Comparison · Self-hosted vs Managed

Dossier vs HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM is Free (limited) / $45/mo (Starter). Dossier is a self-hosted alternative at $0.99/mo. Here's when each makes sense.

Try Dossier Free Dossier overview

At a glance

	Dossier	HubSpot CRM
Hosting	Self-hosted, your infra	Managed SaaS (cloud only)
Data location	Your server, your disk	HubSpot CRM's cloud
Free tier	100 contacts	Free
Pro pricing	$0.99/mo	Free (limited) / $45/mo (Starter)
Dependencies	None (single binary + SQLite)	N/A (managed)
Setup time	~30 seconds	Account signup
Dashboard	Built-in at /ui	Cloud dashboard
License	BSL 1.1	Proprietary SaaS

When to use Dossier

Pick Dossier when you want simplicity and ownership.

Self-hosted — contact data stays on your server
$0.99/mo vs $45/mo for Starter features
No per-seat pricing
Single binary, no vendor lock-in

Dossier is a single Go binary with embedded SQLite. Install it with one command, and you are running in under a minute. Your data stays on your server.

curl -fsSL https://stockyard.dev/dossier/install.sh | sh

Install Dossier Dossier docs

When HubSpot CRM fits better

HubSpot CRM makes sense when you need more.

Full marketing, sales, and service platform
Email sequences, landing pages, and forms built in
Extensive integration marketplace
Free tier is genuinely useful for small teams

HubSpot is a full GTM platform — CRM, marketing automation, sales tools, and service desk. If you need all of that, HubSpot is the industry standard. If you need a simple CRM for managing contacts and deals without giving your customer data to a third party, Dossier does the basics on your own server.

How to choose

The pricing math between Dossier and HubSpot CRM changes depending on team size. HubSpot CRM at Free (limited) / $45/mo (Starter) is reasonable for a solo user. At ten seats, the difference compounds. Dossier is a flat $0.99/mo regardless of seats — the binary does not count how many people use it. For growing teams, this makes Dossier progressively cheaper while HubSpot CRM gets progressively more expensive.

Technical differences

The operational difference is significant. HubSpot CRM requires you to trust their infrastructure, their security practices, and their business continuity. Dossier requires you to run a process and keep the data directory backed up. If your server dies, restore the binary and the SQLite file to a new server. The entire recovery procedure fits in a single paragraph because there is nothing else involved.

Switching from HubSpot CRM

The migration path from HubSpot CRM depends on how much history you need to bring over. If you only need active records, a manual re-entry through Dossier's dashboard might be faster than writing a migration script. If you need full history, export from HubSpot CRM and use Dossier's POST API to import records. Either way, the process is measured in hours, not weeks.

FAQ

Is Dossier a HubSpot alternative?

Dossier handles contact management, deal pipeline, and basic CRM features. HubSpot is a full GTM platform with marketing automation, email sequences, and more.

Can Dossier do email sequences?

Not currently. Dossier focuses on contact and pipeline management. For email sequences, use HubSpot, Mailchimp, or a dedicated email tool.

Dossier overview

Get started

Self-hosted contact and CRM manager in 30 seconds.

Single binary. Free to start. $0.99/mo for Pro.

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