Key takeaways
- CRM software helps businesses centralize customer data, manage sales pipelines, automate workflows, and improve communication across sales, marketing, and customer service teams.
- The best CRM platforms combine contact management with features like reporting, automation, integrations, AI insights, forecasting, and project management tools.
- Choosing the right CRM depends on your business needs, whether that’s integrations, pipeline optimization, enterprise scalability, analytics, security, collaboration, or ease of use.
CRM software helps businesses organize customer data, track leads, manage sales activity, and improve relationships across sales, marketing, and customer service teams. In my review, I looked for platforms that go beyond contact storage by helping teams automate follow-ups, analyze customer interactions, manage pipelines, and create a shared source of truth for important business relationships.
I reviewed and ranked the 11 best CRM software solutions based on features, usability, integrations, reporting, automation, and best-fit use cases. HubSpot CRM stood out for integrations, while the other platforms on this list are better suited for decentralized teams, pipeline management, enterprise sales, project management, reporting, security, and simplicity.
| CRM provider | Best for… | Starting price* |
|---|---|---|
| HubSpot CRM | Third-party integrations | Free or $9/user |
| Zoho CRM | Distributed sales teams | Free or $14/user |
| Shape CRM | Workflow flexibility and customization | Custom pricing |
| Pipedrive | Pipeline tracking and optimization | $14/user |
| Salesforce | Enterprise-scale sales operations | Free or $25/user |
| Oracle NetSuite CRM | Unified business management | Custom pricing |
| Insightly CRM | Reporting and analytics | $29/user |
| Keap CRM | Sales and marketing automation | $299 for 2 users** |
| Copper CRM | Google Workspace integration | $9/user |
| ClickUp | CRM and project management workflows | Free or $7/user |
| Less Annoying CRM | Simple CRM management for small teams | $15/user** |
*All per-user prices are with a one-year commitment unless otherwise noted.
**Monthly billing only.
Featured partners
Overview of the best CRM software
| Provider | Built-in project management | AI-powered sales tools | Native Google Workspace integration | My expert score out of 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot CRM | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | 4.5 |
| Zoho CRM | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 4.5 |
| Shape CRM | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | 4.4 |
| Pipedrive | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | 4.2 |
| Salesforce | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 4.0 |
| Oracle NetSuite CRM | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | 4.0 |
| Insightly CRM | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | 3.9 |
| Keap CRM | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | 3.8 |
| Copper CRM | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | 3.8 |
| ClickUp | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 3.8 |
| Less Annoying CRM | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | 3.5 |
TechnologyAdvice follows a structured editorial process designed to help buyers make informed software decisions. Our team reviews dozens of buyer’s guides each year using consistent, data-driven criteria grounded in real business use cases.
In this review, I evaluated the essential aspects of CRM software, including contact and lead management, pipeline tracking, automation, integrations, reporting, ease of use, pricing, scalability, and customer support. My full methodology also included firsthand testing of platform usability and analysis of real user feedback to determine how well each CRM supports sales, marketing, and customer service teams.
Furthermore, I leverage the following work experience when conducting software reviews:
- Over 14 years of editorial research and writing
- Over eight years of writing expert reviews about sales and business technologies
- Over two years in insurance sales and team management
- Almost two years in sales territory management
To build this list, I focused on CRM platforms that help businesses manage customer relationships, organize contact data, track sales activity, and support sales, marketing, and customer service workflows. I looked for tools that balance usability with the features most CRM buyers care about, including pipeline management, automation, integrations, reporting, and scalability.
I evaluated the top 11 platforms using a consistent framework based on the factors that matter most when choosing CRM software:
- Pricing: I compared free plans, entry-level costs, user limits, billing options, and how pricing scales as teams grow.
- Contact and lead management: I reviewed how each CRM stores customer data, tracks leads, manages deals, and supports follow-up activity.
- Sales pipeline and automation: I assessed pipeline customization, workflow automation, task management, reminders, and sales process support.
- Reporting and analytics: I looked at dashboards, forecasting, performance reports, activity tracking, and how clearly each platform presents business insights.
- Integrations and ecosystem: I evaluated native integrations, app marketplaces, API access, and how well each CRM connects with sales, marketing, customer service, productivity, and communication tools.
- Ease of use: I reviewed setup, onboarding, interface design, customization, and day-to-day usability for sales and customer-facing teams.
- Expert evaluation: This reflects my overall assessment of each platform’s feature depth, flexibility, scalability, user experience, and value for the price.
In addition to comparing features, I reviewed pricing pages and product documentation. I verified user feedback to understand how each CRM performs in real business workflows, from contact management and pipeline tracking to reporting, automation, and team collaboration.
What makes HubSpot CRM the best for third-party integrations?
Overall Score
4.5/5
Pricing
4.8/5
General features and interface
4.4/5
Core features
4.5/5
Advanced features
3.8/5
Integration and compatibility
4.8/5
UX
4.8/5
Pros
- One of the most trusted names in the industry
- First-class automation and integration options
- CRM, email marketing, and website management in one place
- Free plan
Cons
- Higher-end cost structure for paid plans and added tools
- Best for use cases that need more than just CRM software
Why I Chose HubSpot
HubSpot CRM is my top choice for CRM integrations because it combines strong connectivity with one of the most user-friendly platforms I have tested. In my evaluation, it performed especially well for API availability, ease of integration, native add-ons, and third-party app connections, making it a strong fit for businesses already using multiple sales, marketing, customer service, and productivity tools.
Another advantage is its accessibility. HubSpot CRM offers a free plan and does not require long-term contracts, which lowers the barrier to entry for smaller businesses and growing teams. While Salesforce offers more enterprise-level customization, HubSpot CRM stands out for how quickly teams can connect tools, automate workflows, and start using the platform, with minimal learning required.
HubSpot CRM is designed to help you streamline your business operations by integrating marketing, sales, and customer service into one seamless platform.
Known for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive sales and marketing features, HubSpot CRM provides tools for contact management, email tracking, deal pipelines, and marketing automation. Its integration capabilities with popular business apps ensure you can manage all your customer interactions and data from a single platform. HubSpot’s free tier offers comprehensive functionalities, making it accessible for small businesses and startups, while scalable options are available for larger enterprises needing advanced features and customizations. Its extensive training resources also help to speed up adoption of the software.
- Contact management: Provides a detailed view of contacts, tracking every interaction automatically and allowing users to easily manage customer relationships.
- Email tracking and notifications: Enables real-time notifications when a contact opens an email, allowing sales teams to follow up effectively.
- Pipeline management: Offers a visual dashboard for managing sales pipelines, helping teams to track deals and stages effectively.
- Meeting scheduling: Provides a tool to simplify meeting scheduling by syncing with your calendar and allowing contacts to book time directly.
- AI-driven lead scoring: Uses predictive analytics and behavioral data to prioritize leads, helping sales teams focus on high-potential opportunities.
- Bidirectional integration: Supports seamless integration with hundreds of third-party applications through a robust API, enhancing workflow automation and data synchronization.
HubSpot Sales Hub
- Free: $0 for up to 2 users
- Starter: $9/user/month (billed annually) or $20/user/month (billed monthly)
- Professional: $90/user/month (billed annually) or $100/user/month (billed monthly)
- Enterprise: $150/user/month (billed annually)
What makes Zoho CRM the best for distributed sales teams?
Overall Score
4.5/5
Pricing
4.2/5
General features and interface
4.3/5
Core features
4.8/5
Advanced features
4.4/5
Integration and compatibility
5/5
UX
4.3/5
Pros
- Remote-first functionality and support
- Amble collaboration tools for decentralized teams
- Additional tool sets for other critical business needs
Cons
- Free/low-cost plans have reduced functionality
Why I Chose Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM works particularly well for distributed sales teams because it combines collaboration tools, multichannel communication, mobile accessibility, and AI-powered insights in one platform. In my evaluation, the platform performed especially well for remote team coordination thanks to features like real-time notifications, shared workflows, and strong mobile functionality that make it easier for teams to stay connected across locations and devices.
Its AI assistant, Zia, adds another layer of value by helping teams with sales forecasting, lead insights, and workflow recommendations. I also found SalesSignals useful for keeping teams aligned through real-time notifications across email, calls, social media, and other communication channels. Combined with Blueprint workflow automation, VOIP support, and multichannel customer tracking, Zoho CRM gives decentralized teams a more organized way to manage deals, communication, and collaboration from virtually anywhere.
Zoho CRM is part of a larger platform that includes HR, accounting, operations, and more, placing it in a similar bracket to NetSuite. It’s accomplished this while still maintaining low overhead costs, thanks to its remote-first work environment.
That prioritization of decentralized collaboration carries over to their suite of software solutions, including their CRM. With features and tools comparable to its peers in this list, but with the added bonus of designing the platform to function across time zones and national boundaries.
The software is tailored to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, with a free plan and no contract requirement. Its pricing structure is competitive, offering value for money and reflecting an understanding of diverse business models.
Zoho CRM’s interface is intuitive, scoring a 75/100 in design, and it supports a mild learning curve, ensuring new users can quickly adapt. The platform’s customizability is a standout feature, allowing businesses to tailor the CRM to their unique processes.
In terms of product design, Zoho CRM has been crafted with the user in mind, offering a balance between functionality and simplicity. This balance is critical for user adoption and long-term engagement with the platform.
- AI-Powered Sales Assistant (Zia): Zoho CRM offers an AI-powered sales assistant called Zia that can predict trends, anomalies, and conversions, making sales forecasting smarter.
- SalesSignals: This feature provides real-time notifications from across multiple channels like phone, email, social media, and live chat, ensuring you never miss an interaction.
- Blueprint: Zoho’s Blueprint feature helps businesses design and automate their sales processes, ensuring that salespeople know exactly what to do at each stage of the deal.
- Multi-Channel Support: Zoho CRM offers multi-channel support for phone, email, live chat, social media, and in-person meetings, keeping your team connected no matter how you communicate.
- Advanced analytics and forecasting: Offers customizable reports and dashboards with advanced analytics capabilities, enabling precise sales forecasting and performance tracking.
- Free: $0 for up to 3 users
- Standard: $14/user/month (billed annually) or $20/user/month (billed monthly)
- Professional: $23/user/month (billed annually) or $35/user/month (billed monthly)
- Enterprise: $40/user/month (billed annually) or $50/user/month (billed monthly)
- Ultimate: $52/user/month (billed annually) or $65/user/month (billed monthly)
Free trial: 15 days
What makes Shape CRM the best for workflow flexibility and customization?
Overall Score
4.4/5
Pricing
4.4/5
General features and interface
4.1/5
Core features
4.6/5
Advanced features
4.4/5
Integration and compatibility
4/5
UX
4.5/5
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Onboarding and training webinars offered daily
- Prioritized list views
- Industry-specific modules
- Flat fee
Cons
- eSignature functionality could be improved
- Higher price point
Why I Chose Shape CRM
Shape CRM works especially well for businesses that need workflow flexibility and customization beyond what traditional CRMs typically offer. In my evaluation, its user-driven design made it easier to tailor pipelines, workflows, automations, and communication tools to fit specific operational needs instead of forcing teams into rigid CRM structures.
The platform also includes a strong mix of advanced features, including a built-in VoIP-style dialer, AI chatbot, and assistant tools, geo-location integrations, and sales and marketing automation capabilities. Its customizable workflows and task management tools can help teams automate repetitive tasks, manage customer interactions more efficiently, and improve internal coordination.
Another advantage is Shape CRM’s industry-specific approach. While platforms like Zoho CRM offer broad customization and integration options, Shape CRM places more emphasis on configurable templates and integrated communication tools designed for specialized industries, including built-in calling, texting, and email functionality within the platform itself.
What makes Pipedrive the best for pipeline tracking and optimization?
Overall Score
4.2/5
Pricing
3.5/5
General features and interface
4.3/5
Core features
4.6/5
Advanced features
3.5/5
Integration and compatibility
4.8/5
UX
4/5
Pros
- AI-powered lead tracking
- Helps teams focus their energy on more effective efforts
- Approachable interface
Cons
- Not as valuable for teams with existing, well-refined lead pipelines
Why I Chose Pipedrive
Pipedrive is a strong fit for businesses focused on pipeline tracking and optimization because its visual sales pipeline makes deals easier to organize, monitor, and move through the sales process. In my evaluation, it delivered one of the best balances between usability and functionality, particularly for small and midsize teams that want a streamlined CRM without the complexity of larger enterprise platforms.
Its automation and analytics tools also help sales teams stay focused on higher-value opportunities. Features like email integration, activity tracking, AI-powered insights, and goal monitoring make it easier to automate follow-ups, prioritize leads, and reduce stalled deals throughout the sales cycle.
Usability is another major advantage. Compared to more complex systems like Salesforce, Pipedrive presents sales data in a cleaner, more visual format that is easier to navigate and act on day-to-day. Its expanding AI analytics capabilities and growing integration ecosystem also make it a practical option for businesses that want smarter sales insights without sacrificing simplicity.
- Pipeline management: Pipedrive offers a visual sales pipeline which allows users to effectively manage deals at different stages and streamline the sales process.
- Sales reporting: Pipedrive includes comprehensive sales reporting features to provide insights and monitor sales performance over time.
- Email integration: Pipedrive provides seamless email integration, allowing users to send and receive emails directly from the CRM, track correspondence and automate follow-ups.
- Activity and goal tracking: Pipedrive allows users to set and monitor goals and activities, keeping sales efforts aligned with business objectives.
- Sales automation: Pipedrive’s workflow automation feature enables users to automate repetitive tasks, such as sending emails or updating deal stages, to save time and ensure consistency in sales processes.
- Smart contact data: Pipedrive enriches contact profiles by pulling in data from social media and other online sources, providing users with comprehensive and up-to-date information about their contacts.
- Lite: $14/user/month (billed annually) or $24/user/month (billed monthly)
- Growth: $39/user/month (billed annually) or $49/user/month (billed monthly)
- Premium: $59/user/month (billed annually) or $79/user/month (billed monthly)
- Ultimate: $79/user/month (billed annually) or $99/user/month (billed monthly)
Free trial: 7 days
What makes Salesforce the best for enterprise-scale operations?
Overall Score
4/5
Pricing
2.7/5
General features and interface
4.5/5
Advanced features
4.5/5
Integration and compatibility
3.5/5
UX
3.5/5
Pros
- Extensive integrations
- Enterprise-level software functionality for small teams
- Can be configured to almost any situation
Cons
- Mid-to-high pricing
- Complex implementation
Why I Chose Salesforce
Salesforce (via Sales Cloud) is one of the most robust CRM platforms I evaluated for enterprise-scale sales operations because it combines deep customization, advanced AI capabilities, and one of the largest integration ecosystems in the CRM market. It is particularly well-suited for organizations managing complex sales processes, large teams, and multiple connected business systems.
Its flexibility is a major advantage. With Lightning App Builder, teams can create custom applications and workflows without extensive coding, while AppExchange provides access to thousands of third-party apps that significantly expand Salesforce’s functionality. Compared with NetSuite, Salesforce offers a broader CRM-focused ecosystem and a more accessible approach to customization and integrations.
Salesforce’s Einstein AI tools also add meaningful value through predictive analytics, lead scoring, workflow automation, and sales forecasting. Combined with real-time dashboards and highly customizable reporting, these features help enterprise teams monitor performance more effectively and make faster, data-driven decisions.
NetSuite may be the stronger option for product-centric businesses that need ERP, financials, ecommerce, and CRM in one platform. However, Salesforce is the better fit for enterprises prioritizing CRM scalability, advanced sales functionality, flexible customization, and a platform that can evolve alongside long-term business growth.
Salesforce CRM, included in Salesforce Sales Cloud, has been a titan in the enterprise arena for years, and it has largely gained its clout on merit. Its comprehensive suite of features, scalability, and innovative approach to customer relationship management all serve to make it a strong contender in the space.
While Salesforce’s comprehensive features and customization options are a boon for many large-scale businesses, they can also present a steep learning curve for new users. The platform’s depth, which allows for extensive tailoring, may require significant training and expertise to navigate effectively. This could lead to additional costs for organizations in terms of time and resources spent on training.
Integration capabilities are a strong point for Salesforce, offering connections with a multitude of business applications. Yet, this interconnectedness can sometimes lead to complexity, particularly when managing and troubleshooting integrations across various systems.
The user experience is generally user-friendly and is regularly updated to introduce new functionalities. Nonetheless, some users may find the frequent updates challenging to keep up with, potentially disrupting workflows as teams adapt to new features.
Salesforce’s AI enhancements with Einstein and mobile experience improvements are commendable, positioning the platform at the forefront of innovation, but remember the cost associated with accessing these cutting-edge tools should be considered.
- 360-degree customer view: Brings together every interaction and piece of customer data, presenting a complete view of each client’s journey. This holistic perspective enables businesses to understand their customers better, enhancing relationship-building.
- Einstein AI-powered analytics: Delivers insightful predictive analytics. This technology provides proactive lead scoring, trend analysis, and accurate sales forecasts, driving strategic, data-informed decision-making.
- Extensive customization and integration: Offers a range of modules and a flexible API for seamless integration with other tools, ensuring Salesforce adapts to your specific business needs and tech stack, not vice versa.
- Scalability and cloud-based structure: Cloud-based architecture enables secure, anywhere-access to your CRM data, facilitating collaboration and boosting productivity across your team.
Salesforce Sales Cloud:
- Free Suite: $0 for up to 2 users
- Starter Suite: $25/user/month (billed annually) or $35/user/month (billed monthly)
- Pro Suites: $100/user/month (billed annually)
- Enterprise: $175/user/month (billed annually)
- Unlimited: $350/user/month (billed annually)
- Agentforce 1 Sales: $550/user/month (billed annually)
Free trial: 30 days
What makes Oracle NetSuite CRM the best for unified business management?
Overall Score
4/5
Pricing
2.5/5
General features and interface
3.8/5
Core features
4.6/5
Advanced features
4/5
Integration and compatibility
4.8/5
UX
3.8/5
Pros
- Most comprehensive business tool on the list
- Full-fledged ERP capabilities
- 360-degree customer view
- Scalability and flexibility
Cons
- Higher-end pricing
- No standalone CRM option
Why I Chose Oracle Netsuite CRM
Oracle NetSuite CRM is a strong fit for businesses that need a unified business management platform instead of a standalone CRM. It combines CRM, ERP, accounting, ecommerce, and operational management tools in a single cloud-based system, making it especially valuable for companies that want customer data directly connected to financials, inventory, and broader business operations.
One of its biggest strengths is the 360-degree customer view, which gives teams centralized visibility into customer interactions, transactions, order history, and account activity. Its advanced analytics, collaboration tools, and operational integrations also make it better suited for larger or more complex organizations managing multiple workflows across departments.
Compared with Salesforce, NetSuite is less CRM-centric but stronger as an all-in-one operational platform. Compared with Pipedrive, it offers significantly deeper functionality in areas like inventory management, accounting, and ecommerce. That added depth makes NetSuite particularly useful for product-driven or operationally complex businesses, though it may be more robust than smaller teams need if their primary focus is lightweight pipeline management.
Rounding out the 4-star range on our list is NetSuite CRM from Oracle. If that name sounds familiar, it should: NetSuite was an internet pioneer back when the internet still ran on dial-up. These days, the brand (now owned by Oracle) continues to offer advanced software and digital technology solutions to businesses around the world.
NetSuite is noteworthy for numerous reasons, but above all else, they are a comprehensive solution. The CRM portion is only a fraction of the platform—the suite handles enterprise resource planning (ERP), accounting and financials, inventory tracking, and more. Organizations looking to use a single system to manage and optimize their entire business infrastructure need look no further.
The overall design of Oracle NetSuite CRM also focuses on providing a comprehensive view of the customer lifecycle. While its interface and usability score moderately, the CRM’s strength lies in its ability to offer a 360-degree view of customers, integrating sales, customer service, and marketing effectively.
This evolution into a comprehensive ecosystem addresses the growing need for interconnected business systems, offering a more efficient and unified approach to managing various business processes.
That said, its greatest strength is also its biggest caveat. NetSuite is a package deal. Signing up for the CRM (or any individual business function) means signing up for the whole platform, so it works best for brands that stand to benefit from an entire workflow overhaul.
- 360-Degree customer view: Provides a comprehensive, real-time view of customer interactions across all channels, enhancing customer insight and service.
- Sales force automation (SFA): Automates and streamlines the entire sales process, reducing errors and saving time.
- Marketing automation: Enables businesses to streamline campaign management and track marketing ROI effectively.
- Customer service Management: Enhances customer satisfaction by providing tools for managing customer support and improving service delivery.
- Advanced order management: NetSuite offers order management capabilities that streamline the order-to-cash process.
- Real-time analytics and reporting: Provides powerful, customizable dashboards and reports that deliver real-time insights into business performance.
Oracle NetSuite CRM uses custom pricing based on your business size, selected modules, number of users, and implementation requirements. Since NetSuite CRM is part of the broader NetSuite platform, costs can vary depending on whether you also need ERP, accounting, ecommerce, inventory, or other operational tools. Businesses also pay an annual license fee and a one-time implementation fee for setup and onboarding. To get exact pricing tailored to your organization, you’ll need to contact Oracle NetSuite directly for a customized quote.
What makes Insightly CRM the best for reporting and analytics?
Overall Score
3.9/5
Pricing
4.2/5
General features and interface
3.6/5
Core features
4.3/5
Advanced features
2.3/5
Integration and compatibility
4.2/5
UX
3.8/5
Pros
- Vast analytics and visualization options
- Robust automation tools
- Project management functionality
Cons
- Not as intuitive or easy to deploy as some tools
Why I Chose Insightly
Insightly CRM is a compelling choice for businesses that prioritize reporting and analytics without the steep learning curve of more complex enterprise platforms. In my evaluation, its reporting tools delivered a strong balance of depth and usability, making it easier for teams to create custom reports, visualize performance metrics, and monitor sales activity without advanced technical expertise.
The platform is particularly well-suited for small and midsize businesses that want more analytical capability than entry-level CRMs typically provide. Features like customizable dashboards, sales forecasting, advanced reporting, and integrations with Power BI and Excel give teams multiple ways to analyze, organize, and present CRM data more effectively.
Insightly also extends beyond analytics with built-in automation, project management, and integration tools that connect sales activity with broader operational workflows. While its AI analytics and VoIP functionality are not as advanced as Salesforce or NetSuite, Insightly offers a more approachable reporting experience for teams that want actionable business insights without enterprise-level complexity.
- Advanced reporting: Insightly’s advanced reporting allows users to create customized, detailed reports, offering valuable insights into business performance.
- Dashboard visualization: Insightly provides dashboards for a quick visual representation of business health and metrics, aiding in swift decision-making.
- Sales forecasting: Insightly’s CRM includes sales forecasting features, enabling businesses to predict sales revenue using historical and real-time data.
- Integrations: Insightly integrates with popular software like Power BI and Excel, enhancing its reporting and analytics capabilities.
- Workflow automation: Insightly allows users to automate repetitive tasks and business processes through custom workflows.
- Project management: Insightly combines CRM and project management features, enabling users to manage projects, track milestones, and collaborate with team members directly within the CRM platform.
- Plus: $29/user/month (billed annually) or $35/user/month (billed monthly)
- Professional: $49/user/month (billed annually) or $59/user/month (billed monthly)
- Enterprise: $99/user/month (billed annually) or $129/user/month (billed monthly)
Free trial: 14 days
What makes Keap CRM the best for sales and marketing automation?
Overall Score
3.8/5
Pricing
2.5/5
General features and interface
4/5
Core features
4.5/5
Advanced features
2.5/5
Integration and compatibility
4.6/5
UX
4.3/5
Pros
- Sales and marketing automation
- Helps small teams accomplish more
- Easy to use
Cons
- May not be the right fit for larger, more complex workflows
Why I Chose Keap
Keap CRM is a practical option for businesses that want tighter sales and marketing alignment without relying on multiple disconnected platforms. In my evaluation, it managed lead capture, follow-up automation, customer communication, and payment collection more cohesively than many competing CRMs designed for small and midsize businesses.
Automation is one of Keap’s biggest strengths. Businesses can create landing pages and forms, capture leads automatically, and trigger personalized email or SMS follow-ups based on customer activity. Its contact management tools also make it easier to organize customer data through segmentation, filters, saved searches, and automated workflows that help keep engagement timely and consistent.
Another advantage is its built-in invoicing and payment functionality, which allows teams to manage the customer journey from lead generation through payment collection within the same platform. Compared with HubSpot, which often requires separate hubs for broader sales and service functionality, Keap delivers a more consolidated experience that can simplify setup, navigation, and day-to-day operations for growing businesses.
Keap CRM is a bit of an oddity in this list. While it’s fully capable of providing top-tier service to larger brands the way Salesforce or Hubspot might, its positioning tends to focus more heavily on solopreneurs and other small businesses.
To be fair, these are often the professionals who need the most support to keep their sales pipelines flowing. Certain “hats” have to be worn in every business—accounts receivable, sales, marketing, operations, logistics, project management, etc.—even when that business is a business of one. The fewer the heads there are in the crew, the more hats on a single head.
Keap aims to help these professionals by giving them somewhere else to put some of those hats, so to speak. Via robust sales, marketing, and financial automation tools, Keap streamlines some of the most difficult, tedious, and repetitious parts of the sales lifecycle.
Solopreneurs especially tend to be specialists in their product, with non-billable tasks being secondary skills at best. Keap gives these individuals and teams a way to get back to the work they do best, and rest easy about the duties that stress them out the most.
While Keap excels in many areas, it could further strengthen its position against competitors by enhancing its AI analytics and AI chatbot functionalities. These improvements would provide even more sophisticated tools for businesses to analyze data and engage with customers, keeping pace with the trends of competitors.
- Smart client management: Keap’s CRM excels in organizing and updating client information, along with capturing new leads, all in one centralized, searchable database.
- Advanced email automation: Keap’s CRM not only offers email marketing but also delivers personalized, automated follow-ups that nurture client relationships and keep businesses top-of-mind.
- Integrated appointments: Keap seamlessly syncs calendars and sets up reminders, turning the scheduling of appointments with clients into a hassle-free process.
- Billing and payment solutions: Keap stands out with its invoicing features, which provide the ability to create, send, and track invoices, accept credit cards online, and automate payment reminders.
- Lead capture and management: Provides advanced lead capture tools, including customizable forms and landing pages, to efficiently gather and manage leads from multiple sources.
- Sales pipeline automation: Offers automated sales pipeline management, enabling users to track leads, set tasks, and automate follow-ups to ensure no opportunities are missed.
Keap CRM pricing starts at $299 per month and includes CRM, automation, email and text marketing, pipeline management, landing pages, payments, appointments, and reporting tools in one platform. Pricing varies based on the number of users and contacts your business needs, making it more scalable for growing teams that want an all-in-one sales and marketing system.
What makes Copper CRM the best for Google Workspace users?
Overall Score
3.8/5
Pricing
3.3/5
General features and interface
4/5
Core features
4.6/5
Advanced features
2.3/5
Integration and compatibility
4.2/5
UX
4.5/5
Pros
- Unparalleled Google Workspace compatibility
- End-user simplicity
- Security safeguards
Cons
- Fewer non-Google integrations
- Not optimal for organizations built on Office 365
Why I Chose Copper CRM
Copper CRM is a particularly strong choice for businesses that operate heavily within Google Workspace and want a CRM that integrates naturally into their existing workflow. In my evaluation, its Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Drive integrations delivered one of the most seamless user experiences among the CRMs I tested, especially for teams already familiar with Google’s ecosystem.
Instead of focusing on enterprise-level complexity, Copper prioritizes a streamlined, Google-centric experience with minimal friction. That approach helps reduce onboarding time, shorten the learning curve, and improve adoption for teams that want a CRM that feels familiar from day one. Its native Workspace integration also keeps customer communication, scheduling, and account activity closely connected across Google apps, helping teams collaborate more efficiently.
For businesses prioritizing usability, quick implementation, and tight Google Workspace interoperability over extensive customization, Copper CRM can provide one of the fastest time-to-value experiences in the CRM market.
Copper CRM offers a specialized solution for businesses deeply integrated with Google Workspace. Its primary strength lies in its seamless integration with Google’s suite of productivity tools, including Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Drive. This integration provides a significant advantage for organizations already utilizing Google’s ecosystem.
The platform’s user interface closely resembles that of Google products, which reduces the learning curve for users familiar with Google Workspace. This design choice enhances user adoption and efficiency, as team members can navigate the CRM with minimal additional training.
One of Copper’s key features is its ability to automatically capture emails and calendar events. This automation significantly reduces the need for manual data entry, a common pain point in CRM usage. By streamlining this process, Copper allows sales teams to focus more on relationship-building and less on administrative tasks.
Copper CRM is particularly well-suited for small to mid-sized businesses looking to enhance their sales processes, contact management, and team collaboration. Its feature set, while comprehensive, is designed to be accessible and practical rather than overwhelming.
The platform offers workflow automation capabilities, enabling businesses to create more efficient sales and customer service processes. Real-time integration ensures that data is consistently up-to-date across all connected Google applications, providing a unified view of customer interactions and business activities.
While Copper excels in its Google Workspace integration, it’s important to note that this specialization may limit its appeal for businesses not heavily invested in the Google ecosystem. Organizations using alternative productivity suites or requiring extensive customization might find Copper’s offerings less suitable for their needs.
For businesses leveraging Google Workspace and seeking a CRM solution that aligns seamlessly with their existing tools, Copper presents a compelling option. Its focus on simplicity, coupled with robust functionality, positions it as an effective tool for enhancing customer relationship management within the Google-centric work environment.
To place higher on the list, it could further enhance its competitive edge by improving its AI analytics and AI chatbot functionalities. These advancements would provide businesses with more sophisticated tools for data analysis and customer engagement.
- Google workspace integration: Integrates seamlessly with Google Workspace, allowing users to manage contacts, deals, and tasks directly from Gmail or other Workspace apps.
- Robust security measures: Robust security measures including role-based access controls, two-factor authentication, and regular user access reviews. They provide security training for employees and enforce a strict Employee Code of Conduct. Data is encrypted both in transit and at rest. Their security program also includes technical controls to protect against malware and unauthorized software.
- Sales pipeline management: Provides a visual sales pipeline that makes it easy to manage opportunities and track progress towards sales goals.
- Automated data entry: Uses automation to reduce the burden of manual data entry, automatically populating contact and company details.
- Task automation: Enables users to automate repetitive tasks, set reminders, and ensure follow-ups.
- Reporting and insights:Provides advanced reporting and analytics capabilities, allowing users to generate detailed reports and gain actionable insights into sales performance and business metrics.
- Starter: $9/user/month (billed annually) or $12/user/month (billed monthly)
- Basic: $23/user/month (billed annually) or $29/user/month (billed monthly)
- Professional: $59/user/month (billed annually) or $69/user/month (billed monthly)
- Enterprise: $99/user/month (billed annually) or $134/user/month (billed monthly)
Free trial: 14 days
What makes ClickUp the best for CRM and project management workflows?
Overall Score
3.8/5
Pricing
4/5
General features and interface
4.1/5
Core features
4.1/5
Advanced features
2/5
Integration and compatibility
3.5/5
UX
4.3/5
Pros
- First-rate CRM tool with first-rate PM functionality
- Competitive pricing
- Bonus features include real-time reporting, companion mobile app, and more
Cons
- Requires a bit more training and onboarding to implement
Why I Chose ClickUp
ClickUp takes a different approach from traditional CRM platforms by combining CRM and project management workflows within the same workspace. As an active ClickUp user myself, I’ve found it especially effective for managing customer relationships alongside tasks, projects, collaboration, and operational workflows without constantly switching between separate tools.
Its project management foundation is what gives the platform a distinct advantage. Features like Custom Views, Goal Tracking, automations, and Collaboration Detection help teams organize customer interactions while keeping projects, deliverables, and internal coordination connected in one system. That setup is particularly useful for agencies, service-based businesses, and cross-functional teams where customer management is closely tied to project execution.
Compared with Salesforce and HubSpot, ClickUp is less focused on advanced CRM-specific functionality like enterprise sales forecasting or large-scale marketing automation. However, it delivers a more unified workspace for teams that want customer management directly connected to productivity, collaboration, and project workflows. In my experience, that flexibility makes ClickUp one of the more practical options for businesses looking to centralize operations and reduce reliance on multiple disconnected platforms.
ClickUp’s Task and Project Management tools bring a fresh perspective to CRM, prioritizing organization and tracking. The Collaboration Detection feature ensures that no work is duplicated, vital in customer relationship management. Goal Tracking aligns teams with overarching objectives, and Custom Views offer flexibility in visualizing client interactions. ClickUp is breaking down the silos, showing that project management and CRM can coexist and flourish in one platform, making it an unexpectedly fitting CRM choice.
This vendor may come as a bit of a surprise, as ClickUp is primarily known as a project management platform. That reputation is well earned (and why it takes the title it does in this list). ClickUp also has a CRM platform, one that fills many of the needs discussed here.
ClickUp’s foray into CRM features is a recent development, evolving from its core strength in task and project management.
ClickUp already has a noteworthy share of the PM market, and picking up the CRM module can amplify the amount of benefit those teams get out of the vendor. Seeing as most other major brands in the PM space cost significantly more, it’s an excellent way to get powerful software tools without paying enterprise-level subscription fees.
While ClickUp offers excellent task management and customization, its CRM features could benefit from more advanced sales tracking and marketing automation tools. Enhancing these aspects would make ClickUp a more comprehensive solution for businesses looking for an all-in-one platform for project management and customer relationship management.
Also read: Best CRM and Project Management Integrated Solutions
- Task and project management: ClickUp excels in organizing tasks, allowing you to create, assign, prioritize, and track tasks all within a single platform.
- Collaboration detection: ClickUp’s unique feature helps avoid duplicate work by showing who’s working on what in real-time.
- Goal tracking: With ClickUp, you can set, track, and achieve goals across different teams and projects, ensuring everyone is aligned and focused.
- Custom views: ClickUp allows you to customize how you view your tasks and projects, whether that’s in a list, board, box, calendar, or Gantt chart view.
- Automation and integrations: Offers advanced automation capabilities that allow you to create custom workflows, automate routine tasks, and integrate seamlessly with over 1,000 other tools and applications, enhancing productivity and efficiency.
- Free Forever: $0 for unlimited users
- Unlimited: $7/user/month (billed annually) or $10/user/month (billed monthly)
- Business: $12/user/month (billed annually) or $19/user/month (billed monthly)
- Enterprise: Customized pricing
What makes Less Annoying CRM the best for simple CRM management for small teams?
Overall Score
3.5/5
Pricing
3.3/5
General features and interface
3.3/5
Core features
3.9/5
Advanced features
1.5/5
Integration and compatibility
3.3/5
UX
4.25/5
Pros
- Easy to deploy
- Easy to use
- Lower-end cost
Cons
- Limited pre-built functionality
- Smaller integration library compared to competitors
Why I Chose Less Annoying CRM
Less Annoying CRM is designed for small businesses that want simple CRM management without the complexity, steep learning curve, or higher costs associated with larger platforms like Salesforce or NetSuite. In my evaluation, its biggest advantage was how approachable and easy to maintain the platform feels for teams that only need core CRM functionality to manage customer relationships effectively.
Instead of layering on extensive customization and enterprise-grade features, Less Annoying CRM focuses on practical essentials like contact management, calendar integration, task tracking, and pipeline organization. That streamlined approach shortens onboarding time and helps smaller teams stay productive without spending excessive effort configuring the system.
Its transparent pricing model also makes it stand out in a crowded CRM market. With a flat monthly rate, no annual contracts, and no feature-based upselling, Less Annoying CRM offers a more accessible alternative to many larger CRM platforms. For businesses that find enterprise systems overly complicated for their day-to-day needs, it delivers a cleaner and more manageable way to stay organized and maintain customer relationships.
With a low per-user cost, and intuitive functionality, it’s a perfect choice for teams that don’t have complex criteria for a CRM or sales software vendor to meet.
If you’re looking to deploy quickly, onboard staff with minimal training, and want to limit your cloud software overhead, Less Annoying CRM fits the bill. And while the list of available customizations and pre-built integrations is smaller than other CRMs in this list, there are no contracts or limitations, making this CRM a strong choice for up-and-coming brands.
Learn more about the best Simple CRM options here.
- Simplicity: Less Annoying CRM prides itself on its user-friendly design that makes it easy for small businesses to manage contacts and track leads without unnecessary complexity.
- Customizability: The platform allows businesses to tailor the CRM to their specific needs, with customizable fields, layouts, and reports.
- Collaboration features: The system is designed for team collaboration, allowing multiple users to share contacts, calendars, and notes.
- Affordability: The CRM offers straightforward and low-cost pricing, making it an accessible solution for small businesses.
Less Annoying CRM keeps pricing simple with a flat rate of $15 per user, per month, and all features included. The plan comes with unlimited contacts and pipelines, task management, mobile access, email logging, customizable fields, file storage, and free customer support without requiring upgrades or tiered add-ons.
Free trial: 30 days
Find your new CRM software
Key CRM features to consider for your use case
While there are certainly software solutions that are objectively “bad,” the majority of options in any given vertical will be valued by how well they satisfy the intended use case. Trying to apply the tool outside the parameters it was designed for may fail to meet expectations, but that does not necessarily mean the software itself is of poor quality. It’s just a bad match.
Below are some core areas of concern for CRM consumers to consider when shopping around to help them find a tool that aligns with their needs.
Also read: The Different Types of Roles & Responsibilities in a CRM
Contact management
For CRM tools, the most foundational functionality is that of collecting and organizing contact information. At the very least, it needs to be a step up from simply dumping leads into a spreadsheet only to immediately be forgotten. Spreadsheets have their place, but they aren’t optimized for automation or to serve as living records. If a CRM can’t improve on manual data entry, manual data scrubbing, and manual retrieval, then it’s just Excel with extra steps.
Contact management features in CRM and sales software, it should be noted, vary widely from system to system. But the common upgrades to functionality will likely look familiar to anyone who’s been using digital devices in the past two decades:
- Automated data importing
- Data export flexibility (via EDI, CSV, or other formats)
- Integrations with other platforms, apps, and databases
- Filters and search functions
- Analytics and reporting functions
Communication records
By now, nearly everyone is familiar with the “This call may be recorded for quality assurance purposes” line spoken to customers calling in to a business for support. Having a record of customer/client/lead interactions can be indispensable. And not just for maintaining excellent service, either.
Using recorded calls, chats, and other communication, businesses can achieve a multitude of important objectives, including:
- Improving effectiveness of staff training, onboarding, company policies, and more
- Compiling data for analytics (which can help identify patterns, predict trends, and even recommend strategies)
- Providing evidence to help navigate legal concerns and protect against loss
If benefits like these factor into your CRM and sales software choices, then be aware that some software includes functionality to support it, while some does not.
Integrations
Implementing new software systems can be difficult, and onboarding users only becomes more problematic when the system doesn’t play well with existing solutions in the workflow.
Some CRMs are built as part of a larger platform of business solutions, and are intended to be used as a holistic unit. This is a bit of a trade-off, and some cost-benefit evaluations will be needed to determine if a complete workflow overhaul will net positive or negative returns for the trouble.
However, if maintaining the stability and functionality of other systems is of equal importance, then finding a CRM software that can integrate with them successfully. Depending on what integrations are needed, there may be plug-ins or add-ons available already to users of the tool.
For less common integrations, some more code-heavy API customization may be necessary. In these cases, it’s a good idea to ask which side of the client-vendor partnership will be building the integration.
What should be avoided is the addition of a CRM that only further complicates workflows and requires additional manual processes to hold the system together.
Marketing automation
Marketing automation is a specific example of the integration concerns above, but it merits its own spot on this list due to the amount of overlap between marketing and sales efforts. Like other sales-adjacent functions, there are a lot of advantages to having the CRM trigger automatic tasks such as sending confirmation emails, email nurture campaigns, and more.
Worst-case scenario, similar to what’s mentioned above, is that the new CRM complicates already existing processes, rather than integrating or replacing them. If your CRM or sales software adds another step in the process of, for example, sending outreach emails because staff members have to manually dig for contact info in the database, that’s a net loss.
At the very least, the CRM should leave any existing processes intact and unhindered. Most likely, however, your organization will benefit from some form of integration, or a CRM that includes marketing automation features natively.
Quotes and invoicing
Next in line for important functions in the sales process that may or may not be handled by sales team members are financials, such as quotes, invoices, and other AP/AR responsibilities. The same philosophy applies here as above. If an all-in-one solution upgrades your workflow, prioritize that aspect in your research.
If integration will suffice, then double-check with vendors for the specific platforms you need to be interoperable. Even if your current process is efficient enough currently, be sure that the CRM software doesn’t create additional headaches for anyone in the workflow.
Data privacy
Cybersecurity is, arguably, a priority for every organization (or, at least it should be). Some verticals deal with higher risk than others, however, and may need additional security protocols for their CRM to protect themselves or even to comply with industry mandates.
This is one that may require consulting with IT, InfoSec, or other I&O staff in the organization. Many of the technical details that factor into whether or not a CRM software is sufficiently secure may be outside the expertise of anyone without a background in computer systems, and it’s not one to leave to chance.
Check with internal SMEs, and leverage their experience to further vet your shortlist of CRMs. It may even be worthwhile to have a 3rd-party vendor risk assessment done for any that meet all other criteria, just to cover your bases.
Project management
This list of supplemental functions that might be relevant would be pretty long if it were comprehensive. All-in-one systems, analytics and reporting, ease of use, pipeline management, and many more might fit here. Many of these have been touched on above, and others are likely known quantities already.
So instead, this part of the list will finish with one final consideration: project management.
Organizations that have, until now, used less formalized workflow processes may not realize how much of an upgrade a well-designed project management strategy can be. As teams grow, workloads become heavier, and processes become more intricate and complex, tracking things on paper proves a substantial challenge.
With effective implementation, project management tools can provide visibility and accountability across the board. Better still, it can help staff achieve greater levels of autonomy by giving them the tools needed to stay organized and on top of their responsibilities.
Some CRM and sales software tools include project management (PM) features in their toolset, while others can integrate with popular platforms via APIs. Either way, for any team larger than a handful of employees, it’s worth discussing the potential value a CRM with PM enablement might bring to the table.
Choosing the right CRM and sales software
After diving into the world of CRM solutions, you’ve likely noticed there’s no shortage of options. This abundance is actually a good thing – it means you have the flexibility to find a CRM that fits your business like a glove, whether you’re running a small startup or managing a large company.
If you’re a small business owner, you might be looking for something straightforward and budget-friendly. On the other hand, if you’re at the helm of a larger company, you might need a CRM with all the bells and whistles – think advanced features and seamless integrations with your existing tech stack.
When you’re sizing up your options, keep a few key factors in mind. How well can CRM software scale as your business grows? Is it user-friendly enough that your team will actually use it? And what kind of support can you expect when you need it?
It’s crucial to think about how each CRM aligns with your current business processes. Will it streamline your workflow or create more headaches? And don’t forget about your long-term goals – the right CRM should be able to support your business not just today, but also as you evolve and expand.
Here’s a pro tip: take advantage of free trials or demos. There’s no substitute for hands-on experience when it comes to software. It’s like test-driving a car – you want to make sure it feels right before you commit.
Remember, the best CRM for your business isn’t necessarily the one with the most features or the highest price tag. It’s the one that fits your specific needs and can grow with you over time. By choosing wisely, you’re setting yourself up for improved customer interactions, increased productivity, and long-term success.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is an example of a CRM program?
Salesforce is a widely recognized CRM program that offers a variety of customer relationship management services.
What is the most popular CRM software?
Salesforce is often considered the most popular CRM software due to its extensive features and widespread adoption across industries. But don’t let popularity keep you from checking out their competitors like Pipedrive and HubSpot. At a fraction of the cost and with a lot less work, they can provide a robust CRM system that will serve your business well.
What is CRM mainly used for?
CRM is primarily used for managing interactions with current and potential customers, streamlining processes, and improving profitability through organizing customer information and automating sales and marketing interactions.
Is Excel a CRM tool?
Excel is not a dedicated CRM tool; it is a spreadsheet application that can be used for basic data management but lacks the automation, integration, and analytics capabilities of specialized CRM software.
What is the point of having a CRM?
A CRM system helps businesses manage customer data, track interactions, and automate various marketing, sales, and customer service processes, leading to improved customer relationships and increased efficiency.
