# Open source Salesforce alternatives for AI agents

4 alternatives to Salesforce. 4 have an interface an agent can drive. 4 are open source.

Page: alternatives/salesforce.html

## Corteza

Apache-2.0 low-code platform with a shipped CRM app and an API-first backend driven over OAuth2.

- Listing: apps/cortezaproject--corteza.html
- JSON: apps/cortezaproject--corteza.json
- License: Apache-2.0
- Agent interface: API, from the builder
- Reach: 6 of 9 jobs
- Last activity: 2026-08-27
- Effort: config-only
- Use it when: I want a CRM whose fields and workflows our agent can redefine through an API, under a permissive license
- Use it when: I need several small business apps (CRM, case management) on one self-hosted platform
- Gotcha: Admin bootstrap (roles, users, auth clients) is manual in the Admin web app
- Gotcha: Access tokens expire after two hours; agents must refresh
- Gotcha: The Discovery search stack adds OpenSearch and a second server image
- Gotcha: Docs are versioned (2024.9); check they match the deployed VERSION

## EspoCRM

AGPL PHP CRM with a documented REST API, OpenAPI spec and official SDKs in seven languages.

- Listing: apps/espocrm--espocrm.html
- JSON: apps/espocrm--espocrm.json
- License: AGPL-3.0
- Agent interface: API, from the builder
- Reach: 7 of 10 jobs
- Last activity: 2026-09-03
- Effort: config-only
- Agent cannot reach: Workflows and BPM; Reports
- Use it when: I need a mature CRM on a cheap PHP host with a REST API our agent can use today
- Use it when: I want to add our own entities and fields without maintaining a fork
- Gotcha: Workflows, BPM and reports are paid extensions
- Gotcha: AGPL-3.0 and a CLA for contributions
- Gotcha: Cron must run for email, workflows and scheduled jobs

## Frappe CRM

AGPL CRM on the Frappe Framework; every DocType is reachable through the framework's REST API.

- Listing: apps/frappe--crm.html
- JSON: apps/frappe--crm.json
- License: AGPL-3.0
- Agent interface: API, from the builder
- Reach: 5 of 9 jobs
- Last activity: 2026-09-03
- Effort: config-only
- Agent cannot reach: Kanban and custom views
- Use it when: I already run ERPNext and want a clean sales pipeline that invoices through it
- Use it when: I want unlimited users on a simple CRM and our agent updating deals through a REST API we already know
- Gotcha: Needs a Frappe bench: Python, MariaDB, Redis, Node; not a single container
- Gotcha: Branch main is v1.x stable; develop is v2 unstable
- Gotcha: AGPL-3.0
- Gotcha: CRM Enrichment Settings suggests an enrichment feature; provider not documented in README

## Twenty

Open-source CRM with an in-product MCP server: per-object CRUD, workflows, metadata, views and webhooks over OAuth.

- Listing: apps/twentyhq--twenty.html
- JSON: apps/twentyhq--twenty.json
- License: AGPL-3.0 core with marked enterprise files
- Agent interface: MCP server, from the builder
- Reach: 8 of 10 jobs
- Last activity: 2026-09-03
- Effort: config-only
- Agent cannot reach: Connect email and calendar accounts; Publish an app to the workspace
- Use it when: I want a CRM our agent can query, update and reshape (new objects, fields, workflows) without a wrapper
- Use it when: I want to version our CRM's data model as code and ship it to a workspace
- Gotcha: Env var names above come from the self-host docs and the .mcp.json dev config (PG_DATABASE_URL); confirm the current list at docs.twenty.com
- Gotcha: The root .mcp.json is developer tooling (postgres, playwright, context7), not the product MCP
- Gotcha: Metadata and workflow tools require loading a skill first or the agent misbuilds
- Gotcha: AGPL core; enterprise files are marked and not free

## Questions

### Is there an open source alternative to Salesforce?

Yes. All 4 listings here are open source: Corteza (Apache-2.0), EspoCRM (AGPL-3.0), Frappe CRM (AGPL-3.0), Twenty (AGPL-3.0 core with marked enterprise files).

### Which Salesforce alternatives have an MCP server?

Twenty has an MCP server from its builder.

### Which Salesforce alternative can an agent do the most with?

Twenty: 8 of 10 recorded jobs reachable. Jobs differ by listing, so read each list before you choose.