FluentCRM vs Groundhogg
Updated 11 Oct 2026. 25 features compared side by side.
Self-hosted email marketing and CRM plugin by WPManageNinja: unlimited contacts, campaigns and automation funnels, sending through your own SMTP or ESP.
Self-hosted CRM and marketing automation for WordPress with a visual flow builder, broadcasts, forms and contact records; premium plans add integrations.
Choose FluentCRM if…
- You want the lower entry price ($129/yr vs $240/yr)
- You prefer the more widely used option
Choose Groundhogg if…
- You need built-in sending service
- You want the more complete feature set (97/100 vs 91/100)
Groundhogg has 1 that FluentCRM lacks, including Built-in sending service. Both include 24 of the 25 features we track.
At a glance
Feature comparison
Click a screenshot to see both plugins side by side.
FluentCRM GroundhoggCampaigns5/55/5
Free block-based composer with dynamic tags; the drag-and-drop visual builder is Pro.
Core includes a block email editor with columns, text, image, button, posts and socials blocks.
Several built-in template styles, custom HTML templates and reusable saved templates free.
Start from built-in templates or import HTML; template libraries are an Agency extra.
Recurring campaigns send latest posts daily, weekly or monthly; Pro only.
Post Published flow trigger can email contacts on publish; needs the Advanced Features add-on.
Free version can send or schedule campaigns for a set date and time.
Broadcasts can be scheduled and are shown on a month calendar.
Subject-line A/B (split) testing for campaigns is a Pro feature.
Split (A/B) testing is included from the Basic plan.
Automation4/44/4
Free funnels with sign-up and form triggers, waits and emails; sequences need Pro.
Core flows with triggers, actions and delays; conditional logic needs Pro.
Free gets some purchase triggers and history; abandoned cart and revenue reports are Pro.
WooCommerce integration and cart abandonment are Pro-plan features.
Visual funnel canvas with delays is free; conditional branches require Pro.
Drag-and-drop flow editor with templates, undo/redo and per-flow metrics.
LearnDash, LifterLMS, TutorLMS, MemberPress, PMPro and other triggers are Pro only.
Core forms and user-role triggers are free; form-plugin triggers from Plus, LearnDash and MemberPress from Pro.
Subscribers & lists7/77/7
Embedded opt-in forms via free Fluent Forms integration; no native popup or slide-in.
Built-in form builder with shortcode block; no popup or slide-in display.
Global double opt-in settings with customisable confirmation email and redirect.
Confirmation links set an opt-in status that can trigger follow-up flows.
Lists, tags and contact filtering free; dynamic segments are Pro.
Tags, saved searches and filters on any contact data.
Unlimited contact custom fields, grouped and editable.
Unlimited CRM custom fields in the core plugin.
Profiles show email log, purchase history, form submissions and notes, even in free.
Contact records show activity and email history, notes, tasks and location.
CSV, WP users and migration from Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit etc.; export is Pro.
CSV import and export of contacts.
Email preference page lets contacts manage all or specific list subscriptions.
Automatic preferences centre with profile, erase and unsubscribe pages.
Sending & deliverability4/55/5
All contacts and campaign data are stored in your WordPress database.
Contacts, emails and flows are stored in your WordPress database.
Sends through any SMTP or ESP, typically via FluentSMTP with SES, Mailgun or SendGrid.
Uses your site's mail setup, so any SMTP plugin works; native SES, SendGrid and SMTP integrations need Pro.
FluentCRM does not send email itself; you connect a third-party delivery service.
MailHawk, the team's sending service, is a separate subscription from $10/year.
Bounce handlers for SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark, Brevo, SparkPost and more.
Bounce and complaint handling, including IMAP bounce checks, is a Pro-plan feature.
No limits on contacts or emails in the free plugin.
No vendor limits on contacts, flows or emails; real limits depend on hosting and sender.
Reports & integrations4/44/4
Campaign open, click and link-level reports with dashboard charts.
Open, click and conversion reports for broadcasts and flows.
Campaign revenue and WooCommerce reports are listed as Pro features.
Ecommerce Impact reporting attributes revenue; requires Pro integrations.
Fluent Forms integration free; Elementor Forms, webhooks and others in Pro.
WPForms, Gravity Forms, Fluent Forms, CF7 and others are included from Plus.
Double opt-in and data kept in your own database; vendor describes it as GDPR ready.
Tracks consent, offers data download and erase, and blocks marketing after consent is withdrawn.
Statuses: Yes Pro Add-on Partial 3rd-party No ?
Pricing compared
FluentCRM Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Free | Free per year, Unlimited |
| Solo/Blogger | $129 per year, 1 site |
| Small Business | $249 per year, 5 sites |
| Agency | $499 per year, 50 sites |
Groundhogg Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Free | Free per year, Unlimited |
| Basic | $240 per year, 1 site |
| Plus | $480 per year, 3 sites |
| Pro | $600 per year, 5 sites |
| Agency | $1,200 per year, 25 sites |
Downloads trend
FluentCRM
40,656 downloads last week
Groundhogg
1,841 downloads last week
Verdict
Groundhogg scores higher on our feature checklist (97/100 against 91/100) and includes built-in sending service that FluentCRM does not. Paid plans start at $129/yr for FluentCRM and $240/yr for Groundhogg. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Biggest differences
FluentCRM: not included. Groundhogg: via add-on. MailHawk, the team's sending service, is a separate subscription from $10/year.
Written from the feature, pricing and install data on this page, not from hands-on testing. How we compare.
Which would you choose?
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FluentCRM vs others
FAQ
Which is better, FluentCRM or Groundhogg?
Groundhogg scores higher on our feature checklist (97/100 against 91/100) and includes built-in sending service that FluentCRM does not. Paid plans start at $129/yr for FluentCRM and $240/yr for Groundhogg. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Which has more features?
Groundhogg includes 25 of the 25 features we track, against 24 for FluentCRM. Feature count is only part of the picture; check which of the differences matter to you.
Is FluentCRM free?
FluentCRM has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $129/yr.
Is Groundhogg free?
Groundhogg has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $240/yr.
Feature data last changed 11 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit to FluentCRM or Groundhogg. Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you; it never affects our data or rankings.