Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to Salesforce · 🤝 crm
Salesforce vs Corteza
A self-hosted business-app suite with records, pages, workflows, charts, and enterprise-grade amounts of configuration. Here is how Corteza ($0/mo open source) stacks up against Salesforce ($25/mo) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.
Corteza
$0.00/mo · Apache-2.0
Salesforce vs Corteza Specification Matrix
facts verified 2026-08-10
| Dimension | Salesforce (Paid) | Corteza (Replacement) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $25 / mo | $0 / mo |
| 1-Year Cost (1 seat) | $300 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $300) |
| 1-Year Cost (5 seats) | $1,500 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $1,500) |
| 1-Year Cost (10 seats) | $3,000 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $3,000) |
| Source & License | Proprietary SaaS | open source Apache-2.0 |
| Where It Runs | Vendor Cloud | Self-host (your server) |
| Platforms | Web / Cloud | webself-hostedself-host, real ops |
| GitHub Stars | — | ★ 2.2k (active mar 2026) |
Deep Dive: Switching from Salesforce to Corteza
Trade-offs, installation & data architecture
What you trade away
Corteza is a record-and-workflow suite, not a pixel-flexible public web-app designer, so a consumer-facing Bubble product will look and behave much more constrained.
How to deploy Corteza
Docker Compose with a configured MySQL or PostgreSQL database
What it takes to run
Docker, a database, secrets, persistent-volume permissions, and a reverse proxy/TLS are the first operational hurdle
Where your data lives
Records and configuration live in the configured SQL database; uploaded attachments live in the server persistence directory
Why fork Corteza instead of vibe-coding a Salesforce clone?
Instead of paying recurring SaaS fees for Salesforce or rebuilding it from scratch, deploy one of the 5 battle-tested open-source alternatives like Odoo Community or ERPNext.
Salesforce vs Corteza FAQ
Is Corteza a good free alternative to Salesforce?+
Yes. Corteza is a verified open-source (Apache-2.0) replacement for Salesforce. A self-hosted business-app suite with records, pages, workflows, charts, and enterprise-grade amounts of configuration.
What is the catch when switching from Salesforce to Corteza?+
Corteza is a record-and-workflow suite, not a pixel-flexible public web-app designer, so a consumer-facing Bubble product will look and behave much more constrained.
How much do you save switching from Salesforce to Corteza?+
Salesforce costs $25/mo ($300/yr) per seat, whereas Corteza is $0/mo. Switching saves $300/yr for a solo user, $1,500/yr for a 5-person team, and $3,000/yr for a 10-person team.
How do I install or self-host Corteza instead of Salesforce?+
Install: Docker Compose with a configured MySQL or PostgreSQL database. Setup: Docker, a database, secrets, persistent-volume permissions, and a reverse proxy/TLS are the first operational hurdle