Vtiger CRM is a free, open-source alternative to expensive CRM systems. Learn how it works, its pros and cons, and how Affordable IT can set up, customise, and support Vtiger for your business.
Vtiger is a piece of software that lets you keep track of your customers, sales, and support tickets in one place without paying a massive monthly bill. Most CRM systems are a total rip-off for British businesses. For a medium-sized company in the UK, you can easily spend £50 to £100 per user every single month. If you have twenty staff, that is £24,000 a year just for a digital address book. Vtiger is the clever alternative because it offers an open-source version that is free to download and use.
How Vtiger actually works
Think of Vtiger as the brain of your business. It is a database where you put every phone call, email, and deal. When a customer rings up, you don’t have to scramble around looking for bits of paper or old emails. You type their name in, and everything is there. It connects your sales team with your support staff so everyone knows what is going on. It runs on a server, and you access it through your web browser, much like checking your bank balance or watching car videos.
The good bits
The best thing about Vtiger is that it is a “one-stop shop.” You get tools for sales, marketing, and customer service all bundled together. You can set up automatic emails to go out when a new lead comes in, which saves you from doing the boring manual work. Because it is open-source, you own your data. You aren’t locked into a contract with a giant tech firm that might double its prices next week. It is flexible, it is powerful, and it does exactly what it says on the tin.
Open Source Vtiger – free software, but you run it
Vtiger also has an open-source edition you can download and host yourself. The software is free, but you still pay for the running costs like hosting, backups, updates, security, and someone to fix it when it throws a tantrum.
See: Vtiger Open Source CRM.
Important: what’s free (and what isn’t) with Vtiger CRM
“Free CRM” usually has a catch, and Vtiger is no different. The good news is you can start at £0/month. The key is knowing which free option you’re using, and what you’ll pay for later (if anything).
Vtiger One Pilot (Cloud) – “Free Forever” (with limits)
Vtiger offers a £0/month cloud plan called One Pilot. It’s aimed at small businesses and startups, and it comes with limits (for example, up to 10 users and 3,000 records). Vtiger describes it as “Free Forever” and “a complete CRM for $0 forever”.
See: Vtiger pricing and Vtiger One Pilot free edition.
Paid cloud plans – if you need more users or features
If your team grows, or you need higher limits and extra tools, Vtiger also has paid cloud plans (Growth, Professional, Enterprise, and AI editions) with monthly per-user pricing.
See: Vtiger pricing.
Looking for more detail? Our full Vtiger review covers everything you need to know - link below.
The tricky bits and how we fix them
Now, there is a catch. Out of the box, the Vtiger interface is about as pretty as a 1980s dashboard. It can be a bit of a mess, and if you just give it to your team, they will probably get frustrated and go back to using messy Excel sheets. It has so many buttons and options that it feels like trying to fly a jet fighter when you just wanted to drive a van. Also, if things go wrong with the free version, there is no one to call.
This is where we come in. At Affordable IT, we provide IT support for business and we specialise in making this free software actually work for you. We can take that clunky interface and make it simple and functional. We handle the setup, so your team isn’t overwhelmed by too many options. We make sure the “Save” button is exactly where it should be.
Instead of wasting thousands of pounds on expensive software subscriptions, you can use the free version of Vtiger and let us handle the support. We solve the problem of “hit and miss” help by being at the end of the phone whenever you need us. It is much smarter to have a free tool backed by our expert team than to pay a fortune for a “fancy” system that you still don’t know how to use.
Give Affordable IT a shout, and we will get your CRM sorted properly.
Let’s turn these ideas into an action plan.
Jacob
"I’m currently on a mission to automate every single part of my job so I can achieve my ultimate career goal: being the only person in the building who gets paid to watch a progress bar."
