FluentCRM

Overview

FluentCRM is a self-hosted, WordPress-native CRM and email marketing automation platform prioritizing data ownership and GDPR compliance. All data stays on your servers. Powerful automation without vendor lock-in.

Pricing Structure

Free Version:

Core CRM functionality
Unlimited contacts
Unlimited users
Basic automation
Full WordPress integration
GDPR compliance built-in

Premium Features ($129/year minimum):

Advanced automation workflows
Advanced reporting
SMS automation
Advanced segmentation
Priority support

Pro Plans:

Individual extension purchase: $29-129/year each
Bundle pricing available

Core Architecture: Self-Hosted

Data Ownership

100% self-hosted: Data never leaves your server
No external SaaS required: Operates entirely within WordPress
Complete privacy: No vendor can access customer data
GDPR compliant by design: Full data control means full GDPR compliance

Why This Matters

Traditional CRMs (HubSpot, Zoho) store data on their servers. FluentCRM stores everything in your WordPress database, giving you complete data sovereignty.

Core Features

Contact Management

Contact creation and organization
Company/account management
Custom fields (unlimited)
Contact segmentation
Tag-based organization
Behavioral tracking

Email Marketing

Email campaign builder
Drag-and-drop editor
Template library
A/B testing
Schedule campaigns
Drip campaigns
Segment targeting

Automation Workflows

Conditional workflows: If X, then Y
Behavioral triggers: Based on user actions
Time-based automation: Delays, wait for conditions
Multi-step sequences: Complex journeys
Segment actions: Apply to groups
Integration triggers: From other platforms

Automation Examples:

Send welcome email when contact added
Trigger follow-up after 3 days of inactivity
Segment users by behavior
Send abandoned cart reminders
Birthday/anniversary emails
Engagement-based sequences

Integration with WordPress Plugins

Fluent Forms: Automatic subscriber addition
WooCommerce: Order tracking, customer lifecycle
Easy Digital Downloads: Digital product tracking
BuddyBoss: Community integration
LifterLMS: Course integration
LearnDash: Course integration
Comment forms: Blog subscriber capture
WordPress user signup: Auto-sync users

Built-in GDPR Features:

IP address anonymization options
Auto-delete contacts when WordPress users removed
Double opt-in support
One-click unsubscribe
Consent tracking
GDPR-compliant transactional emails (NEW in 2026)
Personal data export integration
Cookie consent integration

Fluent Forms GDPR Integration:

GDPR consent field
Customizable consent text
Consent tracking per subscriber
One-click compliance

Email Deliverability

Important: Requires external email service
Supported services: SendGrid, SMTP, AWS SES, Mailgun
Transactional emails: Can send via standard SMTP
Subscriber emails: Recommended service: SendGrid (free for small volume)

Reporting & Analytics

Campaign performance metrics
Subscriber engagement reports
Automation analytics
Conversion tracking
Custom reporting

Recent Innovations (2026)

Transactional Email Capability

Previously limited to subscriber campaigns. Now supports:

Order confirmation emails
Abandoned cart notifications
Password reset emails
Account notifications
Non-subscriber transactional emails
GDPR-compliant transactional workflows

Strengths

Privacy-first design: Data stays on your server
GDPR compliant: Built-in compliance features
Powerful automation: Advanced workflow capabilities
No per-contact pricing: Unlimited contacts free
Deep WordPress integration: Native experience
Flexibility: Customize everything
No vendor lock-in: Your data, your server
Cost-effective: Free version powerful; paid very affordable
Self-hosted: Complete control
Active development: Regular updates and features

Limitations

Technical setup: Requires WordPress knowledge
Email delivery: Must connect external service
No native mobile app: WordPress mobile app only
Smaller community: Than HubSpot or larger platforms
Reporting limitations: Simpler than enterprise CRMs
Email service required: Additional cost for email delivery
Learning curve: Automation workflow complexity
Hosting responsibility: You maintain backups and security

Setup Requirements

Technical Prerequisites

WordPress site (5.0+)
PHP 7.4+ (8.0+ recommended)
At least 100MB server space
Email service API credentials (SendGrid, SMTP)

Installation Steps

Install FluentCRM plugin
Activate plugin
Run setup wizard
Add email service credentials
Configure GDPR settings
Create first form/automation

Setup time: 30-60 minutes for basics

Use Cases

Ideal For:

Privacy-conscious businesses
GDPR-regulated industries
Membership sites
Online courses (eLearning)
Digital product creators
Content creators (blogs, etc.)
Nonprofits
B2B companies
Email-first marketing
Automation-heavy workflows

Not Ideal For:

Non-technical users
Sales teams (minimal CRM features)
Enterprise-scale operations
Mobile-first requirements

Comparison with Alternatives

Feature	FluentCRM	Jetpack	HubSpot	Zoho
Cost	Free	Free	Free	Free tier
Data Location	Your DB	Your DB	Cloud	Cloud
Automation	✅ Advanced	Limited	Limited free	Limited free
GDPR	✅ Built-in	⚠️ Manual	Moderate	Moderate
Email Service	External required	Built-in	Built-in	Built-in
WooCommerce	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ Limited	❌ No
Free Users	Unlimited	Unlimited	2	3
Learning Curve	Medium	Low	Low	Medium
Privacy	✅ Highest	✅ High	Moderate	Moderate

Automation Workflow Examples

Example 1: Welcome Sequence

New contact added
Send welcome email immediately
Wait 3 days
Send product overview email
Wait 5 days
Send case study email
End sequence

Example 2: Abandoned Cart (WooCommerce)

Customer abandons cart (via WooCommerce)
Send reminder email after 1 hour
If not purchased, send second email after 24 hours
If not purchased, tag as “abandoned”
Add to re-engagement sequence

Example 3: Course Engagement

User enrolls in course (LifterLMS)
Send lesson overview email
If completes lesson, send next lesson email
If doesn’t complete in 7 days, send reminder
If completes course, send congratulations + next steps

Email Service Options

Service	Cost	Volume	Best For
SendGrid	Free-$300+/mo	Up to 100K/mo free	Growing lists
Amazon SES	$0.10 per 1K emails	Large volume	High volume
Mailgun	Free-$35/mo	1K free/mo	Developers
SMTP (Gmail)	Free	Limited	Testing/small

Security Considerations

Data security: Your responsibility (depends on WordPress hosting)
Encryption: TLS in transit (with email service)
Backup: Must configure (WordPress hosting responsibility)
Access control: WordPress user roles control access
Compliance: Built-in GDPR features

Getting Started Checklist

Cost Analysis

Scenario: Email marketing + automation for 5K subscribers

Item	Cost	Notes
FluentCRM	Free	Unlimited contacts
SendGrid	$30/mo	For 5K/mo sends
WordPress Hosting	$20-100/mo	Depends on plan
Total	$50-130/mo	Much cheaper than alternatives

Compare to:

HubSpot Professional: $890/mo+
Zoho: $18/user/mo + email
Jetpack: $17/mo (free invoicing bonus)

When to Choose FluentCRM

Choose FluentCRM when:

Privacy and data control are priorities
Need advanced automation
GDPR compliance required
Unlimited contacts needed
Email marketing focus
Cost-sensitive
Self-hosted preference
Want no vendor lock-in

Choose alternatives when:

Non-technical team
Need full CRM (sales focus)
Require mobile-first UI
Want managed solution
Heavy integration needs

Alternatives to Consider

Jetpack CRM: WordPress-native, invoicing focus, simpler
HubSpot: Cloud-based, enterprise automation, integrations
Zoho: Cloud-based, affordable, Zoho ecosystem

Conclusion

FluentCRM is the best choice for privacy-conscious, automation-focused businesses. Free core with powerful workflows. Data stays on your servers. GDPR-compliant by design.

Perfect For: Email marketers, content creators, membership sites, privacy-first companies, GDPR-regulated businesses, automation enthusiasts.

Explorer