CRM

10 Best CRM for Small Business (in 2024)

Liucija Adomaite
LAST UPDATED
August 12, 2024
READING TIME
7 min.

All successful businesses are using CRM these days. Small businesses are no exception.

In fact, 83% of SMBs say that customer relationship management software is very effective in helping them achieve their marketing goals.

In this article, we analyzed the best CRMs for small businesses so you can pick the right one for your needs and goals.

We reviewed their features, pros and cons, and pricing plans and rounded up the ten best small business CRM software solutions that can massively benefit you without breaking the bank.

10 Best CRM software for small businesses: The Overview

<td><a href="#1">1. Vtiger</a></td> is the best all-in-one CRM software for small businesses

<td><a href="#2">2. Less Annoying CRM </a></td> is the cheapest CRM for small businesses and startups

<td><a href="#3">3. Capsule CRM </a></td> is the best minimalist CRM for small-medium business

<td><a href="#4">4. Folk </a></td> is the best CRM for small teams with simple sales processes

<td><a href="#5">5. Kommo </a></td> is the best small business CRM for conversational sales

<td><a href="#6">6. NetHunt </a></td> is the best small business CRM for Gmail inbox

<td><a href="#6">6. NetHunt </a></td> is the best small business CRM for Gmail inbox

<td><a href="#7">7. Salesmate </a></td> is the best CRM for small business that combines multiple communication channels

<td><a href="#8">8. Freshsales</a></td> is the best simple CRM for small business

<td><a href="#9">9. HoneyBook</a></td> is the CRM-like small business management solution for proposal and contract creation

<td><a href="#10">10. Salesforce Starter</a></td> is the best beginner small business CRM

CRM for small businesses vs. CRM for large enterprises: What’s the difference?

Small business CRM software offers more streamlined and user-friendly features tailored to the limited needs and resources of smaller companies.

These CRMs focus on essential functionalities like contact management, sales tracking, and automation, making them easier to use and more cost-effective.

Some popular examples of CRMs designed for smaller companies include Folk, Vtiger, and Freshsales. And there are many more we have reviewed for this article.

In contrast, heavyweight CRMs designed for large enterprises, like Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics 365, offer extensive features, including advanced analytics, integrated marketing tools, and customizability.

They are built to handle complex business processes and offer all-in-one solutions.

These enterprise-level CRMs support large volumes of data and users and offer robust integrations with various third-party applications and custom development capabilities.

Additionally, very well established CRM solutions come with higher costs and require dedicated IT support and training for effective implementation.

If you are still wondering what CRM is and what exactly this software does, make sure to read our in-depth CRM guide.

Do you need a small business CRM?

Every small company needs a CRM software for small business to centralize their customer’s information and make the best use out of it.

But small businesses have very different needs than large enterprises.

Small companies typically:

  • Have limited resources (time and staff) they can dedicated for CRM training
  • Have budget restrictions
  • Require a system that offers core functionalities
  • Require easy and quick set-up
  • Have a possibility to scale in the future
  • Require a very comprehensive contact management solution

Most heavyweight all-in-one CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot are too much an investment for small companies.

For example, a CRM that comes with AI-powered features like Einstein 1 Sales can set you back at a steep $500 bill per user/month.If your business is just starting ouhigh.

The good news is that there are CRM tools that are designed for small business in mind.

It means you can get a lot of great CRM features like automations, analytics and reporting, and customer relationship management that are much more affordable.

Moreover, if you’re small organization, you need to have in mind data security. Your chosen CRM application should map data correctly with the assigned field while importing and exporting information. It must secure there’s no data leakage.

10 Best CRM software for small businesses: The 360° Review

<a id="1" />

1. Vtiger is the best all-in-one CRM software for small businesses

Vtiger CRM is designed to streamline business operations for small businesses by offering an all-in-one solution that combines sales, marketing, and customer service tools.

It simplifies contact management, sales automation, email marketing, and customer support processes, making it easier for small teams to manage their customer relationships effectively.

Vtiger CRM also includes features like task management and pipeline visualization to provide insights into business performance.

Its user-friendly interface and affordable pricing make it an ideal choice for small businesses looking to enhance their efficiency without a steep learning curve or high cost.

Rating: G2 - 4.3/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best For: Small and midsize businesses who want a comprehensive CRM solution to cover all tasks at once.

Vtiger Pros:

  • Simple to configure and customize
  • Easy to set up and use
  • Two-tier pricing based on user access needs
  • Email, calling, and note taking are easily accessible
  • Proactive alert system to increase your sales activity

Vtiger Cons:

  • Navigation and menu can be confusing
  • Doesn’t support multiple sales pipelines
  • Steeper learning curve compared to competitors
  • No custom dashboards
  • No robust analytics

Vtiger Price:

One Growth plan starts from $12/month per user when billed annually. It allows one person a full access to all business functions available in the edition across all apps in Vtiger.

Meanwhile, One Professional plan starts from $30/month per user billed annually. If you want to add more team members the price increases: for example, if you need five team members to have a Vtiger account, you pay $150/month in a year.

The access to app adds around additional $20/month per user for One Professional plan.

The Verdict:

Vtiger promises a lot and it can deliver quite a bit if one person access in your team for $12 a month is enough for you.

The problem with Vtiger is as soon as you need more team members to have a dedicated account, your spending starts adding up.

<a id="2" />

2. Less Annoying CRM is the cheapest CRM for small businesses and startups

Less Annoying CRM is the solution designed to cater to the needs of small businesses that are budget-conscious.

Its biggest advantage is the price, which is virtually impossible to beat in the CRM market.

LACRM is only $15/user per month with a generous 30-day free trial (and no credit card needed). For this price, however, you have to make some sacrifices.

Less Annoying CRM is simple and basic, but it lacks many advanced CRM functionalities that could take your business to another level.

If a small business gets to the scaling stage, the less annoying CRM will no longer be enough. The best part about LACRM is that it’s built to be as easy to use as possible.

The LACRM feature set is what you see is what you get, which looks very refreshing compared with more complex CRM platforms with steep learning curves.

Rating: G2 - 4.9/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best For: Small businesses with small budgets and no internal IT resources for CRM training.

LACRM Pros:

  • Super easy to use
  • One very affordable pricing plan
  • Sales pipeline management
  • REST API
  • Email and phone support
  • Automated reminders and task prioritization
  • Unlimited custom fields
  • Cloud access
  • 25 GB of storage per user for file attachments

LACRM Cons:

  • No custom dashboards
  • No email routing
  • No analytics features
  • No option for team CRM
  • If you go over 50,000+ contacts and companies you may encounter performance issues

Less Annoying CRM price:

LACRM offers one subscription plan only: $15 per user per month + tax

The Verdict: 

There's a hype about LACRM for a reason. It's straight-forward, super simple and affordable. If you don't care about analytics and reporting, and don't feel the need for a team CRM, give it a try.

<a id="3" />

3. Capsule CRM is the best minimalist CRM for small-medium business

Capsule is a CRM solution for businesses of up to 1,000 employees. According to their page, Capsule is used by 10,000 businesses around the world to boost the performance of their sales and customer teams.

Capsule stands out as a CRM solution that’s both easy to use and quick to implement.

It’s a great platform for organizing contacts, leads, and customer interactions paired with customization and reporting features.

The Starter plan starts at only €15 per user per month (billed annually), and the top tier plan costs €68 per user per month (billed annually).

It also has a free plan for you to try out that offers basic features for a maximum of 2 users and 250 contacts.

Rating: G2 - 4.7/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Capsule Pros:

  • Sales pipelines and project boards
  • Workflow automations
  • Activity and sales reporting
  • Project boards and custom fields
  • No onboarding fees
  • Easy to use and quick setup
  • Over 60 integrations (Mailchimp, Zero, Gmail and Office 365, etc.)

Capsule Cons:

  • Marketing features cost extra
  • No reporting features in free plan
  • No assigned sales team or account manager
  • It can be confusing to locate the features

Capsule CRM price:

Capsule offers 4 distinct pricing plans, plus a free trial of 14 days.

Free Plan: A basic starter CRM for up to 2 users and 250 contacts, ideal for trying out essential CRM features at no cost.

1. Starter: €15 Per User/Month, Billed Annually:

30,000 contacts, 1 sales pipeline, 1 project board, 50 custom fields, 10 AI content assists, 1 shared mailbox, 5 email templates, key integrations, and activity reporting.

2. Growth: €28 Per User/Month, Billed Annually:

Everything in Starter, plus: 60,000 contacts, 5 sales pipelines, 5 project boards, 150 custom fields, 1000 AI content assists, 3 shared mailboxes, 50 email templates, workflow automation, custom activity types, advanced sales reporting, user roles & permissions, business enrichment, and contact enrichment.

3. Advanced: €49 Per User/Month, Billed Annually:

Everything in Growth, plus: 120,000 contacts, 50 sales pipelines, 50 project boards, 300 custom fields, 1000 AI content assists, 5 shared mailboxes, 500 email templates.

4. Ultimate: €68 Per User/Month, Billed Annually:

Everything in Advanced, plus: 240,000 contacts, 100 sales pipelines, 100 project boards, unlimited custom fields, 1000 AI content assists, 10 shared mailboxes, 1000 email templates, implementation support, import assistance, custom training, dedicated account manager, and ongoing priority support.

The Verdict:

Capsule CRM is uncomplicated and intuitive customer relationship management solution with relatively friendly price (on Starter plan) and a few basic features.

However, it lacks more advanced features and there are limitations for the number of cotacts, pipelines, projects and templates you get with cheaper plans.

<a id="4" />

4. Folk is the best CRM for small teams with simple sales processes.

If you’re a small business looking for personalized communication features for your sales team, Folk CRM is for you. Folk CRM offers AI-powered email personalization functionalities that not many CRMs in this list can match.

Using it, you can create human-like emails for every individual contact, which will enhance and strengthen relationships between your contacts.

Another good thing about Folk CRM is that it offers multiple pipelines.Its intuitive interface reminds Notion, which makes it easy to manage contact lists and relationship stages.

The only catch is that if you’re budget-conscious and opt for the most affordable Folk’s pricing plan, which is $20/member/month, you don’t get custom objects and email sequences functionalities.

The standard plan for small teams has even more limitations in terms of the maximum given amount of emails, enrichments, domains, and so on.

Folk Pros:

  • Automated lead capture through social media including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X
  • Import LinkedIn search lists directly into your folk CRM
  • LinkedIn warm lead automation
  • Mail merge and sequences
  • Lead and pipeline management
  • Contact management and real-time contact sync
  • AI assistance
  • Multiple marketing campaigns management
  • Template library

Folk Cons:

  • The cheapest Standard Plan is pretty basic with serious limitations in core features
  • Not enough reporting and analytics
  • Limited segmentation filters
  • Lacks integrations
  • Lacks data models like “deal” and “opportunity”
  • No mobile app

Folk Price:

You can try folk for free with a 14 day free trial. After that, a monthly or annual subscription plan is as follows:

  • Standard: $20 per user, per month
  • Premium: $40 per user, per month
  • Custom: Starts from $80 per user, per month

The Verdict:

Folk CRM is the best fit for individuals or small B2B sales teams with pretty simple sales processes that need a simple tool.

It does a great job in automating outreach and organizing contacts so if that’s something your business focuses on — we recommend trying out Folk.

It may also be a great CRM for one-time use, such as for events and fundraising.

However, Folk CRM is not sufficient enough for larger sales teams with complex sales processes that need proper reporting and analytics.

<a id="5" />

5. Kommo is the best small business CRM for conversational sales

Kommo CRM is a multifunctional platform that enhances customer interactions and streamlines sales processes.

It focuses on boosting conversational sales via multi-channel platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Telegram. It supports all major messenger platforms, so you get a unified contact view in one inbox.

Moreover, Kommo features a code-free chatbot builder that allows businesses to engage with customers personally and ensure 24/7 availability.

Small businesses benefit from Kommo's lead generation features, easy-to-use integrations, and web forms.

Kommo centralizes all communications—chats, calls, and emails—storing them in a lead card to ensure no data is lost.

Additionally, its mobile app for iOS and Android allows sales teams to manage their CRM on the go.

Rating: G2 - 3.7/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best for: Small sales teams that focus on selling via multi-channel conversations with leads and customers

Kommo Pros:

  • 3 customizable pipeline, inbox, and list views
  • Multiple conversations (WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, Facebook) in one inbox
  • WhatsApp broadcast and automation feature (in higher tier plans only)
  • Has a mobile app
  • Kommo “Rewriter” AI feature

Kommo Cons:

  • Not enough information about the pricing plans
  • Actual features are not transparent enough
  • Automation feature is only available in more expensive plans
  • Weak integrations

Kommo price:

Kommo CRM offers 3 main pricing plans:

  • Base Plan is $15/user/month, and it’s designed for small businesses that want a unified inbox, unlimited sales pipelines, and a task management feature.
  • Advanced Plan is $25/user/month, and it caters to growing companies that get everything in Base plus no-code salesbot and pipeline automation.
  • Enterprise Plan will set you back at $45/user/month and will give you everything in Advanced plus an increased client database and advanced client profiles.

The Verdict:

On paper, Kommo CRM sounds like a good enough solution for small businesses that make most of their sales on message and chat apps.

However, the lack of information about the actual features and pricing plans Kommo offers easily deters potential users from making a commitment.

<a id="6" />

6. NetHunt is the best small business CRM for Gmail inbox

NetHunt is a Gmail CRM that gives sales automation and drip campaigns to your inbox. What's cool about using NetHunt as your go-to CRM is its user-friendly interface and seamless integration.

By connecting directly to your Gmail account, NetHunt allows you to manage CRM tasks within your inbox, making it incredibly convenient for daily operations.

The setup is also straightforward: sign up with your Gmail, install the browser extension, and you're ready to go.

If your business is into multi-channel communication, NetHunt covers LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and Telegram.

It also offers a separate dashboard for big-picture decisions, deal tracking, and email campaign management.

The biggest con is that NetHunt's pricing can become really steep if your business scale is high since advanced features cost more.

When it comes to integrations, NetHunt CRM integrates with Looker Studio for advanced reporting and Zapier to expand your app ecosystem.

Rating: G2 - 4.6/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best For: small businesses that reply on Gmail customer contacts

NetHunt Pros:

  • Sales automation (data entry, email sequences, email linking, alerts)
  • Automatic data entry
  • Connects to LinkedIn
  • Chats on multiple channels (WhatsApp and Telegram)
  • Simple reports available for user activity, pipeline, and sales stage
  • Separate dashboard for Gmail

NetHunt Cons:

  • Cheapest plan offers very limited functionalities
  • Gets pricey quickly as your business grow
  • Sales automation features start only from $48/user/month in Business plan
  • Pricier than competitor small business CRMs
  • Three most affordable plans contain NetHunt branding

NetHunt Price:

NetHunt offers 5 pricing plans and a free trial:

  • Basic plan for $24/user/month with annual commitment gives you very limited CRM capacity. You only get Gmail and Google Workspace integration, 1 messenger account to connect, and very basic emailing features. Even for small teams and businesses that are just starting out, this plan may be not enough.
  • Basic Plus plan is $34/user/month with annual commitment. It gives you slightly more functionalities including mass email campaigns, 2 additional messenger accounts to connect, WhatsApp integration.
  • Business plan for $48/user/month billed annually definitely looks more solid since it offers email sequences and sales automation features. You also get reports, API Access, VoIP integrations.
  • Business Plus plan will cost you $68/user/month/billed annually for extra automation workflows, more custom roles and API calls, and NetHunt branding removal.
  • Advanced plan is a whopping $96/user/month billed annually and it gives you unlimited messengers to connect, more email campaigns, unlimited API calls. However, the price is likely too high for a small business to commit to.

The Verdict:

NetHunt can be a great Gmail CRM focused on small business, but its most affordable plan is lacking so much, it’s a question if it will be efficient tool for any team.

To get some more useful features, you have to upgrade to Basic Plus and Business plans.

Beware, the costs add up quickly so you gotta make a sacrifice if you want to choose NetHunt as your go-to CRM.

<a id="7" />

7. Salesmate is the best CRM for small business that combines multiple communication channels

Salesmate CRM is designed for small businesses because it integrates multiple communication channels into a single, customizable platform.

This CRM includes an AI chatbot assistant and supports phone calls and SMS in addition to standard email, which enhances how businesses interact with their leads and customers.

The user-friendly interface provides a smooth onboarding experience, complete with mini-tutorials that help users get up to speed quickly.

Phone and SMS features are also useful. Meanwhile, emails are managed in a Team Inbox, enabling collaborative handling of incoming messages.

Rating: G2 - 4.6/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best For: small to medium-sized businesses that need a versatile tool to combine multiple communication channels, including email, phone calls, and SMS, into one platform.

Salesmate Pros:

  • AI chatbot
  • Customizable screen layouts
  • Solid automation journeys
  • Free 15-day trial
  • Drip email marketing campaigns
  • Built-in calling and texting
  • Lead gen web forms

Salesmate Cons:

  • Not the most affordable solution
  • Sales automation pricing increases based on your number of contacts
  • Steeper learning curve in advanced features
  • No customer support seven days a week or by phone

Salesmate price:

Salesmate CRM offers 4 different plans:

  • Basic plan costs $23 user/month with an annual commitment
  • Pro plan costs $39 user/month with an annual commitment
  • Business plan is $63 user/month with an annual commitment
  • Enterprise plan (contact their sales team)

The Verdict:

If your business focuses on communicating with leads and clients via multiple platforms, we recommend trying out Salesmate.

The biggest downside is that it's not the most affordable CRM on this list and you may get even more value for the same price if you choose a different small business CRM.

<a id="8" />

8. Freshsales is the best simple CRM for small business

Freshsales CRM from Freshworks is a robust CRM that can cater to businesses of all sizes.

However, small businesses can also benefit from Freshsales due to its user-friendly interface and integration within the Freshworks software suite.

Freshsales stands out with its AI features like Freddy for lead scoring and sales predictions, helping businesses identify priority contacts and determine the best times to follow up.

The onboarding process is straightforward as it allows users to add leads, tasks, and appointments immediately. Plus, there’s guidance available on every page.

Freshsales also supports document handling and product tracking and integrates telephone and chat functionalities.

The downside is that Freshsales can be slow at times, so keep that in mind.

Rating: G2 - 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best For: a small business that wants a simple CRM

Freshsales Pros:

  • Is a part of the Freshworks suite
  • AI features for lead scoring and predictions
  • Forever free plan
  • The growth plan is affordable and has various useful features (Kanban views, built-in chat, email & phone, custom fields, email templates, contact lifecycle stages, etc.).
  • Low difficulty level
  • Mobile app

Freshsales Cons:

  • Sometimes slow
  • Support on weekdays only
  • No reports on free plan

Freshsales price:

Freshsales CRM offers three pricing plans, plus a free plan:

  • Growth plan is €9/user/month, billed annually and it gives you:

Kanban View for Contacts, Accounts, and Deals; Contact Lifecycle Stages; Built-in Chat, Email, & Phone; Email Templates; Custom Fields; Basic Workflows; Contextual Collaboration with Slack; Product Catalog; Curated Reports; Freshworks Marketplace; 1 CPQ license; Mobile App.

  • Pro plan is €39/user/month, billed annually and it gives you:

Contact Scoring by Freddy AI; Custom Sales Activities; Advanced custom fields; Auto-assignment Rules; Territory Management; Sales Sequences; Sales Emails by Freddy AI; Multiple Sales Pipelines; Deal Insights; Advanced Workflows; Custom Reports.

  • Enterprise plan is €59/user/month, billed annually and it’s designed for mid to large-sized businesses needing advanced customization.

You get everything in Pro plan plus: Field-level Permissions; Custom Modules; Forecasting Insights by Freddy AI; Workflows for Custom Modules; Sandbox; Audit Logs.

The Verdict:

Freshsales is a great simple CRM for small businesses and startups if you subscribe to their affordable Growth plan.

It gives you eddicient pipeline management and multi-channel engagement features.

<a id="9" />

9. HoneyBook is a CRM-like small business management solution for proposal and contract creation

HoneyBook is not necessarily a stand-alone CRM solution but rather a small business management platform with CRM-like features. It offers functionalities like lead and project tracking, proposal creation, contracts, invoicing, scheduling, online payments, and more.

What’s unique about HoneyBook is its fun and easy-to-use interface.

HoneyBook presents itself as an all-in-one solution that helps with booking, reports, payments, and overall end-to-end client management.

Its Starter plan is rather affordable ($11.20/month for the first year when billed yearly), and it starts with 7 a free trial (like other plans).

Their plans are tax-deductible, so they will benefit businesses that are just starting out and that are very budget-conscious.

Rating: G2 - 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best For: managing every stage in your sales pipeline without overcomplicating things

HoneyBook Pros:

  • Money back guarantee
  • Turn your docs like invoices into reusable templates
  • Interactive signatures to speed up client flow
  • Email and live chat customer support available 7 days a week
  • Create proposals and contracts
  • Mobile app
  • Solid scheduling features
  • Intuitive and easy-to-use

HoneyBook Cons:

  • Not enough CRM features
  • Reporting metrics are insufficient
  • Limited integrations
  • Not ideal for larger teams and businesses in scaling stage
  • Advanced reports functionality is available only in the Premium plan which is on the pricier side
  • HoneyBook branding in the Starter plan

HoneyBook Price:

HoneyBook offers three main pricing plans:

  • Starter plan is $11.20/month/first year billed yearly. It gives you unlimited clients and projects, invoices and payments, proposals and contract, calendar, templates, client portal and basic reports.
  • Essentials plan is $22.40/month/first year billed yearly. You get everything in Starter plus scheduler, automations, QuickBooks Online Integration, up to 2 team members, expense management, profit and loss, and no Honeybook branding.
  • Premium plan is  $46.40/month/first year billed yearly. It gives you everything in Essentials plus unlimited team members, priority support, multiple companies, onboarding help, and advanced reports.

The Verdict:

HoneyBook is especially great in end-to-end client management. Its best feature is proposals and contracts, plus a dedicated client portal which comes even with the Starter plan (for only $11.20).

However, HoneyBook's integrations are limited, just like its CRM functions, overall. Another thing to keep in mind is that the Starter plan includes branding which can be removed only if you upgrade the plan.

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10. Salesforce Starter is the best beginner small business CRM

Salesforce clearly is not the first thing that comes to your mind when thinking of CRM software for small businesses. It’s one of the most robust globally used CRM systems that cater to larger teams and big enterprises.

However, Salesforce has a Starter Suite, which is a simple and pretty good CRM solution that’s easy to set up with social sign-in and guidance.

The price of Salesforce’s Starter is definitely on the lower side when compared to the vendor’s other offerings, and it will set you back at €25 per user, billed monthly or annually.

Starter supports up to 325 users, and you can upgrade your plan as soon as your business is ready to grow.

Best For: small teams who are starting out with CRM and want a straight-forward solution

Salesforce Starter Pros:

  • Free 30-day trial
  • Cuztomization options
  • Minimal setup via self check out
  • User-friendly interface

Salesforce Starter Cons:

  • Not enough integrations
  • Although not as high as in other Salesforce packages, there’s still a learning curve
  • No analytics features

Salesforce Starter Price:

€25 per user billed monthly or annually.

If you want to upgrade The next tier is Salesforce Professional at $80 per user per month, billed annually.

The Verdict:

Salesforce Starter CRM can be a good first CRM platform to try out if you’re new in CRM industry. It’s easy to set up, and straight forward to use with plan upgrade options always at hand.

Starter offers only basic CRM functionalities, so make sure they will be enough for you before making a decision.

The key benefits of using a CRM for small business

Implementing a CRM system gives you deeper insights into your sales pipeline and helps small businesses strengthen their customer relationship strategy.

Plus, it’s time-saving since you automate all the repetitive tasks you’d otherwise would do manually.

Thanks to CRM insights on customer data and behavior, you can develop new customer acquisition tactics and better forecast your sales.

  • Unified customer view gives you centralized information with crucial information like demographic details, purchase history, and every contact’s preferences;
  • Workflow automation automates follow-ups, emails, and lead nurturing, saving you time and resources spent on manual tasks;
  • Better mobility with mobile cloud-based CRM apps;
  • Real-time reports reveal key performance indicators, sales forecasts, and future trends;
  • Smarter contact management allows you to track customer interactions on multiple channels (calls, email, chat, social media, and so on);
  • Complete visibility of each stage of your sales pipeline allows you to make better deal and opportunity decisions;
  • Customer retention as a result of better tracked customer interactions and identified opportunities for upselling or re-engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to do if the CRM software reviewed in this list is still too expensive?

If you don't want to invest yet, there are excellent free CRM solutions to try out.

The best free CRMs we recommend to take a look at are the following:

1. HubSpot CRM is the best free CRM for sales teams and automation features

2. Insightly is the best free CRM for basic needs

3. Zoho CRM is the best free CRM for rich integrations

4. Agile CRM is the best free CRM for small teams in need of a sales platform

5. Mailchimp is the best marketing tool with CRM-like features for teams

6. EngageBay is the best free CRM for live chat

7. Bitrix24 is the best free CRM for unlimited users

8. FreshSales is the best free CRM for beginners

9. ClickUp is the best free CRM for personal use

How much does CRM cost for small business?

The cost of CRM software designed for small businesses starts at around $10 per user per month and can get as high as $60 per user per month.

The price you pay corresponds to how many useful features you get in your CRM.

While some businesses look for very basic and easy-to-implement customer management tools, others want more benefits like sales pipeline analytics, more robust reporting, and proper automation.

The more value and robust functionalities you expect to get from using your CRM, the more you have to pay.

What is the easiest CRM to use?

The best CRM for simplicity is definitely Less Annoying CRM which we covered in this article.

The best CRM for simple dashboards is Monday.com. Most of the CRM solutions currently on the market focus on user friendliness, and they are getting easier and easier to navigate.

Which CRM is best for a startup?

The best CRM software for startups is Insightly, Close CRM, Less Annoying CRM and the ones we covered in this article.

Are CRMs worth the investment?

CRM technology is proven to increase sales and customer satisfaction. All profitable businesses, even the small ones, are currently using a CRM platform. The benefits you gain from a CRM solution are definitely worth the investment.

Liucija Adomaite
Liucija Adomaite is a viral content writer and organic traffic expert on a mission to help turn ambitious businesses into big names.
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Companies who want to automate commission calculations and payouts
Simplicity and ease of use
Lack of features like redirection
4.7
star
star
star
star
star-half
$30/user/mo
$35/user/mo
Custom: upon request
Businesses that need a comprehensive and user-friendly sales compensation management software
Ease of use and adoption
Lack of ability to configure the product based on user needs
4.8
star
star
star
star
star-half
Not publicly available
Companies with modern sales culture and businesses who want real-time insights
A built-in dispute management and real-time visibility
Users say it works slowly, customer support is slow
4.9
star
star
star
star
star
$30/user/mo
$50/user/mo
Smaller sales teams
Powerful automation
Lesser user base and average user interface
4.7
star
star
star
star
star-half
Not publicly available
Companies with scalable needs
Automated Commission Calculations
Lack of filtering by date, no mobile app
ERP vs. CRM
ERP
CRM
Summary
Backbone of a business's internal operations.
Backbone of customer-centric interactions and operations.
Goal
To centralize and streamline core business processes in a company.
To increase customer experience, satisfaction and loyalty, and boost sales.
Focus
Internal operations and processes across departments (finance, accounting, inventory, supply chain, HR, and sales).
All interactions with leads and customers.
Manages
Internal business data like financial data, inventory levels, production details, supply chain, HR info.
All customer data like contact info, purchase history, communication history, customer preferences and more.
Users
Finance, accounting, operations, supply chain, and HR departments.
Customer-facing teams like sales, marketing, and customer service.
Benefits
Streamlines operations, improves data accuracy, enhances decision-making, boosts collaboration, increases productivity.
Improves customer relationships, increases sales, strengthens customer service, personalizes marketing campaigns, provides insights.
Price
$150 per user per year on average.
$10 to $30 per user per month on average.
PRM Tool
Rating
Feature
Pro
Con
Mobile App
Integrations
Free Plan
Pricing
4.65
star
star
star
star
star-half
Org-wide alignment
User-friendly layout and database
Suboptimal as a personal CRM
square-check
Lack of tracking system
square-check
Team: $20/month
Business: $45/month
4.7
star
star
star
star
star-half
Social Media Integration
Easy contact data collection
No marketing/sales features
square-check
Lack of tracking system
square-xmark
7-day trial
$12/month
4.75
star
star
star
star
star-half
Block Functions
High customization capability
Not a dedicated CRM
square-check
Limited
square-check
Plus: €7.50/month
Business: €14/month
N/A
Open-source
Open-source flexibility
Requires extensive manual input
square-xmark
Limited
square-check
Self-hosted
$9/month or
$90/year
3.1
star
star
star
Simple iOS app
Ideal for non-tech-savvy users
iPhone only
square-check
iOS only
Limited
square-xmark
1-month trial
$1.49/month or
$14.99/month
3.6
star
star
star
star-half
Smart Contact Management
Feature-rich and flexible
Reported bugs
square-check
Rich
square-xmark
7-day trial
Premium: $13.99/month
Teams: $17.99/month
4.4
star
star
star
star
star-half
Customizable Interface
Customizable for teamwork
Pricey for personal use
square-check
Rich
square-xmark
Standard: $24/member
Premium: $39/member
4.7
star
star
star
star
star-half
Integrated Calling
Integrated Calling
Too sales-oriented & pricey
square-check
Rich
square-xmark
14-day trial
Startup: $59/user/month
Professional: $329/user/month
4.8
star
star
star
star
star
Business Card Scanning
Business Card Scanning
Mobile only
square-check
Limited
square-check
$9.99/month
4.45
star
star
star
star
star-half
160+ app integrations
Comprehensive integrations
No free app version
square-check
Rich
square-xmark
14-day trial
$29.90/month or
$24.90/month (billed annually)
Capterra Rating
Free Trial
Free Plan
Starting Price (excluding the free plan)
Maximum Price (for the most expensive plan)
Best for
4.5
star
star
star
star
star-half
square-check
14-day
square-check
€15/month/seat billed annually
€792/month/3 seats billed annually + €45/month for each extra seat
Versatility and free plan
4.2
star
star
star
star
square-check
30-day
square-xmark
But it offers reduced price to authorised nonprofit organisations
€25/user/month
€500/user/month billed annually (includes Einstein AI)
Best overall operational CRM
4.3
star
star
star
star
star-half
square-xmark
square-check
Limited to 3 users
Comprehensive incentive management
€52/user/month billed annually
Small-medium businesses and automation
4.5
star
star
star
star
star-half
square-check
14-day
square-xmark
€14/seat/month billed annually
€99/seat/month billed annually
Sales teams and ease of use
4.1
star
star
star
star
square-xmark
square-check
Limited 10 users
$9.99/user/month billed annually
$64.99/user/month billed annually
Free plan for very small teams up to 10
CRM goal
Increase the sales conversion rate for qualified leads from marketing automation campaigns by 10% in the next 6 months.
SMART Breakdown
1. Specific: It targets a specific area (conversion rate) for a defined segment (qualified leads from marketing automation).
2. Measurable: The desired increase (10%) is a clear metric, and the timeframe (6 months) allows for progress tracking.
3. Achievable: A 10% increase is possible based on historical data and potential improvements.
4. Relevant: Boosting sales from marketing efforts aligns with overall business objectives.
5. Time-bound: The 6-month timeframe creates urgency and a clear target date.
Actions
Step 1: Refine lead qualification criteria to ensure high-quality leads are nurtured through marketing automation.
Step 2: Personalize marketing automation campaigns based on lead demographics, interests, and behavior.
Step 3: Develop targeted landing pages with clear calls to action for qualified leads.
Step 4: Implement lead scoring to prioritize high-potential leads for sales follow-up.
Step 5: Track and analyze campaign performance to identify areas for optimization.
Outcomes
Increased sales and revenue
Improved marketing automation ROI
Marketing and sales alignment
Data-driven marketing optimization
Table
CDP Software
CRM Software
Approach
Data-centric
Customer-centric
Focus
Interactions across various channels and touchpoints, both online and offline.
Sales, marketing, and customer service interactions.
Functionality
Automatically collects, organizes, tags, and makes data available in real-time.
Helps businesses track customer interactions, sales pipelines, prospects, and service requests.
Goals
Personalized customer experiences across all channels.
Better customer relationships, streamlined processes, and improved profitability.
Benefits
Data integration, management, and accessibility, allowing for detailed analysis and segmentation.
Better communication within teams and with customers by organizing information about customer interactions and history.
Data Handling
Handles both identified and anonymous data, stitches together various data points.
Deals primarily with identified customer data.
Use Cases
Personalized marketing campaigns, targeted advertising, content customization across multiple channels.
Managing campaigns and leads, enhancing customer service, providing better customer support, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Examples
Insider, Bloomreach, Salesforce Marketing Cloud CDP
HubSpot, Salesforce Sales Cloud Lightning Professional, and Zoho CRM
CRM
Free plan
Best feature
Best for
Con
1. HubSpot CRM
square-check
Sales automation
Sales teams
Up to 1,000 contacts
2. Insightly
square-check
Custom fields
Basic needs
Not enough info about the free plan
3. Agile CRM
square-check
Deal and sales pipeline tracking
Small teams
Up to 10 users
4. Zoho CRM
square-check
Lead and contact management
Businesses of all sizes
Limited to 3 users
5. ClickUp
square-check
Unlimited tasks and unlimited members
Personal use
Up to 100MB storage
6. EngageBay
square-check
Live chat
Small and midsize enterprises
Up to 1,000 branded emails per month
7. Bitrix24
square-check
Unlimited users and 5 scrum teams
Big teams
Up to 5GB of cloud storage
8. FreshSales
square-check
Easy to use and simple setup
Beginners
Up to 3 users
9. Mailchimp
square-check
Very beginner friendly
Marketing teams
Send up to 500 branded emails per month
Type of Affiliate Marketing
Unattached
Related
Involved
Format
Paid advertising
Social media or YouTube channels
Dedicated website or blog
Focus
Quick income
Your niche
Your audience
Engagement with your audience
square-xmark
square-check
square-check
square-check
square-check
Very close connection with your audience
Pro
Little effort
Higher credibility thanks to your niche
Long-lasting and scalable
Con
Paid ads cost a lot
Potential for bias since you don’t use the thing you promote
Require time, effort, and dedication

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