Customer database software helps businesses organize, manage, and track customer relationships. We looked at a variety of customer database software solutions and narrowed it down to the top six. We then compared and contrasted the price, features, and customer support to learn which ones stood out and which is the best overall.
Top 6 Customer Database Software for 2020
Customer Database Software | Best For |
|---|---|
(Best overall) Businesses that want the best combination of features at an affordable price | |
Organizations that want a database with built-in project management tools | |
Teams that want multiple ways to visualize data, including Kanban, charts, and calendar views | |
Companies that want to organize data into customizable spreadsheets | |
Business that want database integration with email marketing tools like Mailchimp, Yesware, and Mailjet | |
Entrepreneurs and store owners who want a database with built-in ecommerce tools | |
Last updated on 05/09/20 | |
How We Evaluated Customer Database Software
Customer database software should include features to make data searchable, accessible, editable, and easy to import and export. It should also integrate with business apps as well as popular email marketing services for easy mass email campaigns. Customer database software should also be affordable, easy to use, and backed by reliable customer support. For a more in-depth analysis, see our Ultimate Guide to CRM.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Price: We evaluated each customer database software provider’s costs compared to the other products on our list.
- Data searchable and accessible: We evaluated whether data in each customer database is easily searchable and accessible.
- Customizability: We assessed the customization features of each solution.
- Import and export data: We evaluated how easy it is to import and export data to and from the customer database.
- Email integration: We looked at whether the customer database integrated with email platforms.
- File storage: We assessed whether the provider offered file storage and, if so, how much space.
- App integration: We evaluated the types of business app and account management software integration the product offers.
- Ease of use: We evaluated how easy each solution was to set up and use.
- Customer support: We looked at the customer support services each customer database software offered with their product.
There are many types of CRM software, but based on our research, we recommend Freshsales for businesses seeking the best overall combination of features at an affordable price. Here’s how the six customer databases we evaluated stack up when we compared them against each other for price, features, and customer support.
Freshsales: Best Overall Customer Database Software for Small Businesses
Freshsales, which ranks as our best CRM for small business, is also the best customer database software for its affordability, combination of features, and reliable customer service. Features include unlimited records, file storage, and app integration. Freshsales is a great choice for consulting businesses and sales teams that want customer database software that grows with them.
Freshsales Strengths | Freshsales Weaknesses |
|---|---|
Affordable and scalable | No built-in calendar |
Built-in phone | Lacks social media integration |
Reliable customer service | Daily limits on sent emails |
Freshsales Pricing
Freshsales’ competitively priced paid tiers run from $12 to $49 per user, per month and include unlimited records, file storage, data import and export, and app integration. Higher tiers add email integration and both standard and custom reports. Freshsales also offers a forever-free option with unlimited records, data import and export, and app integration, but no file storage.
Freshsales Features
- Lead scoring and management
- Built-in phone
- Workflow automation
- Custom reports
- Artificial intelligence (AI) assistant
Learn more about why our readers give Freshsales 4.5 out of 5 stars in our Freshsales reviews article.
Insightly: Best Customer Database Software for Built-in Project Management
Insightly is customer database software combined with project management software for managing customers and sales leads. It features file storage, app integration, custom reports, and a Kanban view. Insightly is a good fit for consultants, business coaches, and entrepreneurs who want a customer database that also includes project management tools.
Insightly Strengths | Insightly Weaknesses |
|---|---|
Easy to use CRM | Limited options for customization |
Kanban view | Lack of social media integration |
Integrated mobile apps | Product support is priced separately |
Insightly Pricing
Insightly’s Plus plan is $29 per user, per month, which is equal to other first-tier customer database plans. It features 10GB of file storage, 100,000-record limit, and custom reports. The competitively priced Professional plan costs $49 for 100GB of file storage, a 250,000-record limit, and custom charts. Enterprise at $99 per month offers unlimited records and data storage.
Insightly Features
- Kanban view
- Record linking
- App integration
- Custom reports
- File storage
For more of our reader reviews, visit our Insightly user reviews page.
monday.com: Best Customer Database Software for Multiple Data View Options
monday.com is customer database software with more than 20 custom modules for building personalized project boards. It features cloud storage, email integration, advanced search, and custom tags. monday.com is a great solution for organizations that want a variety of ways to personalize and view records.
monday.com Strengths | monday.com Weaknesses |
|---|---|
Remote workplace functionality | Lack of ecommerce tools |
Shared workspace for collaboration | Platform is slow to load |
Integrates with multiple tools | Complicated pricing |
monday.com Pricing
monday.com’s customer database software costs range from $25 to $59 per month depending on the plan selected, placing it in line with the more robust customer database solutions we compared. All plans come with customizable columns for visual project management and 24/7 customer support.
monday.com Features
- Unlimited storage
- Kanban view
- Private boards
- Time tracking
- Embedded forms
Find out why users say the platform is easy to use and able to hand a range of project types by visiting our monday.com reviews page.
Airtable: Best Customer Database Software for Organizing Data by Spreadsheet
Airtable is customer database software with the flexibility of a spreadsheet. It features revision and snapshot history, real-time collaboration tools, app integrations, and batch record updating. Airtable is right for businesses that want to organize records into spreadsheet-like grids for new ways to interpret data.
Airtable Strengths | Airtable Weaknesses |
|---|---|
Extremely easy to use | High learning curve |
Gantt charts and Kanban board | Some formatting issues |
Database templates | Can’t link databases |
Airtable Pricing
Airtable offers three tiers with unlimited databases. The permanently-free plan includes 1,200 rows per database and 2GB of file attachment space. The Plus plan for $10 per user, per month includes 5,000 rows and 5GB of space. The Pro for $20 includes 50,000 rows and 20GB of space.
Airtable features
- Revision history and snapshot tracking
- Customizable dashboard
- Gantt charts
- Agile methodologies
- Task management
Visit our Airtable review page to learn more about why readers give it high marks.
Batchbook: Best Customer Database Software for Email Marketing
Batchbook is customer database software that integrates with email marketing tools like Mailchimp, Yesware, and Mailjet. It features unlimited records, drag-and-drop contact importing, and importing from other apps. Batchbook is a great choice for marketers and sales teams that want a database that ties neatly into popular mass email marketing tools.
Batchbook Strengths | Batchbook Weaknesses |
|---|---|
Good for small businesses | No offline access |
Mass email integration | Lack of cloud storage |
Lead capture | No built-in reports |
Batchbook Pricing
Batchbook offers two price plans and both include unlimited records. The competitively priced Essential plan for $19.95 per user, per month includes email marketing integrations, customizable fields, and importing from other apps. The robustly priced $39.95 Advanced plan adds Gmail integration and task automation.
Batchbook features
- Multichannel marketing
- Campaign dashboard
- Social media integration
- Remote access
- Workflow management
For more about what our readers think, visit our Batchbook user reviews page.
Shopify: Best Customer Database Software for Ecommerce
Basic Shopify is an ecommerce and customer database solution for in-person and online sales. It offers inventory management, import and export tools, and customer profiles. It’s the right choice for individuals and small online businesses that want a customer database to help manage end-to-end sales.
Shopify Strengths | Shopify Weaknesses |
|---|---|
Inventory management | Transaction fees add up |
Coupon and discount integration | Lack of email integration |
Around-the-clock customer support | No built-in SEO optimization |
Shopify Pricing
Basic Shopify is $29 per month and includes an online store for selling unlimited products. It features inventory management, file storage, import and export tools, and customer profiles. Basic Shopify’s pricing is in line with other customer database solutions on our list, and the only one that offers built-in ecommerce tools.
Shopify Features
- Customer management tools
- Unlimited file storage
- Inventory management
- Refund management
- Coupon and discount integration
Visit our Shopify user reviews page to find out why our readers give it 4 out of 5 stars.
Bottom Line
Customer database software is used by businesses and account management teams of all types and sizes to organize, track, and manage customer relationships. Features like one-click data migration and batch editing make it easy to set up and maintain customer information, while tools like email integration are helpful for sending out mass email campaigns.
Businesses that want an affordable customer database with a great selection of features that is also backed by excellent customer support should take a look at Freshsales. The company offers a permanently-free plan as well as a free, 30-day trial to check out its paid plans. Visit Freshsales website today for details.
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