SugarCRM vs Agile CRM: Best CRM Tool For You in 2025?

by | Apr 7, 2025

Winner
SugarCRM
4.5
  • Sales Automation
  • Integration
  • Marketing Automation
  • Landing Pages
  • Security Overview
  • Book Demo Now
  • Paid Plans from $19/month
Runner Up
Agile CRM
3.0
  • Contact Management
  • Calendar
  • Documents
  • Deals
  • Inbox CRM
  • Free plan available
  • Paid Plans from $8.99/month
sugarcrm vs agile crm

Ever feel like managing customers is a total mess?

You’re juggling emails, calls, and notes, and it’s just not working.

You’re losing track of deals, and your team isn’t on the same page. 

That’s where a CRM comes in.

Let’s look at SugarCRM vs Agile CRM to see which one can fix this.

In simple terms, we’ll break down which tool might be the best CRM tool for you in 2025.

Overview

To give you the most accurate comparison, we’ve put both SugarCRM and Agile CRM through rigorous testing.

Our team explored each platform’s features, usability, and performance.

This hands-on experience allows us to provide a real-world analysis beyond just listing specs.

SugarCRM CTA
4.5out of 5

SugarCRM’s tools like Sugar Sell, Sugar Serve, and Sugar Market can help! Automate marketing today!

Pricing: Book your demo plan. The premium plan starts at $19/month.

Key Features:

  • Sales Force Automation
  • Customer Support
  • Reporting and Analytics
Agile CRM Logo
3out of 5

Agile CRM streamlines your sales, marketing, and support all in one platform. Explore it!

Pricing: It has a free plan. The premium plan starts at $8.99/month.

Key Features:

  • Project management
  • Gamification
  • Telephony

What is SugarCRM?

SugarCRM is a flexible CRM built for businesses that need to customize—think big sales teams.

It lets you tailor the software to your exact needs and handles complex sales processes.

Also, explore our favorite SugarCRM alternatives

sugarcrm homepage

Our Take

SugarCRM CTA

Want to boost sales by 20% in 2025? SugarCRM’s tools like Sugar Sell, Sugar Serve, and Sugar Market can help! Automate marketing, manage customers and close more deals.

Key Benefits

  • Open-source platform: Gives you greater flexibility and control.
  • Robust sales automation: Streamline your sales processes and boost productivity.
  • Excellent reporting tools: Gain valuable insights into your sales performance.
  • The mobile app includes access to your CRM data on the go.
  • Large community: Tap into a wealth of resources and support.

Pricing

SugarCRM offers a free trial to test things out. Their paid plans start at $49 per user per month. Here’s the breakdown:

  • Essentials: $19/user/month, three users minimum.
  • Standard: $59/user/month, ten users minimum.
  • Advanced: $85/user/month, ten users minimum.
  • Premier: $135/user/month, ten users minimum.
SugarCRM Pricing

Pros

  • Very customizable platform.
  • Powerful reporting features.
  • Offers a free trial and plan.
  • Mobile app is included.
  • Large and active community.

Cons

  • Can be complex to set up.
  • The interface feels outdated.
  • Marketing automation is costly.
  • Not as intuitive as GoHighLevel.
  • Some features feel clunky.

What is Agile CRM?

Now, let’s talk about it.

It’s for freelancers and small businesses

It helps manage client projects.

You can send contracts and invoices, schedule meetings, and keep everything in one place.

Also, explore our favorite Agile CRM alternatives

What is Agile CRM?

Our Take

Agile CRM Logo

Want to streamline your sales and marketing? Agile CRM prefers a free plan for up to 10 users. Experience its powerful features risk-free! Start your free trial today.

Key Benefits

  • Budget-friendly: Offers a free plan for up to 10 users.
  • Gamification features: Motivate your sales team with points and rewards.
  • Built-in telephony: Make and receive calls directly within the platform.

Pricing

Agile CRM has a generous free plan forever! If you need more, here are your options:

  • Free: Up to 10 users.
  • Starter: $8.99
  • Regular: $29.99
  • Enterprise: $47.99
Agile CRM Pricing

Pros

  • Very affordable option.
  • Easy to learn and use.
  • Includes helpful integrations.
  • Gamification is motivating.
  • Offers solid customer support.

Cons

  • Free plan is quite limited.
  • Reporting could be better.
  • Design feels a bit outdated.
  • Can be slow at times.
  • Lacks deep customization.

Feature Comparison

This analysis evaluates SugarCRM, the established leading crm known for its enterprise customization and modular components like sugar sell and sugar market.

Agile CRM, an all in one crm solution famous for integrated marketing automation and features for small and medium businesses.

This comparison clarifies which crm platform is the better fit for enterprise-level customization versus maximizing sales efficiency for mid-sized teams.

1. Core Focus and Target Market

  • SugarCRM: A flexible crm platform designed for enterprise use, offering specific, modular clouds like sugar serve for service and sugar market for marketing. Its focus is deep customization for complex business processes.
  • Agile: An all in one crm system built for small and medium businesses that need robust sales automation & marketing tools in a single platform, specializing in maximizing sales enablement with lower overhead.

2. Marketing and Sales Automation

  • SugarCRM: Features deep marketing automation through its sugar market product and extensive drag and drop workflows within the core platform to automate the sales process and service tasks.
  • Agile: Known for superior, built-in marketing automation and sales automation capabilities. It provides advanced lead scoring and drip campaigns to maximize web engagement and efficiently move leads through the pipeline.

3. Server Network and Infrastructure

  • SugarCRM: Offers sugar enterprise deployment options, including on-premise hosting for maximum control over customer data and security compliance.
  • Agile: Primarily a cloud based accounting platform, focusing on easy access and scalability, which is often preferable for small and medium businesses that lack dedicated IT support.

4. Sales Pipeline and Forecasting

  • SugarCRM: Provides sophisticated sales forecasting and sales performance tools integrated within sugar sell, allowing sales teams to manage complex deals and track metrics rigorously.
  • Agile: Offers visual sales pipelines and robust tools for sales forecasting and managing the entire sales process, ensuring the sales team has clear visibility over deals.

5. Pricing Structure and Affordability

  • SugarCRM: Tends to be higher cost, with crm prices typically structured per user, billed annually, making it one of the less affordable crm solutions, positioning it as an alternative to large enterprise platforms.
  • Agile: Considered a highly affordable crm solution, especially for its small and medium businesses target. Pricing tiers offer strong value for the integrated features provided, positioning it as a powerful alternative to many crm alternatives.

6. Service and Customer Support

  • SugarCRM: Offers enhanced support tiers, including dedicated account management and advanced troubleshooting for its complex crm system and modular business processes.
  • Agile: Known for its responsive customer queries support and easily accessible knowledge base, providing strong technical assistance, often included in the initial setup fee.

7. Core Feature Modules

  • SugarCRM: Divided into modules like sugar sell for sales, sugar market for marketing, and sugar serve for customer service, allowing companies to adopt the specific components of the crm platform they need.
  • Agile: An all in one crm solution that includes contact management, sales, and marketing features, streamlining the tools necessary for sales enablement without relying on separate modules.

8. Integrations and Ecosystem

  • SugarCRM: Offers deep integration, especially within enterprise business processes, with robust api access for connecting external software development tools and existing legacy systems.
  • Agile: Provides native integrations with major services like telephony, email, and social media, allowing users to efficiently connect email marketing and web engagement tools.

9. Learning Curve and Customization

  • SugarCRM: Offers a maximum degree of freedom and flexibility through custom coding and module changes, resulting in a slight steeper learning curve for new users but deep control for administrators.
  • Agile: Features an intuitive user interface and focuses on easy setup, making it accessible for new users. Its customization focuses more on setting up sales process automation without complex coding.

What to Look For in a CRM Tool?

  • Consider your team’s Google Workspace reliance.
  • Evaluate the need for deep customization.
  • Factor in long-term scalability and the size of the company.
  • Assess the importance of the mobile accessibility for your team.
  • Think about the complexity of your current sales management process.
  • Analyze your budget against the requirements of each CRM software, considering sugarcrm pricing and sugarcrm cost.
  • Determine the level of vendor support you’ll need for service automation and calendar integration.

Final Verdict

So, which one wins? It depends on your needs.

For big companies wanting lots of control, SugarCRM is powerful.

But it can be tricky to learn. 

If you want something easy and quick, Agile CRM is a better choice.

It’s simple and helps small teams work better.

We tested both, and for most users, Agile CRM is our pick.

It’s user-friendly and gets the job done without headaches.

Trust us; we’ve seen a lot of CRMs.

More of SugarCRM

Here’s a brief comparison of SugarCRM with these software solutions:

  • SugarCRM vs Pipedrive: SugarCRM provides broad customization and flexible deployment for various business needs; Pipedrive is a sales-focused CRM with a visual pipeline, prioritizing ease of use for small to medium businesses.
  • SugarCRM vs GoHighLevel: GoHighLevel vs SugarCRM: Which CRM Platform is Best in 2025?: GoHighLevel is an all-in-one platform for marketing agency needs. It helps them manage multiple clients. SugarCRM is a custom CRM for larger companies. It helps them analyze data and tailor their sales process.
  • SugarCRM vs Keap: SugarCRM offers robust, highly customizable CRM features for sales and marketing automation, scaling for larger teams; Keap (formerly Infusionsoft) is a marketing automation and sales CRM designed primarily for small businesses.
  • SugarCRM vs ActiveCampaign: SugarCRM focuses on extensive sales management and customization for complex pipelines; ActiveCampaign excels in user-friendly marketing automation, email campaigns, and lead segmentation.
  • SugarCRM vs HubSpot: SugarCRM provides deep customization and flexible deployment for tailored solutions; HubSpot offers an intuitive, integrated suite of marketing, sales, and service tools known for its ease of use.
  • SugarCRM vs Clickfunnels: SugarCRM is a robust customer relationship management platform; ClickFunnels is a specialized tool for building sales funnels, landing pages, and automating sales processes.
  • SugarCRM vs Folk: SugarCRM is a powerful, customizable CRM for comprehensive business needs; Folk is a modern, collaborative contact management tool that emphasizes simplicity and ease of use.
  • SugarCRM vs Instantly: SugarCRM offers a broad CRM solution for sales force automation and customer management; Instantly specializes in automated cold email outreach and lead generation campaigns.
  • SugarCRM vs ClickUp: SugarCRM is a dedicated CRM for sales, marketing, and service automation; ClickUp is a versatile work management platform that includes CRM functionalities alongside project and task management.
  • SugarCRM vs Monday: SugarCRM offers extensive customization and robust automation for sales and marketing; Monday CRM provides highly visual, customizable workflows for various business processes, including CRM.
  • SugarCRM vs Capsule CRM: SugarCRM delivers a highly customizable and scalable CRM with advanced features; Capsule CRM is a simpler, more affordable contact management solution for small to medium-sized businesses.
  • SugarCRM vs Insightly: SugarCRM offers extensive customization for complex sales processes and reporting; Insightly combines CRM with project management, focusing on ease of use for small to medium businesses.
  • SugarCRM vs Freshsales: SugarCRM provides deep customization and advanced automation for sales and marketing; Freshsales CRM offers an intuitive interface with AI-powered lead scoring and integrated sales automation.
  • SugarCRM vs Salesforce: SugarCRM offers an open-source option with significant customization potential; Salesforce is a leading cloud-based CRM with extensive features, broad integrations, and a vast ecosystem, albeit at a higher complexity.

More of Agile CRM

Here’s a brief comparison of Agile CRM with these software solutions:

  • Agile CRM vs Pipedrive: Agile CRM offers a broader range of marketing automation features and a built-in help desk. At the same time, Pipedrive focuses on intuitive visual sales pipeline management for sales teams.
  • Agile CRM vs GoHighLevel: Agile CRM is an all-in-one platform with CRM, sales, marketing, and service features. It’s often praised for its free plan and good support for smaller businesses. GoHighLevel is built for marketing agency needs.
  • Agile CRM vs Keap: Agile CRM is more affordable and offers a more intuitive interface for core CRM functions. Keap provides powerful marketing automation and e-commerce capabilities with a steeper learning curve.
  • Agile CRM vs ActiveCampaign: Agile CRM provides an all-in-one platform with a built-in help desk and telephony, whereas ActiveCampaign excels in advanced marketing automation, segmentation, and detailed analytics.
  • Agile CRM vs Hubspot: Agile CRM offers a competitive free plan and strong marketing automation for small businesses, while HubSpot provides a comprehensive, scalable suite of tools for larger enterprises.
  • Agile CRM vs Clickfunnels: Agile CRM is an all-encompassing CRM with sales, marketing, and service features; ClickFunnels is a specialized tool for building sales funnels and automating sales processes.
  • Agile CRM vs Folk: Agile CRM is a comprehensive suite that includes sales, marketing, and support, while Folk emphasizes simplified, collaborative contact management and organization.
  • Agile CRM vs Instantly: Agile CRM provides an all-in-one solution for sales, marketing, and customer service, while Instantly focuses on streamlined cold email outreach and deliverability.
  • Agile CRM vs Clickup: Agile CRM is a dedicated CRM solution, while ClickUp is a versatile productivity platform that includes CRM functionalities, project management, and task tracking.
  • Agile CRM vs Monday CRM: Agile CRM is an integrated CRM with strong marketing and service automation, whereas Monday CRM offers a highly customizable visual workspace for managing various workflows.
  • Agile CRM vs Capsule CRM: Agile CRM provides a comprehensive suite with marketing automation and robust reporting, while Capsule CRM is a simpler contact management and sales pipeline tracking solution.
  • Agile CRM vs Insightly: Agile CRM emphasizes extensive automation across sales, marketing, and service, while Insightly offers strong project management capabilities integrated with CRM features.
  • Agile CRM vs Freshsales CRM: Agile CRM provides robust marketing automation and a built-in help desk. At the same time, Freshsales CRM excels in sales-focused features like visual pipelines and AI-powered insights.
  • Agile CRM vs Salesforce: Agile CRM is an affordable, user-friendly option for small to medium businesses, while Salesforce is an industry-leading, highly customizable enterprise-level CRM with extensive features.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which CRM is better for a small business, SugarCRM or Agile CRM?

Agile CRM is generally better for small businesses. It’s easier to use and set up, and it offers the key features most small businesses need. SugarCRM is more complex and best suited for larger companies with specific needs.

Can I integrate my email marketing with SugarCRM or Agile CRM?

Yes, both SugarCRM and Agile CRM allow email marketing integration. Agile CRM has built-in email tools, while SugarCRM can integrate with various email platforms. Choose based on the complexity of your marketing needs.

Is SugarCRM or Agile CRM more affordable?

Agile CRM is usually more affordable for small to medium-sized businesses. SugarCRM can become expensive due to its complex customization and add-ons. When deciding, consider your budget and the features you need.

Does SugarCRM or Agile CRM offer good customer support?

Both offer customer support, but Agile CRM is known for its responsive and helpful support. SugarCRM’s support can vary. Consider how much support you might need when making your decision.

Which CRM has better customization options, SugarCRM or Agile CRM?

SugarCRM offers far more customization options. You can tailor it to your exact needs, but this requires technical expertise. Agile CRM offers some customization, but it’s less flexible.

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