Twenty

Overview

Twenty is an open-source CRM that positions itself as an alternative to Salesforce for technical teams. Its product site links live GitHub and Discord counters, but this review does not freeze those fast-changing community numbers. The practical choice is between managed cloud, self-hosting under the project's license, and organization features such as SSO and row-level permissions.

The product is built around a simple thesis: if your business changes fast, your CRM should be as malleable as code. Twenty gives you the CRM building blocks—objects, views, workflows, permissions, and agents—and lets you extend them at runtime (custom fields without SQL migrations, even in the free self-hosted version) or as code via its TypeScript extension framework. Deployment options span managed cloud, self-hosted (AGPL-3.0, free forever), and certified partner rollouts in 1–2 weeks.

Twenty also leans hard into AI-native workflows. A native MCP (Model Context Protocol) server lets Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor read and write directly into the CRM, turning an AI agent into a first-class operator of your pipeline rather than a chatbot bolted onto the side.

Key Features

• Custom Objects and Fields at Runtime — Create new objects and fields through the UI without writing code or running SQL migrations. Available even on the free self-hosted version, which is unusual in the open-source CRM space where most "custom objects" require plan upgrades or migration scripts.

• Native AI Integration via MCP Server — Twenty ships a Model Context Protocol server that connects Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor directly to your CRM data. This is less "AI-washed chat" and more "your agent can actually create deals, update pipelines, and run workflows"—a meaningful difference for teams who want AI to execute, not just summarize.

• Workflow Automation with Webhooks and Triggers — Build multi-step workflows that fire on record changes, schedule events, or webhook calls. Hooks into AI workflow automation platforms like n8n and Zapier cover the "last mile" without custom code.

• TypeScript Extension Framework — For teams that want to go beyond configuration, Twenty offers a TypeScript extension framework for building custom views, actions, and integrations. Combined with the open-source codebase, this gives full control without forking.

• Core CRM Surface Area — Contacts, companies, deals with stage-based pipelines, tasks, notes, email and calendar sync, role-based permissions, row-level permissions (on Organization plan), and SAML/OIDC SSO. The feature list deliberately mirrors modern SaaS CRMs rather than replicating every legacy Salesforce feature.

• CSV and API Migration from Salesforce/HubSpot — Import via CSV or API, with documented patterns for migrations of 50,000+ records. Partner-led migrations include 4-hour onboarding packs for teams transitioning from legacy systems.

Pricing & Plans

Twenty uses a "free self-hosted + paid cloud" model. Cloud plans include a metered credit pool shared by workflow runs and AI operations: the current documentation lists 5 credits on monthly billing or 50 credits on annual billing, with additional credit packs sold separately. Yearly billing also carries a 25% seat-price discount.

• Self-Hosted (Free) — Self-host Twenty on your own infrastructure at no license cost, with all Pro-level features included. Premium features such as SSO and row-level permissions require the paid Organization (Self-Hosted) plan. You supply the infrastructure (docs cover Docker Compose, Railway, and one-click deploys). Best for teams with DevOps capacity who want zero ongoing license cost on the Pro feature set.

• Cloud Pro — $9/user/month (yearly) — Managed cloud hosting with automatic updates and a 30-day trial. Includes core customization, API, webhooks, workflows, and AI features, but workflow and AI execution consume the shared credit pool described above.

• Cloud Organization — $19/user/month (yearly) — Adds row-level permissions, SAML/OIDC SSO, and priority support. The same workflow/AI credit-metering boundary applies unless the live plan or purchased top-up says otherwise.

• Certified Partner Implementations — For teams that want a managed rollout, Twenty works with partners who offer 4-hour onboarding packs and 1–2 week full implementations, including Salesforce/HubSpot migration.

• Managed Third-Party Hosting — Third-party managed self-hosting options exist (for example, Elestio and CloudStation) if you want the free license without running infrastructure yourself. Their pricing changes independently of Twenty and should be validated on their own pricing pages before committing.

Self-hosted infrastructure cost is driven by cloud, architecture, support model, and premium feature needs—so the relevant question is usually "what does Pro self-hosting cost for our traffic shape," not a single headline number versus Salesforce licensing.

How It Compares

Twenty's durable distinction is deployment and extensibility: teams can use the managed cloud or operate the open-source code themselves, and the current product documents custom objects, APIs, webhooks, an Apps framework, and MCP access. Incumbent CRM prices and feature bundles change independently, so this pilot does not publish a cross-vendor matrix. Buyers should instead verify whether Twenty's current reporting, permissions, integrations, and sales-process features cover their own requirements.

Community & Ecosystem

Twenty is among the most active open-source CRM projects, and the community metrics are load-bearing for any team considering adoption:

• GitHub — The public repository exposes source, issues, releases, and contribution activity; use its live counters rather than a static number here.
• Discord — Twenty links a public community from its product site; current membership should be checked there.
• Deployment tooling — One-click deploys on Railway, Elestio, and CloudStation; official Docker Compose docs plus community-maintained Kubernetes deployment documentation. AWS self-hosting guides from third parties are common.
• Integrations — Native Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor via MCP server; n8n, Zapier, and webhook integrations for workflow automation; CSV/API migration tooling for Salesforce and HubSpot imports.
• Partner network — Certified implementation partners offer paid migration support for teams moving off incumbent CRMs, covering the gap between "docs" and "we need this running in a sprint."

For AI productivity stacks that want a CRM layer they can actually modify, this level of community and ecosystem maturity materially reduces the risk of adopting an open-source tool versus a proprietary SaaS.

Best For

• Technical founders and dev-led teams who want a CRM they can customize at code speed rather than wait for vendor roadmaps.
• Teams migrating off Salesforce or HubSpot primarily for cost or data-ownership reasons, willing to trade enterprise features for control and transparent pricing.
• AI-native organizations building agent-driven pipelines where Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor directly operate the CRM via MCP rather than through brittle integrations.
• Startups and SMBs that want modern CRM UX at $9/user/month without getting priced out as headcount grows.
• Agencies and consultancies that need to stand up custom CRMs for multiple clients; self-hosted + TypeScript extensions make multi-tenant customization tractable.
• AI sales assistant integrators embedding CRM functionality into broader sales automation products, where an AGPL-3.0 self-hostable backbone is preferable to a proprietary API dependency.

Avoid If

• You need mature CPQ, territory, reporting, or app-marketplace depth that only an incumbent CRM currently provides.
• You want free software without owning infrastructure, upgrades, backups, and incident response; self-hosting removes license cost, not operating cost.
• Your legal team has not reviewed AGPL-3.0 or your security team has not scoped the permissions granted to MCP-connected assistants.

Sources & Verification

• Last verified: 2026-08-20
• Evaluation scope: Current cloud pricing, self-hosting/open-source boundary, CRM extensibility, MCP availability, and decision-relevant enterprise gaps; migration time and product quality were not independently tested.
• Method: Source-based research from the official product materials below. No hands-on testing was performed for this update.
• Official sources:
  • Twenty product site
  • Twenty pricing
  • Twenty workflow and AI credits
  • Twenty documentation
  • Twenty source repository

FAQ