WorkSuite guide
Self-hosted project management and CRM options
A self-hosted project management and CRM system runs on servers your team controls. Compare options by five criteria: what work they cover, their license, who runs updates and backups, where data lives, and how you extend them. Several market players publish self-hosted editions. Each one below is described only by its own pages.
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What does self-hosting mean in practice?
Self-hosting means you install and run the software on servers you control. You choose where data lives, and your team takes on updates, backups and security.
A hosted app is run by the vendor.
A self-hosted app is run by your team or your hosting partner.
Both can be the right choice. The criteria below help you decide.
Which criteria should you compare?
Compare self-hosted options by scope of work, license, operating effort, data location and extension. Score each option against the needs you wrote down first.
- Scope: does it cover projects, CRM, invoicing and support, or only some of them?
- License: is it open source, and under which license, or a paid commercial license?
- Operating effort: who installs it, updates it and backs it up?
- Data location: where must your data be stored?
- Extension: can you add modules, integrations or your own code?
Which self-hosted options are on the market?
Market players with a self-hosted edition include Worksuite by Froiden, Odoo, ERPNext, Dolibarr and OpenProject. The table lists what each one's own pages say about scope and license.
The table lists the options in alphabetical order.
Each row cites a source, read on 13 November 2026.
Check the source again before you decide, because products change.
| Option | Scope, in its own words | License or edition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolibarr ERP CRM | Contacts, quotes, invoices, orders, stocks, agendas, projects and human resources | GPL version 3 or later | github.com/Dolibarr/dolibarr |
| ERPNext | Accounting, order management, projects, CRM and more | GPL-3.0; Docker setup or managed hosting on Frappe Cloud | github.com/frappe/erpnext |
| Odoo | Web business apps including CRM, project management, billing and accounting | Source published under the LGPLv3; on-premise installation documented | github.com/odoo/odoo, odoo.com documentation |
| OpenProject | Project and portfolio management, agile boards, Gantt charts and time tracking | GPL version 3; free Community Edition for self-hosting | github.com/opf/openproject |
| Worksuite by Froiden | HR, CRM and project management: clients, projects, finance, tickets and more | Self-hosted Laravel script or SaaS edition | worksuite.biz |
When is a hosted app the better fit?
A hosted app fits when you do not want to run servers yourself. WorkSuite at worksuite.cloodo.com is a hosted app built on Worksuite by Froiden, and Cloodo runs it for you.
A hosted app moves updates and backups to the vendor.
Your team can focus on clients and projects.
The WorkSuite overview explains what the hosted app covers.
What should you check before you move?
Before you move to any new system, list the data you must bring over, such as clients, open projects and unpaid invoices. Move those first and check them before you switch.
Run old and new systems side by side for one billing cycle if you can.
Set up recurring invoices again in the new system before the next cycle.
Frequently asked questions
What does self-hosted mean for project management and CRM software?
Self-hosted means your team installs the software on servers it controls. Your team then also runs updates, backups and security for it.
Are self-hosted options open source?
Several are. Odoo is published under the LGPLv3. ERPNext, Dolibarr and OpenProject are published under the GPL version 3, according to their repositories.
Can the software behind WorkSuite be self-hosted?
Yes. Worksuite by Froiden, the product WorkSuite is built on, is sold as a self-hosted Laravel script and as a SaaS edition.
When is a hosted app a better fit than self-hosting?
Choose a hosted app when you do not want to run servers. WorkSuite at worksuite.cloodo.com is hosted for you.
Sources
- Dolibarr ERP CRM, project repository and README, accessed 2026-11-13.
- ERPNext, project repository and README (Frappe), accessed 2026-11-13.
- Odoo, LICENSE file of the source repository, accessed 2026-11-13.
- Odoo documentation: On-premise, accessed 2026-11-13.
- OpenProject, project repository and README, accessed 2026-11-13.
- Worksuite by Froiden, product site, accessed 2026-11-13.