Customer database software is an automated tool for capturing and processing contact, engagement, sales, and other business data in a central repository system. The best customer database software for small business teams is user-friendly and provides a 360-degree view of customer data and insightful reporting for seamless communication and improved efficiency.
These solutions can be standalone products or features in other customer relationship management (CRM) software. Based on my comprehensive assessment of dozens of software tools, I have compiled the best customer database software solutions for small businesses.
- HubSpot CRM: Best overall all-in-one customer database
- monday CRM: Best for ease of use
- ClickUp: Best for data view customization
- Pipedrive: Best for business-to-business (B2B) communications tracking
- Zoho CRM: Best for automating data management tasks
- Insightly CRM: Best for project-based businesses
- Bitrix24: Best for ecommerce businesses
- Zendesk Sell: Best for customer engagement
Take your business to the next level with HubSpot: an all-in-one CRM featuring an intuitive interface, powerful features, and unmatched scalability. |
|
Best Customer Database Software for Small Business Compared
Provider | Free Plan | Free Trial | My Rating out of 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | âś“ 2 users | N/A | $15 per user | 4.65 |
 | âś• | 14 days | $12 per user (3-user minimum) | 4.57 |
 | âś“ Unlimited users | N/A | $7 per user | 4.56 |
 | âś• | 14 days | $14 per user | 4.52 |
 | âś“ 3 users | 15 days | $14 per user | 4.50 |
 | âś• | 14 days | $29 per user | 4.30 |
 | âś“ Unlimited users | 15 days | $49 for 5 users | 4.27 |
 | âś• | 14 days | $19 per user | 4.12 |
HubSpot CRM: Best Overall All-in-One Customer Database
Pros
- Data management and analytics tools are highly intuitive
- It has Breeze Copilot AI tool for instant enrichment of business-to-business (B2B) records
- Free plan allows seamless integration with Google Workspace apps
Cons
- Prospecting workspace for managing leads in one place starts with the Professional plan ($1,170 for five users)
- Data management tools require a paid subscription (starting at $15 per user per month)
- Automation for updating data records requires a paid subscription
- You need an all-in-one customer database software with intuitive tools: HubSpot CRM provides access to marketing, sales, service, content, operations, and commerce tools, making it the best CRM database software. It’s one of the simplest CRM systems on the market, thanks to its modern interface design, clear navigation system, and user-friendly tools.
- You want to harness AI power for B2B sales data: This contact management software tracks B2B leads, deals, customers, customer service tickets, and prospect activity to boost sales. HubSpot’s powerful Breeze Copilot AI tool automates tasks, reveals valuable insights, streamlines workflows, and enhances data analysis to boost efficiency and streamline operations.
- You need more affordable account overview features: Particularly useful in business-to-business (B2B) sales, HubSpot CRM has an account overview feature for monitoring account-level activities and deal progress for targeted accounts. However, it is not available until the Professional plan, which costs $1,170 per month for five users.
- Alternative: monday CRM provides unlimited contacts, boards, viewers, and templates for lead, contact, and deal management for tracking clients and account data. You can track contact activities with the Basic plan ($12 per user monthly) and manage activities like logging calls, meetings, and more with the Standard plan ($17 per user monthly).
- You want free data management automation tools: Data management is one of the most repetitive tasks of sales reps. Therefore, automating workflows for CRM record updates, new data entries, and lead or account assignments is a useful feature. While HubSpot CRM offers this type of automation, it’s not free. You must, at least, have the Starter plan ($15 per user monthly).
- Alternative: Zoho CRM offers workflow automation, including data management tasks and record updates, starting on the free plan.
HubSpot CRM Pricing Plans*
*Pricing is based on an annual billing of the HubSpot Customer Platform plans, though monthly billing is also available at a higher cost. We update pricing information regularly but encourage readers to check current pricing. Customer Platform includes sales, marketing, customer service, content management system (CMS), and operations software. Individual modules can be purchased for lower monthly costs.
HubSpot CRM’s contact management system with AI-powered contact summary by Breeze Copilot (Source: HubSpot free account)
My Expert Opinion
HubSpot CRM is the best all-in-one customer database software because of its robust tools for marketing, sales, service, commerce, and operations. You can choose the applicable features to create powerful customer relationship management and database software for your small business. If you’re looking for the best customer database software with AI tools for more efficient operations, this provider is an excellent choice.
monday CRM: Best for Ease of Use
Pros
- The interface for setting up automation is intuitive
- It offers multiple options for data viewing (like timeline and calendar) and customizing boards for data fields and processes
- It has unlimited contacts, documents, and boards
Cons
- There’s no free plan; all plans require a minimum of three users
- Lead scoring and duplicate warning features are locked in the custom-priced Enterprise plan
- Sales analytics, document sharing, and reporting are not available on the mobile view
- You need simple and intuitive software for client database: monday CRM makes it easy to organize and manage customer data with its neatly arranged folders for each aspect of your sales process. Use its CRM templates to manage contacts, leads, and workflows. This client database software has a highly intuitive interface, making it very easy to learn, navigate, use, and customize.
- You want multiple viewing options for your data: Another great aspect of monday CRM is the various board viewing options. Depending on your objective, such as checking sales pipeline progress, tracking task due dates, or identifying customers’ locations, users can look at their data in different ways. These include Kanban, timeline, calendar, map, chart, and workload viewing options.
- You need free lead scoring: While monday CRM offers lead scoring to help you qualify leads and prioritize sales opportunities, you must avail of the Enterprise plan, which requires a custom quote.
- Alternative: Zoho CRM is a great option that offers affordable lead scoring on its Standard plan ($14 per user monthly).
- You want more affordable duplicate management: Another expensive data management feature in monday CRM is the duplicate warning tool that notifies you if you’re submitting a record already stored. This, like the lead scoring, requires the Enterprise plan for a custom price.
- Alternatives: Zoho CRM has affordable, manual duplicate management features on its free-forever plan, while Pipedrive offers more advanced deduplication on the Essential plan for $14 per user per month.
monday CRM Pricing Plans*
*Pricing is based on annual billing and a monthly breakdown. Monthly billing and an enterprise-level option are available for a higher cost. There is a 14-day free trial for the paid plans. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
monday CRM table view of active and inactive contacts (Source: monday CRM free trial)
My Expert Opinion
If you’re looking for an intuitive online customer database for small business teams, monday CRM is my top pick. This customer data management software has a simple yet highly intuitive interface requiring little to no training.
monday CRM also has a very comprehensive knowledge base for those who need additional guidance on how to use the software. I also like this platform’s multiple viewing options to present data clearly for more effective collaboration.
ClickUp: Best for Data View Customization
Pros
- Free plan supports unlimited users, unlimited tasks, and custom views
- There are more than 15 project view options, including Gantt charts and Mind Maps
- It has complete work management system with highly customizable workflows, views, and dashboards
Cons
- It has a steep learning curve because of high customizability
- File storage under the free plan is limited to 100MB
- It’s not a traditional CRM system and requires adjustment for users not accustomed to a work management tool
- You need a highly customized work management system: ClickUp is designed to let users customize their boards to meet their unique business operations, including sales, marketing, and customer service. You can also use the premade CRM template of this client data management software with CRM workflows, custom fields, views, lists, data views, and tasks.
- You’re looking for a CRM alternative for task and project collaboration: ClickUp is included on my list of the top CRM alternatives because it is an excellent all-around project management and collaboration tool. Every paid tier allows you to store customer data and comment on task-related threads, deploy project templates, chat with teammates, and track time spent on projects.
- You want to use a traditional CRM system: Users not accustomed to a work management tool will have to adjust to tailoring ClickUp to use it as a CRM.
- Alternative: Zoho CRM is a great option if you want a traditional CRM with prebuilt modules for automating sales and marketing processes. HubSpot CRM and Insightly CRM are also excellent choices because they are easier to use and offer scalable plans.
- You need built-in phone capabilities for lead engagement: Unfortunately, ClickUp does not come with built-in phone features.
- Alternative: Zendesk Sell features telephony features for engagement. Hence, I categorized Zendesk Sell as the best client database software for customer engagement in this guide.
ClickUp Pricing Plans*
ClickUp Pricing Add-ons:
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-month basis. Monthly billing and enterprise-level options are available at a higher cost. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
A ClickUp CRM template with preloaded client task information for seamless task management. (Source: ClickUp)
My Expert Opinion
ClickUp is a great fit for users who need a highly customizable system for organizing and managing their sales processes, workflows, account data, and customer interactions. Its free version for unlimited users and affordable options make it ideal for solopreneurs and small teams looking for an easily scalable work management solution. Aside from that, it has advanced team collaboration tools such as in-app chat and whiteboards.
Pipedrive: Best for B2B Communications Tracking
Pros
- It has robust capabilities for tracking B2B lead communications, quotes, proposals, and contracts
- Data field customization options are available across all plans
- It has low-cost duplicate data detection features and integration with Google Workspace
Cons
- It has no free plan, just a 14-day free trial
- Contact timelines are locked in the Professional plan ($49 per user per month)
- Workflow automation requires a subscription to the Advanced Plan ($34 per user per month)
- You want robust B2B communications tracking capabilities: Pipedrive comes out of the box with features for easily tracking your B2B customers’ interactions with your company. These include a visual history of calls, emails, and activities, plus each contact’s current quote and order history. It also lets teams map where leads are located on Google Maps and notify users if a deal could be falling through the cracks.
- You need low-cost data deduplication: Data deduplication is a fairly advanced feature in customer information software. Luckily, with Pipedrive, deduplication is available on the Essential plan for $14 per user monthly for detecting and merging the same records. This feature is higher-priced in other customer database software providers.
- You need a free sales database management software: One of the downsides with Pipedrive is that while it’s not necessarily an expensive product, the provider does not offer any free-forever option.
- Alternatives: HubSpot CRM and Zoho CRM are all CRM and database tools with excellent free plans. HubSpot offers Google integrations and contact management tools in its free plan. On the other hand, Zoho CRM offers standard reports and marketing automation for campaigns on its freemium plan.
- You want more affordable contact timeline features: A contacts timeline visually represents prior interactions with a lead or customer. It shows the time and descriptions for emails sent and opened, calls made, meetings held, proposals sent, and other sales activities. Pipedrive does not allow this basic feature until the Advanced plan for $34 per user monthly.
- Alternative: ClickUp’s free plan not only allows you to add unlimited users but also lets you organize your contact data into a timeline view.
Pipedrive Pricing Plans*
Pipedrive Pricing Add-ons:
- Projects Project management tools, free with Power and Enterprise plans : Starts at $6.70 per user monthly
- Campaigns Customizable email campaigns : Starts at $13.33 per company monthly
- LeadBooster Lead generation tool set (chatbot, live chat, prospector, web forms, and appointment scheduler) : Starts at $32.50 per company monthly
- Smart Docs Trackable quotes, proposals, and contracts; free with Professional, Power, and Enterprise plans : Starts at $32.50 per company monthly
- Web Visitors Web tracking and lead ranking : Starts at $41 per company monthly
*Pricing is based on annual billing and a per-month breakdown. Monthly billing is available for a higher cost. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
The Pipedrive contact management system in the timeline view. (Source: Pipedrive free trial)
My Expert Opinion
Pipedrive’s top-notch features make it one of the best customer information database software for B2B contact communications tracking. It allows users to store contact data, track engagement history, map out lead locations, and auto-enrich profiles using online information. I like how data deduplication is available on the lowest-tiered plan at $14 per user monthly and that there are many tailoring options within the CRM data fields.
Zoho CRM: Best for Automating Data Management Tasks
Pros
- It has solid workflow automation features for setting data management tasks on autopilot
- Robust system customizations allow users to tailor database requirements for unique viewing and information requirements
- It has a free option for three users and cost-scalable plans ($14 to $52 per user per month)
Cons
- User experience and usability ratings for setting up the CRM are poor because of robust features
- Data enrichment feature is locked in the Enterprise plan ($40 per user per month)
- Automated deduplication requires a Professional plan ($23 per user per month).
- You want to automate your data management tasks: Zoho CRM’s workflow automation allows teams to put repetitive data entry tasks on autopilot with its record management automation, available on the Standard plan at $14 per user monthly. With automation, users can create new lead or account records, assign owners, and update data fields based on triggers like deal stage changes.
- You need thorough database customization: Another key benefit of Zoho CRM is the mass CRM system customization. Teams can alter the data fields for specific information they wish to collect, create custom views of their records, and design search layouts across all plans. You can even create entire modules starting with the Enterprise plan ($40 per user monthly).
- You want a more intuitive CRM system: Zoho CRM users tend to find the product interface clunky with many buttons and tab options. Because of those attributes, Zoho CRM is a less intuitive client database software for small businesses than some other products on this list.
- Alternative: monday CRM is my favorite simple customer database and CRM system. It has a highly intuitive interface that is easy to use and navigate, even for beginners.
- You need cost-friendly data enrichment tools: In data management, profile enrichment is a crucial CRM functionality for keeping information up-to-date using online sources. Zoho CRM has this feature through the AI Zia tool, which requires the Enterprise plan at $40 per user monthly.
- Alternative: Pipedrive has the most affordable enrichment capabilities, starting with the Advanced plan for $34 per user monthly.
Zoho CRM Pricing Plans*
Zoho CRM Pricing Add-ons:
- Additional File Storage: $4 per month for 5GB (paid plans only)
- Additional Data Storage (up to 200 users): $4 for 100MB per month (for Professional and up)
- Additional Data Storage (over 200 users): $2 for 100MB per month (for Professional and up)
- Data Backup: $12 per request
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-month breakdown of the plans, though monthly billing is also available at a higher cost. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
Zoho CRM contact management system with options to automate data management tasks (Source: Zoho CRM free trial)
My Expert Opinion
Thorough data management can be tedious, so it’s always wise to find ways to automate those tasks. That’s where Zoho CRM, one of the best client data management software, puts itself on the map as a solid database for automating data entries, field updates, and record assignments. Not only are these workflows highly customizable to meet various triggers and actions, but the data management automation tools start at just $14 per user per month.
Insightly CRM: Best Client Database Software for Project-based Businesses
Pros
- It has built-in tools for project management and delivery
- It has robust contact management tools with relationship linking, data storage, and activity tracking
- Shopify integration lets you sync customer data between systems and adjust inventory levels from Insightly’s project tools
Cons
- Marketing and customer service modules are required as add-ons (starting at $29 per user per month)
- It has no social media capabilities, such as social profile enrichment.
- Price books and product management features are locked in the Enterprise plan ($99 per user monthly)
- You manage a startup or project-based business: All of Insightly CRM’s tiers offer robust project management and delivery features. This CRM enables companies to categorize contacts, leads, or accounts on various projects’ databases. You can collaborate on project tasks, build workflows, and track project milestones.
- You need record-linking capabilities for referral marketing: Insightly CRM lets you link contact records together to indicate B2B relationships, starting with its Plus plan at $29 per user per month. This way, you can use this customer tracking software to determine which leads and customers know each other or are connected to certain companies in your records.
- You need customer tracking software with revenue management capabilities: Insightly CRM does not have the built-in customer service features and advanced marketing tools needed for a revenue operations team.
- Alternatives: I recommend HubSpot CRM and Zoho CRM if you need a CRM that offers comprehensive features for marketing and service automation in a single platform.
- You’re looking for a CRM with solid social media capabilities: Unfortunately, Insightly CRM does not offer tools for social media management, social engagement, and social profile enrichment.
- Alternatives: Zendesk Sell, Bitrix24, and Zoho CRM are great alternatives. These providers allow you to interact with customers and generate social media leads without leaving your CRM.
Insightly CRM Pricing Plans*
Insightly CRM Pricing Add-ons:
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-month breakdown of the plans, though monthly billing is also available at a higher cost. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
The Insightly CRM project management system with project pipeline and record linking options. (Source: Insightly CRM free trial)
My Expert Opinion
Insightly CRM has an excellent task and project management system across all plans. It allows you to seamlessly convert opportunities to projects after a deal is closed. This action also copies relevant contact details, records, and tasks from the opportunity directly into the new post-sale project, giving you complete visibility into the customer relationship. If you are looking for client database software for your projects, Insightly CRM is a great option.
Bitrix24: Best for Ecommerce Businesses
Pros
- It has robust ecommerce data management tools like store order processing and data protection
- Account or complete data isolation for infrastructure is available on the free plan
- Automatic request feature can obtain web visitor’s contact information
Cons
- Dedicated database is not affected by other users; guaranteed performance requires the Enterprise plan at $399 per organization.
- Audiences feature for customer segmentation starts with the Standard plan at $99 per organization
- Custom traffic sources into reports to track advertising campaigns’ effectiveness require a Professional plan at $199 per organization
- You want a customer database for your online store: Bitrix24 has an extensive suite of ecommerce tools that can help you establish and manage a customer database. This top ecommerce CRM system lets you process unlimited orders and protect customer data from your Bitrix store through full-user encryption, 24/7 infrastructure monitoring, and secure authorization.
- You want to isolate data and automate requesting contact info: Bitrix24 lets you isolate data on the free account. With data isolation, the information of one account or branch is not accessible to other branches unless permitted. This customer database management system can automatically request website visitors’ contact information for easier and quicker prospecting and lead management.
- You need a free yet customizable CRM: Customizing data fields requires a Professional plan at $199 per organization. This can be a downside for sales teams in multiple branches or sales territories wanting to personalize their target customer database for quick reference, performance tracking, and sales activity implementation.
- Alternative: Zoho CRM has free customization tools, which allow you to modify the data fields for your deal records thoroughly. You can also create custom record views and design search layouts for your customer database.
- You’re looking for low-priced analytical reporting tools: Bitrix24 customer analytics reports start in the Professional plan at $199 per organization per month. The cost can be expensive for a startup or small business that doesn’t need the other features of this plan but needs analytical reporting tools for lead management, performance tracking, and sales monitoring.
- Alternative: HubSpot CRM lets you track customer interactions automatically across all communication platforms. Email reply tracking, contact website activity, and prospecting tools are all available in the free plan.
Bitrix24 Pricing Plans*
*Pricing is based on annual billing and a per-month breakdown. Monthly billing and enterprise-level options are available for a higher cost. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
Bitrix24’s order processing interface with customer billing data such as payment, shipment, and sales progress monitoring. (Source: Bitrix24)
My Expert Opinion
Bitrix24 is the best client database software for ecommerce businesses. Sales reps can easily process unlimited customer orders, handle payments, manage deal records, and isolate data through this CRM. This client database software for small businesses can also automatically request website visitors’ contact information for lead management.
Zendesk Sell: Best Client Database Software for Customer Engagement
Pros
- Customer communication tools include text messaging and computer telephony in the Starter plan at $19 per user
- Task and appointment settings are available across all plans
- Base plan provides 100,000 custom objects for bringing in unique data
Cons
- Task automation is locked in the Sell Professional plan ($115 per user)
- Lead and deal scoring are locked in the Sell Professional plan
- No free plan, only a 14-day free trial
- You need robust engagement tools in a customer database program: Zendesk Sell offers robust communication tools for engaging with prospects and customers, such as text messaging, call tracking, call recording, and computer telephony. These engagement tools are available in the Sell Team, the lowest-paid plan, at $19 per user.
- You need a low-cost appointment-setting feature: Zendesk Sell features tasks and appointment settings across all its paid plans. With this feature, you can streamline your daily sales activities by setting up appointments and managing tasks for leads, contacts, and deals.
- You want a cheaper customer database system with task automation: ​​Zendesk Sell doesn’t have a free plan. This software for customer databases also features task automation at higher-level plans. This feature costs $115 per user at Sell Professional and $169 at Sell Enterprise.
- Alternatives: Zoho CRM offers workflow automation for task management and record updates in the free plan. On the other hand, monday CRM offers low-code workflow automation in its Standard plan at $14 per user. Insightly CRM also has workflow automation on its Professional plan at $49 per user monthly.
- You need a low-cost software plan with lead scoring and sequences: If you need lead database software with low-cost lead scoring and sequences, consider seeking Zendesk Sell alternatives.
- Alternative: Zoho CRM is a great option that offers affordable lead scoring on its Standard plan ($14 per user monthly).
Zendesk Sell Pricing Plans*
*Pricing is based on annual billing and a per-month breakdown. Monthly billing and an enterprise-level option are available at a higher cost. While we update pricing information regularly, we encourage our readers to check current pricing.
A sample Zendesk Sell lead record with a button for placing calls directly and automatically recording them for efficient outreach. (Source: Zendesk Sell)
My Expert Opinion
Zendesk Sell is the best client database for engagement because of its robust suite of communication tools. These include text messaging, calling features, and computer telephony, all available in the start-up plan. Sales teams can also set appointments, track daily sales activities, and handle tasks for contacts, leads, and deals using this customer database software for small businesses to ensure seamless lead management.
How I Evaluated the Best Customer Database Software
I evaluated the specific features relevant to collecting, storing, organizing, and securing customer information to choose the best CRM systems or customer database programs. For instance, being able to store and auto-enrich contact data ensures reps are using up-to-date information during outreach campaigns.
I also looked at other critical attributes of software, like customer support availability, subscription prices, and what users say about each product. Below are my evaluation insights on the best client data management software.
30% of Overall Score
I first looked at the overall features crucial to any CRM and business software application. Third-party integration options, a mobile app, and robust system customization are all vital to a database and business tool.
I also looked at reporting features for presenting CRM data to key decision-makers and analytics tools for interpreting data and finding useful insights. Then, I evaluated niche features specifically for storing contact information and managing CRM data, including security setting features and data automation.
25% of Overall Score
When choosing the best software for customer database, the pricing attributes I considered included the free plan availability and various subscription options businesses could update as they scale. I also looked at the billing availability for teams to either pay monthly or save by paying annually.
Finally, I looked at the costs specifically for access to the data management features, like data deduplication, profile enrichment, and tools for configuring security and permission settings.
15% of Overall Score
When I assessed the best customer data management software, I used this metric to describe how users can easily navigate and use the features of a solution. I evaluated the ease of use of the above customer database software programs in terms of built-in templates, automation, onboarding, ease of setup, and scalability.
15% of Overall Score
Extensive user support helps prevent poor experiences that may occur while operating customer database software. These criteria were evaluated on how extensive the service hours were and channel availability via phone, live chat, and email. I also wanted to see providers that offer self-service resources like product tutorials, community forums, or training modules.
15% of Overall Score
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The best customer database software lets users easily and securely collect, store, and maintain information about their contacts, including customers, leads, and company accounts. It lets users track activity and communication and assign user owners to each record for efficient and effective small business operations.
Yes. In addition to communication channels, analytics features, and team collaboration tools, a CRM’s primary purpose is to serve as a customer database to manage data records for leads, customers, and other contacts. It is important to note that the best customer database software for small business teams is usually found in CRM systems but can also be standalone systems.
A customer database or client data management software is important because it functions as an interactive contact list where you can find valuable data about your clients, their demographics, purchasing history, and interactions with your business. You can use this information to make informed selling decisions, improve your business performance, and build rapport with your clients.
Bottom Line
Customer database software lets you store marketing, sales, and other business operational information in a centralized platform. Sales teams can use CRMs with data management tools to conduct outreach, track deals, and collaborate on tasks. While I categorized HubSpot CRM as the best customer database software for small business teams, other providers could be a better option depending on your budget, usability, and feature needs.
