Best CRM Software Tools & Systems: Top 15 Comparison 2023

1. HubSpot CRM (Best CRM Software Overall)

HubSpot made its name in inbound marketing. This helps companies attract new users through content. HubSpot also offers general CRM tools, and they are among the best overall.

Everything in HubSpot is very intuitive. HubSpot's CRM offers products that are divided between marketing, sales, service and CMS, and this is what makes it the best CRM software for small businesses and large ones as well.

Marketing helps you with lead generation to grow your network and save time. There is marketing automation to stay front-of-mind with your customers, and for marketers you also get marketing analytics.

The sales module of HubSpot is where you get advanced CRM and other software like a meetings scheduler. Service does help desks, tickets, knowledge bases, and customer feedback.

CMS is for managing your content. HubSpot CRM really helps you provide a great customer experience. You can even find a HubSpot add-on for Gmail or Office 365.

Pros:

• HubSpot has an intuitive interface that’s easy for beginners to navigate.
• It offers a free CRM plan with basic features, ideal for small businesses.
• HubSpot seamlessly integrates with the marketing tools.
• It provides robust automation features for email marketing and lead nurturing.

Cons:

• The advanced features can be expensive, making it less budget-friendly.
• Customization options are somewhat restricted compared to other CRMs.
• Despite being user-friendly, it may take time for new users to learn all of the tool’s features.

Pricing:

• Free Tools: $0
• Starter: Around $30 monthly
• Professional: Around $ 1,780 monthly
• Enterprise: Starts at around $5,000 monthly

HubSpot CRM review

Website: HubSpot
 

2. Salesforce (Best for Sales Teams)

Salesforce is one of the oldest CRM solutions out there.

Today it has many products and modules which include software for the big three: marketing, sales and customer support. Overall, Salesforce is a solid CRM software for medium-to-large operations.

Salesforce covers all your business processes. For marketing, Salesforce offers software to build email marketing campaigns.

You can also set up marketing automation, there are social media listening and posting features and you also get software that streamlines the sales lifecycle with Sales Cloud.

For customer service, Salesforce has CRM tools for creating a self-service resource. Customer support reps can also use Salesforce CRM contact data to help customers in less time.

Salesforce is very effective for both lead generation and customer retention. The only thing is, there’s some learning curve with Salesforce.

Pros:

• Salesforce offers a wide range of sales, marketing, and customer service features.
• It’s highly customizable, allowing businesses to tailor it to their needs.
• Suitable for both small businesses and large enterprises.
• A vast marketplace of third-party apps and integrations.

Cons:

• The extensive features can be overwhelming, especially for small businesses.
• Salesforce has high pricing, so it’s not budget-friendly.
• Users may need time to learn how to use it effectively.

Pricing:

• Starter: Around $25 per user monthly
• Professional: Around $75 per user monthly
• Enterprise: Around $150 per user monthly
• Unlimited: Around $150 per user monthly

Salesforce review

Website: Salesforce
 

3. Pipedrive (Best Tool to Help Businesses with Pipeline Management)

Pipedrive is a CRM platform that focuses on boosting sales and revenue. The name is meant to invoke the sales pipeline and drive up sales stats.

Like any good sales CRM, Pipedrive lets you track all your communication with each customer. There are software tools to make sure you maintain high levels of customer satisfaction along the customer journey.

It has a suite of features to manage all your leads and ongoing deals. And, this CRM software helps you automate repetitive tasks.

Pipedrive is a very visual platform. This goes for monitoring the sales process and sales activities as well as for analytics. It’s also got mobile software for iOS iPhones and Androids.

Overall, Pipedrive scores points for ease of use. 

Pros:

• Pipedrive is straightforward, making it ideal for small businesses.
• It excels in managing sales pipelines and tracking deals.
• It offers competitive pricing for the features.
• Provides integration options with various apps and tools.

Cons:

• It focuses primarily on sales and lacks advanced marketing tools.
• It may not have all the features larger enterprises require.
• Less suitable for businesses with intricate sales processes.

Pricing:

• Essential: Around $9 per user monthly
• Advanced: Around $19 per user monthly
• Professional: Around $39 per user monthly
• Power: Around $49 per user monthly
• Enterprise: Around $59 per user monthly

Pipedrive review

Website: Pipedrive
 

4. Freshsales (Top CRM Software with AI lead scoring)

Freshsales is one of the best CRM Software by Freshworks.

Freshworks is an all-in-one platform with separate SaaS for marketing teams and customer service. It makes use of AI to help you understand your customers and leads. It does lead scoring to show you your best opportunities.

Freshsales offers salespeople built-in email and phone software tools.

You get clear customer data and actionable tips on how to manage customer interactions, like when and how to reach out. You can also get email notifications about new engagements or follow-ups.

This set of software works great with other Freshworks products, like Freshmarketer, which has a chatbot feature.

Pros:

• Freshsales has a simple and intuitive interface.
• Offers cost-effective plans, making it suitable for small to medium-sized businesses.
• Provides email tracking and automation features.
• Uses AI to help prioritize leads effectively.

Cons:

• It may lack some advanced features required by larger enterprises.
• Not as scalable as some other CRM options.
• Customization options are somewhat limited compared to other CRMs.

Pricing:

• Up to 3 users: $0
• Growth: Around $15 per user monthly
• Pro: Around $39 per user monthly
• Enterprise: Around $69 per user monthly

Freshsales review

Website: Freshsales
 

5. Microsoft Dynamics 365 (Best CRM Platform for Business Intelligence)

Microsoft doesn’t kid around when it comes to business SaaS. Dynamics 365 is an all-in-one CRM software and ERP set of tools.

Using AI, Microsoft Dynamics 365 helps companies find the right customers and demographic for their products. As a CRM platform, you get full views of all your customers.

There are software tools to automate the sales process. You even get features to help coach your sales reps and improve their performance.

Marketing tools find new leads. It also gives you sales forecasting and trend watching. Dynamics 365 has a full customer service suite as well as an API for customization.

You also get extras like project management and accounting.

Pros:

• Seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft products like Office 365.
• Suitable for both small businesses and large enterprises.
• Highly customizable to meet specific business needs.
• Offers AI-driven insights and automation.

Cons:

• It can be complex to set up and use effectively.
• Pricing can be higher, especially with advanced features.
• Integration heavily relies on other Microsoft tools.

Pricing:

• Sales Professional: Around $60 per user monthly
• Sales Enterprise: Around $90 per user monthly
• Sales Premium: Around $130 per user monthly
• Microsoft Relationship Sales: Around $160 per user monthly
• Customer Insights: Around $1,500 per user monthly
• Customer Voice: Around $100 (2,000 survey responses per tenant/monthly)

Microsoft Dynamics 365 review

Website: Microsoft Dynamics 365
 

6. Mailchimp (Best CRM Tool for Marketing Campaigns)

Mailchimp started out as an email subscription SaaS, managing newsletters. Now it’s a complete customer relationship management solution for marketing teams for small business.

When it comes to marketing efforts, Mailchimp lets you build email campaigns, social media ads, and landing pages for your brand.

There are audience segmentation tools to find new customers. A simple visual editor lets you create automated marketing campaigns.

You also get tools like A/B testing and customer surveys. Mailchimp can give you stats like purchase likelihood for each lead.

As well they have many third-party integrations and a developer API to supercharge your software. Overall, this is a great SaaS for marketing insights.

Pros:

• Mailchimp offers a simple and intuitive interface suitable for beginners.
• Integrates seamlessly with email marketing campaigns.
• Provides automation features for email marketing and customer engagement.
• It offers a free plan with basic email marketing and CRM capabilities.

Cons:

• Basic CRM functionalities compared to dedicated CRM software.
• It may not be suitable for businesses with intricate sales processes.
• Costs can add up as your contact list grows.

Pricing:

• Free Plan: $0
• Essentials: Around $6 monthly
• Standard: Around $10 monthly
• Premium: Around $170 monthly

Mailchimp review

Website: Mailchimp
 

7. Zoho CRM (Good Customer Relationship Management Software for Managing Customers)

Zoho is a cloud-based set of business SaaS. There are loads of individual Zoho software. You can get a suite of them in packages like the CRM platform.

Zoho CRM is mainly used for sales purposes. It helps with lead capture to grow your network. Opportunity management tools see your leads move through the sales lifecycle.

You get a 360 view of your customers information as well as various channels of communication. Real-time notifications happen when customers engage with your business.

You get analytics on the best ways and times to reach out to leads. There’s also an AI-powered sales assistant, which also powers a chatbot tool.

Aside from sales, you can use it as a help desk software for customers.  

Pros:

• Zoho CRM offers cost-effective plans, making it accessible for small businesses.
• Highly customizable to fit specific business needs.
• Integrates well with other Zoho products and third-party apps.
• Provides workflow automation for sales and marketing tasks.

Cons:

• Users may take time to master all the features.
• The free plan has limitations and may not suit all businesses.
• Some users find the interface less modern than other CRMs.

Pricing:

• Up to 3 users: $0
• Standard: Around $14 per user monthly
• Professional: Around $23 per user monthly
• Enterprise: Around $40 per user monthly
• Ultimate: Around $52 per user monthly

Zoho CRM review

Website: Zoho CRM
 

8. Apptivo CRM (Best CRM System for Workflow Automation)

Apptivo is a cloud-based SaaS with many features. It includes a customer relationship management solution that is versatile for businesses of all sizes.

The CRM software from Apptivo are all customizable. There are automation tools to take over rote data entry and other repetitive tasks. It starts with customer relationship management and goes on to lead conversion and sales planning.

You get analytics on your sales pipeline and other opportunity management data. Apptivo has email integration with software like Google’s Gmail.

You can use Apptivo email templates for marketing or keeping in touch with regular customers. You even get stats on how competitors are doing.

The cost per user for Apptivo premium begins at $8. There’s also a free version from Apptivo and it’s really good, making Apptivo one of the best free CRM you can find. 

Pros:

• Apptivo offers a wide range of business apps, including CRM, which can benefit all-in-one solutions.
• Provides competitive pricing for the features.
• Allows customization of CRM modules to suit specific business processes.
• Good customer support and training resources.

Cons:

• The range of apps and features can be overwhelming for some users.
• It may lack some advanced CRM features needed by larger enterprises.
• Some users may encounter difficulties integrating third-party apps.

Pricing:

• Lite: Around $10 per user monthly
• Premium: Around $15 per user monthly
• Ultimate: Around $25 per user monthly
• Enterprise: Contact Apptivo

Apptivo CRM review

Website: Apptivo
 

9. Insightly (Top CRM Software for Analytics and Reports)

Insightly is an all-in-one CRM solution and project management software. This is a professional platform for medium to large businesses.

Insightly gives you a total picture of your customers. It allows easy sharing of customer data across sales, marketing and project management.

You can create automated marketing funnels that target audience segments. There’s email tracking, which shows you when sales leads open emails and other link click rates.

Lead routing connects customers with the right sales agent. Insightly also has great dashboards which have customization options.  

Pros:

• Insightly has an intuitive and user-friendly interface.
• Offers cost-effective plans for small to medium-sized businesses.
• Combines CRM and project management capabilities.
• Integrates with popular apps like G Suite and Office 365.

Cons:

• It may not have all the advanced CRM features needed by larger enterprises.
• Customization options are somewhat limited.
• Not as suitable for large enterprises with complex needs.

Pricing:

• Plus: Around $29 per user monthly
• Professional: Around $49 per user monthly
• Enterprise: Around $99 per user monthly

Insightly review

Website: Insightly
 

10. Keap Infusionsoft (Good CRM Tool for Marketing and Sales Automation)

Keap and Infusionsoft are two business SaaS that work together nicely. Keap grows your business. Infusionsoft is the all-in-one marketing and sales software.

Infusionsoft logs all activity and reminds you of follow-ups. You can link your Gmail or Outlook to it. There are good email marketing templates.

You can also automate personalized email campaigns. The lead management dashboard is customizable and very intuitive. You can set up trigger emails to make sure a sales team stays on top of the customer experience. 

Pros:

• Offers powerful marketing automation features.
• Integrates well with email marketing campaigns.
• Allows for customization of marketing workflows.
• Suitable for businesses with online sales.

Cons:

• It can be challenging to set up and use, especially for beginners.
• Pricing can be higher, particularly with advanced features.
• It may have more features than small businesses need.

Pricing:

• Pro: Around $159 monthly
• Max: Around $229 monthly

Keap review

Website: Keap
 

11. SugarCRM

SugarCRM is an all-in-one marketing, sales and service platform. This is a CRM system that’s hosted on-premise.

For marketing, SugarCRM has social media advertising tools which includes SEO tips. It’s easy to create campaigns from templates and a drag and drop editor.

You can automate marketing campaigns to nurture contacts into leads. This feeds into SugarCRM’s sales force automation features.

It helps you track emails and monitor all your leads through the funnel. Customer support software use smart routing to connect users with the best agent.

Pros:

• Sugar CRM offers extensive customization options to tailor the CRM to specific business needs.
• Suitable for both small businesses and large enterprises.
• Integrates well with various third-party apps and systems.
• Provides workflow automation and advanced reporting features.

Cons:

• The extensive features can be complex to set up and use.
• Pricing can be relatively high, especially for advanced features.
• Users may require training to utilize all capabilities effectively.

Pricing:

• Sell: Around $49 per user monthly
• Serve: Around $80 per user monthly
• Market: Around $1,000 per user monthly
• Enterprise: Around $85 per user monthly

Website: SugarCRM
 

12. Nimble 

Nimble CRM scores points for ease of use. This CRM system works with Office 365 and G Suite teams.

Nimble is web-based and works inside web browsers or other software. These include Microsoft Teams and Excel. Nimble has decent contact organization.

You get all your engagement across multiple channels in one unified history. You can track projects and tasks.

There’s standard sales process management to see all your open opportunities. There’s also good unified team calendars. Nimble has iOS and Android software too.

Pros:

• Nimble excels at social media integration, helping businesses manage relationships on platforms like LinkedIn.
• Offers affordable pricing plans suitable for small businesses.
• Provides excellent contact management and lead-tracking features.
• Nimble has a simple and user-friendly interface.

Cons:

• It’s not as customizable as some other CRM solutions.
• It may lack some advanced features required by larger enterprises.
• It may not be ideal for businesses with intricate sales processes.

Pricing:

• Around $24 per user monthly

Nimble CRM review

Website: Nimble
 

13. NetSuite CRM

NetSuite is a series of SaaS made by software giant Oracle. It includes ERP and CRM software. This is not a CRM for small teams on tight budgets.

NetSuite’s CRM has advanced customer information. You get real-time updates when customers change their social profiles.

NetSuite CRM has software for sales force automation. These include making quotes, managing orders and doing sales forecasting.

There are marketing automation and campaign management features. You get web-to-lead forms and analytics on how well your marketing campaigns are doing. 

For the cost per user of NetSuite CRM, contact their sales departments.

Pros:

• NetSuite CRM offers many features, including ERP and financial management.
• Highly customizable to meet specific business processes.
• Suitable for growing businesses and large enterprises.
• Integrates well with other NetSuite modules and third-party apps.

Cons:

• It can be challenging to implement and may require professional assistance.
• Pricing can be higher, particularly for small businesses.
• It may have more features than small businesses need.

Pricing:

• The CRM plans range from $99.00 to $999.00 per month depending on the plan.

Nimble CRM review

Website: NetSuite
 

14. Really Simple Systems CRM

Really Simple CRM used to be just that: simple. But the software has grown and now includes a range of sophisticated CRM software.

Really Simple Systems has a set of features for the standard three departments: marketing, sales and service. Marketing gets you lead management and campaign management.

There’s also email marketing and automation. Sales software includes customer and pipeline management. It also does tasks, calendars and sales forecasting. Customer service has case management, SLAs and case reports.

Pros:

• It has a straightforward and user-friendly interface.
• Offers cost-effective plans suitable for small businesses.
• Integrates with email marketing tools for efficient communication.
• Allows for basic customization of contact fields and layouts.

Cons:

• It may lack some advanced CRM features needed by larger enterprises.
• Customization options are somewhat limited compared to other CRMs.
• It may not be suitable for large enterprises with complex needs.

Pricing:

• Up to 2 users: $0
• Starter: Around $17 per user monthly
• Professional: Around $30 per user monthly
• Enterprise: Around $46 per user monthly

Website: Really Simple Systems
 

15. Less Annoying CRM

Continuing with software with descriptive names: here’s Less Annoying CRM. It’s easy to use and great for the small business owner or those on a budget.

Less Annoying CRM features basic CRM options including notes, files and tasks that can be added to customer profiles.

You can let teams share calendars and organize tasks and to-do lists. It syncs with Google Calendar too. You get simple lead reporting to manage your pipeline.

It does follow up reminders to keep your sales teams on the ball with open opportunities. There are daily agenda emails too. This is a decent tool for team collaboration. And the learning curve is short.

Pros:

• Less Annoying CRM is designed to be simple and easy to use, making it ideal for small businesses.
• Offers a cost-effective pricing structure.
• Has an intuitive interface that minimizes the learning curve.
• Provides excellent customer support.

Cons:

• Lacks some advanced features required by larger enterprises.
• Customization options are limited, but it keeps the system user-friendly.
• It may not be suitable for businesses with intricate sales processes.

Pricing:

• Around $15 per user monthly

Website: Less Annoying CRM

Which of the Best CRM Platforms is Right for Me? Key Takeaways

So what’s the best of the best CRM software for you? Well, HubSpot takes our top spot as the right CRM for most, but SalesForce and Pipedrive are great competitors for that position. 

If you want something simple, Really Simple CRM and Less Annoying CRM are good options. For bigger businesses with more complex needs and fatter budgets, check out Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Oracle’s NetSuite.

If your small business or individual business is running on a tight budget, MailChimp and Apptivo are worth a try. You can also have a look at the top open source CRM software, as it’s free of charge.

In the end, each of these 15 CRM vendors has strong points, and all of them are far superior to simple but messy spreadsheets, whose lack of tools will make them more time-consuming in the long run.

We hope at least one of these top CRM suggestions have jumped up at you while reading this roundup. Now go out there and manage those customer relationships like a pro!

FAQs

What is the Most Popular CRM Software System?

The most popular CRM software system is Salesforce. The software is the #1 CRM provider worldwide, holding the top market share in North America, Latin America, Western Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan. In addition, Salesforce has ranked as the number one CRM Provider for ten consecutive years.

What Are the Most Easy to Use CRM Software Tools?

There are a few standouts in the market that offer intuitive interfaces and user-friendly features. HubSpot, Zoho, and Pipedrive often rank as the top CRM tools that are easy to learn to use. However, make sure to explore demos of different CRM software to assess their suitability for your needs.

What Do Good CRM Systems Look Like?

A CRM should have a simple and intuitive look and feel. There shouldn’t be too much information clutter in analytics dashboards. When a CRM platform is clean and minimal, it’s much easier to learn and use. This is key for tracking leads and not missing any sales opportunities.