6 Best CRMs for Outlook Integration in 2022

Outlook is a popular email and calendar platform that integrates with some of the top customer relationship management (CRM) software. The best Outlook CRM integrations let users track emails, synchronize calendars, and manage contact data between both systems seamlessly. We evaluated dozens of CRM products and identified the top six best CRM systems for Outlook integrations.

• HubSpot CRM: Best overall CRM for Outlook integration with a free option for unlimited users
• Pipedrive: Great option for simplified contact data synchronization between platforms
• Zoho CRM: Excellent Outlook CRM for tracking lead activity, notes, contact information, and campaigns in both systems
• Microsoft Dynamics 365: Terrific Outlook CRM option for organizations already using Microsoft Office products
• Insightly: Best Outlook CRM for managing tasks and projects between platforms
• Salesforce Essentials: Solid CRM for Outlook with customer service management tools

Best Outlook CRMs Compared

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*Based on annual billing. Monthly billing is also available at slightly higher rates. Except for HubSpot, pricing is per user, per month.

Take our quiz to find out which CRM can track emails, synchronize calendars, and manage contact data seamlessly between both systems for you.

HubSpot CRM: Best Overall CRM That Integrates With Outlook

*Pricing is per user, monthly, based on annual billing. Monthly billing is also available at a higher cost.
**CRM Suite includes sales, marketing, customer service, CMS, and operations software. Individual modules can be purchased for lower monthly costs.

HubSpot is an excellent sales and marketing-focused CRM system for managing leads, pipelines, and marketing campaigns. It offers arguably the most user-friendly solution on this list, and lets teams create product bundles to tailor a package to their needs—with options for marketing, sales, operations, content management system (CMS), and customer service modules.

This CRM has a free option for unlimited users, allowing for integration with Outlook. With the CRM-Outlook integration, teams can send and track emails from both systems, log Outlook emails into CRM records, and use email templates within Outlook’s interface. Lastly, users can take advantage of HubSpot tools in Outlook by constructing automated email sequences and adding HubSpot meeting links or documents in an Outlook message.

Whether you bundle for a CRM Suite package or subscribe to an individual module, HubSpot gets fairly expensive after the Free and Starter plans. Zoho CRM is a solid alternative with a free plan and more budget-friendly paid options.

HubSpot CRM Plan Summary

HubSpot CRM Key Features

• Outlook-HubSpot email sync: Ability to send and track emails between both Outlook and HubSpot systems
• One-click email logging: Users can log emails from Outlook into CRM lead or contact records to track engagement activity
• Template management: Templates created and stored in HubSpot can be copied and used for Outlook emails from the Outlook interface
• Sequences, meetings, and documents: HubSpot automated email sequences, meeting schedule links, and documents can be synced to the Outlook system to use in email messages

HubSpot Customer Support

In addition to phone, email, and live chat support from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, HubSpot has an array of online resources. This includes the HubSpot Academy, a community page of platform users, and an online library of tutorials and guides.

Learn more about how this CRM helps sales teams manage leads, track conversations, collaborate, and close deals in our HubSpot CRM review.

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Pipedrive: Best for Contact Synchronization

*Pricing is per user on a monthly basis, based on annual billing. Monthly billing is also available at a higher cost.

Pipedrive is a sales CRM that lets teams manage sales deals and communicate with leads and contacts through email, phone, or video conferencing. Users can also access various document management features to easily send trackable quotes or business proposals that auto-fill with a prospect’s information. This CRM also has advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the Sales Assistant feature that gives task and performance suggestions.

In terms of Outlook integration, Pipedrive stands out for its contact syncing capabilities. Users can keep data consistent between both the email and CRM system to track names, addresses, phone numbers, organization or company, and job titles. There’s even the option to link instant messenger profiles and store birth dates in each platform’s database.

Unfortunately, sending and receiving Outlook emails from the Pipedrive interface is not available until the Advanced plan. HubSpot CRM is the best alternative for users to fully integrate Outlook features, including email communications functionality, on the free-forever plan for unlimited users.

Pipedrive Plan Summary

Pipedrive Key Features

• Two-way Outlook sync: Sendable and receivable emails using Outlook system within Pipedrive
• Contacts, deals, and organizations: Ability to sync data for contacts and organizations as well as trackable deals between Pipedrive and Outlook
• Calendar and activity syncing: User calendars and record activity logs for records from Outlook can be automatically imported into the Pipedrive system.
• Smart Docs and e-signature features: Feature for sending tailored contracts, quotes, and proposals as well as signing and obtaining signatures on documents directly from the CRM

Pipedrive Customer Support

Pipedrive offers 24/7 support through live chat and email. Additionally, their website contains other resources such as a help center, blog, tutorials, a community forum, and an academy dedicated to enhancing CRM software and sales skills.

Check out our comprehensive Pipedrive review to learn more about pricing, usability, and best-for scenarios.

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Zoho CRM: Best for Two-way Lead Tracking

*Pricing is per user, per month, based on annual billing. Monthly billing is also available at a higher cost.

Zoho CRM offers a comprehensive solution for managing lead information, sales workflows, reporting activity, and customer communication. The system is relatively inexpensive, scalable, and provides a free plan for up to three users. AI features also enrich contact information, provide analytic insights on performance, advise on the best time to connect with a lead, and suggest workflows you can automate.

When integrated with Outlook, teams can stay connected with each platform through an elaborate, two-way data syncing system. Contacts, leads, and companies can be added into or edited in Zoho CRM directly from Outlook. Users can also add activity information and notes from Outlook to keep CRM records up-to-date. Lastly, reps can track campaign statuses associated with leads from Outlook for deal progress or other marketing campaigns.

Zoho CRM’s primary downfall is the usability factor. Users often find the system tough to initially set up an account and navigate through the interface due to its clunky design. HubSpot CRM is an excellent alternative for businesses seeking a CRM product that requires little technical skill to operate.

Zoho CRM Plan Summary

Zoho CRM Key Features

• Contacts and leads sync: Ability to add contacts and leads into Zoho CRM from Outlook systems
• Email integration: Outlook email sending and receiving from the CRM interface
• Notes and activity sync: Notes and activity logs associated with Zoho lead, contact, and account records can be added or updated from Outlook
• Campaign tracking: Options for viewing any deal or marketing campaign associated with a Zoho record from Outlook

Zoho CRM Customer Support

Zoho CRM uses a tier-based system where customer support options are dictated by the package you select. Users receive email support on all plans as well as phone and live chat support on paid plans either 24/5 or 24/7, depending on your plan tier. They also offer online resources, including documentation, guided tours, videos, webinars, and tutorials.

Learn more about this CRM product by reading our in-depth Zoho CRM review, where we explore its features and best-for scenarios.

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Microsoft Dynamics 365: Best for Businesses That Prefer Microsoft Productivity Software

*Pricing is per user, monthly, based on annual billing and accounts only for the sales product with sales features. Modules for other business areas, such as customer data, customer service, marketing, ecommerce, supply chain, human resources, finance, and project management, are also available for separate pricing.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a suite of business software products to manage marketing, sales, project management, finance, and much more. The Sales product provides standard CRM features such as lead management and workflow automation. Additionally, teams can reap the benefits of simplified integration with Microsoft Office tools like Exchange and Teams while operating an interface similar in design to those products.

The software gives users an intuitive integration process and a solid set of capabilities once connected with Microsoft Outlook. They can sync contact and email data between both systems and link email messages to CRM records. There’s also the option to view CRM contacts with contextual information from Outlook, like messages, appointments, and meetings. Users also pull email templates and sales collateral from Dynamics 365 to insert an Outlook message.

One issue with the Dynamics CRM Sales module is that users can’t perform marketing or customer service functions all from the same subscription package—making it expensive if you want to manage those functions in one system. HubSpot’s bundled plans have marketing and customer service features within their CRM packages. These plans start at $45 per month for two users—much less than Dynamics 365, which would require an additional $20 per user every month and $750 per month for subsequent service and marketing tools.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Plan Summary

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Key Features

• Email message linking: Emails, meetings, and appointments from Outlook can be directly linked to CRM profiles such as leads, contacts, cases, or opportunities
• Contextual information view: Simple viewing of email messages and meetings within lead and contact records
• Contact and email synchronization: Two-way synchronization between Outlook and Microsoft Dynamics 365 for contact and email data
• Templates and materials sync: Through integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365 integration, users can add templates, articles, and sales materials from the CRM into an Outlook message.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Support

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales has phone and email customer support during Central Time standard business hours as well as the ability to live chat with a rep. There is also plenty of online documentation on their products, education resources, and the ability to sign up for product training and consultations.

Want to see if the Microsoft Dynamics 365 suite of products suits your needs? Check out our in-depth review on Microsoft Dynamics 365 to learn more about ways it can assist your business.

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Insightly: Best Outlook CRM for Task & Project Management Capabilities

*Pricing is per user, monthly, based on annual billing. Monthly billing is also available at a higher cost.

Insightly gives teams an array of lead management, collaboration, and customer communication tools. The CRM also has a built-in project management module that includes milestone tracking, calendar synchronization, and the ability to convert won opportunities directly into new projects. Insightly is relatively inexpensive and provides a free option for up to two users for basic contact and project management features.

The Insightly-Outlook plugin comes in the form of the platforms’ sidebar. Teams can open this sidebar from Outlook to pull and sync contact data, calendar information, email templates, and links stored in Insightly. Users can also send and save emails between both systems and create new CRM tasks and projects directly from the Outlook interface.

Sending quotes and pricing within the CRM is a valuable feature because it can streamline the proposal process and some of the later steps in the sales pipeline. Unfortunately, Insightly does not give teams access to this feature until the Enterprise plan. HubSpot CRM is a solid alternative with quote features on the free plan and even lets you accept payments on the paid plans.

Insightly Plan Summary

Insightly Key Features

• Contact and calendar sync: Two-way syncing and mass importing of contact and calendar data between Outlook and Insightly
• Task and lead creation: Ability to create tasks and leads directly from Outlook into Insightly using the Insightly sidebar feature
• Two-way email communication: Sendable and saved Outlook emails sent through the Insightly sidebar
• Templates and links: Insightly email templates or links sendable through Outlook as well as the option for users to schedule emails to auto-send later

Insightly Customer Support

Insightly has tier-based support with a help center available for free plan users and above. There’s also email support for the paid plans with varying response times depending on the package and phone support during extended business hours during Pacific Time.

Read our Insightly review to learn more about pricing, features, and usability ratings and see if it’s the best CRM for your business.

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Salesforce Essentials: Best for Customer Service Features

*Pricing is per user, per month, based on annual billing. Monthly billing is also available at a higher cost.

Salesforce Essentials is the small business alternative to the Salesforce Sales and Service Cloud platforms. Regarding Outlook capabilities, users can sync contact and calendar data between both interfaces and view email interaction history in a CRM record, regardless of whether it was sent through Salesforce or Microsoft Outlook.

This CRM is one of the only ones on this list that allow teams to manage customer service activity from within the CRM without a premium subscription, add-on, or native integration. Zoho contains some functionality like case management on their Professional plan, and HubSpot offers similar tools on its Starter plan but for only up to two users.

With Salesforce Essentials, agents and service reps can get a complete view of their accounts and customer information while being able to route and assign inquiries on an automated basis. Teams can also easily access custom articles and FAQ pages from the CRM to help customers.

While great for small businesses, Salesforce Essentials does not have a free plan or scalable options for growing businesses. Zoho CRM is an excellent option on this list with a free-forever option for three users and four paid plans, depending on the feature needs and size of your business.

Salesforce Essentials Plan Summary

Salesforce Essentials Key Features

• Customer interaction viewing: Users can view customer interactions and activity via Outlook email exchanges within Salesforce records
• Two-way data sync: Ability to add and update contact or calendar data within the CRM and Outlook
• Events and tasks: Users can add and view events or tasks from Outlook into the Salesforce Essentials system.
• Email communication: Ability to send and track Outlook emails within the CRM

Salesforce Essentials Customer Support

Salesforce Essentials offers a wide range of tier-based support, where the amount you pay is linked to the degree of support you desire. All licenses include online resources like Trailhead, Help Portal, and the Community Success Center as well as live chat support. The more premium success plans offer 24/7 phone support.

Want to learn more about this Salesforce small business CRM solution? Our Salesforce Essentials review tells you everything you need to know about the product and businesses best suited for it.

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How We Evaluated the Best Outlook CRM Integrations

To determine the best CRMs with Outlook integrations, we only considered CRM products with integration capabilities with the Outlook platform. Additionally, we evaluated product-specific features such as communication, automation, and sales tracking capabilities from within Outlook. We then looked deeper into each product in terms of typical product attributes such as price, general CRM features, ease of use, and customer support.

We found that HubSpot CRM is the best overall option as it offers a free plan for unlimited users and provides an easy-to-use solution for integrating the CRM features with Outlook. With the HubSpot Outlook plugin, teams can send emails between both interfaces, save email activity into the CRM with one click, and utilize email templates stored in HubSpot to craft messages in Outlook.

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The tabs below offer insight into our evaluation process of the best Outlook CRM integrations: