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17 Best CRM Software for Small Business Operations in 2024

Brett Shapiro

Word Count: words | Est. Reading Time: 62 mins

So, you’ve successfully started and established a small business. Great!

But are you still using Excel sheets to manage your contact data? Well, that’s not sustainable, not to mention tedious.

You need a good customer relationship management software platform to streamline various customer-centric processes.

A good CRM system can help you better manage customer interactions, streamline sales activities, and improve the overall experience for your customer base.

Luckily for you, we have a long list of the best CRM software for a small business that you can use to find the right option for your business.

We’ve done thorough research and chosen some of the best CRMs available in the market today. Also, we’ve ensured that there are different types of CRM software for different types of businesses and their unique requirements.

Whether you want a basic CRM for contact management, a sales-focused one for pipeline management, or an all-in-one solution, you’ll find something you like.

So, go through our curated list of the best CRM software for small businesses and find the perfect solution for yours.

Here you go.

How We Chose the Best Small Business CRM Software Programs

Core CRM Features: We’ve chosen software that offers all essential CRM features, such as contact management, pipeline management, etc. Most options on this list are great for small businesses and offer an essential suite of features, among other additional capabilities.

Analytics Capabilities: While not all CRM systems are designed as analytical CRM, it’s important to have at least some analytics and reporting capabilities. This list of CRM software for small businesses includes a good mix of CRM with varying levels of analytics capabilities.

Additional Functionality: Apart from the core CRM features, we’ve kept a good mix of software offering various additional features. This includes CRM platforms with project management, customer service, marketing, and other features.

Cost: The price of a CRM platform is often the key deciding factor for a small business on a tight budget. That’s why most of the CRM tools we’ve chosen are affordable and even have free plans. We have, however, also included a few that cater to the needs of a growing small business.

Customer Support: The customer support channels and the team’s responsiveness are other important factors. You can’t effectively utilize a CRM without proper customer support. We’ve, therefore, paid special attention to this and chosen platforms known for offering great customer support.

Integrations: The more integrations a CRM provides, the more functions it will be able to perform. Most software on this list offers at least essential integrations, while many offer a wide range of integrations. You can choose the best fit for your small business based on your requirements.

Customization Options: Lastly, we’ve considered how easy it is for you to customize your CRM platform to your business needs. Not considering this is one of the biggest CRM mistakes, that’s why we’ve taken this into account. Most, if not all, of the CRM systems mentioned here offer some level of flexibility and customization capabilities.

17 Best Customer Relationship Management Software for Your Small Business in 2024

The benefits of CRM software are many, but you need a good platform to help you realize these benefits.

If you’re looking for a good CRM for your small business, your search ends here. We’ve done all the groundwork for you and curated a list of some of the best CRM software for small business needs.

Go ahead and compare the various CRM solutions available and take your pick.

1. Freshsales by Freshworks

Image via Freshworks

Freshsales CRM is a robust AI-powered CRM system for small businesses. It offers tons of features to help sales and marketing teams engage with prospects and close deals.

It offers a 360-degree view of customers to help businesses personalize outreach and improve the customer experience. Freshsales CRM achieves this by providing valuable insights in the form of customer activity timelines, highlight cards, and in-depth customer profiles.

Apart from that, Freshsales CRM integrates with other apps and business software to provide a seamless overall experience.

Finally, with its intuitive interface and advanced reporting capabilities, Freshsales CRM is a top choice for small business owners seeking a comprehensive CRM platform.

Key Features

In-depth customer insights available in various formats
Seamless integrations to connect with prospects on multiple channels
Automated sales workflows with event-based triggers
Auto profile enrichment to access all publicly available information on a prospect
IntelliAssign feature to auto-route conversations to the right people
Option to create multiple weighted sales pipelines
AI-powered contact scoring, deal analytics, and sales forecasting
Smart suggestions by Freddy AI for task and calendar management
Numerous customization options are available to suit the needs of your small business

Pros

Offers a free 21-day trial to test out all the features
Also available as mobile apps for Android and iOS
Provides 500 Freshbots sessions for free with all paid plans
Offers robust, in-depth customer analytics and customizable reports
Has great data visualization options

Cons

Some of the best features are available only with the top-tier plans
The user interface, though intuitive, requires a bit of a learning curve

Price

It offers a 21-day free trial. Here are the various plans that it offers:

Free
Growth: $11/user/month
Pro: $47/user/month
Enterprise: $71/user/month

Image via Freshworks

Usability

Moderately easy to use

Tool Level

Intermediate

2. Bigin by Zoho CRM

Image via Bigin

Bigin is Zoho CRM’s solution and it is the perfect starter CRM for small businesses, catering specifically to the needs of small business owners.

This small business crm helps automate tasks, manage customer information, and communicate with prospects across multiple channels. Zoho CRM offers a simple solution for businesses looking to upgrade from spreadsheets to a CRM system.

This CRM solution even provides ready-to-use CRM templates for different industries that you can use to get started right away. Or you can start from scratch and customize your CRM just the way you want it.

As far as features are concerned, it covers contact management, pipeline management, customer service features, and more. One of its standout features is “team pipelines”, which allows you to include multiple customer-facing teams, other than the sales team.

Key Features

360-degree view of all customer data to provide a unified view of each customer
Extensive customer data collection and management features
Team pipelines to unify all your customer-facing operations
Multichannel communication to connect with prospects on various channels
Team collaboration features like activity and calendar management
Workflow automation to streamline various routine processes
In-depth data analytics via integration with Zoho Analytics
There are numerous integrations that you can add to your account based on your needs

Pros

No credit card is required for the 15-day free trial
Mobile apps are available for both iOS and Android devices
Offers a 30-day dedicated customer onboarding service for all paid users
Offers great customer support via phone, email, and live chat

Cons

Lacks the sophisticated workflows offered by Zoho CRM
Many features come with usage limits and users need add-ons to exceed those
Caters mainly to small businesses, not the best option for large ones

Price

It provides a 15-day free trial period. Here are the plan details:

FREE: For up to 500 records
EXPRESS: $9/user /month (50k records)
PREMIER: $15/month (100k records)

Image via Bigin

Usability

Easy to use with a simple user interface

Tool Level

Beginner

Pro Tip: The CRM can get expensive if your business needs exceed the given contact limits. Use it as your first CRM as a small business, but switch to an advanced software solution as your business grows.

3. Capsule

Image via Capsule

Capsule CRM is a powerful small business CRM software that combines contact management, sales pipeline management, and project tracking seamlessly.

Apart from all the essential features, you also get advanced CRM features like workflow automation. And its AI Content Assistant automates the process of creating emails, further freeing your time for more important tasks.

What makes Capsule CRM stand out among the best CRM software for small business use is that it offers project management capabilities with CRM while still being affordable.

With its advanced reporting features and customization options, Capsule CRM is an excellent choice for small business owners seeking an affordable, all-in-one CRM solution.

Key Features

Contact management with auto-enrich contact profiles feature
Visual sales pipelines with a drag-and-drop interface
Option to create multiple sales pipelines
Automated workflows for sales, operations, and marketing processes
Sales analytics and in-depth reporting, including pipeline forecasts
Email marketing features, including analytics and automation
Tasks and calendar management for improving productivity
Project management, including project boards and automation
AI-powered email writing tool to quickly create emails

Pros

Easy-to-use interface packed with powerful features
Apps available for both iOS and Android devices
Tons of learning resources for new users

Cons

The free plan has limited features and a 250 contacts limit
Analytics and integrations can be more robust

Price

It offers a 14-day free trial and the following plans:

Free
Starter: $21 per user month (30k contacts)
Growth: $38 per user month (60k contacts)
Advanced: $60 per user month (120k contacts)
Ultimate: $75 per user month (240k contacts)

Image via Capsule

Usability

Easy to use

Tool Level

Beginner

Pro Tip: Capsule is one of the best CRM software for a small business to start with. You can choose it as your first CRM platform and upgrade to a more powerful platform after a few years when your business starts growing.

4. Keap

Image via Keap

Keap is an all-in-one CRM system that combines sales, marketing, and customer service features, making it an ideal small business CRM software. It’s great for small businesses that are in the growth stage and want a platform that will scale with the business.

What makes Keap stand out from other CRM software is that it offers several marketing features as well. These include email and SMS marketing, landing pages and forms, and sales funnels.

What’s more?

It’s especially known for its great invoice management and payment processing features. You can use it to easily set up recurring payments and automatically generate invoices.

Key Features

Sales, marketing, and lifecycle automation capabilities
Contact management with great segmentation features
Lead scoring and management for better conversion rates
Sales pipeline management with a drag-and-drop interface
In-depth marketing, sales, and CRM analytics and reporting
Email and SMS marketing features to run integrated campaigns
Quotes and invoices management, and payment processing
Appointment management, including scheduling and calendars

Pros

Offers 24/7 chat and US-based phone support to customers
Advanced sales features, such as discounts, upselling, and cross-selling
A complete solution combining all important customer-facing functions

Cons

It is more expensive than most other CRM software on this list
There is no free plan, just a 14-day free trial

Price

It offers a 14-day free trial (no credit card is required). It’s worth noting that Keap offers an add-on coaching service for new users at an additional cost. Here are the plans that it offers:

Ignite: $299/month (1,500 contacts)
Grow: $399/month (2,500 contacts)
Scales: 599/month (5,000 contacts)

Image via Keap

Usability

This is not the most user-friendly option, as users may need time to learn how to use the CRM

Tool Level

Intermediate/Expert

Pro Tip: The prices can rise rapidly if you exceed the contact limits, so if you have a large contact list, Keap might not be the best option for you.

5. Vtiger CRM

Image via Vtiger

Vtiger CRM is one of those CRM platforms that is just perfect for a small business looking for an affordable all-in-one solution. This software comes equipped with lead generation, contact management, and marketing campaign features that make your CRM system more effective.

Vtiger crams a lot of features into one platform but still manages to keep its user interface fairly user-friendly and not too complex. Apart from that, it seamlessly integrates with other apps and business software, allowing you to manage your CRM data in one place.

Want to know the best part?

The various functions it offers are not disjointed but connect seamlessly. Your sales, marketing, and customer service teams can use this and collaborate effectively, with a unified view of all customer interactions.

Overall, it’s one of the best CRM software for small business needs. Not only that, it can scale up as your business grows.

Key Features

Leads and contacts management, and appointment scheduling
Sales funnel creation and sales pipeline management
Sales engagement features, such as pricing and quotes management
Comprehensive, AI-powered analytics and reporting features
Internal and external communication and collaboration features
Sales, marketing, and helpdesk automation
Task, project, inventory, and order management features
Email and SMS marketing, including email templates
Landing pages, forms, short URLs, and other features

Pros

It makes collaboration among various customer-facing teams a breeze
Reporting is in-depth and there are numerous customization options
Extremely high value for money given the features offered for the price
There is a free forever plan with basic CRM features

Cons

The user interface can be improved to make it easier to navigate
The mobile apps can have more features and improved functionality

Price

It offers a 15-day free trial and the following paid plans:

ONE PILOT: $0/month for up to 10 users (3,000 records)
ONE GROWTH: $15/user/month (100k records)
ONE PROFESSIONAL: Starts at $28/user/month (unlimited records)
ONE ENTERPRISE: Starts at $42/user/month (unlimited records)
ONE AI: Starts at $50/user/month (unlimited records)

Image via Vtiger

Usability

Moderately easy to use, with a slight learning curve required

Tool Level

Intermediate/Expert

Pro Tip: If you’re willing to invest a little time learning how to use a CRM to its full potential, then this is an excellent option for you. It is affordable and offers tons of useful features.

6. Salesmate

Image via Salesmate

As the name suggests, Salesmate is a sales-focused CRM software solution that offers useful solutions to help sales teams close more deals. From sales activity tracking to pipeline management and automation, it has everything you’d expect from a sales CRM for a small business.

With its third-party integration options, Salesmate helps small business owners track leads, manage sales activities, and personalize outreach to potential customers more effectively.

It also offers various marketing tools, such as an email builder, web forms, messaging, built-in calling, and more. You can use Salesmate to run email and SMS marketing campaigns to bring in new leads and then use its sales tools to close the deals.

Despite the affordable price tag, Salesmate manages to offer advanced features, such as automation and sales forecasting. This makes it one of the best CRM software for small business operations and a worthy addition to this list.

Let’s check out its features, pros, cons, and pricing.

Key Features

Contacts and lists management, with a 360-degree customer view
Multiple custom sales pipelines with a birds-eye view of the entire process
Sales activity tracking, appointment scheduling, and task management
In-depth sales reporting and forecasting with data visualization options
Product and inventory management features, with customization options
Email and SMS marketing tools, such as an email builder and templates
Custom automated workflows and sequences to streamline the sales process

Pros

Unlimited number of pipelines and contacts on all paid plans
All essential features are available in the Starter plan
Mobile CRM apps are available for iOS and Android devices

Cons

Some users complain about a lack of integrations with important tools
Customization options to modify the CRM to a business’s needs can be improved
No free forever plan

Price

It offers a free 15-day trial option without requiring you to provide your credit card information. Here are the plans it offers:
Starter: $15 per user per month (unlimited records)
Growth: $30 per user per month (unlimited records)
Boost: $50 per user per month (unlimited records)
Enterprise: Custom

Image via Salesmate

Usability

Easy to use

Tool Level

Beginner/Intermediate

7. Daylite by Marketcircle

Image via Marketcircle

Daylite by Marketcircle is one of the best CRM software for small business operations that exclusively uses Apple products. It combines sales, CRM, and project management tools into one powerful software suite for small businesses.

Want to know the best part?

If you don’t want sales and project management features, you can opt for the core CRM feature. And if you want CRM + Sales or CRM + Project bundles, you can choose those too. Basically, you can choose the right set of tools based on your unique needs.

Daylite markets itself as premium Mac CRM software and the price tag reflects that. Still, if you primarily use macOS and iOS for your business, this is one of the best CRM software for you.

Key Features

Contact management, contact segmentation, and list management
Calendar management and task management
Direct Apple Mail integration with Daylite Mail Assistant
Deals, leads, and sales pipeline management
Option to create sales quotes and estimates
Sales opportunities board to track the progress of deals
Project pipelines, boards, and other project management tools

Pros

There’s an option to choose which types of features you want
It integrates seamlessly with Apple’s suite of apps and tools
The user interface is simple and easy to navigate
Especially known for its email-related suite of features

Cons

Available only for Apple devices, both desktop and mobile
The starting price is expensive compared to other CRM software
The mobile app has limited features

Price

It offers a 14-day free trial and the following plans:

CRM: $18.75/user/month ($25 after promo)
Sales (CRM + Sales): $30/user/month ($40 after promo)
Projects (CRM + Projects): $30/user/month ($40 after promo)
Business (CRM + Sales + Projects): $41.25/user/month ($55 after promo)

Image via Marketcircle

Usability

Easy to use

Tool Level

Beginner/Intermediate

8. Agile CRM

Image via Agile CRM

This is an all-in-one sales, marketing, and customer service software with multiple tools for various customer-facing teams. It is one of the best CRM software for small business operations in need of a feature-packed, affordable solution.

What makes it stand out?

The fact that it allows 10 users even with its free plan while other software solutions often allow only one user and charge extra for additional users.

Also, its free plan has a generous limit of 50,000 contacts and offers unlimited deals, which is more than what most software solutions offer in their paid plans.

Key Features

360-degree contact views with a timeline of past interactions
Calendar, events, and appointments management
Lead prospecting and scoring features
Deals and sales pipeline management
Email marketing, SMS marketing, newsletters, and push notifications
Dynamic landing pages, exit-intent pop-ups, and web engagement
Industry-specific customer relationship management software solutions
Sales, marketing, and service automation

Pros

A generous free plan with all essential features and few limitations
An affordable all-in-one solution for a small business
Seamless integrations with various useful tools and apps

Cons

The email building and delivery functionalities are not robust enough
There are system glitches and it works slowly sometimes

Price

Here are the various plans that it offers:

Free: Up to 1,00 contacts
STARTER: $8.99 per user per month (10k contacts)
REGULAR: $29.99 per user per month (50k contacts)
ENTERPRISE: $47.99 per user per month (unlimited contacts)

Image via Agile CRM

Usability

Though it’s easy to navigate, users often face issues with the interface

Tool Level

Beginner/Intermediate

Pro Tip: If you want a CRM with robust email-related features, this is not the best option for you. But if you want an affordable CRM software solution with all essential features and a few add-ons, then this is a great choice.

9. Pipedrive

Image via Pipedrive

Looking for a simple, yet powerful sales CRM to manage your sales pipelines and close more deals? Look no further than Pipedrive—one of the best sales CRM software for sales pipeline management.

It helps you visualize your entire sales process and gives you insights on how to best engage with prospects and close deals. It’s known for its intuitive and user-friendly interface and is one of the best CRM software for small business needs in that regard.

Is that all?

Well, apart from being a sales CRM, Pipedrive is also a tool that helps you with email marketing. It offers an email builder, along with features like audience segmentation and email analytics.

Key Features

Efficient contact management with a single hub for all contact data
Lead and pipeline management to streamline the sales process
Option to create multiple sales pipelines and visualize them using labels
A unified leads inbox to respond to all prospects from a single dashboard
Sales, workflow, and marketing automation, including trigger-based emails
One-click integration with 400+ tools and apps
Email builder, segmentation, and analytics to run successful campaigns

Pros

User-friendly visual interface to manage sales pipelines
Seamless integrations to work with your entire tech stack
There are tons of customization options to suit your business needs

Cons

There is no free forever plan, like most other CRM software for a small business
It doesn’t have a built-in email platform and needs third-party integrations
Some users claim that reporting can be more in-depth

Price

It offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card information needed. Here are the details of its plans:

Essential: $24/user/month (3,000 open deals in a pipeline)
Advanced: $39/user/month (10k open deals in a pipeline)
Professional: $64/user/month (100k open deals in a pipeline)
Power: $79/user/month (200k open deals in a pipeline)
Enterprise: $129/user/month (unlimited open deals in a pipeline)

Image via Pipedrive

Usability

Easy-to-use visual interface

Tool Level

Beginner/Intermediate

10. Insightly

Image via Insightly

This is a great option for a small business looking for an all-in-one CRM with sales, marketing, and service capabilities. Not to mention that it also offers project and task management features to streamline your day-to-day operations.

But it offers CRM, marketing, and service as separate solutions and the all-in-one bundle costs a lot. The good thing, though, is that you can choose affordable options if you don’t need a particular set of features.

For the scope of this review, we’ll focus on the CRM solution that it offers and the features available within it.

Key Features

Sales leads tracking and opportunity management
Sales pipeline and lead management, including lead scoring
Seamless lead routing, along with milestone tracking
Workflow and process automation capabilities to streamline processes
Products, price books & quotes with customization options
Contacts, projects, and tasks management
In-depth performance analytics dashboards and reporting
Email marketing features including templates and automation
There are lots of customization options, including custom fields and layouts

Pros

Offers a free forever plan for up to 2 users and 2,500 records
Easy-to-use customizable user interface
Offers a mobile app with real-time data synchronization

Cons

Most integrations come with the AppConnect bundle, which costs a bomb
Marketing and service features come as separate product bundles

Price

Insightly offers five pricing bundles—CRM, Marketing, Service, AppConnect, and Insightly All-in-one. Here are the plans it offers as part of its CRM bundle:

Free: Up to 2,500 records
Plus: $29 per user per month billed annually (100k records)
Professional: $49 per user per month billed annually (250k records)
Enterprise: $99 per user per month billed annually (unlimited records)

Image via Insightly

Usability

Easy to use

Tool Level

Beginner/Intermediate

Pro Tip: Insightly is great for a small business if you choose its free or low-tier CRM plans. But if you want to unlock its full suite of features, then you need to go for the Insightly All-in-one bundle, which is expensive. So, start with an affordable plan and upgrade once your business grows.

11. NetHunt CRM

Image via NetHunt CRM

Looking for a CRM solution that seamlessly integrates with Gmail and that you can use while browsing your Gmail inbox?

Well, NetHunt is one of the few CRM software programs for small businesses that you can use for that purpose. It even updates contact records based on your Gmail communications.

You also have a web app and a Chrome extension. So, you can create or update contacts, check on deal status, etc. while performing your day-to-day tasks.

Overall, it’s a useful CRM for small businesses that prefer function over form and need something they can seamlessly integrate into their existing business processes.

Key Features

Contact management with auto-fill and duplicate contact avoidance features
360-degree view and the ability to access customer data from multiple channels
Collaborative CRM features, including tasks and calendar management
Marketing features for lead generation and nurturing
Ability to build and manage multiple sales and marketing pipelines
Sales and marketing automation capabilities to streamline processes
Numerous sales, marketing, and customer reports, including forecasts

Pros

Known for its seamless, native G-Suite integration
Easy initial setup and onboarding, and responsive support
Even the basic plan comes with API access, which is rare

Cons

The user interface can be made more user-friendly
There’s no free forever plan, unlike many other CRM software programs on this list
Some users face challenges with the follow-up reminders feature

Price

It offers a 14-day free trial (no credit card is required) and the following plans:

Basic: $30 per user per month (unlimited contacts)
Basic Plus: $42 per user per month (unlimited contacts)
Business: $60 per user per month (unlimited contacts)
Business Plus: $84 per user per month (unlimited contacts)
Advanced: $120 per user per month (unlimited contacts)

Image via NetHunt CRM

Usability

Moderately easy to use

Tool Level

Intermediate

12. Less Annoying CRM

Image via Less Annoying CRM

This is a CRM designed specifically for small businesses and offers one affordable, all-inclusive pricing plan. No tiered pricing, no product bundles—nothing that complicates your decision-making process when choosing a CRM for your small business.

Sounds great, right?

Well, we think it’s great. Less Annoying CRM simplifies the whole process and offers a single solution that caters to all the needs of a typical small business.

The best part is that you get unlimited contacts, pipelines, and custom fields, which is more than what most CRM solutions offer.

Key Features

Contact management with custom fields and unlimited records
Events, tasks, and calendar management capabilities
Lead and pipeline management, including unlimited pipelines
There are tons of customization options to make the CRM your own
User access management and permissions

Pros

It offers a generous 30-day free trial plan
Not having tiered pricing simplifies the selection process for users
Offers great value for money, without compromising on features
Entirely web-based CRM, no downloads required

Cons

Offers only the core CRM features, no bells and whistles
Not suitable for large businesses or growing businesses

Price

It offers a single plan for $15 per user per month and a 30-day free trial.

Image via Less Annoying CRM

Usability

Easy to use

Tool Level

Beginner

Pro Tip: If you just want an affordable core CRM with all the essential features, then this is probably the best option for your small business. As the name suggests, it’s not annoying and is quite easy to use.

13. monday sales CRM

Image via monday sales CRM

This is a cloud-based CRM that offers unlimited contacts, boards, and pipelines with all its plans. If that doesn’t make it one of the best CRM software for small business settings, then we don’t know what does.

It’s an affordable platform, power-packed with both basic and advanced features. The only downside is that you need to buy a plan for at least 3 users, but it’s still more affordable than many other tools on this list.

Apart from core CRM features, it also offers collaboration features for teams, making it a great option for teams that need to work together on several projects.

Key Features

Centralized contact activity tracking and data management
Sales activity tracking and unlimited customizable pipelines
No-code, simple-to-implement automated workflows
Advanced account, contact, and deal management
Quotes & invoices and account management
Email marketing, including automated and bulk emails
Advanced analytics with over 50 reporting dashboards
Custom automation and integrations

Pros

A flexible CRM with tons of customization options
Offers iOS and Android apps for mobile users
There are no restrictions on the number of contacts or pipelines

Cons

Plan prices increase due to the minimum 3-user requirement
No free forever plan as those offered by many other small business CRMs
Some features like lead scoring are only available with the Enterprise plan

Price

While the pricing starts at $12.5 per seat (user), a minimum of 3 seats must be purchased for each plan. So, the prices mentioned below are for 3 users.

Basic CRM: $45/month (3 seats)
Standard CRM: $60/month (3 seats)
Pro CRM: $99/month (3 seats)
Enterprise CRM: Custom

Image via monday sales CRM

Usability

Fairly easy to use

Tool Level

Beginner/Intermediate

Pro Tip: If you want a single-user account for a very small business, this is not the best option. But if you have a growing business and want 3 or more users to access the CRM, then this is one of the best CRM software for small business use.

14. Flowlu

Image via Flowlu

This is an online CRM software solution that offers project management, financial management, invoicing, and many other additional features. It goes beyond the basic CRM capabilities and helps with various aspects of a small business.

If you’re looking for a robust CRM + project management platform for your small business, then look no further. Flowlu has all you need to empower your customer-facing teams to generate leads and close deals.

It will also help your teams work together to attract, engage, and convert customers across various stages of their buyer’s journey.

Key Features

Project and task management, including features like Kanban boards
Quotes, invoicing, estimates, and other financial management tools
Contact management has the option to add custom fields
Real-time activity notifications for user interactions with your business
Collaboration tools for teams, including a team chat solution
Mind maps are a tool for brainstorming ideas and visualizing them
Sales funnels, analytics, and sales process automation tools

Pros

Generous user limits for all plans, no per-user pricing
Mobile apps for both iOS and Android
A free forever plan with basic features and access for 2 users
Unlimited contacts and projects with all plans

Cons

The starting price is high as the basic Team plan caters to up to 8 users
It requires a slight learning curve to get used to the interface
Lacks a few important integrations, such as ecommerce integrations

Price

Here are the various plans that Flowlu offers:

Free: For 2 users
Team: $39 per month for 8 users (unlimited contacts)
Business: $74 per month for 16 users (unlimited contacts)
Professional: $149 per month for 24 users (unlimited contacts)
Enterprise: $249 per month for unlimited users (unlimited contacts)

Image via Flowlu

Usability

Moderately easy to use; has a learning curve

Tool Level

Intermediate/Expert

Pro Tip: Flowlu is a CRM built for teams and allows 8 users even in its basic plan. So, if you don’t need team collaboration features or are looking for a single-user account, this is not the best CRM for you.

15. Salesflare

Image via Salesflare

Looking for a specialized CRM tool that caters to B2B businesses? Salesflare is the perfect CRM solution for your small business.

It’s a simple, yet feature-packed CRM that offers powerful automation options. From automatic data enrichment to automated address book creation, it can automate a lot of routine, time-consuming tasks.

It has received several awards for the best CRM software in various categories, such as fast implementation, ease of use, best support, best value, and more. Overall, if you run a small or medium-sized B2B business, you can choose Salesflare.

Key Features

Automated customer data input and efficient contact management
Massive contact database for finding leads and prospects
Visual sales pipeline, follow-up reminders, and live notifications
Easy list creation and segmentation using numerous filters
Personalized email campaigns, automated email workflows, etc.
A LinkedIn sidebar, email sidebar, and mobile app
Collaboration features like shared communications and relationship intelligence
Direct integration with key software suites, such as Microsoft 365 and Google

Pros

One of the best CRM software for easy customer/prospect data import
A huge database of contacts for B2B businesses
Seamless integrations make it easy to connect it with your tech stack

Cons

It is more expensive than many other CRMs on this list
There is no free forever plan, just a free trial option
Can offer more customization options for reports

Price

While Salesflare does offer monthly plans, the prices mentioned on its website are for annual billing. Here are the plans it offers and their prices:

Growth: $29 per user per month billed annually (unlimited contacts)
Pro: $49 per user per month billed annually (unlimited contacts)
Enterprise: $99 per user per month billed annually (unlimited contacts)

Image via Salesflare

Usability

Fairly easy to use

Tool Level

Intermediate

Pro Tip: If you want to be able to find unlimited email information for leads, then you’ll need to go for the Enterprise plan. So, keep that in mind when comparing various tools as this can be one of the more expensive options.

16. Nutshell CRM

Image via Nutshell CRM

This is a simple and intuitive CRM for small businesses that offers an easy way to capture leads, manage contacts, and optimize sales pipelines. It makes sales pipeline management a breeze and helps sales teams perform better.

It will automatically move leads through the various stages of your pipeline by auto-assigning leads to sales reps. It also scores leads and provides a lead confidence score to help sales reps prioritize the most important ones.

Apart from contact and pipeline management, it also offers basic email marketing features. These include email templates, list segmentation capabilities, and trigger-based automated email sequences.

Key Features

Contact management with unlimited contact records
Sales pipeline automation and pipeline management with multiple views
Advanced analytics and reporting suite
Personalized email sequences and email automation
Team collaboration features and meeting scheduler
Automatic lead capture through forms and other sources and lead attribution

Pros

One-click integration with thousands of tools and apps
A Chrome extension that integrates with G-suite for better contact management
Offers unlimited contacts with all paid plans

Cons

Limitations on the number of sales pipelines for various plans
Many features are available as add-ons and cost extra
There’s no free forever plan, just a free trial option

Price

On its pricing page, Copper highlights that it offers a free 14-day trial with no credit card required. Here are the pricing plans that it offers:

Foundation: $19/user/month (unlimited contacts)
Pro: $49/user/month (unlimited contacts)
Power AI: $59/user/month (unlimited contacts)
Enterprise: $79/user/month (unlimited contacts)

Image via Nutshell CRM

Usability

Easy to use

Tool Level

Beginner

17. Copper

Image via Copper

If you extensively use Google’s suite of tools for day-to-day business purposes, then Copper is the perfect CRM tool for you. It offers direct integration with Gmail and the entire G-Suite, so your CRM can work together with your existing tech stack.

It enables easy collaboration between your team members and also offers project management features. These include Kanban boards, dashboard syncs with Google Workspace, and more.

Apart from customer relationship management, Copper also offers some marketing features, including email marketing and LinkedIn marketing.

Check out this in-depth Copper CRM review to learn more about this platform and all that it offers.

Key Features

Contact management, including auto profile enrichment
Task management, activity logging, and other productivity tools
Email marketing, including automated email sequences
Website activity tracking and lead scoring
Customizable sales pipelines, automation, and deal management
Analytics dashboard with custom reports and activity insights
Multiple integrations with a variety of tools and platforms

Pros

Seamless integration with G-Suite and automatic inbox sync
Mobile apps for both iOS and Android devices
Visual pipelines with various ways to sort and prioritize deals

Cons

The Basic plan lacks many essential features
There’s no free forever plan, just a free trial
This is not the best option for those who don’t use Google’s suite of tools

Price

On its pricing page, Copper highlights that it offers a free 14-day trial with no credit card required. Here are the pricing plans that it offers:

Starter: $12/user/month (1,000 contacts)
Basic: $29 per user per month (2,500 contacts)
Professional: $69 per user per month (15,000 contacts)
Business: $134/user/month (unlimited contacts)

Image via Copper

Usability

Fairly easy to use

Tool Level

Beginner/Intermediate

FAQ

Q1. Is CRM suitable for a small business?

Absolutely! CRM software solutions help businesses manage customer data and get a 360-degree view of each contact to help them better connect with their prospects and customers.

This is a basic business need, irrespective of whether you have a small business or a large enterprise. No business, small or large, should manage contacts using outdated and tedious methods like maintaining sheets of contact data.

CRM tools make contact management easier and provide valuable insights that can help a small business grow by better serving its customers.

As for the cost, there are entry-level CRM software programs for small businesses that offer free plans and affordable paid plans. So, you can choose an affordable CRM software solution to get started and switch to an advanced one as your small business grows.

Q2. Which is the #1 CRM for small business?

There is no definite answer to that, as it’s subjective. The best CRM software for small business use depends on its unique needs and requirements.

Here’s a comprehensive list of CRM software that a small business can consider:

Freshsales by Freshworks
Bigin by Zoho CRM
Capsule
Keap
Vtiger CRM
Salesmate
Daylite by Marketcircle
Agile CRM
Pipedrive
Insightly
NetHunt CRM
Less Annoying CRM
Monday sales CRM
Flowlu
Salesflare
Nutshell CRM
Salesforce Essentials

Q3. What is the easiest CRM to use?

A. If you’re new to using a CRM system, you’ll want to choose one that’s user-friendly and intuitive. Some of the easiest CRMs to use include Freshsales, Zoho CRM, and Capsule.

These platforms offer simple, clean interfaces that make it easy to navigate and find the features you need. When selecting a CRM, look for one with an intuitive dashboard, customizable fields, and automation features that can save you time and effort.

Q4. Is there a free CRM for a small business?

A. Yes, there are many CRM software programs for small businesses that offer free forever plans. Some of these include:

Freshsales by Freshworks: For up to 3 users; offers all essential CRM features
Bigin by Zoho CRM: For a single user; comes with all essential features but with usage limitations and restrictions
Capsule: For up to 2 users; offers basic features and 250 contacts limit
Vtiger: For up to 10 users; offers all essential features but has a 3,000 records limit
Agile CRM: Free for up to 10 users; offers all essential features with a generous 50,000 contacts limit
Flowlu: Free for up to 2 users; comes with basic features and unlimited contacts, projects, and tasks
Insightly: Free for up to 2 users; offers basic features with usage limits and a 2,500 records limit

Please note that many CRM vendors offer limited features with their free plans, so you should choose one that offers the most features for your needs. Agile CRM, for example, offers a generous free plan with all essential CRM features.

Q5. How much does CRM software cost for a small business?

The cost of small business CRM software varies depending on the features and pricing tiers. While many of the best CRM systems listed above offer free plans, you will need to upgrade to paid plans as your business needs grow.

For instance, some CRM platforms offer affordable entry-level plans for small businesses, while others provide more advanced CRM features suitable for midsize businesses at higher price points.

Q6. How do I choose a CRM provider for my small business?

While we have chosen the best CRM software solutions for a small business, you should still do your own in-depth research before investing in one.

Here are some of the factors you should consider when choosing a CRM solution for your small business:

Type of CRM: You can choose between operational, analytical, collaborative, and strategic CRM software. You can also choose an all-in-one CRM platform that helps all your customer-centric teams.
Features: Create a list of must-have and good-to-have features that you require for your business. Compare the various CRM software solutions mentioned in this post and choose the one that meets your needs for the lowest price.
Ease of use: CRM software platforms are only useful if you and your team are able to navigate the interface and use all the features to their maximum potential. That’s why it’s essential to check out the user interface before you invest in a CRM software solution for your small business.
Integrations: A CRM solution never works in isolation, but connects with various other software to deliver the best results. So, make sure that the CRM you choose integrates seamlessly with your existing tech stack as that will make the implementation process much easier.
Cost: Last, but certainly not least, is the cost factor. The CRM software solution you choose for your small business should fit within your budget. As most CRMs have subscription-type pricing, you need to ensure that the monthly prices are well within your budget.

Q7. How do I know if my small business needs a CRM?

If you’re struggling to keep track of your customer interactions, sales leads, or client data, then it might be time to invest in a CRM. A CRM can help you centralize your customer information, automate repetitive tasks, and gain insights into your sales process.

Even if you have a small team, a CRM can help you work more efficiently and ensure that nothing falls through the cracks.

Q8. How long does it take to implement a CRM system?

The time it takes to implement a CRM system depends on the size and complexity of your business, as well as the specific CRM you choose. Some cloud-based CRMs can be set up and running in just a few days, while more complex implementations may take several weeks or even months.

To achieve a smooth implementation, it’s important to have a clear plan in place and to involve all stakeholders in the process. Thankfully, many CRM service providers offer onboarding and training resources for newbies to get started. Some even go as far as providing dedicated support to ensure your success.

Also Read:

Which CRM Should You Choose for Your Small Business?

A customer relationship management solution is a must-have for all businesses, big or small, as there are many advantages to using a CRM. However, choosing the right CRM system for your business is key to achieving the desired results with your CRM.

This post lists some of the best CRM software for small business operations like yours. While any of these is a good option for you to consider, the ultimate choice depends on your unique requirements and budget.

We recommend you make a list of requirements for your small business and set a budget before you compare the various platforms listed here. Also, consider the level of support offered, ease of use, and implementation of a platform before choosing one.

What are you waiting for? Go ahead and start comparing these options to find the best CRM software for small business use. Good luck!

Brett Shapiro

Brett is an entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in establishing and running successful businesses. Over the course of good career he has established over 10 successful businesses and SBHQ is his latest project. With SBHQ he aims to provide all the useful resources a small business owner may need to create a successful business.