Customer relationship management (CRM) software for call centers offers telephonic features for tracking and making business calls in addition to tools for contact and lead management. The best CRM call center software also provides things like workflow automation, data-enriched contact profiles, and other call-centric analytics while remaining at an affordable price. We compared dozens of CRM call center providers and narrowed it down to our top six:
- Freshworks CRM: Best overall for businesses that want the essential calling features for sales enablement combined with an easy-to-use, customizable CRM
- Nextiva: Great choice for companies that want robust call center automation tools
- Zoho CRM: Ideal option for small businesses looking for a low-cost, operational CRM with call center options
- Agile CRM: Best for teams that use multiple channels and applications to communicate with customers
- Bitrix24: Suitable for businesses that want call center features combined with project management tools
- Voicent: Excellent choice for companies looking for advanced call center features
How We Evaluated the Best Call Center CRM Providers
Excellent call center CRM software provides state-of-the-art features specific to phone calling activities within the platform or through a third-party app integration. The software should also offer users reporting functionality to track call logs and call center activity. Additionally, great CRM providers deliver solid customer support, are easy to use, and offer attractive pricing options—some of the core CRM features that small businesses need.
Based on our evaluation, Freshworks CRM is the best call center CRM software because of its ability to offer unique call center features like Queue Callback (virtual hold), Bring Your Own Carrier, and supervisor call center controls all in addition to CRM sales and marketing tools.
Click through the tabs below to learn more about our evaluation criteria:
40% of Overall Score
Total costs, along with a variety of pricing options, are typically the most important criteria for any small business decision. Therefore, it was the most heavily weighted when reviewing all of the best call center CRM software. These criteria looked at free account availability, numerous subscription choices, and the flexibility of billing options.
20% of Overall Score
On top of overall core CRM features, we also looked into specific call center functionalities that we consider a necessity. These features include tools to make or receive phone calls, outbound call tracking, third-party integrations, robust contact management features, and mobile capabilities.
15% of Overall Score
The functions of any application are only as beneficial as it is usable. Therefore, we analyzed ease of use in terms of the expertise needed to integrate it with other applications, the skill required to operate the call center features, and the overall interface usability.
15% of Overall Score
Help and support hold the same weight as the ease-of-use criteria, and we evaluated it in terms of customer service hours, phone support, live chat support, and email support.
10% of Overall Score
In addition to our own experiences with the providers, we looked at reputable review sites and gathered expert opinions from outside sources. We evaluated standout features, overall value for money spent, popularity, and ease of use.
Freshworks CRM: Best Overall CRM Call Center Software
Freshworks CRM
What We Like
- Freshcaller (Freshworks’ call center software) product offered within the platform
- Both the CRM and call center option offer a free plan
- Analytics feature measures sales of individual performance based on outbound calls made, pipeline process, and customer interactions
What's Missing
- Can get expensive if you want all features offered by both the CRM and Freshcaller
- Mobile app is known to have issues with crashing and unresponsiveness for the call features of the CRM and Freshcaller
- Freshcaller can’t transfer to the live chat systems of Freshchat while on a call
Freshworks CRM Pricing at a Glance*
- Free: Unlimited users (limited features)
- Customer-for-Life Cloud: Ranges from $35 to $149 per user, per month
- Sales Cloud: Ranges from $35 to $119 per user, per month
- Marketing Cloud: Ranges from $25 to $119 per user, per month
- Freshcaller: Free or paid plans range from $15 to $69 per agent, per month
- Free trial: 21 days
*Pricing is based on a monthly billing option. Annual subscriptions are available as well for those who prefer long-term contracts.
Overall, Freshworks CRM is intuitive to use, even when referring to the cloud-based, call center-specific tools like automatic inbound call routing and click-to-call functions. Businesses can record and mask calls, as well as take them on-the-go using the mobile app. To access more advanced call center features, you can sign up for Freshcaller, Freshworks’ cloud-based call center software.
Freshcaller is specifically designed for call center operations. It expands on what the phone tools in the CRM offer, such as buying local and international toll-free phone numbers, as well as other abilities such as custom music greetings, call deflections to allow customers to navigate with voice bots, and queue management to automatically distribute call inquiries equally to various agents.
While Freshworks CRM offers solid call center features for small businesses, gaining access to many of those features can be cost-prohibitive for startups on a budget, since Freshcaller can add up to $69 per agent, per month. For a more budget-friendly, but less feature-rich option, Zoho CRM or Nextiva are the best alternatives.
Freshworks CRM Features
Freshcaller outbound call log (Source: Freshcaller)
Freshworks CRM built-in call system (Source: Freshworks)
- Freshcaller mobile app that provides all of the advanced call center features while on the go
- Built-in marketing segmentation features automate the grouping of potential customers based on geography, demographics, and behavior
- Ability to upload holiday calendar and create holiday call routing rules within the call center platform
- Built-in queue management tools to automatically inform callers where they are in the service order
- Voicebots tool within the call center that offers automated communication with customers without using a sales representative
Want to learn more about this CRM? Check out our Freshworks CRM review, where we explore its rich feature set.
Nextiva: Best for Automating Call Center Functionalities
Nextiva
What We Like
- Offers 24/7 customer support via phone, live chat, and email
- Drag-and-drop call flow builder for setting up the phone system
- Known for having a high percentage of uptime and minimal outages
What's Missing
- Does not offer a free plan
- Training is limited to videos
- Doesn’t offer email marketing
Nextiva Pricing at a Glance*
- Essential: $29.95 per user, per month
- Professional: $33.95 per user, per month
- Enterprise: $43.95 per user, per month
- Ultimate: $73.95 per user, per month
- Free trial: 30 days
*Prices are based on monthly billing options for five to 19 users. Annual billing is available for a lower price, and prices per user, per month decrease with the total number of users.
Nextiva functions more like a business communication application than a traditional CRM. Thus, it is more focused on the quality of the communication features. However, its automation features stand out the most through automated survey deployment after calls, automatically prioritizing cases with poor feedback, and automatic direct emails to new leads.
Nextiva offers excellent communication features, but if you’re looking for a free plan or you need robust customer support, it may not be the best choice for your business. For a free option with more support options, consider Freshworks CRM or Bitrix24.
Nextiva Features
Nextiva Call Pop feature (Source: Nextiva)
- Offers SMS and MMS texting features
- Integration with Outlook and Google contacts
- CRM providers like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zendesk integrate with Nextiva
- Ultimate plan offers automated survey tools after calls are completed
- Call Pop feature shows information about an inbound caller, including phone number, name, and organization, as well as advanced details like deal size, satisfaction score, and survey responses if the contact is already in the database
Zoho CRM: Best Cost-effective CRM With Call Center Features
Zoho CRM
What We Like
- Integration with PBX systems provide precise analytics on sales calls-to-deals made, allowing call strategies to be adjusted for better performance
- Call reporting analytics are displayed in an easy-to-understand format
- Call center software included in Zoho Desk
What's Missing
- Free plan has very few features and is limited to three users
- User interface can be challenging to navigate
- Most of the CRM customization is only available in the highest-priced plan
Zoho CRM Pricing at a Glance*
- Free: Up to three users (minimal features)
- Standard: $14 per user, per month
- Professional: $23 per user, per month
- Enterprise: $40 per user, per month
- Ultimate: $52 per user, per month
- Zoho CRM Plus: $57 per user, per month
- Free trial: 15 days
*Pricing is based on an annual subscription. Monthly billing is available at slightly higher rates.
Even though Zoho CRM’s free option is limited to basic features, the paid plans aren’t costly for businesses that want a robust CRM. A good solution included in the paid plans is that Zoho CRM can integrate with Zoho Desk for call center capabilities at no additional cost. This solution is most effective for handling ticket management for customer issues and auto-routing inbound phone calls to the proper departments.
Zoho CRM can serve as an all-inclusive sales solution with the suite of tools it offers. However, it can be challenging to navigate, especially if you’re primarily looking for call center software without all the bells and whistles of a full-featured CRM. In that case, consider Voicent or Nextiva.
Zoho CRM Features
Zoho Desk call routing configuration (Source: Zoho)
- Single-click dialing capabilities through the contact management system
- Integration options allow users to synchronize inboxes, contacts, and calendar into the CRM
- Automated call logging creates work tasks without any manual entry
- Built-in telephone automated operator allows customers to reach the proper departments through interactive voice response (IVR)
- Zoho Desk, Zoho’s call center software, automatically transfers voicemails as service tickets
Not sure if this is the right tool for your business? Read our Zoho CRM review and find out what it does best and how it helps small businesses achieve their goals.
Agile CRM: Best CRM Call Center for Multichannel Communications
Agile CRM
What We Like
- Can integrate with several communication applications, like Twilio, VoIP, Skype, and RingCentral
- Tag-based calling features to flag specific contacts as critical or tag them for a unique accommodation
- Free plan offers basic telephony for placing calls
What's Missing
- Free plan does not offer call recording
- Call center features like post-call automation and automated voicemails are only available on the highest-priced plan
- Analytics do not report website tracking
Agile CRM Pricing at a Glance*
- Free: Up to 10 users (limited features available)
- Starter: $14.99 per user, per month
- Regular: $49.99 per user, per month
- Enterprise: $79.99 per user, per month
*Pricing is based on monthly subscriptions. However, those who prefer long-term contracts may choose annual or two-year contracts for discounted pricing.
Agile CRM integrates with various communication platforms, giving users access to calling and communication capabilities. Businesses that use multiple applications to handle their different customer service channels benefit from what Agile CRM offers. For example, its live chat applications integrate with Zendesk, ClickDesk, and LiveHelpNow. Phone integrations include Bria, VoIP, and RingCentral. SMS texting channel integrations include Twilio and Plivo.
Agile CRM offers a wide range of integrations and features that support companies looking for a high level of customization. However, many of those features are offered in the highest-paid plans that not every small business can afford. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, consider Bitrix24—their free plan offers similar basic features such as call recording and voicemail.
Agile CRM Features
Agile CRM call tag creation example (Source: Agile CRM)
- Smart Campaign feature allows businesses to automate marketing campaigns targeting potential customers based on the interests, browsing history, actions, and behaviors of the customer
- Marketing campaign automation feature allows engagement with potential customers through multiple channels, including mobile SMS, email, social media, embedded videos (email or online landing pages), and phone calls
- Offers tools designed to tag contacts for specific customer attributes, and users can store call scripts specific to those tags
- Payment collecting capabilities through Stripe integration
- Help desk support can be grouped based on call tags to allow service representatives with certain qualities or experience to handle specific customers
Check out our Agile CRM review to discover how this software can help you achieve your business goals.
Bitrix24: Best for Combined Call Center & Project Management Tools
Bitrix24
What We Like
- Phone features work anywhere in the world
- Relatively inexpensive when evaluated per user
- Call center software includes collaboration options that integrate well with the project management tools
What's Missing
- Does not offer any customer phone support
- User interface can be difficult to navigate
- Unlimited call recording is only available in higher-priced plans
Bitrix24 Pricing at a Glance*
- Free: Unlimited users (limited features)
- Start+: $24 per month (up to two users)
- CRM+: $69 per month (up to six users)
- Project+: $69 per month (up to 24 users)
- Standard: $99 per month (up to 50 users)
- Professional: $199 per month (unlimited users)
- Free trial: 30 days
*Pricing above is based on monthly plans. However, you may also pay in full either quarterly, annually, or biannually.
Bitrix24 combines CRM and project management software. Tools related to a call center primarily work well with specific features, such as collaboration tools that assign inbound calls as tasks in a project. Another standout feature is that leads can be automatically created in the contact center for answered and missed calls.
If additional business functionality is important in your CRM decision, Bitrix24 and Zoho CRM are both viable options. They can assist in other aspects of operations, such as human resources and project management.
If you don’t care as much about the project management features but want tools to manage human resource tasks, Zoho CRM is a better option because of its integration with Zoho People software. Bitrix24, on the other hand, better handles project and task management through its Gantt chart generation and Kanban board functionality.
Bitrix24 Features
Bitrix24 call center contacts page (Source: Bitrix24)
- Call tracking tool monitors call source by website and phone number
- Interactive voice response (IVR) provides automated conversations with customers
- Integrations with popular applications such as Zoom, Google Maps, and Facebook
- Strong project management capabilities for task monitoring, delegation, and a centralized place for supervisors to track activity
- Website contact forms can be automatically transferred to the Bitrix24 call center software
Want to know if this CRM fits your business needs? Read our comprehensive Bitrix24 review.
Voicent: Best for Advanced Call Center Features
Voicent
What We Like
- Has a built-in email campaign tool
- Automated phone survey even for outbound calls
- Predictive dialing features can drastically improve calling productivity
What's Missing
- Certain call features like inbound call center caller ID are an additional cost
- No mobile application
- Very minimal customer support
Voicent Pricing at a Glance
- Voicent Subscription: $29 per user, per month when billed monthly (or $19 per user, per month when billed annually)
- Usage fees: Starts at 1.5 cents per minute
- Free trial: 30 days
Voicent lacks many essential attributes of a CRM, like having a mobile application and online marketing campaign tools. There are also few integration options, and many additional features require higher pricing. However, it makes up for this through its advanced tools specific to call center software, including automated outbound phone surveying, inbound interactive voice response, and a predictive dialing feature that improves productivity through auto-dialing and skipping busy lines.
While Voicent is a great choice for businesses focused on driving sales through a call center, some companies require a CRM with more customizable features. If you need a CRM that supports a wide range of integrations and has a mobile app, consider Agile CRM or Zoho CRM instead.
Voicent Features
Voicent agent setup page (Source: Voicent)
- Automated phone surveys can be deployed as an outbound call
- Email marketing features can send email campaigns to an unlimited size list
- IVR configuration for inbound calls
- Integrations with popular CRM software such as Salesforce and Zoho CRM
- Blended Contact Center Solutions centralizes inbound and outbound calls for monitoring activity and controlling call volume
