Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to Bigin · 🤝 crm
Bigin vs Krayin CRM
A Laravel sales pipeline with leads, contacts and email; glossy enough, but it still wants a PHP stack. Here is how Krayin CRM ($0/mo open source) stacks up against Bigin ($9/mo) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.
Krayin CRM
$0.00/mo · MIT
Bigin vs Krayin CRM Specification Matrix
facts verified 2026-08-10
| Dimension | Bigin (Paid) | Krayin CRM (Replacement) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $9 / mo | $0 / mo |
| 1-Year Cost (1 seat) | $108 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $108) |
| 1-Year Cost (5 seats) | $540 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $540) |
| 1-Year Cost (10 seats) | $1,080 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $1,080) |
| Source & License | Proprietary SaaS | open source MIT |
| Where It Runs | Vendor Cloud | Local or hosted (your machine or their cloud) |
| Platforms | Web / Cloud | webself-hostedself-host, real ops |
| GitHub Stars | — | ★ 24k (active aug 2026) |
Deep Dive: Switching from Bigin to Krayin CRM
Trade-offs, installation & data architecture
What you trade away
Krayin is less mature and less plug-and-play around everyday email, calendar, mobile, and workflow use than Bigin.
How to deploy Krayin CRM
Composer package, browser GUI installer, or Docker; managed cloud is also offered
What it takes to run
The free path requires PHP/Composer plus MySQL/MariaDB, or Docker and a server; HTTPS, backups, and updates remain yours
Where your data lives
CRM records in MySQL/MariaDB (Laravel database); uploads in storage/app/public on the chosen host
Why fork Krayin CRM instead of vibe-coding a Bigin clone?
The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Bigin, run a small-business pipeline with contacts, activities, and simple workflows. The hard boundary is zoho ecosystem, telephony, forms, integrations, and mobile apps, plus integrations, data quality, and workflow lock-in.
Bigin vs Krayin CRM FAQ
Is Krayin CRM a good free alternative to Bigin?+
Yes. Krayin CRM is a verified open-source (MIT) replacement for Bigin. A Laravel sales pipeline with leads, contacts and email; glossy enough, but it still wants a PHP stack.
What is the catch when switching from Bigin to Krayin CRM?+
Krayin is less mature and less plug-and-play around everyday email, calendar, mobile, and workflow use than Bigin.
How much do you save switching from Bigin to Krayin CRM?+
Bigin costs $9/mo ($108/yr) per seat, whereas Krayin CRM is $0/mo. Switching saves $108/yr for a solo user, $540/yr for a 5-person team, and $1,080/yr for a 10-person team.
How do I install or self-host Krayin CRM instead of Bigin?+
Install: Composer package, browser GUI installer, or Docker; managed cloud is also offered. Setup: The free path requires PHP/Composer plus MySQL/MariaDB, or Docker and a server; HTTPS, backups, and updates remain yours
