Systems Lab

6 alternatives to Twenty

Reviewed by Cheetah Systems Lab research team on 2026-08-03. Competitive set: Modern and developer-facing CRM. The reviewer profile includes the editorial and corrections policy.

Compare Twenty on price and setup. Check Twenty against 6 rivals on developer access, buyer fit and tradeoffs.

Read the Twenty profile

Why teams replace Twenty

Teams without engineering resources will get less value than the marketing suggests: the differentiators are a custom data model, an SDK for building apps/server functions, and API-first extensibility - all of which assume someone who can write code. SSO (SAML/OIDC) and row-level permissions require the Organization tier ($19/user/mo) and single-tenant isolation, IP allow-listing, and SCIM require Enterprise (from $50k/year), so security-conscious teams on a budget will hit a wall quickly. Self-hosting avoids per-seat cost but shifts hosting, upgrades, and security patching onto the team's own infrastructure.

Twenty current baseline

Every workspace gets its own schema-derived REST and GraphQL API - adding a custom object automatically creates matching endpoints - plus a Metadata API for managing objects/fields/relations programmatically.

  • Custom data modeling: compose objects, fields, and relationships without proprietary constraints
  • No-code workflow, view, and automation builder in Settings
  • Developer extensibility via a Twenty SDK for scaffolding TypeScript apps and server-side functions
  • Native MCP server (cloud and self-hosted) for Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and other MCP-compatible AI assistants
  • REST and GraphQL Core API generated per-workspace, plus a separate Metadata API for programmatically managing the data model
Published starting point
$9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing)
Setup
30m setup assessment
Developer access
API documentation, MCP documentation

How each alternative compares with Twenty

  • Attio vs Twenty

    Choose Attio when

    Choose Attio over Twenty when these published constraints align more closely with the requirement: $0 (Free, up to 3 seats); 30m setup assessment; Attio's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation, OpenAPI specification. The corresponding Twenty constraints are $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing); 30m setup assessment; Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation.

    Cheetah comparison of published constraints

    Keep Twenty in contention when

    Keep Twenty when 30m setup assessment, $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing), and Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation are the more workable constraints for the team than Attio's 30m setup assessment, $0 (Free, up to 3 seats), and Attio's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation, OpenAPI specification.

    Cheetah assessment

    Key tradeoff

    Attio versus Twenty on published starting price: Attio - $0 (Free, up to 3 seats); Twenty - $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing). On setup, Attio has a 30m setup assessment; Twenty has a 30m setup assessment. On developer access, Attio's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation, OpenAPI specification; Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation.

    Cheetah assessment

    For Attio versus Twenty, official pages checked 2026-07-30: Website used for Attio versus Twenty, Documentation used for Attio versus Twenty, Pricing used for Attio versus Twenty, API documentation used for Attio versus Twenty, OpenAPI specification used for Attio versus Twenty, MCP documentation used for Attio versus Twenty. These Attio sources inform comparison with Twenty, not every sentence individually.

  • Close vs Twenty

    Choose Close when

    Choose Close over Twenty when these published constraints align more closely with the requirement: $19/mo (Solo, or $9/mo billed annually); 1h setup assessment; Close's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation, OpenAPI specification. The corresponding Twenty constraints are $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing); 30m setup assessment; Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation.

    Cheetah comparison of published constraints

    Keep Twenty in contention when

    Keep Twenty when 30m setup assessment, $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing), and Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation are the more workable constraints for the team than Close's 1h setup assessment, $19/mo (Solo, or $9/mo billed annually), and Close's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation, OpenAPI specification.

    Cheetah assessment

    Key tradeoff

    Close versus Twenty on published starting price: Close - $19/mo (Solo, or $9/mo billed annually); Twenty - $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing). On setup, Close has a 1h setup assessment; Twenty has a 30m setup assessment. On developer access, Close's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation, OpenAPI specification; Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation.

    Cheetah assessment

    For Close versus Twenty, official pages checked 2026-08-03: Website used for Close versus Twenty, Documentation used for Close versus Twenty, Pricing used for Close versus Twenty, API documentation used for Close versus Twenty, OpenAPI specification used for Close versus Twenty, MCP documentation used for Close versus Twenty. These Close sources inform comparison with Twenty, not every sentence individually.

  • Day.ai vs Twenty

    Choose Day.ai when

    Choose Day.ai over Twenty when these published constraints align more closely with the requirement: $0/mo (Free); 1h setup assessment; Day.ai's checked sources link MCP documentation. The corresponding Twenty constraints are $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing); 30m setup assessment; Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation.

    Cheetah comparison of published constraints

    Keep Twenty in contention when

    Keep Twenty when 30m setup assessment, $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing), and Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation are the more workable constraints for the team than Day.ai's 1h setup assessment, $0/mo (Free), and Day.ai's checked sources link MCP documentation.

    Cheetah assessment

    Key tradeoff

    Day.ai versus Twenty on published starting price: Day.ai - $0/mo (Free); Twenty - $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing). On setup, Day.ai has a 1h setup assessment; Twenty has a 30m setup assessment. On developer access, Day.ai's checked sources link MCP documentation; Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation.

    Cheetah assessment

    For Day.ai versus Twenty, official pages checked 2026-08-03: Website used for Day.ai versus Twenty, Documentation used for Day.ai versus Twenty, Pricing used for Day.ai versus Twenty, MCP documentation used for Day.ai versus Twenty. These Day.ai sources inform comparison with Twenty, not every sentence individually.

  • folk vs Twenty

    Choose folk when

    Choose folk over Twenty when these published constraints align more closely with the requirement: $30/member/mo (Standard, monthly billing); 30m setup assessment; folk's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation. The corresponding Twenty constraints are $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing); 30m setup assessment; Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation.

    Cheetah comparison of published constraints

    Keep Twenty in contention when

    Keep Twenty when 30m setup assessment, $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing), and Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation are the more workable constraints for the team than folk's 30m setup assessment, $30/member/mo (Standard, monthly billing), and folk's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation.

    Cheetah assessment

    Key tradeoff

    folk versus Twenty on published starting price: folk - $30/member/mo (Standard, monthly billing); Twenty - $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing). On setup, folk has a 30m setup assessment; Twenty has a 30m setup assessment. On developer access, folk's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation; Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation.

    Cheetah assessment

    For folk versus Twenty, official pages checked 2026-08-03: Website used for folk versus Twenty, Documentation used for folk versus Twenty, Pricing used for folk versus Twenty, API documentation used for folk versus Twenty, MCP documentation used for folk versus Twenty. These folk sources inform comparison with Twenty, not every sentence individually.

  • HubSpot CRM vs Twenty

    Choose HubSpot CRM when

    Choose HubSpot CRM over Twenty when these published constraints align more closely with the requirement: $0 (Free CRM, up to 2 users); 30m setup assessment; HubSpot CRM's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation. The corresponding Twenty constraints are $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing); 30m setup assessment; Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation.

    Cheetah comparison of published constraints

    Keep Twenty in contention when

    Keep Twenty when 30m setup assessment, $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing), and Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation are the more workable constraints for the team than HubSpot CRM's 30m setup assessment, $0 (Free CRM, up to 2 users), and HubSpot CRM's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation.

    Cheetah assessment

    Key tradeoff

    HubSpot CRM versus Twenty on published starting price: HubSpot CRM - $0 (Free CRM, up to 2 users); Twenty - $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing). On setup, HubSpot CRM has a 30m setup assessment; Twenty has a 30m setup assessment. On developer access, HubSpot CRM's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation; Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation.

    Cheetah assessment

    For HubSpot CRM versus Twenty, official pages checked 2026-08-03: Website used for HubSpot CRM versus Twenty, Documentation used for HubSpot CRM versus Twenty, Pricing used for HubSpot CRM versus Twenty, API documentation used for HubSpot CRM versus Twenty, MCP documentation used for HubSpot CRM versus Twenty. These HubSpot CRM sources inform comparison with Twenty, not every sentence individually.

  • Pipedrive vs Twenty

    Choose Pipedrive when

    Choose Pipedrive over Twenty when these published constraints align more closely with the requirement: No published starting price in the reviewed sources; No setup assessment recorded; Pipedrive's checked sources link API documentation, OpenAPI specification. The corresponding Twenty constraints are $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing); 30m setup assessment; Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation.

    Cheetah comparison of published constraints

    Keep Twenty in contention when

    Keep Twenty when 30m setup assessment, $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing), and Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation are the more workable constraints for the team than Pipedrive's No setup assessment recorded, No published starting price in the reviewed sources, and Pipedrive's checked sources link API documentation, OpenAPI specification.

    Cheetah assessment

    Key tradeoff

    Pipedrive versus Twenty on published starting price: Pipedrive - No published starting price in the reviewed sources; Twenty - $9/user/mo (Pro, yearly billing). On setup, Pipedrive has a No setup assessment recorded; Twenty has a 30m setup assessment. On developer access, Pipedrive's checked sources link API documentation, OpenAPI specification; Twenty's checked sources link API documentation, MCP documentation.

    Cheetah assessment

    For Pipedrive versus Twenty, official pages checked 2026-08-03: Website used for Pipedrive versus Twenty, Documentation used for Pipedrive versus Twenty, API documentation used for Pipedrive versus Twenty, OpenAPI specification used for Pipedrive versus Twenty. These Pipedrive sources inform comparison with Twenty, not every sentence individually.

Twenty baseline sources

Verify before deciding

  • Named MCP tool list - Twenty's MCP server exposes tools via learn_tools/execute_tool discovery rather than a documented fixed list, so no mcpToolNames were recorded
  • A machine-readable OpenAPI specification was not included in the reviewed source set.

Cheetah assessed Twenty buyer fit, setup and tradeoffs. Shortlist reviewed 2026-07-31.

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