Software Shortlist
Here’s the list of the best tools that I’ll cover in this article:
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:
- User Interface (UI): I look for a tool that busy sales reps and executives can get to grips with quickly.
- Usability: I expect people to find the software intuitive to use, with all the important features at their fingertips.
- Integrations: I’m seeking pre-built integrations with the most popular sales and business software.
- 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:
- Contact management: Recording, tracking, and managing all business contacts throughout the sales life cycle.
- Lead management: Organizing and prioritizing leads so that qualified leads rise to the top and are followed up promptly.
- Reporting and dashboards: Providing detailed reports covering activity, sales figures, and individual sales rep performance.
- Workflow automation: Automating processes such as deal management and email follow-ups.
- Email marketing: Facilitating regular communication with leads and customers and tracking the results of campaigns.
- Sales forecasting: Predicting future sales based on past and present data or trends.
- Territory management: Assigning leads or accounts to particular agents, based on geography, product, industry, or account size.
- Customization: The ability to create unique fields or pipeline stages according to the needs of a specific sales process.
- Cross-platform compatibility: Support for the most popular desktop and mobile operating systems and platforms.
- 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 10 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.
Salesforce CRM
Best CRM that scales with business growth
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.
Freshsales
Best for a complete sales and support system
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.
Copper
Best for Google Workspace integration
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.
HubSpot
Best CRM with a focus on sales empowerment
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.
Capsule CRM
Best for a simple but powerful online CRM
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.
TigerLRM
Best for end-to-end sales process optimization
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.
Thryv
Best end-to-end business management CRM platform
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.
ClickUp
Best for CRM data visualizations
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.
monday.com
Best for easy performance tracking
Monday Sales CRM is a no-code tool that helps manage the entire sales cycle, from lead capture to post-sales management. Leads can be captured from any source and stored in a central location. Sales executives can manage their contacts’ information, grow relationships, and track deal status.
Managers can view their whole team’s capacity and progress from a central dashboard. Two-way email integration with Gmail and Outlook makes it easy to send and receive emails directly from the CRM. All customer information can be seen through a single view, while live email tracking alerts users when a prospect opens an email.
This tool integrates with popular business platforms such as Dropbox, Slack, and Zoom.
Monday CRM costs from $10/user/month billed annually with a minimum of 3 users per subscription. They offer a 14-day free trial.
Pipedrive
Best for automating sales growth
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.
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 | Freshsales Best for a complete sales and support system | 21-day free trial | From $15/user/month | Visit Website |
3 | Copper Best for Google Workspace integration | 14-day free trial | From $29/user/month | Visit Website |
4 | HubSpot Best CRM with a focus on sales empowerment | 14-day free trial + freemium version available | From $45/month | Visit Website |
5 | Capsule CRM Best for a simple but powerful online CRM | 30 Days Trial | From $18/user/month | Visit Website |
6 | TigerLRM Best for end-to-end sales process optimization | Not available | From $10/user/month | Visit Website |
7 | Thryv Best end-to-end business management CRM platform | Not available | Pricing upon request | Visit Website |
8 | ClickUp Best for CRM data visualizations | Freemium plan available | From $9/user/month | Visit Website |
9 | monday.com Best for easy performance tracking | 14-day free trial + freemium plan available | From $8/user/month (billed annually, min 3 seats) | Visit Website |
10 | Pipedrive Best for automating sales growth | 14-day free trial | From $12.50/user/month | Visit Website |
Need expert help selecting the right CRM Software?
We’ve joined up with the software comparison platform Crozdesk.com to assist you in finding the right software. Crozdesk’s CRM Software advisors can create a personalized shortlist of software solutions with unbiased recommendations to help you identify the solutions that best suit your business's needs. Through our partnership you get free access to their bespoke software selection advice, removing both time and hassle from the research process.
It only takes a minute to submit your requirements and they will give you a quick call at no cost or commitment. Based on your needs you’ll receive customized software shortlists listing the best-fitting solutions from their team of software advisors (via phone or email). They can even connect you with your selected vendor choices along with community-negotiated discounts. To get started, please complete the form below:
Other Options
Here are a few more that didn’t make the top list.
- Front - Best for better sales conversations
- Salesforce Essentials - More affordable version of the world’s most popular marketing hub
- Bigin by Zoho - Pipeline-centric CRM for small businesses
- Vtiger - Cloud-based, open-source CRM for better customer interaction
- Less Annoying CRM - Relationship management software offering simple systems that are easy to use and understand
- Salesmate - Sales engagement and automation platform
- Onpipeline - Low-cost, feature-rich sale CRM for any small business owner
- InfoFlo - CRM designed for Outlook users
- Bitrix24 - CRM that’s part of a suite of 35+ business tools
You might also like: 10 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.