11 Best CRM for Small Business (November 2024 Update)

Quick Summary

A CRM for small businesses helps organize customer data, track leads, automate workflows, and enhance team collaboration. It provides insights into sales trends, optimizes customer interactions, and improves communication across departments. By implementing the right CRM, small businesses can streamline operations, close deals faster, and foster long-term customer relationships, ultimately driving revenue growth.

Did you know that only 25% of small businesses are using a CRM? Do you know what does this mean for your small business?

This statistic isn't just a number—it's an indicator of the untapped potential that the best CRM for small business can unlock. In today's fast-paced market, outshining your competitors can be tough. That’s why you must always be one step ahead and use the latest tools and strategies.

And there’s no better tool than the one that streamlines operations, helps you build strong customer relationships, and drives sales growth. By implementing the right CRM for your small business, you can transform your customer management from reactive to proactive, turning leads into loyal customers and data into actionable strategies.

Let's explore the 10 best CRM for small businesses in detail and compare their ease of use, core features, and pros and cons to help you find one for your team:

1. Pipedrive – Best Small Business CRM for Sales Management 
2. monday CRM – User-Friendly CRM for Project-Driven Small Businesses
3. Bigin by Zoho CRM – Top free CRM for small companies 
4. Salesforce – Most Advanced and Scalable CRM for Growing Businesses
5. Less Annoying CRM – Most Simple CRM for Small Business Efficiency
6. HubSpot CRM – All-in-One Marketing and Sales CRM for Small Businesses-
7. Capsule CRM – Great Entry-Level CRM for Small Businesses
8. Freshsales – Best Small Business CRM for Ease of Use
9. Salesmate – Excellent for Beginners and Those New to CRMs
10. Vtiger – Best All-in-One CRM Solution for Small Businesses

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Small Business CRM vs. Regular CRM: What’s The Difference?

The core functionalities of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems are designed to streamline customer interactions, track sales, and conduct marketing activities across various-sized businesses. However, the specific needs of small businesses make choosing the right CRM a unique challenge.

Here's how small business CRMs are different from typical CRM solutions:

Complexity and Usability

Small Business CRMs simplify the complexities found in standard CRM systems. They strip back unnecessary advanced features to focus on usability and efficiency. This way, small business owners can manage the software without needing extensive training or a dedicated IT team. The goal is straightforward functionality that enhances day-to-day operations without overwhelming the users.

Cost

Price matters when resources are limited. Small business CRMs are budget-friendly, providing the necessary tools without the hefty price tag of larger CRMs. They provide essential CRM functionalities—such as contact management, deal tracking, and basic analytics—without the expensive frills.

Integration Capabilities

These CRMs integrate smoothly with tools that small businesses already use, like email clients and basic accounting software. This ease of integration speeds up the CRM adoption process and simplifies daily operations.

Implementation Time

Small Business CRMs are designed to be set up quickly and used intuitively from the start. Unlike more complex systems like Salesforce, which require detailed customization and training, Small Business CRMs can often be deployed and adopted in a fraction of the time, allowing for immediate improvement in customer relations and sales processes.

How Can a CRM Help Small Business Owners?

You’ve probably heard how a CRM can boost your sales and team productivity and magically transform your business. Well, we won’t lie to you – that is correct. And here are some examples of how exactly a CRM can do that.

Know Your Contacts Inside-Out

A CRM will not just transform your messy Google Sheet into a centralized system that contains information on your customers and deals. It will also allow you harness customer data to identify customer profiles, find out where they live, what they like, and which contacts are most likely to convert.

Plus, a CRM will help you personalize all interactions with your potential customers, helping build better, longer-lasting customer relationships.

Customer Retention

Beyond just keeping track of new customers, CRMs also help small businesses retain existing ones by providing tools for better customer service and follow-up, automated reminders for birthdays, and opportunities to offer personalized discounts.

AI and Machine Learning

Even if you live under a rock, by now you are aware of something called AI and how it’s revolutionizing all the software out there. Well, the same applies to CRM. For example, our top pick, Pipedrive, has recently announced Pipedrive AI, which will help you spot customer patterns and score better deals, write emails, and even suggest top-of-class, relevant apps for efficiencies and revenue pipelines.

Generate Actionable Reports 

CRMs offer detailed reporting on sales, marketing, and customer service activities. With these reports, you can spot trends, identify problem areas, and make informed decisions to enhance your business processes and improve ROI.

Save Time on Repetitive Tasks

According to Salesforce, a CRM can help your team increase sales productivity by 34%. Automate tedious tasks like manual data entry and follow-up reminders. With CRM automation, your team can focus on meaningful activities like closing deals and nurturing client relationships.

Make More Money

As a small business, your primary goal is to keep increasing your revenue. And, believe it or not, being able to closely track sales activities, manage sales teams, and improve customer support will allow you to make more money. How much more? Well, according to WebFX, your revenue can skyrocket up to 245% after implementing a CRM.

Now do you see why you need a CRM? Here are our top picks for your small business.

Best Small Business CRM Comparison Chart (Top 10 Highest-Rated SMB CRM Systems)

Before reading the detailed reviews of the best small business CRM software, take a quick gander at this table. This will provide the most critical information in one spot so you can decide more quickly. 

What is the Best CRM for Small Business 2024? Here’s Our Top 10 List:

Let’s turn to the ultimate list of the best CRM software for small businesses. This list has the top customer relationship management systems for different departments and niches and many other good CRMs your small business might find the best.

1. Pipedrive (Best Small Business CRM for Sales Management)

^{An image showing how Pipedrive’s deals pipeline looks like, with various stages and filter options to manage deals and stages easily}

Why We Chose It:

Pipedrive, a CRM designed to boost sales, is perfect for streamlining your sales cycle. It's easy to use, with a straightforward interface and a dashboard that keeps everything organized. You'll find great tools like customizable pipelines and automated workflows. 

Pipedrive is excellent for managing contacts and tracking deals and even offers helpful AI tips. Although scalable for small to medium-sized businesses, remember that lead capture features like web forms and live chat cost extra. 

Pipedrive's strengths lie in contact management and deal tracking, complemented by AI-driven sales assistant tips and a range of integrations, albeit less comprehensive than some rivals.

Pipedrive integrates with 400+ tools. Even though this is an excellent number of integrations, our top choices offer up to a thousand or even more integrations.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface: Clean and intuitive, making it easy for beginners.

• Efficient lead capture: Features like LeadBooster for web forms and live chat, although at an extra cost.

• Strong contact management: Detailed profiles with activity feeds for each contact.

• Effective deal management: Visual tracking with customizable stages and multiple views.

• AI-driven sales assistant: Offers personalized tips and reminders.

• Flexible workflow automation: Tailored to various business operations.

• Scalable: Adapts to different business sizes, ideal for small to medium businesses.

Cons:

• No free plan: There is no free plan, but you can sign up for a free trial.

• Limited communication channels: Primarily supports email and phone; mass email requires integration.

• Extra costs for advanced features: Add-ons like LeadBooster and Web Visitors are separate purchases.

• Not as comprehensive in integrations: While it integrates with many tools, it falls short compared to some competitors.

Pricing:

• Essential: $14/user/month, billed annually

• Advanced: $34/user/month, billed annually

• Professional: $49/user/month, billed annually

• Power: $64/user/month, billed annually

• Enterprise: $99/user/month, billed annually

Visit site
^{Go to Pipedrive's official website}

2. monday CRM (User-Friendly CRM for Project-Driven Small Businesses)

^{Monday CRM Leads Overview}

Why We Chose It:

Adapting to monday.com as a CRM tool is a breeze, especially for those new to CRM systems. Its layout and user interface resemble familiar project management tools like Asana, easing the transition.

Monday.com’s versatile platform, initially crafted for project management, also shines as a CRM for small businesses. It’s an ideal choice for startups, solo entrepreneurs, and small teams seeking a flexible, all-in-one solution for managing sales and projects in one place.

One standout feature is Monday.com’s enhanced sales dashboards, which offer customizable views of key metrics at a glance. This feature is particularly useful for small businesses looking to track sales performance, monitor team activities, and gain insights into lead conversion without sifting through detailed reports.

The platform also shines in collaborative tools, providing shared documents and team boards to streamline communication on sales strategies and client management. This setup keeps small teams aligned without the need to switch platforms, supporting smooth workflow and efficient project tracking.

We found it incredibly easy to get started, with a “Getting Started” guide available in the toolbar, full of resources from Monday’s CRM Academy. Additionally, Monday.com’s automation feature is impressively user-friendly, with a robot icon suggesting relevant automation for each board, making it accessible to all users.

The CRM also offers effective lead management tools, with customizable web forms for lead capture, easy organization, and segmentation of leads. Deal management is visually intuitive, with customizable stages and a clear pipeline overview.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface: Monday.com offers an intuitive and clean interface, making it easy for beginners and small businesses to adapt quickly.

• Customizable workflows and automation: The platform allows for highly customizable workflows and automation, streamlining various sales and customer relationship processes.

• Effective lead management: Features for lead capture and management, including web forms and tools for organization and segmentation, facilitate efficient lead handling.

• Visual deal management: Provides a visually intuitive platform for managing deals with customizable stages, aiding in precise tracking of sales pipelines.

• Integrated communication tools: Offers integrated email and call logging features, enhancing communication with leads and customers.

Cons:

• Limited native CRM features: As primarily a project management tool, Monday.com may lack some of the advanced CRM-specific features found in specialized CRM platforms.

• Potentially overwhelming for simple CRM needs: Monday.com's extensive project management features might be overwhelming for small businesses looking for a basic CRM solution.

• Additional costs: Advanced features and integrations may require higher-tier plans or extra fees.

Pricing:

• Free plan available for up to two seats

• The basic CRM plan is $12/seat/month, billed annually

• The standard CRM plan is $17/seat/month, billed annually

• The Pro CRM plan is $28/seat/month, billed annually

• For enterprise plans, contact monday.com

Visit site
^{Go to monday.com official website}

3. Bigin by Zoho CRM (Top free CRM for small companies)

^{Individual contact overview inside Bigin by Zoho CRM}

Why We Chose It:

Bigin is a pipeline-centric CRM from Zoho that is explicitly built for small and micro businesses. We picked this tool for all the small companies just starting with CRM. You can use Bigin for free or go premium for $7/user/month. This price makes Bigin the most affordable CRM system in the market.

Also, Bigin makes your life easier with the Automated Data Capture feature, which automates importing and updating contact information from emails. This saves time and ensures that your CRM data is always up to date.

Furthermore, Bigin offers an intuitive pipeline view that simplifies the management of sales opportunities, making it easier for small businesses to track and close deals.

Pros:

• Minimalist and intuitive: Bigin focuses on simplicity, eliminating unnecessary features for small businesses.
• Multiple, customizable pipelines: Allows stage customization in pipelines for various business operations, with a clear view of open deals and easy filtering of contacts and company info.
• Excellent mobile app integration: Maintains consistent pipeline view on mobile apps, which is rare among competitors.
• Robust integrations: Compatible with Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, Mailchimp, Zapier, and various Zoho applications. Highly rated iOS and Android apps, with macOS apps recognized by Apple.

Cons:

• Limited scalability for growing businesses: As business needs grow more complex, there might be a need to upgrade to higher editions of Zoho CRM for more comprehensive features and customization options suitable for more extensive or diverse businesses.

Pricing:

• There is a free version of Bigin by Zoho CRM for a single user

• Express plan is $7/user/month, billed annually

• Premier plan is $12/user/month, billed annually

• Bigin 360 plan is $18/user/month, billed annually

• Bigin offers a free trial for new users on all its paid plans

Visit site
^{Go to Bigin’s official website}

4. Salesforce (Most Advanced and Scalable CRM for Growing Businesses)

^{Salesforce dashboard showing an overview of the sales pipeline and related reports}

Why We Chose It:

Salesforce has to be on every top CRM list. After all, it is one of the best CRMs on the market. But why did it end up as number three on our list? Salesforce is very powerful, which can sometimes be overwhelming… and so can the price.

Navigating Salesforce was straightforward and logical. But, its interface is complex and feature-rich, which can initially overwhelm new users. The sheer number of features can complicate it, contributing to a significant learning curve.

We were impressed with the pipeline management. The drag-and-drop functionality simplifies moving deals through various stages, and the alerts ensure you never miss any tasks or opportunities.

As for contacts, importing contacts is streamlined, but we were disappointed to see that the almighty Salesforce supports only .csv file uploads. With the contact feature, small businesses can manage detailed contact profiles linked with accounts and opportunities and track all interactions. This centralized view of contact information and activities aids in personalizing customer interactions and enhances follow-up efficiency.

One feature that takes time to get the hang of is the workflow. Automation of workflows in Salesforce streamlines various processes across sales, marketing, and customer service. This efficiency allows small business teams to reduce manual labor and focus on strategic tasks, although it does require a solid understanding of the system to set up effectively.

Pros:

• Comprehensive features: Offers advanced CRM functionalities, from contact management to intricate workflow automation.

• Versatile pipeline management: Features multiple views like table and Kanban, with intelligent alerts for overdue activities, facilitating efficient sales process management.

• Efficient lead handling: Includes tools for capturing, nurturing, and scoring leads, with easy conversion into opportunities.

• Extensive integration capabilities: Through AppExchange, Salesforce offers many third-party applications for extended functionality.

• Advanced AI and automation tools: Employs cutting-edge technology for automation and AI-driven insights, improving business processes and decision-making.

• Responsive support system: Provides extensive training resources and a support system to aid users in navigating the platform.

Cons:

• No free plan: There is no free plan, but you can sign up for a free trial.

• High cost: Salesforce is one of the pricier options on the market, making it a significant investment for smaller businesses.

• Steep learning curve: Salesforce's complex interface can overwhelm new users.

• Limited basic plan: The most basic plan offers only essential features, with more advanced capabilities at higher costs.

• AI in higher plans only: Advanced AI features are included only in the priciest plans, limiting access for businesses on lower-tier plans.

Pricing:

• Starter suite: $25/user/month, billed monthly or annually

• Pro suite: $100/user/month, billed annually

• Enterprise plan: $165/user/month, billed annually

• Unlimited: $330/user/month, billed annually

• Einstein 1 Sales: $500/user/month, billed annually

Visit site
^{Go to Salesforce’s official website}

5. Less Annoying CRM (Most Simple CRM for Small Business Efficiency)

^{LACRM individual contact overview showing all contact details, interactions history, and related tasks and files}

Why We Chose It:

Less Annoying CRM (aka LACRM) is explicitly designed for small businesses. They offer an all-inclusive, single-price package for task management, keeping tabs on contacts, tracking leads, and ensuring follow-ups are sent out. 

LACRM prides itself on offering robust features while maintaining a clean and straightforward design, ensuring that businesses can quickly adapt and start using it effectively.

Why is LACRM our number one? In addition to the robust features, it’s one of the few CRMs with a flexible pricing model. Less Annoying CRM offers a straightforward, flat-rate fee with no hidden costs, making it budget-friendly for small businesses with tight financial constraints.

Find out more details in our Less Annoying CRM review.

Pros:

• Affordable pricing model: Less Annoying CRM offers a single, flat-rate fee with no hidden costs, making it budget-friendly and predictable for small businesses.
• Simplicity and user-friendly design: LACRM prides itself on its clean and straightforward design. The intuitive interface ensures small businesses can quickly adapt to the system without extensive training.
• All-inclusive features: LACRM provides a robust set of features that cover essential CRM functions. This includes contact management, lead tracking, task management, and follow-up reminders, making it a comprehensive solution for small businesses.
• Ease of implementation: Less Annoying CRM’s simplicity and straightforward design mean businesses can start using the CRM without facing a steep learning curve.
• Scalability: While designed for small businesses, LACRM can accommodate some level of growth. Small businesses can start with it and continue to use it as they expand, although it may have limitations for very large enterprises.

Cons:

• Limited advanced features: While LACRM covers the basics, it may lack some advanced features and customization options in more complex CRM systems.
• Integration options: LACRM may not offer as many integrations with third-party applications as other CRM solutions. This could be a limitation if your business relies heavily on specific tools that are not directly integrated with Less Annoying CRM.
• Scalability constraints: Although it can accommodate some growth, Less Annoying CRM may not be the best choice for rapidly expanding businesses or those with complex, large-scale operations.
• Reporting and analytics: LACRM may not offer the same advanced reporting and analytics as more robust CRM systems. This could be a limitation for businesses that require in-depth data analysis.

Pricing:

• $15/user/month

• LACRM offers a risk-free, 30-day free trial for its only pricing plan

Visit site
^{Go to LACRM's official website}

6. HubSpot CRM (All-in-One Marketing and Sales CRM for Small Businesses)

^{HubSpot CRM’s individual contact overview where you can see contact information, as well as deals, tasks, and files related to the contact}

Why We Chose It:

Even though HubSpot CRM is packed with features, it is still a CRM that is relatively easy to use or at least learn to use. Getting started with HubSpot is very simple. When you log in, you will be taken to the user guide that helps you set up marketing, sales, customer service, and website within HubSpot.

As for the features, HubSpot is known as one of the best CRMs available. HubSpot is perfect for capturing leads, managing contacts and deals, and staying in touch with your customers. 

This CRM offers advanced lead capture capabilities, enabling businesses to gather leads from various sources like website forms, social media, and live chat. A Chrome extension is also available to capture contact information from email interactions automatically. 

When managing all those leads and contacts, HubSpot allows for creating detailed profiles for each lead, including standard information and additional actions such as tasks, calls, and meeting scheduling. The activity feed for each contact provides insights into their position in the sales process, aiding in strategic follow-up actions.

Last, deal management is facilitated through customizable pipelines, allowing you to visually track deal progress and tailor stages to your specific processes. The task management feature is highly adaptable, supporting the assignment and full customization of tasks to team members. 

Note: While HubSpot Sales Hub includes some basic email marketing features, the more advanced email marketing tools are part of the Marketing Hub. For businesses looking for full-scale email marketing capabilities, it may be necessary to integrate the two Hubs together, which affects the pricing.

Pros:

• Robust free plan: HubSpot offers a comprehensive free CRM version with unlimited storage for contacts, companies, deals, and tickets.

• Scalability: HubSpot is designed to grow with your business, offering a range of features suitable for startups and midsize companies. HubSpot provides a discount program for startups and scalability options as businesses grow.

• User-friendly interface: The user interface is intuitive, making it a good fit for those new to CRM tools.

• Strong integration capabilities: The platform integrates with various applications, including Gmail and Outlook, enhancing its functionality.

• Advanced email marketing: HubSpot stands out for its advanced email marketing capabilities, with various customizable templates and detailed analytics.

Cons:

• Costly paid features: While the free version is robust, adding paid features can make the platform expensive.

• Limited customization: Compared to other enterprise-level CRMs, HubSpot offers limited customization options, which is a drawback if you have specific stages or needs.

• Learning curve for workflows: Creating complex workflows in HubSpot can be tricky and might require some time to master.

Pricing (Sales Hub only):

• Free forever plan with essential features is available for up to 2 users

• Sales Hub Starter plan: $15/user/month, billed annually.

• Sales Hub Professional plan: $90/user/month, billed annually.

• Sales Hub Enterprise plan: $150/user/month, billed annually.

Visit site
^{Go to HubSpot CRM’s official website}

7. Capsule CRM (Great Entry-Level CRM for Small Businesses)

^{Capsule CRM’s individual company/account overview showing all contacts related to the company, as well as emails, tasks, notes, files, and deals related to the company}

Why We Chose It:

Capsule CRM is praised for its minimalism and simplicity. We found Capsule’s layout to diverge from the typical design of many CRM platforms. Instead of the standard left-column toolbar, Capsule opts for a more streamlined approach, arranging its tools horizontally across the top bar. 

The minimalist design contributes to a more straightforward user interface with fewer interactive elements and reduced visual complexity. Even though CRM newcomers will appreciate this, experienced CRM users might find the CRM basic. 

However, you shouldn’t let the minimalistic interface fool you since Capsule has all the essential features a small business needs in a CRM. What we like about this tool the most is how it combines CRM and project management to tackle post-sales tasks.

Capsule CRM integrates an efficient project management app, "Projects," which mainly benefits small businesses. This feature becomes handy post-sale, facilitating service and support activities without switching to a different application. Conveniently located in the main navigation bar alongside the sales pipeline, it provides easy access to project tracking and is viewable in both board and list formats.

The 'Tracks' feature in Capsule allows grouping tasks to streamline standard processes, like sales procedures or post-sale project tasks. This organizational tool ensures you stay on track and deliver consistent service. Tracks are created from the Account Settings and can be applied to opportunities and projects.

For workflow automation, Capsule offers basic triggers for both projects and opportunities. A standout feature here is the 'Test this Automation' button, which allows users to verify the functionality of their automation setup before going live. This feature is pivotal in maintaining consistency throughout the sales process and the subsequent delivery of projects.

Pros:

• Minimalist and simple interface: Capsule CRM's straightforward design is easy to navigate, especially for CRM beginners.

• Integrated project management: Adds project management within the CRM for streamlined post-sale workflow.

• Useful free version: The free version of Capsule is capable enough for small businesses to trial a CRM.

• Customizable workflows and tracks: Flexibility in operations through custom 'Tracks' and workflow automation.

• AI content assistant for emails: Helps save time and improve efficiency in email communication.

Cons:

• Limited integrations: Although essential apps are covered, the range of integrations is less comprehensive than other CRMs.

• Basic features in the free version: The free version restricts the number of contacts and users and lacks some advanced features.

• Limited scalability for more extensive projects: More suitable for small-scale operations rather than large volumes of deals or complex projects.

Pricing:

• Free Plan: available for up to 2 users and 250 contacts.

• Starter: $18/user/month, billed annually.

• Growth: $36/user/month, billed annually.

• Advanced: $54/user/month, billed annually.

• Ultimate: $72/user/month, billed annually.

Visit site
^{Visit Capsule CRM’s official website}

8. Freshsales (Best Small Business CRM for Ease of Use)

^{Freshsales CRM dashboard showing a preview of an individual deal and all information related to that deal}

Why We Chose It:

In Freshsales, simplicity meets the best of CRM. When we logged in for the first time, Freshsales greeted us with a clean, minimalist interface. The layout is thoughtfully designed, with every tool and features neatly tucked into a left sidebar.

We found our way around quite quickly, especially since you have instructions for every step of the way. For example, the initial setup of the CRM is straightforward because you can find which steps you need to take first in your dashboard. 

Freshsales excels in providing a centralized view of customer details, including lifecycle stages, contact information, and recent interactions, making it easier for businesses to focus on and engage with their clients effectively.  small businesses

Also, Freshsales offers robust lead capture capabilities, allowing you to create fully customizable web forms and capture leads directly from their websites or engage with your website visitors via live chat. 

The platform's pipeline management is visually intuitive and highly customizable. The platform enables you to create custom pipelines, rename existing stages, reorder stages, and even insert win probability percentages. This level of customization helps in accurately forecasting sales and prioritizing efforts.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface: Clean, minimalist, and easy to navigate, suitable for new and experienced users.

• Comprehensive contact and lead management: Centralized customer overview with lifecycle stages and interaction history.

• Robust marketing integration: Features for automated email campaigns and drip marketing, offering a more advanced system than competitors like Pipedrive or Copper.

• Practical task and activity tracking: Efficient management of tasks and activities with reminders and scheduling capabilities.

• Scalable solution: Offers plans ranging from a basic free tier to advanced, AI-powered options suitable for growing businesses.

• Strong integration capabilities: Seamless integration with various apps and platforms, enhancing overall functionality.

Cons:

• Advanced features in higher-tier plans: More sophisticated features like AI-powered tools are available only in pricier plans.

• The learning curve for advanced features: Some more advanced functionalities have a learning curve.

• Data overload for smaller teams: The extensive features and data reporting capabilities of Freshsales, while beneficial, can potentially lead to information overload for smaller teams or businesses new to CRM systems. 

Pricing:

• Free plan for up to 3 users is available

• Growth plan: $9/user/month, billed annually 

• Pro plan: $39/user/month, billed annually 

• Enterprise plan: $59/user/month, billed annually

Visit site
^{Go to Freshsales’ official website}

9. Salesmate (Excellent for Beginners and Those New to CRMs)

^{Salesmate individual contact overview showing all the contact’s details, along with notes, activities, and even files related to that particular contact}

Why We Chose It:

We suggest Salesmate to all those new to CRMs. The interface is clean, and the navigation is intuitively logical, making overall usage straightforward. 

Additionally, setting up automation and workflows is more straightforward and user-friendly than platforms like Salesforce, thanks to clear explanations and helpful visuals, streamlining the learning process for new users.

Salesmate has an excellent lead capture and management system. You can capture leads through web forms, organize them, segment them, and quickly convert them into opportunities.

Salesmate also provides a comprehensive and visual approach to managing deals, with customizable stages and drag-and-drop functionality. This feature will aid you in efficiently progressing deals through various stages and optimizing sales outcomes.

The features we liked the most were sequences, workflows, and automation journeys, as these features help boost your productivity by automating various sales tasks. Sequences automate follow-up communications, workflows streamline task assignments and data updates, while automation journeys facilitate complex, multi-step processes.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface: Ideal for beginners, with a clean UI and logical navigation.

• Customizable dashboard: Offers a personalized dashboard with a wide range of widgets.

• Efficient contact and company management: Streamlined digital storage for contacts and business relations.

• Advanced deal management: Comprehensive deal tracking with customizable stages and multiple views.

• Robust lead management: Effective lead capture and nurturing tools.

• Dynamic automation journeys and workflows: Simplifies task automation and enhances operational efficiency.

• Integrated communication tools: Built-in calling and texting capabilities for seamless communication.

• Comprehensive support resources: Extensive help and training resources, including a user-friendly setup guide.

Cons:

• No free plan: There is no free plan, but you can sign up for a free trial.

• Limited native integrations: Fewer integrations compared to other CRMs.

• Higher cost for advanced features: More sophisticated features like automation journeys are available at additional costs.

• Limited plan options: Three plans are available only, which might not suit all businesses.

• Expenses for small businesses: CRM is costly, especially for smaller companies.

Pricing:

• Basic Plan: $23 per user/month, billed annually.

• Pro Plan: $39 per user/month, billed annually.

• Business Plan: $63 per user/month, billed annually.

• Additional costs for add-ons: Automation Journeys are priced at $30 for 1,000 contacts. 

• Other add-ons include Messenger, Sandy AI, calling credits, and extra workflows and sequences, each available for separate purchases.

Visit site
^{Go to Salesmate's official website.}

10. Vtiger (Best All-in-One CRM Solution for Small Businesses)

^{Vtiger Dashboard showing the overview of Opportunities in the Kanban view}

Why We Chose It:

Vtiger may not have the most intuitive UI, but it has robust functionalities that make up for the design and the learning curve. 

For example, when we logged in for the first time, we focused on the top bar and the features displayed there. It took us some time to discover the hamburger menu in the top left corner, where all the other features were.

But, despite the not-so-intuitive interface, we were guided on every step. For every feature you click on, you get a small pop-up tutorial video in the bottom left corner, which helps you get acquainted with the feature and how it works.

Vtiger CRM is a complete solution, encompassing a wide array of robust features that cater to sales and contact management, marketing, and task management. This versatility makes it an ideal all-in-one CRM choice for small businesses seeking to streamline and enhance their sales, marketing, and overall operational processes.

As for the features, we were genuinely impressed with contact management. Vtiger allows you to create a profile for every lead you capture. Also, you can view very detailed analytics for each contact, such as deals and sales orders, or even create charts and graphs. 

As for the deals, you can quickly and visually track customer progress through various deal stages, create custom pipelines with unique stages, and insert a win probability percentage for each stage. 

However, we recommend Vtiger for small businesses managing less than 50 deals at once; for managing a larger volume of deals, the system is less optimal due to its user interface, limitations in visualizing workflows, and more complex deal management needs.

Pros:

• Customizable Dashboard: User-friendly interface with customizable widgets for diverse business needs.

• Effective Contact Management: Robust profiles with extensive information and analytics capabilities.

• Efficient Deal and Task Management: Tools for visually tracking deals and robust task management, ideal for handling up to 50 deals.

• Marketing Tools: Comprehensive features, including email marketing, SMS messaging, and lead capture forms.

• Affordable Pricing: Offers a free plan and cost-effective paid plans.

Cons:

• Steep Learning Curve: New users may find navigating difficult due to a less intuitive UI.

• Limited Reporting Capabilities: The reporting feature is user-friendly, but you cannot create side-by-side dashboards.

• Limited Native Integrations: Although it has a decent range of integrations, it may not be as extensive as some competitors.

Pricing: 

• One Pilot: Free plan for up to 10 users and 3000 records.

• One Growth: $12/user/month, billed annually.

• One Professional: $30/user/month and $20/user/month for single-app access, billed annually.

• One Enterprise: $42/user/month for standard access and $30/user/month for single-app access, billed annually.

• One AI: $50/user/month for standard access and $38/user/month for single-app access, billed annually.

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^{Go to Vtiger CRM’s official website}

Bonus CRM for Small Businesses: HoneyBook

HoneyBook is a comprehensive tool for freelancers and small businesses to manage clients easily.

Ideal for creative professionals, HoneyBook offers a flexible platform that allows them to concentrate on delivering their services while handling their business tasks efficiently.

More specifically, with this all-in-one tool, you can effortlessly craft and send professional invoices, customized contracts, and compelling proposals.

You can also easily schedule appointments using a personalized booking link synced with your calendar and automate routine tasks, ensuring a smooth workflow.

Additionally, you can accept online payments hassle-free, providing clients with a convenient payment experience.

But here’s the kicker. The intuitive dashboard and customizable sales pipeline make tracking and managing client leads a walk in the park.

Pros:

• Effortless Documents: Easily create and send professional invoices, contracts, and proposals, streamlining client interactions.

• Smooth Scheduling: Seamlessly schedule appointments with a personalized booking link that syncs with your calendar, ensuring accuracy.

• Workflow Automation: Automate routine tasks, saving time and improving workflow efficiency.

• Online Payment Convenience: Clients can make payments online, providing a convenient and hassle-free experience.

• Intuitive Dashboard: A user-friendly dashboard makes tracking and managing client leads easy, enhancing project visibility.

Cons:

• No Free Tier: HoneyBook lacks a free entry-level option, limiting accessibility for those seeking cost-free access.

• Missing Advanced CRM Features: Some advanced CRM features available in other platforms may be absent, potentially limiting functionality for specific users.

• Limited Reporting: The basic reporting metrics may restrict in-depth analysis for businesses requiring comprehensive insights.

Pricing:

• Starter: $18/month, billed annually

• Essentials: $32/month, billed annually

• Premium: $66/month, billed annually

Visit Site
^{Go to HoneyBook’s official website}

Features to Look for in CRM Software for Small Business

An ideal CRM for small businesses should be easy to use, yet have advanced features that will help you automate routine tasks, keep track of your contacts and deals, and measure how well your business is performing. Here are some features to pay attention to when choosing CRM software for your small business:

Ease of Use

If you’re running a small business, taking time to learn a new, complex platform is not thrilling. A CRM should be intuitive and easy to navigate, with minimal training required. The interface should be clean and straightforward, allowing you and your team to adopt and utilize the system without extensive onboarding.

Customization

The CRM should offer flexible customization options that allow you to tailor its functionalities to fit your specific business processes. Whether it's modifying fields, creating custom sales pipelines, or setting unique workflow rules, a CRM that adapts to your business model is crucial.

Automation Capabilities

Look for a CRM that can automate repetitive tasks such as data entry, follow-up emails, and lead scoring. Automating repetitive tasks saves you much time to and increases efficiency, allowing you to focus on real brain-engaging work.

Integration

Do you use any other business tools, such as accounting software, email client, or even social media? Your CRM should easily integrate with any other tools you use, such as email platforms. This ensures a seamless flow of information across your business tools and minimizes the risk of data silos, which can hinder productivity.

Scalability

The CRM should be able to grow with your business. It should accommodate increasing customer data and additional users without significant performance issues or without ramping up costs by having to switch to higher plans.

Customer Support 

You probably don’t have an IT department if you’re just starting out. That means you’ll want to make sure the CRM you choose is backed by a great customer support team, one who will be on hand to ease the product's learning curve, answer any nagging questions, and resolve technical issues quickly.

Pricing

Price is an obvious make-or-break for SMBs seeking CRM tools for small business use. When you don’t have a lot of hands on deck, you want to make sure every dollar spent counts. If you’re on a lean budget or the fence about the usefulness of this kind of software, you may want to start with free CRM software. 

Analytics and Reporting

Effective CRMs should provide comprehensive analytics and reporting capabilities that offer insights into customer behaviors, sales trends, and marketing effectiveness. These features help you make data-driven decisions to further business growth.

Mobile Accessibility

With the increasing need for remote access to business tools, ensure that the CRM offers a mobile version or is mobile-optimized. This allows your team to access customer data and perform essential tasks from anywhere, increasing productivity and responsiveness.

Bonus: Social Media Tools

Scanning multiple social media channels gives you complete visibility of what people say about your business, competitors, and overall industry trends. Engage people one-on-one on the platforms where they spend most of their time, and demonstrate transparency by resolving issues out in the open, all to broaden your brand awareness and win more customers.

What is the Best CRM Small Business Software? Our Conclusion

Choosing the right CRM is crucial in steering your small business toward sustained growth and enhanced customer relations. From our comprehensive analysis of the top CRM solutions, remember to prioritize ease of use, scalability, and integration capabilities that align with your business needs.

We recommend starting with free trials or demos to get a hands-on feel for each platform as you consider your options. Your ideal CRM should meet your current requirements and support your business as it evolves. Embrace this opportunity to transform your customer management approach and propel your business to new heights.

Is the software on this list expensive for you? Make sure to check out open-source CRM, which is usually free of charge. And, if you need software that will help you take care of your connections, we recommend researching the best personal CRM software currently available.

CRM for Small Business FAQs

Is There a Free CRM for Small Businesses?

There’s a wide range of free CRM options for small businesses. Some popular ones include HubSpot CRM, Zoho CRM, and Bitrix24, among many others. These tools include essential features to help small businesses manage their contacts, track sales, and ease communication. We suggest trying them to see which one meets your business needs best!

What is CRM for Small Businesses?

CRM for small businesses can help track their customers and manage their interactions with their customer base. Simply put, CRM stores customer info, allows companies to follow up on leads and ensures they remain organized to build and maintain good relationships with their clients and increase revenue.

Does Google Have a Free CRM?

Google doesn’t have a CRM. However, you can integrate Google Workspace with other free CRM tools. For instance, you can use Google Sheets to produce a basic CRM system, and a wide array of third-party apps integrate with Gmail and can function as Gmail CRM tools.

How Much Does it Cost to Implement a CRM for a Small Business?

It depends on the CRM chosen, the number of users, and any additional features or customizations needed. Some CRM options offer free plans with basic features, but if you opt for a paid plan for more advanced functionalities, prices can range from around $12 to $100 or more per user per month.

Don’t forget about potential extra costs for data migration, training, support, etc. And if you need a customized solution or industry-specific CRM, expect a different pricing structure.

What CRM is Good for Small Business?

There’s a broad range of CRM for small businesses. For instance, Zoho CRM is affordable and user-friendly, making it great for small businesses, while HubSpot offers a free CRM with essential tools for startups on a budget. However, if you’re looking for a robust and scalable solution for your growing business, Salesforce is a great choice.