Compare the Best CRM Software of 2026
Looking to install a CRM software? Use the form below to compare top CRM options and find the one that fits your business needs. Get a free quote instantly and make the right choice!
The 15 Best CRM Software in 2026 include HubSpot CRM, Salesforce Sales Cloud, Zoho CRM, Bigin by Zoho CRM, Pipedrive, Insightly, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales, ActiveCampaign, Creatio, Zendesk Sell, Close CRM, SugarCRM, Oracle NetSuite CRM, Keap, and Freshsales. These platforms help organisations manage customer relationships, leads, sales pipelines, marketing activities, customer interactions, automation, reporting, and business processes from centralised CRM systems.
In 2026, CRM software provides capabilities such as contact management, lead management, sales pipeline management, opportunity tracking, sales automation, email marketing, customer communication, AI-powered insights, reporting, forecasting, workflow automation, integrations, and mobile CRM access. Some solutions are designed for startups and small businesses, while others provide advanced customisation, enterprise sales management, AI, marketing automation, customer service, analytics, and broader business management capabilities.
The right CRM software for an organisation depends on factors such as business size, number of users, sales processes, customer volume, industry, budget, automation requirements, integrations, reporting needs, customisation, marketing requirements, customer service needs, and scalability. Small businesses may prioritise affordability, ease of use, and simple contact management, while larger organisations may require advanced automation, AI, forecasting, custom workflows, reporting, integrations, and enterprise-level CRM capabilities.
What Is CRM Software?
CRM software, or Customer Relationship Management software, is a digital solution that helps organisations manage customer information, sales activities, leads, opportunities, communications, and relationships in one centralised system. It enables businesses to organise customer data while giving sales, marketing, and customer service teams access to relevant information throughout the customer lifecycle.
CRM platforms can manage areas such as contact management, lead generation, sales pipelines, opportunity management, customer communication, email marketing, sales automation, reporting, forecasting, customer service, and workflow management. CRM software provides a structured way to manage customer relationships, improve sales processes, and maintain visibility across interactions with prospects and existing customers.
A typical CRM software platform may provide:
- Contact and customer management
- Lead management and qualification
- Sales pipeline management
- Opportunity and deal tracking
- Sales automation
- Email and communication management
- Marketing automation
- Customer service management
- Workflow automation
- AI-powered sales and customer insights
- Reporting and analytics
- Sales forecasting
- Mobile CRM access
- Third-party integrations
How Does CRM Software Work?
CRM software helps businesses manage customer relationships and sales activities through several stages:
- Customer Data Management – Businesses collect and organise customer, prospect, company, communication, and activity information within a centralised CRM database.
- Lead Management – Sales teams capture leads from different sources, qualify prospects, assign leads to representatives, and track their progress through the sales process.
- Sales Pipeline Management – CRM systems organise opportunities into different pipeline stages, allowing teams to monitor deals from initial contact through to conversion.
- Customer Communication – Sales and customer-facing teams can record emails, calls, meetings, messages, and other interactions to maintain a complete history of customer engagement.
- Sales & Workflow Automation – Businesses can automate repetitive activities such as follow-ups, lead assignments, notifications, data updates, and sales workflows.
- Reporting & Analysis – CRM platforms provide dashboards and reports that help organisations monitor sales performance, pipeline activity, customer engagement, revenue, and other business metrics.
CRM software can also connect with email platforms, marketing automation tools, accounting systems, ecommerce platforms, customer service software, communication applications, HR systems, business intelligence tools, and other business applications, helping organisations create connected customer-management processes.
Key Functions of CRM Software
- Contact Management – Stores customer, prospect, company, and interaction information in a centralised database.
- Lead Management – Captures, organises, qualifies, assigns, and tracks leads throughout the sales process.
- Sales Pipeline Management – Provides visual pipelines for monitoring opportunities, deals, sales stages, and conversion progress.
- Opportunity Management – Helps sales teams manage potential deals, activities, values, expected revenue, and closing dates.
- Sales Automation – Automates repetitive sales tasks, follow-ups, notifications, assignments, and workflows.
- Email & Communication Management – Records customer communications and helps teams manage emails, calls, meetings, and other interactions.
- Marketing Automation – Supports email campaigns, customer segmentation, lead nurturing, campaign management, and automated customer journeys.
- Customer Service Management – Some CRM platforms provide ticketing, case management, customer support, and service workflows.
- AI-Powered CRM – Uses artificial intelligence to provide sales insights, recommendations, summaries, predictions, content generation, and workflow assistance.
- Reporting & Analytics – Provides dashboards and reports covering sales activity, customer engagement, pipeline performance, revenue, and team productivity.
- Sales Forecasting – Uses pipeline and historical data to support sales forecasts, revenue planning, and performance analysis.
- Workflow Automation – Allows businesses to create automated processes based on customer activities, sales stages, and predefined conditions.
- Integrations – Connects CRM software with third-party applications such as accounting, marketing, communication, ecommerce, and productivity tools.
- Mobile CRM – Allows sales and customer-facing employees to access customer information, update records, and manage sales activities from mobile devices.
By bringing these capabilities together, CRM software enables organisations to centralise customer information, improve sales processes, automate repetitive activities, strengthen customer engagement, monitor performance, and manage customer relationships more efficiently from a connected platform.
Benefits of CRM Software
- Centralised Customer Information: Businesses can store customer, prospect, company, communication, and sales information in one accessible platform.
- Improved Sales Management: CRM systems provide structured sales pipelines that help teams monitor opportunities and manage deals more effectively.
- Reduced Administrative Work: Automation can handle repetitive tasks such as follow-ups, notifications, lead assignments, and data updates.
- Better Customer Relationships: Teams can access customer histories and interactions, helping them maintain more consistent and informed communication.
- Increased Sales Visibility: Dashboards and reports provide visibility into sales pipelines, opportunities, activities, conversion rates, and performance.
- Improved Lead Management: Businesses can capture, qualify, assign, and prioritise leads while tracking their progress through the sales funnel.
- More Effective Marketing: CRM platforms can connect customer data with marketing campaigns, segmentation, email automation, and lead nurturing.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Reporting and analytics provide businesses with information that can support sales planning and customer-management decisions.
- Greater Productivity: Sales teams can manage customer information, communications, tasks, and opportunities from a centralised system.
- Better Collaboration: CRM software allows sales, marketing, service, and management teams to share relevant customer and business information.
- Scalable Customer Management: CRM platforms can support businesses as they increase their customer base, sales teams, and operational requirements.
- Flexible Business Processes: Many CRM systems provide custom fields, workflows, pipelines, automation, and integrations that can be adapted to different business requirements.
- Mobile Accessibility: Mobile CRM applications allow employees to access and update customer and sales information while working remotely or travelling.
- Integration with Business Software: CRM platforms can connect customer information with other business systems, creating more connected workflows across an organisation.
Top 15 Best CRM Software in 2026
Here is a selection of 15 leading CRM software platforms in 2026, selected based on their customer relationship management capabilities, sales automation, pipeline management, AI functionality, marketing tools, reporting, integrations, scalability, pricing, ease of use, and suitability for different types and sizes of organisations:
- HubSpot CRM
- Salesforce Sales Cloud
- Zoho CRM
- Bigin by Zoho CRM
- Pipedrive
- Insightly
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales
- ActiveCampaign
- Creatio
- Zendesk Sell
- Close CRM
- SugarCRM
- Oracle NetSuite CRM
- Keap
- Freshsales
1. HubSpot CRM — Best for Inbound Marketing and Growing Businesses
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2006 |
| Country | United States |
| Software Type | Cloud-Based CRM & Customer Platform |
| Core Features | Contact Management, Deal Pipelines, Sales Automation, Marketing, AI, Reporting & Integrations |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Free and Per-Seat Subscription |
| Starting Price | $0/user/month |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
HubSpot CRM is a cloud-based customer relationship management platform that helps businesses manage contacts, leads, opportunities, customer interactions and sales activities from a centralised system. Founded in 2006, HubSpot has developed into a broader customer platform that combines CRM capabilities with sales, marketing, customer service, content management, automation and AI tools.
For growing businesses, HubSpot provides an accessible way to organise customer information while supporting more advanced sales and marketing processes as requirements increase. The platform includes contact and deal management, sales automation, marketing tools, reporting, AI capabilities and integrations, allowing teams to manage customer relationships and sales activities through a connected platform.
Key Features
- Contact & Lead Management – Organise customer and prospect records while tracking interactions, activities and important customer information.
- Deal Pipeline Management – Create and manage sales pipelines to monitor opportunities as they move through different stages of the sales process.
- Sales Automation – Automate follow-ups, task assignments, notifications and repetitive sales activities to reduce manual administration.
- Marketing Tools – Manage email marketing, lead nurturing, campaigns and customer engagement activities alongside CRM data.
- AI-Powered CRM – Use AI-powered features to assist with customer insights, content creation, summaries and sales-related activities.
- Reporting & Analytics – Build dashboards and reports to monitor sales performance, customer activity, pipeline progress and business metrics.
Pricing
- Free: $0/month, providing free CRM tools for contact management, deal pipelines and other core customer relationship functions.
- Starter: From $10/month per seat, adding expanded sales, marketing and customer management capabilities for growing teams.
- Professional: From $50/month per seat, providing more advanced automation, reporting, marketing and CRM functionality.
- Enterprise: From $75/month per seat, offering advanced CRM capabilities, customisation, reporting, permissions and enterprise-level features.
2. Salesforce Sales Cloud — Best for Large Enterprise Sales Teams and Deep Customisation
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 |
| Country | United States |
| Software Type | Cloud-Based CRM & Sales Force Automation |
| Core Features | Lead & Opportunity Management, Sales Automation, Forecasting, Workflow Automation, AI, Reporting, Integrations & Sales Engagement |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Per-User Monthly Subscription |
| Starting Price | $0/user/month |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
Salesforce Sales Cloud is a cloud-based CRM platform that helps businesses manage leads, contacts, opportunities, customer interactions and sales processes from a central system. Founded in 1999, Salesforce has developed into a broad customer platform with tools for sales, service, marketing, analytics and AI.
For organisations with complex sales operations, Salesforce provides extensive customisation and automation options. Sales Cloud supports lead and opportunity management, forecasting, reporting, workflow automation, quoting and mobile access, making it suitable for businesses managing larger sales teams, multiple sales processes and detailed customer relationships.
Key Features
- Lead, Account & Opportunity Management – Organise customer records, manage prospects and track opportunities throughout the sales cycle.
- Sales Automation & Workflows – Automate repetitive sales tasks, follow-ups and business processes to improve team efficiency.
- Sales Forecasting & Pipeline Management – Monitor pipeline activity and generate forecasts to support sales planning and revenue management.
- AI & Agentforce – Use AI-powered tools and Agentforce capabilities to assist sales teams with customer and sales activities.
- Reporting & Analytics – Build reports and dashboards to monitor sales performance, customer activity and business metrics.
- Mobile CRM – Access customer records, opportunities, tasks and sales information through mobile devices.
Pricing
- Free Suite: $0/user/month, providing basic CRM capabilities and limited functionality for very small teams.
- Starter Suite: From $25/user/month, providing essential CRM, sales, service and customer management functionality.
- Pro Suite: From $100/user/month, adding more advanced CRM capabilities, automation, customisation and reporting.
- Enterprise: Custom enterprise pricing, providing advanced sales functionality, extensive customisation, workflow automation and enterprise-level capabilities.
3. Zoho CRM — Best for Affordable CRM Features and Sales Automation
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 |
| Country | India |
| Software Type | Cloud-Based CRM & Sales Automation |
| Core Features | Lead Management, Contact Management, Sales Automation, Workflow Automation, AI, Analytics & Integrations |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Free and Per-User Subscription |
| Starting Price | Free |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
Zoho CRM is a cloud-based customer relationship management platform that helps businesses manage leads, contacts, accounts, opportunities, customer interactions and sales activities from a centralised system. Founded in 1996, Zoho has developed CRM as part of a wider business software ecosystem covering sales, marketing, finance, productivity, customer service and other business operations.
Zoho CRM provides a combination of core CRM functionality, workflow automation, AI-powered assistance, analytics and third-party integrations. Businesses can use the platform to organise customer information, manage sales pipelines, automate repetitive activities, monitor performance and connect CRM data with other business applications.
Key Features
- Lead & Contact Management – Capture, organise and manage prospect and customer information throughout the relationship lifecycle.
- Sales Pipeline Management – Track deals, opportunities and sales activities through customisable pipeline stages.
- Workflow Automation – Automate repetitive processes, notifications, tasks and other sales activities based on predefined rules.
- AI Sales Assistant – Use AI-powered tools to provide sales insights, predictions, recommendations and assistance with customer activities.
- Analytics & Reporting – Create reports and dashboards to monitor sales performance, customer engagement and business metrics.
- Integrations – Connect Zoho CRM with Zoho applications and third-party business tools to create connected workflows.
Pricing
- Free: $0/month, available for up to three users and providing basic CRM functionality for small teams.
- Standard: Paid per-user pricing, providing core CRM features, lead management, sales pipelines and workflow capabilities.
- Professional: Paid per-user pricing, adding more advanced sales automation, process management and CRM functionality.
- Enterprise: Paid per-user pricing, providing advanced customisation, AI, analytics, automation and enterprise CRM capabilities.
4. Bigin by Zoho CRM — Best for Simple CRM for Small Businesses
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2020 |
| Country | India |
| Software Type | Pipeline-Centric CRM |
| Core Features | Sales Pipelines, Contact Management, Deal Management, Automation, Built-In Phone & Integrations |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Free and Per-User Subscription |
| Starting Price | Free |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
Bigin by Zoho CRM is a pipeline-focused customer relationship management platform designed for small businesses and teams that need a simpler CRM solution. Launched in 2020, Bigin focuses on essential customer and sales management capabilities, including contact management, deal tracking, sales pipelines, workflow automation and communication tools.
The platform is designed to simplify CRM adoption without requiring the extensive configuration often associated with larger enterprise CRM systems. Businesses can create multiple sales pipelines, manage customer and company records, automate repetitive activities, communicate with customers and connect Bigin with other applications through integrations.
Key Features
- Multiple Sales Pipelines – Create and manage separate pipelines for different products, services, sales processes or business activities.
- Contact & Company Management – Store customer, prospect and company information in a centralised CRM database.
- Deal Management – Track opportunities, deal values, activities and sales stages throughout the customer journey.
- Workflow Automation – Automate routine tasks, notifications and actions based on predefined conditions and sales activities.
- Built-In Communication – Support customer communication and sales interactions directly within the CRM environment.
- Integrations – Connect Bigin with other business applications and productivity tools to extend its functionality.
Pricing
- Free: $0/month, providing basic CRM functionality for users who need a simple way to manage contacts and sales pipelines.
- Express: From $7/user/month when billed annually, providing expanded CRM features and automation capabilities.
- Premier: Paid subscription with additional functionality for businesses requiring more advanced CRM capabilities.
- Bigin 360: Provides broader CRM and business capabilities for organisations with more extensive customer management requirements.
5. Pipedrive — Best for Visual Sales Pipeline Management
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2010 |
| Country | Estonia |
| Software Type | Cloud-Based Sales CRM |
| Core Features | Sales Pipelines, Lead Management, Deal Management, Automation, AI, Reporting & Integrations |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Per-User Subscription |
| Starting Price | $14/user/month billed annually |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
Pipedrive is a cloud-based sales CRM platform designed to help businesses manage leads, contacts, deals, sales activities and customer relationships through a visual sales pipeline. Founded in 2010, the platform focuses on providing sales teams with a straightforward way to organise opportunities and monitor their progress through different stages of the sales process.
Pipedrive combines visual pipeline management with sales automation, AI-powered tools, reporting and integrations. Businesses can use the platform to track customer interactions, manage sales activities, automate routine processes and gain visibility into pipeline performance, making it suitable for teams that want a focused CRM for managing sales operations.
Key Features
- Visual Sales Pipeline – Provide a clear visual overview of deals and opportunities as they progress through different sales stages.
- Lead & Deal Management – Organise leads, contacts, opportunities and deal information within a centralised sales system.
- Sales Automation – Automate repetitive activities, follow-ups, task creation and other routine sales processes.
- AI-Powered Sales Tools – Use AI capabilities to support sales productivity, customer management and sales-related activities.
- Reporting & Analytics – Monitor sales performance, pipeline activity, conversion information and other important business metrics.
- Third-Party Integrations – Connect Pipedrive with business, communication, productivity and marketing applications.
Pricing
- Lite: From $14/user/month billed annually, providing essential tools for managing leads, deals, contacts and sales pipelines.
- Growth: From $39/user/month billed annually, adding expanded automation, email synchronisation and sales management capabilities.
- Premium: From $59/user/month billed annually, providing advanced customisation, automation, reporting and CRM features.
- Ultimate: From $79/user/month billed annually, offering the platform’s broader set of sales management, security and advanced capabilities.
6. Insightly — Best for CRM and Project Management
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2009 |
| Country | United States |
| Software Type | Cloud-Based CRM & Project Management |
| Core Features | Contact Management, Lead Management, Pipeline Management, Project Management, Automation & Reporting |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Per-User Monthly Subscription |
| Starting Price | $29/user/month billed annually |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
Insightly is a cloud-based CRM platform that combines customer relationship management with project management capabilities. Founded in 2009, the platform helps businesses organise contacts, leads, accounts, opportunities and customer interactions while also providing tools for managing projects after a sale has been completed.
Insightly is designed for businesses that want to connect sales activities with project delivery and ongoing customer relationships. Teams can manage sales pipelines, automate workflows, create projects, monitor milestones, generate reports and maintain customer information from a centralised platform.
Key Features
- Lead & Contact Management – Store customer and prospect information while tracking relationships, activities and communications.
- Sales Pipeline Management – Manage opportunities through customisable sales stages and monitor progress towards conversion.
- Project Management – Convert opportunities into projects and manage tasks, milestones, deadlines and project activities.
- Workflow Automation – Automate repetitive tasks, notifications, assignments and business processes based on predefined conditions.
- Reporting & Dashboards – Create reports and dashboards to monitor sales, projects, customer activity and team performance.
- AI-Powered Tools – Use AI capabilities to assist with CRM activities, insights, content and business processes.
Pricing
- Plus: $29/user/month billed annually, providing essential CRM capabilities for managing contacts, leads, opportunities and projects.
- Professional: $49/user/month billed annually, adding expanded automation, reporting and business management functionality.
- Enterprise: $99/user/month billed annually, providing advanced CRM, customisation, automation and administration features.
- Free Trial: A 14-day free trial is available for businesses that want to evaluate the platform before subscribing.
7. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales — Best for Microsoft-Centric Sales Teams
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2016 |
| Country | United States |
| Software Type | Cloud-Based CRM & Sales Automation |
| Core Features | Lead Management, Opportunity Management, Sales Automation, AI, Forecasting, Reporting & Microsoft 365 Integration |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Per-User Monthly Subscription |
| Starting Price | $65/user/month |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales is a cloud-based CRM solution designed to help businesses manage leads, accounts, contacts, opportunities and sales processes. It forms part of the wider Microsoft Dynamics 365 ecosystem and can connect sales activities with Microsoft 365 applications and other business systems.
The platform provides tools for sales automation, pipeline management, forecasting, reporting and AI-powered assistance. Businesses can use Dynamics 365 Sales to manage customer information, automate sales processes, monitor opportunities and provide sales teams with insights that support day-to-day customer and revenue management.
Key Features
- Lead & Opportunity Management – Capture, qualify and manage leads and opportunities throughout the sales lifecycle.
- Sales Automation – Automate sales activities, follow-ups, tasks and workflows to reduce repetitive administrative work.
- Sales Forecasting – Analyse pipeline information and sales data to support forecasting and revenue planning.
- AI & Copilot – Use AI-powered Copilot capabilities to assist with summaries, insights, recommendations and sales activities.
- Microsoft 365 Integration – Connect CRM activities with Microsoft applications such as Outlook, Teams and other business tools.
- Reporting & Dashboards – Monitor sales performance, pipeline activity, customer information and key business metrics.
Pricing
- Professional: From $65/user/month, providing core sales force automation and CRM functionality.
- Enterprise: From $105/user/month, adding advanced sales capabilities, AI, automation and expanded functionality.
- Premium: From $150/user/month, combining advanced sales capabilities with additional AI and business intelligence features.
- Free Trial: A 30-day free trial is available for eligible users to evaluate Dynamics 365 Sales capabilities.
8. ActiveCampaign — Best for CRM and Marketing Automation
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 |
| Country | United States |
| Software Type | CRM & Marketing Automation Platform |
| Core Features | Contact Management, Marketing Automation, Sales Automation, Email Marketing, Lead Scoring & AI |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Contact-Based Subscription |
| Starting Price | From $15/month |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
ActiveCampaign is a customer experience platform that combines CRM functionality with marketing and sales automation. Founded in 2003, the platform helps businesses manage customer information, email campaigns, leads, sales activities and automated customer journeys from a centralised system.
The platform is particularly focused on connecting marketing and sales activities through automation. Businesses can use ActiveCampaign to segment contacts, nurture leads, automate email campaigns, manage sales pipelines, score leads and analyse customer engagement while using AI-powered capabilities to support their workflows.
Key Features
- Contact Management – Organise customer and prospect information while maintaining records of interactions and engagement.
- Marketing Automation – Create automated customer journeys, campaigns and processes based on customer actions and conditions.
- Email Marketing – Build and manage targeted email campaigns for customer engagement and lead nurturing.
- Lead Scoring – Assign scores to leads based on behaviour and engagement to help sales teams identify prospects.
- Sales CRM – Manage deals, pipelines, sales activities and customer relationships through integrated CRM tools.
- AI-Powered Automation – Use AI capabilities to support campaign creation, automation and customer engagement activities.
Pricing
- Starter: From $15/month, providing essential marketing automation and customer engagement capabilities.
- Plus: Provides expanded automation, CRM and marketing features for growing businesses.
- Pro: Adds more advanced automation, reporting, personalisation and AI-powered functionality.
- Enterprise: Provides advanced features, customisation, support and capabilities for larger organisations.
9. Creatio — Best for No-Code CRM and Workflow Automation
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2014 |
| Country | United States |
| Software Type | AI CRM & No-Code Workflow Platform |
| Core Features | Sales Automation, Marketing, Customer Service, Workflow Automation, AI & No-Code Development |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Per-User and Unlimited Subscription |
| Starting Price | $15/user/month |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
Creatio is a cloud-based CRM and workflow automation platform designed to help businesses manage sales, marketing, customer service and business processes. Founded in 2014, Creatio combines CRM functionality with a no-code platform that allows organisations to configure workflows and applications without extensive traditional development.
The platform provides tools for sales management, marketing automation, customer service, process management and AI-powered operations. Businesses can customise processes, automate repetitive workflows and connect customer-facing activities across different departments while maintaining customer information within a centralised platform.
Key Features
- Sales CRM – Manage leads, accounts, contacts, opportunities and sales activities throughout the customer lifecycle.
- Workflow Automation – Automate business processes, repetitive activities, approvals, notifications and other operational tasks.
- No-Code Customisation – Configure applications, processes and workflows using no-code tools.
- AI Capabilities – Use AI-powered features to support customer management, automation and business processes.
- Marketing & Service CRM – Manage marketing campaigns, customer engagement and service-related activities within connected applications.
- Process Management – Design, monitor and optimise business processes across different departments and customer journeys.
Pricing
- Growth: From $15/user/month, providing core CRM and process management capabilities.
- Enterprise: From $25/user/month, adding expanded functionality, automation and customisation options.
- CRM Applications: Sales, Marketing and Service applications are available with pricing based on the selected product and requirements.
- Unlimited: Custom pricing is available for organisations requiring broader platform capabilities and unlimited users.
10. Zendesk Sell — Best for Sales Pipeline and Customer Engagement
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 |
| Country | United States |
| Software Type | Cloud-Based Sales CRM |
| Core Features | Lead Management, Deal Management, Sales Engagement, Forecasting, Automation & Analytics |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Per-User Monthly Subscription |
| Starting Price | $19/user/month |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
Zendesk Sell is a cloud-based sales CRM designed to help businesses manage leads, contacts, deals, sales activities and customer engagement. The platform provides sales teams with tools for organising customer information, managing pipelines, communicating with prospects and tracking opportunities through different stages of the sales process.
Zendesk Sell combines sales pipeline management with sales engagement, task automation, forecasting and reporting capabilities. It can help teams centralise sales information and monitor customer interactions while providing visibility into sales activities and pipeline performance. Businesses considering Sell should also account for Zendesk’s announced retirement of the product on 31 August 2027.
Key Features
- Lead & Contact Management – Organise prospect and customer information while tracking sales activities and interactions.
- Deal Management – Manage opportunities through sales stages and monitor deal values, activities and progress.
- Sales Engagement – Support customer communication and outreach through integrated sales engagement capabilities.
- Sales Forecasting – Monitor pipeline information and use sales data to support forecasting and planning.
- Task Automation – Automate repetitive sales activities, tasks, reminders and follow-ups to reduce manual work.
- Analytics & Reporting – Track sales performance, pipeline activity, team productivity and customer engagement through reports.
Pricing
- Sell Team: $19/user/month, providing essential sales CRM functionality for managing leads, contacts and deals.
- Sell Growth: $55/user/month, adding expanded sales management, automation and reporting capabilities.
- Sell Professional: $115/user/month, providing more advanced sales engagement, reporting and CRM functionality.
- Sell Enterprise: $169/user/month, offering advanced capabilities for larger sales teams and more complex requirements.
11. Close CRM — Best for Sales Communication and Pipeline Management
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 |
| Country | United States |
| Software Type | Cloud-Based Sales CRM |
| Core Features | Lead Management, Sales Pipelines, Email, Calling, SMS, Automation & Reporting |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Per-User Monthly Subscription |
| Starting Price | $9/user/month billed annually |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
Close CRM is a cloud-based sales CRM platform designed to help businesses manage leads, customer relationships, sales pipelines and communication activities from a centralised system. Founded in 2013, the platform combines CRM functionality with built-in calling, email, SMS, task management and sales automation tools.
Close is particularly focused on helping sales teams manage customer communication and outbound sales activities without relying heavily on separate communication applications. Businesses can organise leads, track opportunities, manage conversations, automate follow-ups and monitor sales performance through a connected CRM environment.
Key Features
- Lead & Contact Management – Organise customer and prospect information while maintaining records of sales activities and interactions.
- Sales Pipeline Management – Track opportunities through different sales stages and monitor deal progress.
- Built-In Calling – Make and manage calls from within the CRM while keeping communication records connected to customer profiles.
- Email & SMS – Send, receive and organise customer communications directly within the sales workflow.
- Sales Automation – Automate follow-ups, tasks, sequences and repetitive sales activities to reduce administrative work.
- AI Sales Tools – Use AI-powered capabilities to support sales communication, customer interactions and productivity.
Pricing
- Solo: From $9/user/month billed annually, providing essential CRM capabilities for individual sales professionals.
- Essentials: From $35/user/month billed annually, adding broader communication, automation and sales management functionality.
- Growth: From $99/user/month billed annually, providing advanced automation, reporting and sales management features.
- Scale: From $139/user/month billed annually, offering expanded capabilities for larger sales teams and more complex sales operations.
12. SugarCRM — Best for Customisable CRM and Sales Automation
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2004 |
| Country | United States |
| Software Type | Cloud-Based CRM Platform |
| Core Features | Sales Automation, Account Management, Opportunity Management, Forecasting, AI & Reporting |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Per-User Subscription |
| Starting Price | $59/user/month billed annually |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
SugarCRM is a cloud-based customer relationship management platform that helps businesses manage accounts, contacts, leads, opportunities, sales activities and customer relationships. Founded in 2004, SugarCRM provides CRM capabilities focused on sales automation, forecasting, customer information, reporting and AI-powered insights.
The platform provides businesses with tools to customise CRM processes and manage customer data across the sales lifecycle. Teams can use SugarCRM to automate sales activities, track opportunities, forecast revenue, analyse performance and maintain customer information while adapting workflows and processes to their specific operational requirements.
Key Features
- Account & Contact Management – Maintain detailed customer and company records while tracking relationships and interactions.
- Lead & Opportunity Management – Capture leads and manage opportunities throughout different stages of the sales process.
- Sales Automation – Automate repetitive sales activities, tasks, notifications and workflows to improve productivity.
- Sales Forecasting – Analyse sales pipelines and customer information to support revenue forecasting and sales planning.
- AI-Powered Insights – Use AI capabilities to identify patterns, provide insights and assist sales teams with customer information.
- Reporting & Analytics – Create reports and dashboards to monitor sales performance, pipeline activity and business results.
Pricing
- Standard: From $59/user/month billed annually, providing core CRM, sales automation and customer management functionality.
- Advanced: From $85/user/month billed annually, adding expanded sales, automation and CRM capabilities.
- Premier: From $135/user/month billed annually, providing advanced functionality for organisations with more complex CRM requirements.
- Minimum Users: SugarCRM plans generally require a minimum of 15 users, making plan requirements an important consideration for smaller teams.
13. Oracle NetSuite CRM — Best for Integrated CRM and Business Management
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1998 |
| Country | United States |
| Software Type | Cloud-Based CRM & ERP Platform |
| Core Features | Customer Management, Sales Force Automation, Marketing Automation, Customer Service, Forecasting & Analytics |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Quote-Based Subscription |
| Starting Price | Custom Quote |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
Oracle NetSuite CRM is a cloud-based customer relationship management solution integrated into the wider NetSuite business management platform. It helps organisations manage customer information, sales activities, marketing, customer service, forecasting and other processes while connecting CRM data with broader business operations.
NetSuite CRM is designed for organisations that want customer management capabilities connected with financial and operational information. Businesses can use the platform to manage accounts, opportunities, sales forecasts, marketing activities, customer service and partner relationships while accessing information across a unified business management environment.
Key Features
- Customer & Contact Management – Maintain customer, prospect and company information within a centralised CRM environment.
- Sales Force Automation – Manage leads, opportunities, sales activities and customer relationships throughout the sales lifecycle.
- Advanced Forecasting – Analyse sales pipelines and customer information to support forecasting and revenue planning.
- Marketing Automation – Manage marketing activities, campaigns and customer engagement processes.
- Customer Service Management – Track customer service activities, cases and interactions to support ongoing relationships.
- Partner Management – Manage partner relationships, activities and information alongside customer and sales operations.
Pricing
- Custom Pricing: NetSuite does not generally publish a standard public per-user starting price for its complete CRM offering.
- Subscription-Based: Pricing depends on the selected NetSuite edition, users, modules and business requirements.
- Additional Modules: Organisations can add functionality such as financial management, ecommerce, analytics and other business applications.
- Custom Quote: Businesses need to contact Oracle NetSuite for pricing based on their required products, users and configuration.
14. Keap — Best for CRM and Marketing Automation for Small Businesses
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2001 |
| Country | United States |
| Software Type | CRM & Marketing Automation Platform |
| Core Features | Contact Management, Sales Automation, Marketing Automation, Lead Management, Payments & Reporting |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Subscription-Based |
| Starting Price | From $299/month |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
Keap is a CRM and marketing automation platform designed primarily for small businesses that need tools for managing customer relationships, leads, sales processes and marketing activities. Founded in 2001, Keap combines CRM functionality with automation, payments, invoicing and customer communication tools.
The platform helps businesses centralise customer information while automating repetitive sales and marketing processes. Teams can manage contacts, capture and nurture leads, create automated follow-ups, track sales activities, process payments and monitor customer engagement through a connected business platform.
Key Features
- CRM & Contact Management – Organise customer and prospect information while maintaining records of interactions and activities.
- Lead Management – Capture, organise and nurture leads throughout the sales process using CRM and automation tools.
- Marketing Automation – Create automated campaigns, customer journeys, follow-ups and lead-nurturing processes.
- Sales Automation – Automate repetitive sales tasks, reminders, follow-ups and customer communication.
- Payments & Invoicing – Support payment collection, invoicing and other business transaction activities.
- Mobile CRM – Access customer information, manage activities and monitor business processes through mobile devices.
Pricing
- Keap Platform: Starts from $299/month, providing CRM, automation and business management functionality.
- Annual Billing: The starting subscription is available at approximately $2,988/year when billed annually.
- Additional Users: The starting subscription includes two users, with additional users charged separately.
- Contact Capacity: Pricing can vary according to the number of contacts and selected requirements.
15. Freshsales — Best for AI-Powered Sales CRM for Growing Businesses
Company Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2010 |
| Country | United States |
| Software Type | Cloud-Based Sales CRM |
| Core Features | Contact Management, Lead Scoring, Sales Pipelines, AI, Automation, Reporting & Integrations |
| Deployment | Cloud-Based SaaS |
| Pricing Model | Free and Per-User Subscription |
| Starting Price | Free |
| Supported Platforms | Web, iOS & Android |
Freshsales is a cloud-based sales CRM platform from Freshworks that helps businesses manage contacts, leads, accounts, opportunities and customer interactions from a centralised system. The platform combines traditional CRM functionality with AI-powered insights, sales automation, communication tools and reporting capabilities.
Freshsales is designed to support startups, small businesses and growing organisations that need a CRM for managing sales activities and customer relationships. Teams can use the platform to track leads, manage sales pipelines, score prospects, automate activities, communicate with customers and analyse sales performance through reports and dashboards.
Key Features
- Contact & Account Management – Organise customer and company information while maintaining a complete view of customer relationships.
- Lead Scoring & Management – Capture, qualify and prioritise leads based on customer information and engagement.
- Sales Pipeline Management – Track opportunities and deals through different stages of the sales process.
- AI-Powered Sales Insights – Use AI capabilities to provide insights, recommendations and assistance for sales activities.
- Sales Automation – Automate repetitive sales tasks, follow-ups, workflows and customer engagement activities.
- Reports & Dashboards – Monitor sales performance, pipeline activity, customer engagement and other business metrics.
Pricing
- Free: $0/month for up to 3 users, providing basic CRM functionality for small teams.
- Growth: From $9/user/month billed annually, providing core sales CRM, contact management and pipeline capabilities.
- Pro: From $39/user/month billed annually, adding advanced automation, reporting and sales functionality.
- Enterprise: From $59/user/month billed annually, providing advanced CRM capabilities, AI, customisation and enterprise-level features.
Conclusion
Choosing the right CRM software in 2026 depends on your organisation’s size, sales process, budget, automation requirements, integrations, and customer management needs. Platforms such as HubSpot CRM, Salesforce Sales Cloud, Zoho CRM, Pipedrive, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales, and Freshsales offer different approaches to managing leads, customer relationships, sales pipelines, automation, reporting, and communication.
For small businesses, affordability and ease of use may be important, while larger organisations may require advanced customisation, AI, forecasting, integrations, and enterprise-level features. Comparing pricing, functionality, scalability, support, and integration requirements can help businesses identify a CRM platform that fits their specific operational needs.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Why do businesses use CRM software?
Businesses use CRM software to organise customer data, manage sales pipelines, automate repetitive tasks, improve customer communication, track sales performance, and support collaboration between teams.
What features should businesses look for in CRM software?
Important features can include contact management, lead management, sales pipelines, automation, reporting, forecasting, AI tools, marketing automation, integrations, mobile access, and customer service capabilities.
Which CRM software is suitable for small businesses?
Small businesses may consider platforms such as HubSpot CRM, Zoho CRM, Bigin by Zoho CRM, Pipedrive, and Freshsales, depending on their budget, required features, team size, and sales processes.
How much does CRM software cost?
CRM pricing varies considerably. Some platforms offer free plans, while paid solutions may charge per user, per month, per contact, or according to business requirements. Enterprise CRM platforms may use custom pricing.
Can CRM software integrate with other business tools?
Yes. Many CRM platforms integrate with applications such as email, accounting, marketing, ecommerce, customer service, communication, productivity, and business intelligence software.
Is CRM software suitable for remote teams?
Yes. Most modern cloud-based CRM platforms allow employees to access customer records, update sales activities, manage opportunities, and collaborate remotely through web and mobile applications.
What is the difference between CRM and ERP software?
CRM software primarily focuses on customers, sales, marketing, and service relationships, while ERP software generally manages broader business operations such as finance, inventory, procurement, supply chain, and operations.
Can CRM software automate sales processes?
Yes. CRM systems can automate activities such as lead assignments, follow-ups, notifications, data updates, email sequences, task creation, and workflow processes, depending on the platform and subscription plan.
What is the best CRM software?
There is no single CRM platform that suits every business. The appropriate choice depends on factors such as business size, budget, sales process, number of users, required integrations, automation needs, reporting requirements, and scalability.
