, including the free core, include unlimited custom objects, fields, views and records, plus REST and GraphQL APIs and webhooks.
Running cost: You pay for a server, PostgreSQL and Redis, and the Docker Compose stack runs a server and a worker, which the official guide sizes at a minimum of 2 GB of RAM.
Who maintains it: Your team owns upgrades, backups and patching, and the frequent releases, such as v2.48.0 on October 16, 2026, need a test cycle.
Paid-only controls: SSO, row-level permissions, audit logs and encryption key rotation sit on the Organization and Enterprise plans.

Before you rely on the free core for a regulated workload, confirm on the Twenty pricing page which controls the license terms allow in self-hosted deployments.

What drives the running cost of each CRM

Running either CRM costs more than the software line on a price list. Infrastructure minimums, the skills your team already has, paid plan or extension fees, upgrade work and paid support each change the total, and each one is paid to a different party.

Server memory minimums

Twenty's Docker Compose guide asks for at least 2 GB of RAM and warns that insufficient memory can crash processes, and that setup also runs a server, a worker, PostgreSQL and Redis. Krayin's README lists at least 3 GB of RAM plus PHP 8.3, Composer 2.5 and MySQL or MariaDB. Compare the two minimums against the VM sizes your hosting provider charges for, and budget for a larger instance than the minimum if you expect growth.

Team skills and hiring

Twenty is a TypeScript application on PostgreSQL and Redis, with a NestJS backend and a React frontend. Krayin is a Laravel application on MySQL or MariaDB with a Vue.js front end. Your cost depends on who already maintains your stack. A PHP team can patch Krayin without new hires, while a team with no PostgreSQL or Redis experience will pay for training or outside help to run Twenty safely.

Per-user fees for Twenty paid plans

The free self-hosted core costs nothing in licence fees, but Twenty's pricing page lists Pro at 9 US dollars per user per month, Organization at 19 dollars per user per month, and Enterprise from 50,000 dollars a year. SSO sits on the Organization tier, so a small team that needs SAML or OIDC sign-in must budget for it. Fees scale with headcount, not hardware.

Krayin extension and cloud fees

Krayin's core is MIT-licensed and free, but SSO is not documented for the core CRM, so single sign-on needs custom development or a paid extension. Krayin's README lists a Multi Tenant SaaS extension, a WhatsApp lead extension and a VoIP extension. Its website advertises managed cloud hosting at 20 US dollars a month with unlimited users. Ask the vendor which extensions each requirement needs and whether they are one-time or recurring.

Upgrade effort over time

Twenty ships frequent releases, with v2.48.0 released on October 16, 2026, and each upgrade lands on a self-hosted server, worker, database and cache. Krayin's latest release, v2.2.7, followed v2.2.6 by about five weeks. Frequent releases mean more small upgrades, so schedule a recurring maintenance window and a staging test for each one. Write the upgrade cadence into your operating plan before you choose.

Paid support and services

Neither vendor's public materials list a support price for the core product. Krayin's website lists paid support and maintenance, custom development, white-label CRM, migration and integration services without published prices. Twenty's Enterprise plan includes an SLA. Outside help for either platform is quoted from written scope, so ask for deliverables, response expectations and what happens when a fix is needed during your own change window.

Moving data from Krayin to Twenty or back

This sequence moves contacts, companies, leads, deals and activities from one CRM to the other without losing ownership, history or access rules. The team ends with a verified copy of its pipeline, a rebuilt data model and a short period where both systems were checked against each other before the cutover.

Inventory the data model in both systems
Before exporting anything, the CRM owner and an administrator list every record type in Krayin (contacts, companies, leads, deals, activities, products) and every custom field attached to each one. Do the same for the Twenty workspace where the data will land, noting which standard objects exist and which custom objects need to be created. The output is a field-by-field inventory that names the source, the target and any field with no equivalent. Confirm the export formats and any record limits with Krayin's maintainers and Twenty's documentation before you begin.
Export and map core records
An administrator exports contacts, companies, leads, deals and activities from Krayin, then writes a mapping sheet that pairs each source field with a target field in Twenty. Relationships such as a contact linked to a company, or a deal linked to a contact, need explicit keys so the import can rebuild them. Test the mapping on a small sample of each record type, and check that names, owners, stages and dates survive the trip. The output is a sample import that a salesperson reviews and signs off.
Rebuild custom fields as objects
Custom fields in Krayin do not carry over as a block, so the team recreates each one in Twenty as a field on the right object, or as a custom object where the data has its own lifecycle, such as product lines or contract terms. Twenty defines custom objects and fields as code, so an engineer should record the definitions in version control before the data load. The output is a schema review where each source field is matched to a target field and an owner approves the choices.
Re-create permissions and integrations
Access rules, team visibility and any connected tools have to be configured again in the target system, because role definitions do not transfer as data. Map each Krayin role to a Twenty role, then confirm which permission levels the free self-hosted core provides and which need a paid plan, using the Twenty pricing page. Integrations such as email, webhooks or the WhatsApp and VoIP extensions from Krayin need a separate decision, since their replacements or custom work must be scoped separately. The output is a permissions matrix and an integration list, each with an owner and a test case.
Load and reconcile the full dataset
The team runs the full import in a staging copy of the target, then compares record counts, owner assignments, pipeline totals and a random sample of deals against the source. Attachments, notes and activity history are checked separately, because they often need their own transfer step. Any mismatch is logged, fixed in the mapping and re-imported until the counts agree. The output is a reconciliation report signed off by the sales lead and the administrator.
Run a parallel period
For a defined period agreed by the team, both systems stay live. Sales staff enter new activity in the target while checking that updates made in the source appear there, or record them in both places during the overlap. The administrator reviews discrepancies at a fixed cadence and closes them. The output is a short list of open issues, each with an owner, and a written decision that the parallel period is complete.
Cut over and retain the source
The team freezes writes in Krayin, runs a final delta import of records changed since the last load, and switches users to Twenty. The Krayin installation and its database are kept read-only for an agreed retention period, with a verified backup taken before shutdown. The output is a cutover record listing the final counts, the backup identifier and the date the source was made read-only. Ask DeployOpen or your own administrators to confirm the backup and restore test before the source is retired.

Where implementation projects usually run long

The largest overruns on a self-hosted Twenty or Krayin project tend to come from identity integration, custom fields and extension gaps, and data migration, not from the installer. Start by writing down what each platform must do on day one. For Twenty, the core install is a server, a worker, PostgreSQL and Redis, following the Docker Compose guide, which asks for at least 2 GB of RAM. Your team will own backups, Redis placement, worker restarts and upgrades between releases. For Krayin, the install is Laravel with PHP 8.3 or higher, Composer 2.5 or higher, MySQL 8.0.32 or higher or MariaDB 11.4 LTS or higher, and at least 3 GB of RAM, so the database and cache work sits on a different stack that your PHP and hosting staff may or may not already run.

Identity is the most common place where scope expands. On Twenty, SAML or OIDC SSO, row-level permissions and audit logs are listed for the Organization plan, and SCIM provisioning is listed for Enterprise, so a regulated buyer should confirm which of those controls it needs before choosing the self-hosted core. On Krayin, the README and website do not document SAML, OpenID Connect or LDAP sign-in for the core CRM, so SSO becomes custom development or an extension. Ask the vendor or the extension author to show that the exact protocol, group mapping and session behavior you need work in a test environment before you commit to a timeline. Custom fields and workflows also grow quickly, so write down the object model and the list of extensions before the build starts.

Data migration and user training usually take longer than planned because they depend on source data quality, not on the platform. Map every field from the old CRM, decide which history must move, and test imports on a copy of the data. Training should cover the sales workflow the team actually uses, with the admin tasks handled by whoever operates the platform. Scope, deliverables and timelines at DeployOpen are agreed in writing before work starts, so put the identity method, the migration sources, the extension list and the acceptance tests into that written scope. Ask for the same breakdown from any other implementation partner you consider.

Questions buyers ask before choosing Twenty or Krayin

Is the free Twenty core enough for a small team?

For many small sales teams it can be, provided you do not need single sign-on, row-level permissions or audit logs. Twenty's pricing page says the open-source core can be self-hosted for free, and all plans include unlimited custom objects, fields, views and records plus REST and GraphQL APIs and webhooks. SSO, row-level permissions, audit logs and encryption key rotation are listed for the Organization and Enterprise plans. The Organization plan is listed at 19 US dollars per user per month and Pro at 9 US dollars per user per month, according to the Twenty pricing page. Confirm which of those controls your team requires before you commit to the free core.

Does Krayin CRM support single sign-on out of the box?

No, not in the core CRM as its README and website document it. Neither source describes SAML, OpenID Connect or LDAP sign-in for the core product, so single sign-on has to be added through custom development or an extension. Ask the maintainers to confirm what the current release supports before you plan around it. If your identity provider requires SAML or OIDC, budget for the build and test it against your own identity setup. By contrast, Twenty's pricing page lists SAML or OIDC SSO on its Organization plan, so the two products differ on this point. Krayin's listed paid extensions cover multi-tenant SaaS, WhatsApp leads and VoIP, and none is described as SSO.

What do the hosting minimums mean for my server costs?

The minimums set the floor for the infrastructure you pay for, and the software itself adds no license fee for the free core. Twenty's Docker Compose self-hosting guide runs a server, a worker, PostgreSQL and Redis, and asks for at least 2 GB of RAM because insufficient memory can crash processes. Krayin's README lists at least 3 GB of RAM, PHP 8.3 or higher, Composer 2.5 or higher, and MySQL 8.0.32 or higher or MariaDB 11.4 LTS or higher. These figures are minimums and say nothing about sizing for your user count, so ask your hosting team to size for expected load. Krayin's website advertises managed cloud hosting at 20 US dollars a month with unlimited users, and Twenty's paid plans are priced per user.

How long does a CRM migration take and what affects it?

The duration depends on what you move, and no standard migration timeline is published for this pair of products. Ask each vendor, and any implementation partner you consider, for a duration based on your own data. The main drivers are record volume, the number of custom fields and objects you must recreate, email and calendar sync setup, integrations and webhooks, user and permission mapping, and how much history you keep. Twenty defines custom objects and fields as code, and Krayin offers unlimited custom fields, so mapping those structures is a scoping task to settle early. Run a test migration on a copy of production data, measure how long it takes, and ask for the migration steps in writing before you agree on a plan.

Can a small team run Twenty or Krayin without outside help?

A team with Linux and PHP administration skills can run Krayin, and a team comfortable with Node, PostgreSQL and Redis can run Twenty, but both need steady operations work. Twenty's Docker Compose deployment starts a server, a worker, PostgreSQL and Redis, so someone must watch the worker, memory, backups and upgrades. Krayin installs with composer create-project followed by php artisan krayin-crm:install, or with its Docker installation, so someone must own Composer dependencies, the PHP version, the web server and the database. Both projects ship releases often, including Twenty v2.48.0 and Krayin v2.2.7, both released on October 16, 2026. Name an owner, a patch routine and a test environment before go-live. If you want help, outside teams can take on setup, hardening, backups or upgrades under a written scope.

What skills and ownership does a self-hosted CRM need from staff?

Plan for a CRM administrator, a person who owns the stack, and a person accountable for security settings. The administrator maps sales stages, fields, users and roles, and Krayin's role-based access control and Twenty's role-based permissions both need deliberate design. The stack owner handles upgrades, backups, restores and the database. Someone must also own access reviews, audit logging where your plan provides it, and data retention. Twenty's core is mostly AGPL-3.0 with an additional application exception, and files with an Enterprise license header are under a commercial license, so an engineer changing code should check the license of each file touched. Ask who signs off on each of these duties before the project starts, because unclaimed duties tend to surface during an incident.

Which Krayin and Twenty features are free and which are paid?

Krayin's core is under the MIT License, and Twenty's core is under AGPL-3.0 with an additional application exception. Krayin's README says the project will always be free under the MIT License, and it lists paid extensions for multi-tenant SaaS, WhatsApp leads and VoIP, plus a fully managed cloud service. Twenty's free self-hosted core includes unlimited custom objects and APIs, while SSO, row-level permissions, audit logs and encryption key rotation are on paid plans, according to its pricing page. Ask each vendor to list which features your build depends on, whether each sits in the core, in an extension or on a paid plan, and what each costs per user or per instance.

How the choice gets tested in your environment

DeployOpen plans, implements, integrates, hardens, backs up and supports self-hosted platforms inside your own cloud accounts, data centers or air-gapped networks, so the useful test for this decision happens in your environment, not on a vendor demo. Before you commit to either Twenty or Krayin CRM, run a short proof of concept on infrastructure that matches production, and write down the answers to three questions: how users will sign in, where the data and backups will live, and who will run the server and database after go-live.

Identity is the first gate. Twenty's pricing page places SSO, including SAML or OIDC, on the Organization and Enterprise plans, so a team that needs single sign-on on the free core has a cost to model. Krayin's README and website do not document SAML, OpenID Connect or LDAP sign-in for the core CRM, so single sign-on would come from custom development or an extension. Confirm with each vendor, in writing, how sign-in, role mapping and deprovisioning will work for your directory, and test a departing user's access end to end.

Hosting is the second gate. Twenty's Docker Compose guide runs a server, a worker, PostgreSQL and Redis and asks for at least 2 GB of RAM, while Krayin's README lists PHP 8.3 or higher, MySQL 8.0.32 or higher or MariaDB 11.4 LTS or higher, and at least 3 GB of RAM. Check whether your team already operates PostgreSQL and Redis or PHP with MySQL or MariaDB, and rehearse a restore from backup on the target platform. Ask each vendor which versions they support on your operating system before you size the servers.

How DeployOpen helps choose, implement or migrate your CRM

DeployOpen works from the written scope of your Twenty or Krayin CRM decision, whether you are choosing between them, installing one inside your own infrastructure or moving existing contacts and deals. We plan, build, test, document and hand over each step so your team can run the result after the engagement ends.

How we scope

Confirm your team's PHP, MySQL or MariaDB, PostgreSQL and Redis skills before picking a platform
List which features you need, such as SSO, row-level permissions and audit logs, and which plan or extension covers each
Agree the written scope, deliverables and timeline with you before any work begins, as engagements are fixed-scope

How we build

Install the chosen CRM in your own cloud account, data center or air-gapped network, with the server, database and cache sized to your requirements
Build any single sign-on, custom objects, fields or integrations your scope names, since Krayin's core does not document SAML, OIDC or LDAP sign-in
Test access controls, backups and upgrade paths against the scope before the system is accepted

How we hand over

Document the installation, configuration, extension choices and the decisions behind them for your administrators
Walk your IT and sales operations staff through daily administration, user management and backup restoration
Deliver the migration mapping of contacts, leads and deals with a record of what moved and what was checked

How we support

Offer ongoing support, upgrades and continuous testing as a retainer after handover, if your team wants it
Plan upgrades around each platform's release cadence, confirming versions with the vendor before changes are applied
Ask for a written quote tied to your scope so you can compare retainer and one-time costs with your in-house effort

Twenty vs Krayin CRM