10+ Best CRM Software Tools: A Comparison [2024 Guide]

If you’re struggling to track your customers, your sales process, customer service, and your marketing campaigns it may be time for a CRM, especially if you’re using a spreadsheet or worse a random piece of paper here and there (been there!)

For us, once we got over a few dozen clients at our marketing agency, all on different places of their customer journey, we knew we needed to get organized. We were struggling to keep track of any new leads that were coming in and staying on the same page – “did you call her, or wait maybe I emailed her last week?”

Sound familiar?

Why You Need A CRM Software

CRM, or Customer Relationship Management, is a type of software that helps businesses manage and analyze customer interactions and data throughout the customer lifecycle. The goal of CRM software tools is to improve business relationships with customers, help with customer retention and drive sales growth.

Here are some benefits of using a Customer relationship management software

Improved customer relationships

CRM software allows businesses to track and manage interactions with customers and prospects, which can help improve customer relationships. And not just your interactions, but that of anyone in your business.

Increased efficiency:

CRM software can help streamline and automate many of the tasks associated with customer relationship management, saving time and increasing efficiency.

Better decision-making:

CRM software can provide valuable insights and customer data about behavior and preferences, which can help businesses make more informed decisions.

Increased sales:

By automating and streamlining sales processes, CRM software can help businesses close more deals and drive sales growth. And you know we love automation! Hello, Smart!

Improved customer retention:

By tracking customer interactions and preferences, businesses can provide personalized experiences that can help improve customer satisfaction and retention.

Enhanced collaboration:

CRM software can help improve communication and collaboration among teams, as it provides a central location for storing and sharing customer data.

Even if you’re a solopreneur a CRM is for you, as you are the team; customer service – check, sales team – check, customer relationship manager – double check. You do it all, and a CRM is going to help you do it better.

Is marketing automation a benefit of a CRM?

Yes, marketing automation is often a benefit of a CRM software. Marketing automation refers to the use of software to automate marketing tasks and processes, such as email campaigns, social media posts, and ad targeting. And this is a huge advantage to working smarter with your marketing campaigns.

The Best CRM Software Features

The best CRM software often includes marketing automation features that can help businesses save time and improve the effectiveness of their marketing efforts. For example, a CRM may allow businesses to set up and automate email campaigns, track the performance of marketing efforts, and segment their customer lists for targeted marketing. That’s right, you’ll have data to see if all your hard work is paying off.

Marketing automation can be a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes, as it allows them to scale their marketing efforts and target the right customers with the right message at the right time. By using a CRM with marketing automation capabilities, businesses can improve their efficiency and achieve better results from their marketing efforts.

Best CRM Solutions for small business

You may be wondering what makes one service stand out as the best CRM software?

The best CRM software for a small business will depend on the specific needs and goals of the business.

However, there are some characteristics that are common to many of the best CRM software tools for small businesses:

Affordability

Small businesses often have limited budgets, so it’s important to choose a CRM that is affordable and offers a good value for the price.

Ease of use

A CRM that is easy to use and navigate will be more effective for small businesses, as they may not have the resources or time to spend on a steep learning curve.

Customization:

Small businesses often have unique needs, so a CRM that is customizable and can be tailored to the specific needs of the business is important.

Integration

A CRM that integrates with other business tools and services that a small business uses can help streamline workflows and improve efficiency.

Scalability

As a small business grows, it’s important to choose a CRM that can scale with the business and accommodate its future needs.

Customer support

Small businesses may rely on customer support more heavily than larger businesses, so it’s important to choose a CRM that offers good customer support.

By considering these characteristics, small businesses can choose a CRM that is the best fit for their specific needs and goals.

The Best CRM Software for YOUR Business

Let’s dive into some of the best CRM solutions out there for small businesses and compare them so you can decide which one will be the best CRM software for your business.

Salesforce

Salesforce is a comprehensive CRM software that offers a wide range of features and tools for managing customer relationships. It is highly customizable and can be tailored to the specific needs of a business. Salesforce is widely used by large enterprises and their sales team, but it can also be used by small and medium-sized businesses.

Salesforce Top features:

• Customizable dashboards
• Automated sales processes
• Lead and opportunity management
• Forecasting and reporting
• Integration with other business applications

   

Salesforce Cons:

• Wide range of features
• Highly customizable
• Strong integration capabilities
• Large user base

Salesforce Cons:

• Steep learning curve
• Can be expensive for small businesses

Salesforce CRM Software Pricing and Plans

Salesforce starts at $25 a month

FREE trial – YES!

Start your free Salesforce CRM Software Trial

Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is a cloud-based CRM platform that offers a wide range of features for managing customer relationships. It is affordable and integrates with other Zoho apps and third-party apps. Zoho CRM is suitable for businesses of all sizes.

Zoho CRM Top features:

• Lead and contact management
• Sales forecasting
• Marketing automation
• Integration with other Zoho apps and third-party apps
• Customizable dashboards

Zoho CRM Pros:

• Affordable
• Strong integration with other Zoho apps
• Wide range of features

Zoho CRM Cons:

• User interface may not be as intuitive as some other CRM tools

Zoho CRM Pricing and Plans

Zoho CRM starts at $14 per month

FREE Trial – YES!

Start your Zoho CRM Software Free Trial

HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM is a cloud-based CRM platform that offers a range of tools for managing customer relationships. It is user-friendly and integrates with other HubSpot tools. HubSpot CRM is suitable for businesses of all sizes, and there is a free version for up to 1 million contacts.

HubSpot CRM Top features:

• Contact and lead management
• Email tracking and scheduling
• Customizable dashboards
• Integration with other HubSpot tools
• Free version for up to 1 million contacts

HubSpot CRM Pros:

• Free for up to 1 million contacts
• Strong integration with other HubSpot tools
• User-friendly interface

HubSpot CRM Cons:

• Limited customization options compared to some other CRM tools

HubSpot CRM Pricing and Plans

HubSpot CRM is free.

Get Hubspot’s FREE CRM Software

Freshsales

Freshsales is a cloud-based CRM platform that offers a range of features for managing customer relationships. It is user-friendly and integrates with other Freshworks tools. Freshsales is suitable for businesses of all sizes.

Freshsales Top features:

• Lead and contact management
• Sales forecasting
• Marketing automation
• Customizable dashboards
• Integration with other Freshworks tools

Freshsales Pros:

• User-friendly interface
• Strong integration with other Freshworks tools
• Affordable pricing options

Freshsales Cons:

• Limited customization options compared to some other CRM tools

Freshsales Pricing and plans

Freshsales starts at $0

Get the FREE CRM software by Freshsales

Insightly

Insightly is a cloud-based CRM platform that offers a range of features for managing customer relationships and projects. It integrates with Google apps and Microsoft Office and is suitable for businesses of all sizes.

Insightly Top features:

• Contact and lead management
• Project and task management
• Integration with Google apps and Microsoft Office
• Customizable dashboards
• Collaboration tools

Insightly Pros:

• Strong project management capabilities
• Integration with Google apps and Microsoft Office
• Affordable pricing options

Insightly Cons:

• Limited customization options compared to some other CRM tools

Insightly Pricing and Plans

Insightly CRM starts at $20 per month

FREE trial – YES!

Get the FREE Trial of Insightly CRM Software

Nutshell

Nutshell is a cloud-based CRM platform that offers a range of features for managing customer relationships. It has a user-friendly interface and integrates with email and calendar apps. Nutshell is suitable for businesses of all sizes.

Nutshell Top features:

• Lead and contact management
• Sales forecasting
• Customizable dashboards
• Integration with email and calendar apps
• Mobile app for on-the-go access

Nutshell Pros:

• User-friendly interface
• Strong mobile app
• Affordable pricing options

Nutshell Cons:

• Limited customization options compared to some other CRM tools

Nutshell Pricing and Plans

Nutshell CRM starts at $16 per month

FREE Trial – YES!

Get the Nutshell CRM Software Free Trial

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a CRM platform that offers a range of features for managing customer relationships. It integrates with Microsoft Office and other business apps and is suitable for businesses of all sizes.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Top features:

• Contact and lead management
• Sales forecasting
• Marketing automation
• Integration with Microsoft Office and other business apps
• Customizable dashboards

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Pros:

• Wide range of features
• Strong integration with Microsoft Office and other business apps
• Customizable

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Cons:

• Expensive
• May require a dedicated IT staff to manage

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Pricing and Plans

Microsoft dynamics CRM pricing is based on several factors – see pricing here

FREE Trial – YES!

Get the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Software Free Trial

Copper

Copper is a cloud-based CRM platform that offers a range of features for managing customer relationships. It has a user-friendly interface and integrates with Google apps. Copper is suitable for businesses of all sizes.

Copper Top features:

• Contact and lead management
• Sales forecasting
• Integration with Google apps and other business tools
• Customizable dashboards
• Mobile app

Copper Pros:

• User-friendly interface
• Strong integration with Google apps
• Affordable pricing options

Copper Cons:

• Limited customization options compared to some other CRM tools

Copper Pricing and Plans

Copper CRM Pricing starts at $23 per month

Free Trial – YES!

Get the Copper CRM software Free Trial

SugarCRM

SugarCRM is a CRM platform that offers a range of features for managing customer relationships. It is customizable and integrates with third-party apps and services. SugarCRM is suitable for businesses of all sizes.

SugarCRM Top features:

• Contact and lead management
• Sales forecasting
• Marketing automation
• Customizable dashboards
• Integration with third-party apps and services

SugarCRM Pros:

• Customizable
• Strong integration capabilities
• Wide range of features

SugarCRM Cons:

• User interface may not be as intuitive as some other CRM tools
• Can be expensive for small businesses

SugarCRM Pricing

Sugar CRM software starts at $49 per month

FREE Trial – YES!

Get the SugarCRM Free Trial

Agile CRM

Agile CRM is a cloud-based CRM platform that offers a range of features for managing customer relationships. It integrates with other business tools and services and is suitable for businesses of all sizes.

Agile CRM Top features:

• Contact and lead management
• Marketing automation
• Sales forecasting
• Customizable dashboards
• Integration with other business tools and services

Agile CRM Pros:

• Wide range of features
• Strong integration capabilities
• Affordable pricing options

Agile CRM Cons:

• User interface may not be as intuitive as some other CRM tools
• Limited customization options compared to some other CRM tools

Agile CRM Pricing

Agile has a free version

Get the Agile FREE version

What questions should you ask before choosing a CRM for your small business?

Here are some questions that a small business should ask or consider before choosing a CRM:

What are the specific needs of my business?

Identifying the specific needs of your business will help you determine which CRM features are most important to you and narrow down your options.

How much can I afford to spend on a CRM?

CRM pricing can vary significantly, so it’s important to consider your budget when choosing a tool.

Is the CRM software user-friendly?

A CRM that is easy to use and navigate will be more effective for your business. Consider whether the CRM has a user-friendly interface and offers training and support.

Does the CRM service integrate with other tools and services I use?

If you use other business tools and services, it’s important to consider whether the CRM you choose integrates with them. This can help streamline your workflow and improve efficiency.

Is the CRM software customizable?

Depending on the size and needs of your business, you may want a CRM that is customizable and can be tailored to your specific needs.

Is the CRM software scalable?

As your business grows, you may need a CRM that can scale with you. Consider whether the CRM you choose can accommodate your future needs.

Does the CRM software have a good reputation?

Consider reading reviews and asking for recommendations from other businesses to get an idea of the CRM’s reputation.

By asking these questions and considering these factors, you can choose the best CRM software for your business.

Why a CRM is SMART for your business

As you can see, it’s time to jump on the CRM bandwagon!

A CRM provides an invaluable way for entrepreneurs to easily manage customer relationships, streamline sales processes and improve customer service.

It delivers a great return on investment by centralizing customer data, nurturing leads, and providing access to analytics to inform customer outreach and marketing efforts.

Ultimately, having a CRM allows you to take your small business to the next level with well-organized customer information that increases efficiency and revenue growth. 

A CRM is a smart move entrepreneurs can make to get ahead of the competition!