The all-in-one Nutshell alternative — flat price, never per seat
Nanobox is an all-in-one suite (CRM, finance, HR, support) at one flat price, unlimited users, never per seat — run it in the cloud and we host it, or self-host and own the source. Nutshell is a likeable CRM built for small sales teams, but every tier is per user per month, the API only opens up on the most expensive plan, and marketing, SMS, and prospecting are separate paid add-ons on top.
Nutshell vs. Spodus CRM
5-year cost
Nutshell: Per user, per month across five tiers ($13 to $79 on annual billing, higher month to month), renewing forever
Spodus CRM: Flat $29/mo (~$1,740 over five years) hosted, unlimited users — or $399 one-time to self-host. No seats, no renewal creep
Per-seat pricing
Nutshell: Yes. Every plan is billed per user, so cost climbs with headcount
Spodus CRM: None on either plan. One flat price covers the whole team
Hosting
Nutshell: Cloud only; there is no self-hosted edition
Spodus CRM: Cloud (we run it) or self-host on your own infrastructure, your choice
API access
Nutshell: Locked to the Enterprise tier; lower plans get no API and no add-on workaround
Spodus CRM: Full REST API on every plan, cloud or self-hosted, plus direct database access if you self-host
Data ownership
Nutshell: Your records live in Nutshell's cloud
Spodus CRM: Your data either way, hosted by us or in your own Postgres database if you self-host, exportable anytime
Source access
Nutshell: Closed SaaS
Spodus CRM: Full app included on Nanobox Cloud; full source code ships if you self-host
Add-on creep
Nutshell: Marketing, two-way SMS, quotes, and prospecting credits are separate paid add-ons
Spodus CRM: One flat price for the whole suite, including finance, HR, and support, not sold back to you as add-ons
AI markup
Nutshell: Prospecting and IQ features sold as metered credits
Spodus CRM: No AI features and no AI premium, by design, on either plan
Onboarding & support
Nutshell: Genuinely strong: free guided onboarding and responsive human support are a real selling point
Spodus CRM: Docs and email support on Nanobox Cloud, plus an optional done-for-you launch ($1,500) if self-hosting, but no white-glove onboarding team
Why teams switch
- One flat price covers the whole suite — CRM, finance, HR, and support — with unlimited users, never per seat.
- Run it in the cloud from $29/mo, or self-host and own the source from $399 one-time.
- The full API and database are yours from day one, not paywalled behind the top tier.
- No metered AI credits or add-on menu quietly inflating the monthly bill.
The price is per seat, and the API is upstairs
Nutshell does a lot right for small teams. The interface is approachable, the contact timelines are tidy, and the onboarding help is a genuine differentiator that bigger vendors rarely match. But the model is the familiar one: five tiers, each priced per user per month, with the friendly sticker reflecting an annual commitment. Hire three people and the bill grows by three seats. Want SMS, quotes, marketing email, or prospecting? Those are separate paid add-ons. Want the API to wire Nutshell into your own tools? That waits until the Enterprise tier.
Nanobox turns all of that into one flat decision. The default is Nanobox Cloud: sign up and we host the full suite — CRM, finance, HR, and support — for a flat $29 a month, unlimited users. There are no seats, so your fourth hire and your fortieth cost the same, and the REST API ships on every plan, not as a top-tier reward. If you'd rather own the infrastructure and the source outright, self-hosting with Docker starts at a one-time $399. And there are deliberately no AI features, so there's no credit meter and no AI surcharge.
Where Nutshell still earns its keep
Be fair about support. Nutshell's free guided onboarding and responsive human team are a real strength, and for a non-technical team that wants someone to set things up and answer the phone, that's worth paying for. Nanobox takes a different posture: clear docs and email support on Cloud, or an optional done-for-you launch for $1,500 if you'd rather we stand up your self-hosted instance. The trade is straightforward. Nutshell rents you a friendly, well-supported CRM on a per-seat plan with the API upstairs. Nanobox gives you a flat-priced suite — CRM, finance, HR, and support — hosted for you at $29 a month or self-hosted from $399 if you'd rather own it outright.
See the full Spodus CRM overview and our one-time pricing. Running a specific workflow? Browse industry presets for real estate, clinics, and field service.
Spodus CRM
Run your whole company in one workspace, CRM, finance, HR, and support, at one flat price.
from $399 · one-time
See Spodus CRMBuy a licenseQuestions, answered.
- Both. Nanobox Cloud is the default — a flat $29/mo (or $290/yr), unlimited users, we host, update, and back it up. If you'd rather own the infrastructure, a self-host license starts at $399 one-time with the full source code.
- Over any multi-year span, almost always. Nutshell bills per user every month and renews indefinitely, and features most teams want (the API, SMS, quotes) sit on higher tiers or paid add-ons. Nanobox is a flat $29/mo hosted regardless of headcount, or a one-time $399 if you'd rather self-host, and it also covers finance, HR, and support.
- Onboarding and support. Nutshell offers free guided setup and well-rated human help, which is real value if your team wants a vendor to hold their hand. Nanobox Cloud ships docs and email support, and self-hosting adds an optional done-for-you launch, but there's no dedicated onboarding team behind it.
- Yes. Export your contacts, companies, and leads from Nutshell as CSV and import them into Nanobox. If you self-host, you also own the Postgres database directly, so you can script a deeper migration if you need one.
- Not with Nanobox. The full REST API comes with every plan, cloud or self-hosted, no upgrade required. With Nutshell, API access only unlocks on the Enterprise plan.