Ever feel like you’re juggling too many balls? Leads slipping through your fingers?
Many small businesses struggle to manage customer relationships effectively.
But what if there was a way to wrangle those leads, boost your sales, and finally get some breathing room?
Good news! The best CRM for small businesses can be your secret weapon.
This article will help you to navigate the maze of CRM options and find the perfect fit for your needs and budget.
Get ready to transform your sales process and watch your business thrive!
What is the Best CRM for Small Business?
Finding the best CRM for small business can feel you like searching for a needle in a haystack.
So many options exist! Don’t worry; we’ve done the hard work for you.
Below, you’ll find our top picks, ranked from best to great, to help you find the perfect CRM to skyrocket your sales and simplify your life.
Ready to ditch the chaos and embrace organized growth? Let’s dive in!
1. Monday CRM (⭐️ 4.75)
Monday CRM (formerly monday.com) is a customizable work operating system.
It includes CRM functionality.
It can helps you manage your projects, tasks, and customer relationships.
Unlock its potential with our Monday tutorial.
Our Take
Monday CRM is a good choice for businesses that want a visually appealing and easy-to-use CRM. However, it may not be best for those with complex sales needs or large teams.
Key Benefits
- Visually appealing interface: Easy to navigate and understand.
- Flexible and customizable: Adapt the platform to your specific needs.
- Collaboration features: Work seamlessly with your team.
- Integrations with popular apps: Connect with your favorite business tools.
Pricing
- Free: $0 free forever.
- Basic: $9/seat/month.
- Standard: $12/seat/month.
- Pro: $19/seat/month.
- Enterprise: Custom Pricing based on your needs.
Pros
Cons
2. Gohighlevel (⭐️ 4.50)
GoHighLevel is like a Swiss Army knife for marketing.
It’s an all-in-one platform. It combines CRM, sales funnels, email marketing, and more.
It helps agencies and businesses automate their marketing.
It’s designed to streamline everything.
Think of it as your marketing command center.
Unlock its potential with our Gohighlevel tutorial.
Our Take
This is great for agencies and businesses wanting to consolidate tools. The automation capabilities are very strong. However, its vast feature set means it can be overwhelming for new users, and there’s a definite learning curve.
Key Benefits
- All-in-one marketing platform.
- White-labeling available.
- Automated campaigns.
- Lead-nurturing tools.
- Comprehensive reporting.
Pricing
- Starter: $97/month.
- Unlimited: $297/month.
Pros
Cons
3. ClickUp (⭐️ 4.25)
ClickUp is an all-in-one productivity platform.
It includes CRM features. It’s highly customizable.
Unlock its potential with our ClickUp tutorial.
Our Take
It’s incredibly powerful and flexible. The free plan is very generous, and it has many features for managing projects. However, due to its many options, it can be overwhelming at first, and the learning curve can be steep for new users.
Key Benefits
- Centralized workspace for tasks.
- Offers a free forever plan.
- Supports over 1,000 integrations.
- Customizable workflows and views.
- Comprehensive reporting features.
Pricing
- Free: Best for personal use.
- Unlimited: $7/user.
- Business: $12/user.
- Enterprise: Contact them for custom pricing based on your requirements.
Pros
Cons
4. Keap (⭐️ 3.75)
Keap is a CRM and marketing automation platform designed for small businesses.
It combines CRM, sales, and marketing tools to help you automate your sales and marketing.
Unlock its potential with our Keap tutorial.
Our Take
Keap is a fantastic option for small businesses to streamline their sales and marketing efforts. It’s user-friendly and packed with valuable features. However, it may not be best for larger companies with more complex needs.
Key Benefits
- Built-in email marketing: Send targeted emails to your audience.
- Easy-to-use automation: Automate tasks like sending follow-up messages and assigning leads.
- Sales pipeline management: Track your deals and identify opportunities.
- Ecommerce integrations: Connect Keap with your online store to manage orders and customers.
Pricing
Keap offers a free trial and a simple pricing structure to get you started.
- Simple plan: Starts at $249/month (Annually Billed) and offers two users and 1500 contacts.
Pros
Cons
5. ActiveCampaign (⭐️ 3.75)
ActiveCampaign is a marketing automation platform that can includes CRM functionality.
It’s known for its powerful email marketing features, which help you automate your marketing and communication.
Unlock its potential with our ActiveCampaign tutorial.
Our Take
ActiveCampaign is an excellent choice for businesses that want to leverage the true power of email marketing and automation. However, it may not be the best fit for beginners due to its complexity.
Key Benefits
- Advanced automation: Create complex workflows to nurture leads and automate tasks.
- Email marketing powerhouse: Send beautiful and effective email campaigns.
- Built-in CRM: Manage contacts and track interactions.
- Segmentation and personalization: Target specific groups of contacts with personalized messages.
Pricing
- Starter: $15/month.
- Plus: $49/month.
- Pro: $79/month.
- Enterprise: $145/month.
Pros
Cons
6. Pipedrive (⭐️ 3.75)
Pipedrive is a sales-focused CRM designed to help you visualize your sales pipeline and manage deals easily.
Think of it as your digital sales assistant.
Unlock its potential with our Pipedrive tutorial.
Our Take
Pipedrive is a solid choice for sales-focused businesses. It’s user friendly, visually appealing, & packed with helpful features. The only reason it doesn’t get a perfect 10 is that the lower-priced plans have some limitations.
Key Benefits
- Laser focus on sales: Pipedrive is built to help you close more deals.
- Visual pipeline management: See exactly where each deal stands.
- Powerful automation: Automate tasks like sending emails and scheduling appointments.
- 24/7 support: Get help whenever you need it.
Pricing
- Essential: $14/user/month.
- Advanced: $24/user/month.
- Professional: $49/user/month.
- Power: $59/user/month.
- Enterprise: $79/user/month.
Pros
Cons
7. Instantly (⭐️ 3.75)
Instantly.ai is an outreach automation platform that focuses on helping you connect with prospects.
It also enables you to automate your email outreach and lead generation.
Although it is not strictly a CRM, it has some CRM-like functionalities.
Unlock its potential with our Instantly tutorial.
Our Take
Instantly is a valuable tool for businesses that want to ramp up their outreach efforts. However, it’s important to note that it’s primarily an outreach platform, not a complete CRM solution.
Key Benefits
- Multi-channel outreach: Connect with prospects through email, LinkedIn, Twitter, and more.
- Personalized messaging: Tailor your messages to each recipient.
- Automated follow-ups: Stay top-of-mind without lifting a finger.
- Detailed analytics: Track your progress and identify what’s working.
Pricing
- Growth CRM: $37.9/month, unlimited seats.
- Hyper CRM: $77.6/month, unlimited seats.
Pros
Cons
8. HubSpot (⭐️ 3.50)
HubSpot is a popular marketing, sales, and service platform that offers a free CRM.
It helps you attract, engage, and delight your customers.
Unlock its potential with our HubSpot tutorial.
Our Take
HubSpot is a powerful platform with many features, but you must consider your budget and needs before committing. It’s a good choice for businesses that want a comprehensive solution & are willing to invest in it.
Key Benefits
- Free CRM: Start with a free plan with basic CRM features.
- All-in-one platform: Access a marketing, sales, and service tools suite.
- Extensive community and resources: Benefit from a wealth of knowledge and support.
- Inbound marketing focus: Attract and engage leads with valuable content.
Pricing
- Free Tools: Free for up to two users.
- Marketing Hub Starter: $15/seat/month.
- Starter Customer Platform: $15/seat/month.
- Marketing Hub Professional + three seats: $800/month, additional seats at $45/month.
Pros
Cons
9. Freshsales CRM (⭐️ 3.25)
Freshsales CRM is a sales-focused CRM by Freshworks.
It’s designed to be easy to use. It offers a free plan for small businesses.
It helps you manage your sales and customer interactions.
Unlock its potential with our Freshsales tutorial.
Our Take
Freshsales CRM is a solid choice for businesses prioritizing ease of use and affordability. It’s a great way to use CRM without a steep learning curve.
Key Benefits
- User-friendly interface: Easy to navigate and learn.
- Built-in phone and email: Connect with customers directly from the platform.
- AI-powered insights: Get helpful suggestions and predictions.
- Affordable pricing: Offers a free plan and competitive paid plans.
Pricing
- Growth + 500 Marketing Contacts: $9/user/month.
- Pro + 500 Marketing Contacts: $39/user/month.
- Enterprise + 500 Marketing Contacts: $59/user/month.
Pros
Cons
What to Look for When Buying the Best CRM for Small Business?
Here’s a quick checklist of additional factors to consider when choosing the best CRM for your small business:
- Industry-Specific Needs: Some CRMs cater to specific industries (e.g., real estate, healthcare). Consider if a specialized CRM would be more beneficial.
- Scalability: Think about your future growth. Will the CRM be able to handle your expanding customer base & evolving needs?
- Training and Support: Is adequate training provided? What level of customer support is offered? This is especially important if your team is not tech-savvy.
- Security: Ensure the CRM provider has robust security measures to protect your valuable customer data. Look for data encryption and compliance certifications.
- User Reviews: Check online reviews & testimonials from other small businesses to get insights into their experiences with different CRMs. This can reveal hidden pros and cons.
- API Access: If you have developers or plan on doing a lot of custom integrations, check if the CRM offers a well-documented API.
How Can the Best CRM for Small Businesses Benefit You?
A best CRM for small business puts all your customer info in one place.
It helps you track leads and automate tasks to close more deals.
Plus, you’ll get insights into your customers to make smarter decisions.
Imagine ditching the chaos of spreadsheets and sticky notes.
A CRM streamlines your workflow, giving you more time to focus on growing your business.
It’s like having a personal assistant for your sales team!
With the right CRM, you can strengthen customer relationships, increase sales, and boost efficiency.
It’s an investment that can truly transform your small business.
Buyers Guide
When doing our research to find the best CRM tools for small businesses, we used a structured approach.
We wanted to give you the most accurate and helpful information. Here’s how we did it:
- Looked at the Big Picture: We first researched what makes a good customer relationship management software. This included understanding core concepts like the sales cycle, customer behavior, and how a good CRM can improve customer satisfaction.
- Identified Key Features: We looked for essential features that would truly help a small business. These included:
- Data management to keep customer contact information and purchase history in one place.
- Workflow automation to handle repetitive tasks and streamline processes.
- Tools for lead scoring and sales marketing to bring in sales leads and nurture them.
- Reporting and analytics to gain insights into what’s working and what’s not.
- Mobile access so you can manage your business from anywhere.
- Evaluated Pricing and Plans: We checked CRM pricing for each product, from the free version to paid plans with advanced features. We also considered any hidden costs.
- Assessed Pros and Cons: We dug into what users liked and disliked. We looked for things like how easy the software was to use and if it could handle customer issues. We also looked at how each crm solution handled data entry.
- Checked for Support and Community: We wanted to know what kind of support team was available. We also looked for things like user communities and refund policies.
- Considered Integration: We researched how each crm application integrated with other popular tools, especially for marketing campaigns. We checked if the crm integrates with common platforms to give you an all in one crm solution.
- Finalized Recommendations: After all that, we were able to create a list of the best crm software options and the 10 best solutions for running a small business. This process helped us find the right crm software for different business needs, from a simple tool like Capsule CRM to more comprehensive platforms.
Wrapping Up
Choosing the right CRM solution is key to success.
A good CRM system helps you manage customer information and gives your entire team a complete picture of your current customers.
It provides all the data you need to boost customer engagement and streamline sales tasks.
With communication tools that handle phone calls and multiple channels, you can improve customer experiences and build brand loyalty.
Our guide shows you the top CRM platform options available.
We’ve dug into the features, pricing, and pros and cons so you don’t have to.
We believe in providing you with the knowledge to make smart business decisions.
Now you can make a choice that will drive your marketing efforts and set your business up for success.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best CRM software for the small businesses?
The “best” CRM depends on your specific needs. However, some of the top contenders include GoHighLevel, Pipedrive, Keap, and ActiveCampaign. When choosing, consider factors like budget, features, and ease of use.
How do I choose a CRM?
Think about your sales process, business needs, and budget. Look for features like contact management, sales automation, and reporting. Make sure the CRM integrates with your other tools, like Google Workspace.
Is there any free CRM software?
Yes! HubSpot CRM offers you a free version with basic features. Zoho CRM also integrates with other free Zoho apps. However, free CRMs may have limitations, so consider upgrading as your business grows.
How much does CRM software cost?
CRM pricing varies widely. Some offer free plans, while others charge per user per month. When choosing a CRM, consider your budget and the features you need.
How do I implement a CRM?
Start by importing your existing customer data. Then, train your team on how to use the new CRM. Customize the CRM to fit your business process. Finally, track your progress and make adjustments as needed.
