Customer relationship management (CRM) software can do a lot of good for a business, but some of the more impressive solutions have pretty hefty price tags. There are free options, but what is the best free CRM?
If you have some budget to spend, you can absolutely try Salesforce. For teams that are still growing and have limited budgets, are there alternatives to signing an expensive contract? Of course, there are. What’s more, we’ve gathered the best free CRM options below.
Best free CRM solutions
HubSpot: The best free option overall
Pros
Cons
Our Rating: 4.5/5
Unlimited users and contacts: Unlike many free CRM solutions that limit the number of users and contacts you can have, HubSpot allows unlimited users and up to one million contacts without any additional costs, which is highly scalable for growing businesses.
Comprehensive integration options: More than 1,000 integration capabilities, connecting with applications and services like Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, Shopify, and WordPress.
Free marketing tools: Include forms, email marketing, and ad management.
Contact website activity: Tracks a contact’s interactions with your website, logging page views, and form submissions.
Live chat and conversational bots: The free version includes live chat functionality and conversational bots, enabling real-time customer service and engagement directly through the CRM platform.
Reporting dashboard: This dashboard provides visual analytics on sales activities, productivity, and performance. While basic, these reporting capabilities are more user-friendly and integrated than those found in many other free CRMs.
Free trial available
Free plan available
Starter: $15/user/month
Professional: $90/user/month
Enterprise: $150/user/month
The decision to crown HubSpot as the leader in this category hinges primarily on its unmatched combination of extensive features and user accessibility at no cost.
HubSpot offers unlimited users and contacts, a rare find in free CRM software, allowing businesses of any size to scale without incurring extra costs. This feature is particularly advantageous compared to Bitrix24, which, while also offering unlimited users, doesn’t provide the same level of comprehensive CRM functionalities as HubSpot.
Its integration capabilities are noteworthy. It supports more than 1,000 applications, including Gmail, Shopify, and WordPress. This is a significant advantage over competitors like Freshsales, which offers more limited integration options in its free plan.
Additionally, HubSpot includes free marketing tools like email marketing, ad management, and forms, plus live chat and conversational bots, which enrich the customer interaction capabilities far beyond what most free CRMs offer. These tools provide businesses with a holistic approach to managing and nurturing customer relationships, driving better engagement and retention.
Also read: CRM Data Entry: Everything You Need to Know (2024)
Pricing: 4.8/5
General features and interface: 4.4/5
Core features: 4.5/5
Advanced features: 3.8/5
Integration and compatibility: 4.8/5
UX: 4.8/5
HubSpot is likely to appear on any list of “top CRMs for X.” It’s a major player in the space, offers industry-leading functionality and integrations, and has some of the best organic presence on the Internet.
The HubSpot suite of tools includes CRM, marketing automation, customer service, CMS, and more. It’s comprehensive and robust, and its higher-priced tiers reflect that. Luckily, they offer a free plan and a starter subscription tier for teams that can’t yet handle the expense of a SaaS vendor.
Ultimately, there’s not much middle ground with their pricing tiers. Either you’ll be using their lower tiers for an extended period, or you’re already in a place to drop $20k+ per year or more for the premium HubSpot experience. On whichever side of the spectrum your team falls on, you can try it for free for as long as you like before investing.
Zoho CRM: The best free option for multiple users
Pros
Cons
Our Rating: 4.5/5
AI-powered sales assistant (Zia): Zoho CRM offers an AI-powered sales assistant called Zia that can predict trends, anomalies, and conversions.
SalesSignals: This feature provides real-time notifications from across multiple channels like phone, email, social media, and live chat.
Blueprint: Zoho’s Blueprint feature helps businesses design and automate their sales processes, helping salespeople know exactly what to do at each stage of the deal.
Multi-channel support: Zoho CRM offers multi-channel support for phone, email, live chat, social media, and in-person meetings.
Free trial available
Free plans available for Mail and Projects
Standard: $14/user/month
Professional: $23/user/month
Enterprise: $40/user/month
Ultimate: $52/user/month
Zoho’s biggest advantage is the internal cross-functionality the suite offers. You can get nearly everything you need in a single tool.
The pricing structure is manageable—even for the higher tiers. Zoho charges per user, so even a team of one might reasonably afford the Ultimate plan and get the full functionality the toolset offers.
Zoho CRM caters specifically to businesses needing multi-user capabilities and extensive integration options. Unlike HubSpot, which restricts some advanced features to paid tiers, Zoho provides substantial features with its free plan.
The recent integration with Google Chat facilitates real-time communication within teams. The Voice of the Customer (VoC) tool offers businesses deep insights into customer feedback across multiple channels.
Compared to competitors like Freshsales, Zoho offers broader and more sophisticated integration options, such as with ServiceNow, which provides bidirectional synchronization of CRM data. This ensures Zoho users can maintain a cohesive and comprehensive view of their customer interactions and data, significantly enhancing operational efficiency.
Pricing: 4.2/5
General features and interface: 4.3/5
Core features: 4.8/5
Advanced features: 4.4/5
Integration and compatibility: 5/5
UX: 4.3/5
Zoho is the second of three comprehensive tech suites on this list. The full toolset covers more than CRM and sales enablement.
Thankfully, a free plan includes just the core CRM functionality. Unlike most free plans, it allows you to use up to three user licenses. Its rich feature set supports a wide array of business needs, from sales and marketing to customer support, integrating across various communication channels.
With options like AI-powered sales assistant Zia, real-time alerts from SalesSignals, and multi-channel support, Zoho CRM ensures every team member is informed and equipped to respond promptly to customer interactions. Its unique Blueprint feature further aids in automating and streamlining sales processes, guiding sales teams through each step of a deal.
Also read: Best AI CRM for 2024
Insightly: Best for project and pipeline management
Pros
Cons
Our Rating: 3.9/5
Up to two users: The free CRM allows for two users, which is ideal for small teams or partnerships just starting out.
2,500 records management: Supports up to 2,500 records, allowing businesses to manage their customers and prospects.
Email templates and sending capabilities: The system includes five customizable email templates and allows users to send up to 10 email messages per day from the CRM.
Custom fields and page layouts: Users can create two custom fields per record type. Custom page layouts help in designing the CRM interface in a way that makes logical sense for the business.
Native integrations: Insightly offers native integrations with commonly used applications like QuickBooks Online, PandaDoc, and Xero.
Access to online help center: Insightly’s online help center includes help articles and instructional videos. This resource is valuable for troubleshooting and maximizing the use of the CRM without incurring additional support costs.
14-day free trial
Free plan for two users per organization
Plus: $29/user/month
Professional: $49/user/month
Enterprise: $99/user/month
Insightly is the superior CRM for project and pipeline management, outpacing competitors like Zoho and Freshsales. While Zoho primarily focuses on sales automation and customer interaction, Insightly provides a unified platform that combines CRM functionalities with project management. This integration ensures that all customer interactions and project milestones are tracked and directly linked to sales processes. It streamlines workflows, enabling businesses to see the entire lifecycle of customer relationships and projects in one view.
Insightly’s pipeline management is also more advanced compared to Freshsales. It features automated lead scoring and movement through sales stages based on specific triggers such as engagement and form submissions, a functionality that Freshsales offers in a more limited capacity. Insightly’s customization options, such as drag-and-drop emails and customizable dashboards, also surpass those of Freshsales, offering a more adaptable user interface.
With over 500 integrations, including essential tools like G Suite and Slack, Insightly offers broader connectivity than Freshsales, enhancing its utility for teams looking for comprehensive tools that support extensive customization and integration capabilities. However, bear in mind the number of integrations still falls short compared to HubSpot and Zoho. Despite this, Insightly’s features make the software particularly valuable for businesses seeking an all-in-one solution for managing complex sales cycles and project trajectories.
Pricing: 4.2/5
General features and interface: 3.6/5
Core features: 4.3/5
Advanced features: 2.3/5
Integration and compatibility: 4.2/5
UX: 3.8
Insightly is software that integrates CRM functions with project management capabilities. Founded to provide a comprehensive tool for managing customer interactions and organizational projects within one platform, It has evolved to support a range of businesses across various sectors.
At its core, Insightly offers a detailed view of customer and pipeline data, incorporating features like contact management, email tracking, and detailed analytics. It’s designed to facilitate the management of the entire customer lifecycle from initial contact to final project delivery.
Insightly’s CRM capabilities are complemented by powerful project management tools, which allow for the creation, tracking, and linking of tasks to specific projects and milestones. This dual functionality helps organizations maintain a cohesive understanding of both their customer relationships and project progress, enhancing overall efficiency and collaboration.
Freshsales: Best for lead management
Pros
Cons
Our Rating: 4.3/5
Lead scoring: Automatically scores leads based on their engagement and profile data to prioritize follow-ups.
Visual sales pipeline: Provides a clear, drag-and-drop interface to track the stages of sales deals visually.
Built-in phone and email: Integrates telephony and email within the CRM to make and receive calls and emails directly.
Contact management: Offers comprehensive tools for managing contact details with a complete interaction history.
Mobile app access: Includes a mobile application that allows for managing CRM activities on the go.
Web forms: Enables the creation of custom web forms that can be embedded on websites to capture lead information directly into the CRM.
21-day free trial available
Free plan available
Growth Plan: $9/user/month
Features:
- Kanban view for contacts, accounts, and deals
- Contact lifecycle stages
- Built-in chat, email, & phone
- Email templates and custom fields
- Basic workflows
- Contextual collaboration with Slack
- Product catalog and curated reports
- Freshworks Marketplace access
- 1 CPQ license
- Mobile app
- 24×5 support
Pro Plan: $39/user/month
Includes everything in Growth, plus:
- Contact Scoring by Freddy AI
- Custom sales activities and advanced custom fields
- Auto-assignment rules and territory management
- Sales sequences
- Sales and Text Enhancements by Freddy AI
- Bring Your Own Carrier (B.Y.O.C)
- Multiple sales pipelines
- Account hierarchy
- Deal Insights by Freddy AI
- Advanced workflows and custom reports
Enterprise Plan: $59/user/month
Includes everything in Pro, plus:
- Field-level permissions
- Custom modules
- Forecasting Insights by Freddy AI
- Workflows for custom modules
- Sandbox for testing
- Audit logs
Users appreciate Freshsales’s straightforward setup and user-friendly interface, which simplify the adoption and everyday use of the CRM. This factor gives it a noticeable advantage over competitors’ more complex interfaces.
A key strength of Freshsales is its intelligent workflow automation, which is highlighted by users such as Avanse Financial Services. This feature automatically assigns tasks based on predefined rules, effectively reducing response times and enhancing customer support efficiency—capabilities that are either limited or absent in free versions of other CRMs like Insightly, which focus more on project management than on dynamic sales process automation.
Freshsales excels in communication and email marketing tools, providing functionalities such as email templates and bulk emails, which facilitate regular and effective communication with clients. This is particularly valuable for building long-term customer relationships, an area where it surpasses Zoho, which, while strong in integration and automation, does not offer the same level of native email marketing tools in its free plan.
The CRM’s adaptability is another strong point. Unlike many CRMs that confine users to rigid workflows, Freshsales allows significant customization, including the creation of custom lifecycle stages and fields, giving it an edge in flexibility over Zoho and Insightly.
Despite some criticism over customer support, Freshsales’s free plan, which supports up to three users, along with its scalable features in paid tiers, makes it an excellent starting point for small teams aiming to enhance their sales processes without initial investment.
Pricing: 4.2/5
General features and interface: 3.6/5
Core features: 4.3/5
Advanced features: 2.3/5
Integration and compatibility: 4.2/5
UX: 3.8
Freshsales is CRM software developed by Freshworks. Freshsales provides functionalities such as lead and deal management, email tracking, and an event timeline that offers users a comprehensive view of customer interactions. Its capabilities extend to advanced features like workflow automation, AI-powered insights through Freddy AI, and a versatile communication platform supporting emails, calls, and chat within a single interface.
Recent updates to Freshsales have focused on enhancing its automation and AI capabilities. These include improvements in sales forecasting, more refined lead-scoring mechanisms, and better integration capabilities with other software. Freshsales has also bolstered its user experience with a more intuitive interface and additional customization options, allowing businesses to tailor the CRM to their specific processes and workflows.
Also read: 5 Best CRM Apps in 2024
Bitrix24: Best for unlimited free users
Pros
Cons
Our Rating: 4.1/5
Unlimited users: Allows an unlimited number of users to access the CRM without additional cost.
Project management: Features task and project management tools with Gantt charts and Kanban boards for workflow visualization.
Communication options: Offers built-in tools for chats, video calls, and online meetings to facilitate internal and external communication.
Integration with other apps: Supports integration with various external platforms such as email services, social networks, and other productivity tools.
Mobile accessibility: Provides a mobile app for managing CRM activities on the go across iOS and Android devices.
14-day free trial available
Free Plan: $0/month
- Users: Unlimited
- Features: Limited functionality, designed for basic use.
Basic Plan: $61/month (total, not per user)
- Users: Up to 5
- Cost per User: $12.20/user/month (if you have 5 users)
- Features: Great for small businesses and sales teams
Standard Plan: $124/month (total, not per user)
- Users: Up to 50
- Price: Cost per User: $2.48/user/month (if you have 50 users)
- Features: Perfect for collaboration across your entire company
Professional Plan: $249/month (total, not per user)
- Users: Up to 100
- Cost per User: $2.49/user/month (if you have 100 users)
- Features: Maximum sales and business process automation
Enterprise Plan: $499/month (total, not per user)
- Users: Up to 10,000
- Cost per User: Varies significantly based on the number of users; for example, if you have 10,000 users, the cost is about $0.0499/user/month
- Features: Digital transformation tools for large businesses and enterprises
Unlike many of its competitors, Bitrix24 offers unlimited users, even on its free plan. This makes it an ideal choice for growing businesses that anticipate scaling their operations without worrying about increasing costs associated with adding more users.
Bitrix24 provides comprehensive project management tools, including Gantt charts and Kanban boards, which are not typically available in the free versions of other CRMs like Freshsales. This feature is particularly advantageous for teams that need to manage complex projects alongside their customer relationships, offering a level of oversight that can significantly enhance productivity and project tracking.
The CRM also excels in communication capabilities, with extensive tools for chats, video calls, and online meetings integrated directly into the platform. This integrated communication suite is more comprehensive than what is typically found in Insightly’s or Zoho’s free offerings, which tend to require additional integrations for similar functionality.
Bitrix24’s customization and integration options are also strong points. The platform supports integration with a broad array of external platforms and offers significant customization options even in its free version, allowing businesses to tailor the CRM to their specific processes and needs more extensively than the more rigid frameworks offered by competitors like Insightly.
Pricing: 4.6/5
General features and interface: 4.3/5
Core features: 4.6/5
Advanced features: 4.4/5
Integration and compatibility: 3.7/5
UX: 3.8
Since its inception, Bitrix24 has evolved from a simple project management tool into a platform that supports a wide range of business functions, including HR, task management, and e-commerce.
Bitrix24 is comprehensive business management software that offers a wide array of tools for collaboration, communication, and productivity. Its integrated CRM system is central to its functionality, allowing businesses to manage customer interactions, automate sales processes, and organize data across the customer lifecycle on a single platform.
Specifically, Bitrix24 CRM allows for handling leads, deals, contacts, and companies. It also includes capabilities for marketing automation, sales intelligence, and online payments, which are essential for businesses looking to enhance customer relationships and drive sales growth. The free version of Bitrix24 offers an impressive range of features, including unlimited users, which is relatively rare in the CRM landscape. This makes it particularly attractive for startups and small businesses.
Also read: Best Open Source Software (2024)
Common limitations and omissions in “free” versions
Since SaaS vendors are hoping you’ll convert from a free CRM client to a paid subscription, there are certain areas they’ll typically squeeze to encourage the switch. After all, if the free plan is aimed at army-of-one sales teams, they don’t need multiple user licenses, right?
Here are a few examples:
Also read: Best CRM Certificates & Courses for 2024
Making the right choice
The right CRM can provide significant returns in reduced overhead and improved sales results. The more time that’s spent finding the right match, the longer it takes to see that return, and the more resources that are spent along the way.
When determining the best free option on the market, remember to consider several key factors. CRM software facilitates the sales process while keeping your team organized. As a result, revenue should increase. With more revenue comes more employees, which ultimately means more people on whom to train your preferred CRM solution. Adaptability, ease of use, and scalability are paramount when it comes to CRM or any business software.
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