CaseLight vs Primero

CaseLight is an open-source case management system for organizations doing frontline human-services work. It records clients and families, program enrollment, assessments, case notes, and case history, while reporting and monitoring features turn frontline records into information funders request. Organizations can self-host on Linux; the quickstart requires Docker and Docker Compose. Lighthouse also offers managed hosting, deployment, and customization for an organization’s build, fields, and workflows, with pricing based on organization size. Managed hosting includes patching, backups, secure infrastructure, and an in-kind service-level agreement. CaseLight is a modernized fork of OSCaR and uses the AGPL-3.0 license. The maker says each organization has an isolated database, sensitive fields are encrypted at rest, traffic uses HTTPS, and staff use multi-factor authentication including passkeys. An append-only audit log records who viewed or changed information. CaseLight is available on Linux, self-hosted, and web platforms, with a free plan and paid services priced on request. The current pilot excludes the Khmer locale, Thredded community forum, and v1 mobile API.

Primero is an open-source information management platform for protection-related data. Its use cases include child protection and gender-based violence case management, incident monitoring, and family tracing and reunification. Case workflows span identification, registration, assessment, planning, referrals and transfers, and closure, with supervision, notifications and tasking tools. The platform lists CPIMS+, GBVIMS+ and MRMIMS+ modules, along with intake forms, custom fields, audit trails and reporting dashboards. Teams can configure forms, roles, lookups, reports, languages, logos and locations through a self-service interface. Primero is available in more than 40 languages. Its v2 progressive web app works online and offline in modern browsers on mobile devices, tablets and laptops, though offline use is limited to creating cases and editing records already accessed in the session; changes submit after reconnection. A free DIY tier requires implementers to manage infrastructure and support. Full Service SaaS costs $8,250 a year, while Hybrid deployment costs $25,000 a year for the first year and decreases to the Tier 3 cost in year two and thereafter.