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Software Shortlist

Here are the top 10 CRM for small business I’d like to highlight out of the 19 I cover in this article:

  1. 1. Salesforce CRM — Best CRM that scales with business growth
  2. 2. Pipedrive CRM — Best for automating sales growth
  3. 3. Zoho CRM — Best for AI-powered sales insights
  4. 4. Freshsales — Best for a complete sales and support system
  5. 5. Copper — Best for Google Workspace integration
  6. 6. HubSpot — Best CRM with a focus on sales empowerment
  7. 7. Capsule CRM — Best for a simple but powerful online CRM
  8. 8. TigerLRM — Best for end-to-end sales process optimization
  9. 9. Thryv — Best end-to-end business management CRM platform
  10. 10. ClickUp — Best for CRM data visualizations

Nurturing relationships with customers and prospects is vital to growing a successful business. Nowadays, there are many Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems designed to help you get the most from your contacts. These SaaS tools can assist you in qualifying leads, building relationships, and generating additional revenue.

As a small business, you might think that you can't afford yet another new tool. But keep this in mind: the median ROI for a CRM is $8.71 for every dollar spent! A great CRM will pay for itself over and over again.

In this article, I’ll evaluate your options regarding CRMs for small business use. I’ll review the top software tools and show you what each has to offer. You will then be armed with the information you need to pick the best CRM for your needs.

Comparison Criteria

What do I look for when selecting the best small business CRM software? Here’s a summary of my evaluation criteria: 

  1. User Interface (UI): I look for a tool that busy sales reps and executives can get to grips with quickly.
  2. Usability: I expect people to find the software intuitive to use, with all the important features at their fingertips.
  3. Integrations: I’m seeking pre-built integrations with the most popular sales and business software.
  4. Value for $: I look for CRMs that make economic sense for both small and large organizations on a cost-per-user basis.

CRM for Small Business: Key Features

Here are the core features I expect to see in any CRM:

  1. Contact management: Recording, tracking, and managing all business contacts throughout the sales life cycle.
  2. Lead management: Organizing and prioritizing leads so that qualified leads rise to the top and are followed up promptly.
  3. Reporting and dashboards: Providing detailed reports covering activity, sales figures, and individual sales rep performance.
  4. Workflow automation: Automating processes such as deal management and email follow-ups.
  5. Email marketing: Facilitating regular communication with leads and customers and tracking the results of campaigns.
  6. Sales forecasting: Predicting future sales based on past and present data or trends.
  7. Territory management: Assigning leads or accounts to particular agents, based on geography, product, industry, or account size.
  8. Customization: The ability to create unique fields or pipeline stages according to the needs of a specific sales process.
  9. Cross-platform compatibility: Support for the most popular desktop and mobile operating systems and platforms.
  10. Document management: Collecting, uploading, sharing, and storing files in a centralized location for easy access by all team members.

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Overviews Of The 19 Best CRM for Small Business

Here’s a brief description of each CRM for small business to showcase each tool’s best use case, some noteworthy features, and screenshots to give a snapshot of the user interface. 

1

Salesforce CRM

Best CRM that scales with business growth

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.2
12288 reviews

14-day free trial

From $25/user/month (billed annually)

Salesforce CRM is a cloud-based platform that helps small businesses build relationships, increase sales, and improve customer service. It stores customer data in the cloud, allowing all company departments to access customer information from any device or location. This enables different departments to share data quickly and easily, making it easier to provide customers with the best possible experience.

The CRM allows users to create personalized campaigns tailored to each customer’s interests based on their profiles. This helps them target their marketing efforts more effectively and make more informed decisions about product development and pricing strategies. The software lets users track customers’ buying habits over time to anticipate their needs before they even ask for them. Users can track every interaction with each customer across multiple channels, such as phone calls, emails, web chats, and active opportunities, all in one place.

Salesforce CRM provides analytics tools that let small businesses view vital metrics such as the revenue generated by individual customers or campaigns—information essential for understanding customers better and improving strategies accordingly. The platform enables users to capture leads from multiple sources, including web forms, email campaigns, and social media networks like Facebook and Twitter. With the lead scoring feature, companies can prioritize the leads most likely to convert into customers. 

2

Pipedrive CRM

Best for automating sales growth

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.3
1515 reviews

14-day free trial

From $12.50/user/month

Pipedrive allows you to see your entire sales pipeline at a glance. You can update deals by dragging and dropping them into place or customize your pipeline to match your sales cycle. You can also collaborate with colleagues on deals and activities, share updates on sales activities, or schedule reminders.

You can filter, segment, and categorize leads to create targeted follow-up lists and see a complete history of all calls, meetings, emails, and notes. Getting detailed reports on sales and key activities or tracking progress against goals is also easy. The software also forecasts sales and revenues, with totals recalculated as deals progress.

This tool integrates with many business applications, including G Suite, Outlook, Trello, Asana, Slack, HubSpot, Zapier, Zoom, and Zoho.

Pipedrive costs from $12.50/user/month, and a free 14-day trial is available.

3

Zoho CRM

Best for AI-powered sales insights

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4
2103 reviews

15-day free trial

From $14/user/month

Zoho CRM is a customer relationship management platform that provides users with visibility and control over their sales pipeline. Small businesses can benefit from its robust feature set and functionality, which includes contact management, marketing automation, and customer support tools.

The software's lead management module brings leads your sales funnel with smart web forms, website visitor tracking, live chat, and social media integrations. Your sales team can then benefit from its built-in lead scoring and distribution rules. Zia, the platform's AI-powered sales assistant, can predict the best time to contact customers, and scans your emails for urgency to alert sales reps when they need to prioritize follow-ups.

Analytical widgets including charts, KPIs, target meters, and funnels are all included in the software's customizable dashboards. You can create detailed reports by filtering data by deal stage, name, or time. Reports can be exported as Excel, CSV, or PDF files, and you can embed dashboards into your website or share them on your Slack channel.

Integrations include Google Workspace, WordPress, MailChimp, Evernote, Unbounce, and over 300 more. Paid plans start at $14/user/month, and a free version is available for up to 3 users.

4

Freshsales

Best for a complete sales and support system

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.6
959 reviews

21-day free trial

From $15/user/month

Freshworks is a popular business software package designed to support a range of business activities. The suite includes tools to help manage sales, marketing, and customer service functions. The Freshsales CRM element helps you close deals faster by providing a 360-degree view of customer engagement.

You can get insights into customer interactions to deliver personalized experiences, as well as leverage data to drive revenue. The software is designed to facilitate conversations with context and automate time-consuming tasks. You can also use AI-powered chatbots to engage with visitors in real-time and capture visitor information using customizable web forms.

This tool integrates with apps such as Facebook, Slack, Mailchimp, Zapier, Office 365, and Google Apps.

Freshworks CRM costs from $15/user/month. A 21-day free trial is also available.

5

Copper

Best for Google Workspace integration

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.5
870 reviews

14-day free trial

From $29/user/month

Copper is a CRM system that’s designed to be easy to use. Thanks to native integration with Google Workspace, Copper automatically logs all your emails and other interactions. You can also view all details from past email threads, previous interactions, and tasks in progress.

All this can be done from the central dashboard. Copper sends reminders to keep sales reps on top of required activities. This ensures that follow-ups are executed effectively to maximize sales.

This tool integrates with Google Workspace, MailChimp, Slack, Dropbox, and many other popular business apps.

Copper costs from $29/user/month, and a 14-day free trial is available.

6

HubSpot

Best CRM with a focus on sales empowerment

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.4
10383 reviews

14-day free trial + free plan available

From $45/month

Hubspot Sale Hub is a CRM software owned by Hubspot, who also offer popular tool suites for marketing, customer service, content management, and operations. This means that they are incredibly scalable and can be customized to meet your business needs as you grow. Currently, Hubspot is used by teams from companies like Reseller Ratings, Casio, Legal Zoom, Wistia, and Zapier.

Key CRM features include an email template builder, email tracking, document management, AI-powered conversation analysis, call tracking, sales automation, a meeting scheduler, live chat, and customizable quotes.

Hubspot Sale Hub is a great CRM for small businesses because it offers some free tools to get you started and is incredibly easy to use. Hubspot Sale Hub integrates with Wistia, Databox, Seventh Sense, Zerys, PandaDoc, Aircall, Eventbrite, and dozens of other apps. Plus, they are always expanding their options.

Hubspot Sale Hub offers some free tools, like chat, team emails, and customizable quotes.

Paid plans start at $45/month (billed annually) for 2 users.

7

Capsule CRM

Best for a simple but powerful online CRM

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.4
97 reviews

30 Days Trial

From $18/user/month

Capsule is a cloud-based CRM suite that helps business manage their sales pipelines. Features include a ticket management module, tasks, and notifications. The software can be customized to meet specific business needs. You can add custom fields, tags, and branding.

Milestones can be added to each pipeline stage, with each milestone linked to a success criterion. This data is then used to generate revenue forecasts.

This tool integrates with many leading business solutions, including Gmail, Outlook, and MailChimp.Capsule CRM costs from $18/user/month, and a free 30-day trial is available.

8

TigerLRM

Best for end-to-end sales process optimization

From $10/user/month

TigerLRM is a CRM solution that includes sales enablement, plus features such as content management, training, and coaching. The platform includes a unified communications tool for engaging prospects without leaving the TigerLRM interface.You can create pre-populated emails and manage lead scheduling efforts from a single dashboard.

The reporting and analytics module allows you to create leaderboards and sales pipelines, encouraging sales teams to focus on closing deals. Using the AI engine, you can search and filter data to see the most recently touched lead or opportunity.

The core TigerLRM software is free, with premium add-ons available at prices starting from $10/user/month.

9

Thryv

Best end-to-end business management CRM platform

Free demo available

Pricing upon request

Thryv is an all-in-one business management suite that helps business owners expand their online presence, improve customer relations, and streamline payment processing. The software includes an integrated CRM, invoicing, marketing automation, and automated reminders.

Using the appointment booking module, managers can organize sales team schedules, sync calendars, and book meetings. Using the Thryv CRM, managers can get detailed insights into contacts and a customizable view of all leads. The software also helps load, find, and filter contacts from a single dashboard. It’s also possible to add custom fields for finding, filtering, tagging, and tracking contacts.

This tool integrates with major platforms such as Gmail, Slack, and MailChimp.

Thryv offers customized pricing on request.

10

ClickUp

Best for CRM data visualizations

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.7
4135 reviews

Freemium plan available

From $9/user/month

ClickUp is a cloud-based project management tool that includes sophisticated CRM features. These help you organize and grow customer relationships using tracking, data visualizations, and email. You can organize accounts in a list, Kanban board, or in tables for easier data entry. Dashboard widgets make it easy to visualize all your customer data in one place.

You can also integrate emails with ClickUp to eliminate silos, collaborate on deals, send project updates to clients, and onboard clients with a single email. Links can be added between tasks and documents to ensure that everything is tracked correctly.

This tool integrates with many popular platforms, including Slack, Integromat, Gmail, Zoom, Harvest Time Tracking, and Unito. ClickUp costs from $5/user/month.

A free trial is available.

Need Expert Help Selecting The Right CRM Software?

We’ve joined up with Crozdesk.com to give all our readers (yes, you!) access to Crozdesk’s software advisors. Just use the form below to share your needs, and they will contact you at no cost or commitment. You will then be matched and connected to a shortlist of vendors that best fit your company, and you can access exclusive software discounts!

The Best CRM for Small Business Summary Table

Tool Free Option Price
1
Salesforce CRM

Best CRM that scales with business growth

14-day free trial

From $25/user/month (billed annually) Visit Website
2
Pipedrive CRM

Best for automating sales growth

14-day free trial

From $12.50/user/month Visit Website
3
Zoho CRM

Best for AI-powered sales insights

15-day free trial

From $14/user/month Visit Website
4
Freshsales

Best for a complete sales and support system

21-day free trial

From $15/user/month Visit Website
5
Copper

Best for Google Workspace integration

14-day free trial

From $29/user/month Visit Website
6
HubSpot

Best CRM with a focus on sales empowerment

14-day free trial + free plan available

From $45/month Visit Website
7
Capsule CRM

Best for a simple but powerful online CRM

30 Days Trial

From $18/user/month Visit Website
8
TigerLRM

Best for end-to-end sales process optimization

Not available

From $10/user/month Visit Website
9
Thryv

Best end-to-end business management CRM platform

Free demo available

Pricing upon request Visit Website
10
ClickUp

Best for CRM data visualizations

Freemium plan available

From $9/user/month Visit Website

Other Options

Here are a few more that didn’t make the top list.

  1. monday.com

    Best for easy performance tracking

  2. SugarCRM

    Best for detailed customer and prospect insights

  3. Less Annoying CRM

    Relationship management software offering simple systems that are easy to use and understand

  4. Vtiger

    Cloud-based, open-source CRM for better customer interaction

  5. Bigin by Zoho CRM

    Pipeline-centric CRM for small businesses

  6. InfoFlo

    CRM designed for Outlook users

  7. Salesmate

    Sales engagement and automation platform

  8. Onpipeline

    Low-cost, feature-rich sale CRM for any small business owner

  9. Bitrix24

    CRM that’s part of a suite of 35+ business tools

  10. Salesforce Essentials

    More affordable version of the world’s most popular marketing hub

  11. Front

    Best for better sales conversations

You might also like: Best Customer Service for Small Business.

What Do You Think About This List?

Is your favorite on my list of the best CRM software? Or did you discover a new tool that may be just perfect for your business? Let us know in the comments; we always love to hear from readers.

I also recommend you check out our article on the best customer relationship management software. You’ll find more great tools to consider there. Plus, it’s a good idea to sign up for our free newsletter. That way, you can stay updated with the latest developments in the CX world. 

The world of small business CRM software changes fast, with new tools and upgrades being announced frequently. We’ll keep you ahead of the curve, so you have the tools needed to scale your sales revenue to the moon. 

By Hannah Clark

Hannah Clark is the Editor of The CX Lead. After serving over 12 years working in front-line customer experience for major brands, Hannah pivoted to a career in digital publishing and media production. Having gained a holistic view of the challenges and intricacies of delivering exceptional experiences, Hannah aims to help CX practitioners 'level up' their skills by amplifying the voices of today's thought leaders in the space.

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