Quick answer
Fat Free CRM is a free, open source project in the “Sales & General CRM” group, built with Ruby on Rails, PostgreSQL/MySQL. It is released under MIT, has 3,633 GitHub stars, and its repository was last updated in Oct 2026. You can self-host it on your own server. Verified 14 October 2026.
Fat Free CRM
Simple, clean, lightweight open source CRM – built with Ruby on Rails – perfect for small teams and businesses who want no bloat
Self-Hosted (Free Open Source Edition – Recommended)
No software fee • Unlimited users • Easy Rails install • Very low resource usage
Self-Host Guide →Hosted Options (Third-Party)
No official cloud • Community/third-party Rails hosting available (~$5–$25/month)
See Hosted Options →🏠 Self-Hosted (Free Open Source Edition)
Download ZIP • Install on Ruby on Rails server • Lightweight and fast – great for small teams.
Download Latest ZIP (from our server)Downloaded directly from our mirror (latest stable version – always free)
Installation Steps
Requirements: Ruby 3.0+, Rails 6/7, Database • Works on VPS or local • Setup time: 10–30 minutes
Need a server to host it?
Docker, Node, Python, Java and similar stacks usually need a VPS where you can install your own software. A small VPS is enough to start, and you can upgrade later. Hostinger offers both shared web hosting and VPS plans.
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☁️ Hosted Options (Third-Party)
No official hosted version – use Rails-friendly hosting providers.
- Choose a Rails host (Heroku, Render, Railway, Fly.io, DigitalOcean App Platform)
- Deploy from GitHub repo: https://github.com/fatfreecrm/fat_free_crm
- Configure database (PostgreSQL recommended)
- App ready in minutes
Pricing (approx. Feb 2026, per month):
- Basic VPS / PaaS: $5–$15 (self-manage)
- Managed Rails host: $15–$40 (automatic scaling)
Self-Hosted vs Hosted – Detailed Comparison 2026
| Factor | Self-Hosted | Third-Party Hosted |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront Cost | $0 | $0 trial |
| Monthly Cost | $5–$20 (VPS) | $5–$40 |
| Data Ownership | 100% yours | Yours (they host) |
| Setup Time | 10–30 minutes | 5–15 minutes |
| Maintenance | You manage | Managed |
| Support | Community + wiki | Provider |
| Customization | Full Ruby/Rails access | Limited |
| Backup | You | Automatic |
| Scalability | Unlimited | Plan dependent |
| Best For | Small teams, simplicity, cost-saving | No maintenance needed |
Which option is better for YOUR business?
Small team / budget
→ Self-Hosted
1-year cost $60–$240. Free open source edition, simple setup.
No server skills
→ Third-Party Hosted
1-year cost $60–$480. Managed Rails hosting.
Need clean & lightweight CRM
→ Self-Hosted
No bloat, easy to extend with Rails.
Fat Free CRM is ideal for teams who want a simple, no-nonsense CRM – self-hosting is the best path for cost and privacy.
Frequently asked questions about Fat Free CRM
Is Fat Free CRM free and open source?
Fat Free CRM is released under MIT. Always read the LICENSE file in the official repository before you use, modify or redistribute it. License details were verified on 14 October 2026.
What technology does Fat Free CRM use?
Fat Free CRM is built with Ruby on Rails, PostgreSQL/MySQL.
Can I self-host Fat Free CRM?
Yes. You can download the source from the official GitHub repository and run it on your own server or VPS.
Who is Fat Free CRM best for?
Small teams and Rails developers who want a simple CRM.
What are good alternatives to Fat Free CRM?
Similar open source projects in this directory include Krayin CRM, SuiteCRM, EspoCRM. Compare them in the Sales & General CRM group.
Alternatives to Fat Free CRM
Krayin CRM
Free, open source CRM built with Laravel for SMEs and enterprises.
24k • MIT
SuiteCRM
Mature, enterprise-grade open source CRM with a huge community.
5.8k • AGPL-3.0
EspoCRM
Flexible, user-friendly CRM with a clean interface and a solid API.
3.5k • AGPL-3.0
yshop CRM
Sales-team CRM with multi-tenant and WeCom (WeChat Work) support.
1.9k • MIT
OroCRM
B2B-focused CRM built on the Symfony-based OroPlatform.
687 • OSL-3.0
Django-CRM (DjangoCRM)
CRM and task management with email marketing, built on Django.
637 • AGPL-3.0
Data verified 14 October 2026 from the project's public repository. Details change, so check the official sources. See our disclaimer. Found a mistake? Tell us.