9 Best Ecommerce CRM Tools for Small Business in 2023
Jess served on the founding team of a successful B2B startup and has used a wide range of sales and marketing tools over the course of her 15-year career. She uses her industry knowledge to deliver the best answers to your questions about sales tools and sales management.
This article is part of a larger series on CRM.
Customer relationship management (CRM) software for ecommerce businesses lets online retailers and sellers manage their websites, inventory, and transactions through one system. The best ecommerce CRMs also allow users to design and deploy omnichannel marketing campaigns to build loyal customer relationships and monitor a business’ prior customer interactions.
We evaluated dozens of CRMs for ecommerce sites to find the best providers. Based on our evaluation, the top nine CRMs for online sellers include:
- Best ecommerce CRM (overall): Zoho CRM Plus
- Best free ecommerce CRM: Bitrix24
- Best for email marketing: Capsule CRM
- Best ecommerce customer service system: Agile CRM
- Best for selling across numerous channels: BigCommerce
- Best Shopify integration: Freshmarketer
- Best ecommerce analytics: Metrilo
- Best for inventory management and accounting: QuickBooks
- Best for Google Workspace users: Copper CRM
Best CRM for Ecommerce Businesses Compared
Provider | Our CRM Rating | Starting Price* | Key Ecommerce Features | Our Product Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 4.94/5 | $57 per user, per month | Inventory, social media management, and email marketing tools | |
 | 4.49/5 | Free to $49 per month | Free website designer, customer profiles, and ecommerce modules | |
 | 4.42/5 | Free to $18 per user, per month | Simple email campaign designer and drip automations | N/A |
 | 4.36/5 | Free to $14 per user, per month | Service module with help desk, case labels, and activity reports | |
 | 4.03/5 | $29.95 per month | Multi-channel selling via website, Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Instagram, and Google | |
 | 4.0/5 | Free to $19 per month | Free Shopify integration for multi-channel engagement | N/A |
 | 3.89/5 | $99 per month | Growth assistant plus campaign, product, and funnel performance reports | |
 | 3.84/5 | $15 per month | Income and expense tracking plus inventory management | |
 | 3.75/5 | $23 per user, per month | Full integration with Google Workspace | |
*Based on annual billing; monthly billing is also available for slightly higher rates.
Pro tip: If you’re seeking front-end website building, order management, and basic marketing capabilities, standard online storefront systems could be a better fit for your business. If this sounds like you, check out our picks for the best ecommerce platforms to find the right provider for your business.
Zoho CRM Plus: Best Overall Ecommerce CRM Tool
Zoho CRM Plus
Overall Score:
4.94 / 5
Pros
- All-in-one solution for project management, sales, marketing, inventory management, customer support, and analytics
- Has campaign tools specifically designed for ecommerce email marketing
- Includes built-in inventory management modules for tracking products and purchase orders
- Offers over 1,500 native and third-party CRM integrations for additional functionality
Cons
- Only one plan available, and that gets expensive
- Zoho CRM Plus option does not have a free plan available
- No website design tools
When to Use Zoho CRM Plus
Built by the popular CRM system provider Zoho, Zoho CRM Plus is the premium option that offers extended sales pipeline, inventory management, marketing, and analytics solutions in one platform. It has features specifically for ecommerce email marketing, including coupon code syncs, product content syncs, and automated email follow-up options for purchases and abandoned carts. There are also excellent tools for social media management, tracking inventory and purchase orders, and monitoring customer purchase history from the CRM.
When to Use Something Else
While the standard Zoho CRM plan offers a free plan for up to three users and cost-friendly paid plans, Zoho CRM Plus is designed to be the premium CRM and ecommerce tool, and therefore is not competitive in terms of affordable pricing. Bitrix24 and Agile CRM are the two best alternatives for the pricing category for those looking to grow on a tight budget.
Zoho CRM Plus Pricing at a Glance*
- Zoho CRM Plus: $57 per user, per month
- Free trial: 30 days
*Pricing based on annual billing; monthly billing is also available for a higher cost.
Zoho CRM Plus creating ecommerce email campaign (Source: Zoho)
Zoho CRM Plus is just one of many subscription plans you can select from the provider’s CRM solution. To get a full overview of Zoho CRM, check out our Zoho CRM review for details on pricing, features, and use-case scenarios.
Bitrix24: Best Free Ecommerce Tools
Bitrix24
Overall Score:
4.49 / 5
Pros
- Free plan for unlimited users
- Built-in ecommerce store for product tracking, order management, and payment processing
- Website builder included on Free plan
- Omnichannel customer communication options through email, social media, and live chat
Cons
- Poor usability ratings indicated by users
- Inventory management not available for Free
- Expensive marketing automation features
When to Use Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is the best option for those who want free CRM tools for ecommerce. The free plan is available for unlimited users and includes sales tools like customer profiles and timelines that show prior interaction and purchase history. Its free option consists of an ecommerce website builder and basic inventory management for tracking product stock, stock receipts, and orders. Lastly, Bitrix24 comes with an ecommerce module, where product publishing on websites, payment processing, shipping cost calculations, and coupon management are available at no cost.
When to Use Something Else
Bitrix24 offers a vast range of sales, marketing, ecommerce, and project management capabilities. Because of that versatility, users commonly report the platform is challenging to navigate and operate with all the buttons and modular options. Metrilo and Freshmarketer are excellent alternatives for users prioritizing product usability.
Bitrix24 Pricing at a Glance*
- Free: Unlimited users
- Basic: $49 per month (up to five users)
- Standard: $99 per month (up to 50 users)
- Professional: $199 per month (up to 100 users)
- Enterprise: $399 (up to 250 users)
- Free trial: 30 days
*Pricing based on annual billing; monthly and quarterly billing are also available for a higher cost.
Bitrix24 inventory management module (Source: Bitrix24)
Want to learn more about this platform’s full feature set? Our comprehensive Bitrix24 review tells you everything you need to know to help you decide if it’s right for your team.
Capsule: Best for Deploying Email Campaigns
Capsule
Overall Score:
4.42 / 5
Pros
- Offers a free plan to get started
- User-friendly interface to navigate, particularly for new users
- Email marketing campaign designer with templates, drip automations, dynamic content, and campaign analytics
Cons
- Free plan limited to 250 contacts, basic dashboards, and email tools
- Workflow automation features unavailable until Teams plan
- Lacks ecommerce features like inventory management, website designer, and purchase order processing
When to Use Capsule
While not designed specifically for ecommerce, Capsule CRM is a solid solution for managing email campaigns. The email marketing features are highly intuitive to operate, and users can conduct robust customer outreach in a short amount of time. Allowing for CRM integrations with Outlook and Gmail systems, Capsule lets online businesses design emails with premade templates, set up CRM automations based on behaviors or context, and obtain precise analytics on performance. Users can also deliver dynamic content via email based on customer segment lists.
When to Use Something Else
Capsule’s main issue is that it’s primarily a sales and marketing platform, and lacks crucial ecommerce capabilities like inventory management, website design, point-of-sale (POS), and order processing features. Bitrix24 and BigCommerce are ideal options for those needing more operationally specific features in their CRM platform.
Capsule Monthly Pricing (per User) at a Glance*
- Free: Up to two users
- Professional: $18
- Teams: $36
- Enterprise: $54
- Free trial: 14 days
*Pricing based on monthly billing and users may cancel at any time.
Capsule email designer tool (Source: Capsule)
Did you know many of these CRM systems also integrate with Shopify? This CRM integration with the popular ecommerce platform helps users market their brand and understand their customers. To find out which CRMs have this capability, check out our guide on the best Shopify CRM integration options.
Agile CRM: Best Customer Service Management Features
Agile CRM
Overall Score:
4.36 / 5
Pros
- Free and low-cost plans available for scaling an ecommerce business
- All-in-one sales, marketing, and customer service solution
- Marketing capabilities include email and text campaigns, web forms, landing page builder, automation, and social media monitoring
Cons
- Lacks ecommerce capabilities like inventory management and order processing
- Only one integration or plugin allowed on Free plan
- Users report some difficulty in setting up the CRM system
When to Use Agile CRM
One aspect of an ecommerce business you need to consider is how you’ll handle service inquiries when customers have billing, product, or purchasing issues. Luckily, in addition to sales and marketing capabilities, Agile CRM offers a free solution to help desk management. Users can receive and assign tickets through email, chat, website, and telephone channels and group them based on the specific issue. They can also store canned responses and premade replies to common problems and track metrics such as response times and statuses.
When to Use Something Else
As Agile CRM is a general-purpose CRM product, it does not have built-in inventory management or order processing features. BigCommerce is the best alternative as it’s specifically built to create and manage an ecommerce business—allowing users to build a site, track inventory, process orders, and collect payments in one system.
Agile CRM Monthly Pricing (per User) at a Glance*
- Free: Up to 10 users
- Starter: $8.99
- Regular: $29.99
- Enterprise: $47.99
*Pricing based on annual billing; monthly billing is also available for a higher cost.
Agile CRM customer tickets management (Source: Agile CRM)
See if this CRM is right for your business with our Agile CRM review for insights on features, pricing, integrations, and user reviews.
BigCommerce: Best for Multi-channel Selling
BigCommerce
Overall Score:
4.03 / 5
Pros
- Platform built for ecommerce with point-of-sales (POS), online storefront management, blog, and customer review features
- Integrates with external online retailer platforms like Amazon, eBay, Google Shopping, and Facebook and Instagram Shop
- Users can build web pages, manage inventory, and collect payments, all from one system
Cons
- Expensive starting pricing
- Features can be tricky to operate for new users
- Customer segmentation and automated emails for abandoned cart are unavailable until Plus plan
When to Use BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a prominent ecommerce CRM with everything an online retailer needs for marketing and operations. It includes features for an ecommerce website that can post products, process orders, and collect payments. Users can also host a blog, implement coupons, gift cards, and discounts, and request and monitor customer online reviews. It even has multi-channel capabilities with its channel manager module—letting businesses oversee storefronts on their website and Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Google, and Instagram.
When to Use Something Else
Cost-friendliness and ease of use are the two main downsides of using BigCommerce for your business. Capsule and Freshmarketer are the best alternatives for each of those attributes. Both offer a free-forever plan, scalable paid plans, and are highly acclaimed for their usability ratings.
BigCommerce Monthly Pricing at a Glance*
- Standard: $29.95**
- Plus: $71.95**
- Pro: $269.96**
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
- Free trial: 15 days
*All plans include an unlimited number of user accounts.
**Pricing based on annual billing; monthly billing is also available for a higher cost.
BigCommerce channel manager module (Source: BigCommerce)
Freshmarketer: Best for Integrating With Shopify
Freshmarketer
Overall Score:
4.00 / 5
Pros
- Free and scalable paid plans
- Direct, free integration with Shopify
- Complete marketing capabilities with marketing contacts management, email campaigns, journey builders, social media campaigns, and landing page designer
Cons
- Exclusively a marketing tool, not ideal for managing ecommerce operations
- Data deduplication not available until Pro plan
- All integrations other than Shopify require paid plans
When to Use Freshmarketer
Freshmarketer, the marketing product created by Freshworks, is relatively inexpensive and lets teams store customer data, create customer segments, and deploy marketing campaigns through text, email, and social media. Those campaigns can bring audiences to a custom landing page or site with live chat channels. The major standout of Freshmarketer is the free Shopify integration. Any business using Shopify as its storefront platform can manage customer journeys, campaigns, chatbots, and engagements through Freshmarketer.
When to Use Something Else
Though Freshmarketer can integrate with Shopify for free, all other third-party integrations require users to upgrade to a paid plan. Bitrix24 is the best option for users who want to connect their CRM software with numerous third-party applications for data syncing and functionality purposes as a majority of those integrations are available for free.
Freshmarketer Monthly Pricing at a Glance*
- Free: Up to 100 marketing contacts
- Growth: $19 (up to 2,000 marketing contacts)
- Pro: $140 (up to 5,000 marketing contacts)
- Enterprise: $299 (up to 10,000 marketing contacts)
- Free trial: 21 days
*Pricing based on annual billing; monthly billing is also available for a higher cost.
Freshmarketer-Shopify customer journey creator (Source: Freshmarketer)
Metrilo: Best for Advanced Analytics Features
Metrilo
Overall Score:
3.89 / 5
Pros
- Unique intelligent Growth Assistant tool that provides suggestions on how to improve based on stored data
- Advanced ecommerce analytics such as real-time dashboards, marketing, and product performance, revenue breakdowns, and conversion funnel analysis
- User-friendly system to operate
Cons
- All-around expensive software
- Marketing features limited to email marketing
- Email marketing module unavailable until Premium plan
When to Use Metrilo
Metrilo is hands-down the best ecommerce CRM for reporting and analytics. Through integrations with WooCommerce, Magento, and Shopify, the system provides excellent insights into growing a retail store. It offers a real-time dashboard that reports campaign performance, revenue breakdowns, product performance, and conversion rates throughout the sales funnel. Additionally, there’s a retention analysis feature that evaluates customer lifetime metrics and a growth assistant that gives suggestions on ways to improve based on data in the CRM.
When to Use Something Else
While great for analytics, Metrilo is not ideal for marketing an ecommerce business. It’s limited primarily to sending manual emails, creating automated campaigns and journeys, and obtaining customer feedback. Zoho CRM Plus and Freshmarketer are excellent alternatives with numerous marketing channels, including email, chat, text, website pages, and social media.
Metrilo Monthly Pricing at a Glance*
- Essential: $99
- Pro: $165
- Premium: $249
- Free trial: 14 days
*Pricing based on annual billing; monthly billing is also available for a higher cost.
Metrilo growth assistant suggestion (Source: Metrilo)
QuickBooks Online: Best for Accounting & Inventory Management
QuickBooks Online
Overall Score:
3.84 / 5
Pros
- System can handle accounting activities, like income and expense tracking, reporting for taxes, and vendor payments
- Allows ecommerce businesses to connect with sales channels, including Amazon, eBay, and Shopify
- Includes payment processing and inventory management features
Cons
- Inventory management unavailable until Plus plan
- Virtually no marketing features—users are limited to just integrating with ecommerce sales channels
- Users cannot store and organize customer data in the system
When to Use QuickBooks Online
While the former QuickBooks Commerce is no longer a standalone product, ecommerce businesses can still get the same features through the standard QuickBooks Online subscription. Each plan lets you connect sales channels such as Shopify, eBay, or Amazon, where you can synchronize sales and expense data into QuickBooks as transactions occur. Users can also monitor inventory counts in real time, automatically calculate sales taxes, and collect and track customer payments.
When to Use Something Else
QuickBooks is mostly only good for managing some of the operations and administrative side, such as tracking inventory, doing bookkeeping, and collecting payments. It has no critical sales and marketing capabilities to build customer relationships. Zoho CRM Plus is the best overall ecommerce CRM, standing out for its multi-channel marketing capabilities and customer data management.
QuickBooks Online Monthly Pricing at a Glance*
- Simple Start: $15
- Essentials $27.50
- Plus: $42.50
- Advanced: $100
- Free trial: 30 days
*Pricing is based on annual billing with 50% off for the first three months.
QuickBooks Shopify data synchronization (Source: Shopify)
Be sure to learn more about QuickBooks and all of its ecommerce, accounting, and payment processing solutions in our QuickBooks Online review to see if it’s right for your business.
Copper CRM: Best Google Workspace Integration
Copper CRM
Overall Score:
3.75 / 5
Pros
- Built specifically for Google, offering an intuitive interface similar to Google apps
- Great marketing features like bulk emailing, automated drip campaigns, templates, and website tracking
- Integrates with applications useful for ecommerce businesses, like QuickBooks, Facebook Ads, Shopify, Squarespace, and Wix
Cons
- No free plan available
- Lacks ecommerce capabilities like inventory management, order processing, and website design tools
- Facebook, website, and sales channel integrations not available until Business plan
When to Use Copper CRM
Copper CRM is intended to be a Google-like system—allowing it to integrate with and have a similar feel to popular Google apps like Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, Drive, and Sheets. As for ecommerce capabilities, Copper CRM is equipped with solid marketing tools, such as bulk email campaigns with automated drip campaigns and website tracking. It also can integrate with Shopify, Facebook Ads, and Wix websites for two-way data synchronization.
When to Use Something Else
Shopify is a valuable platform for ecommerce businesses to gain customer insights and engage with leads. That said, new online retailers need access to a low-cost integration with Shopify for campaign management and data sync purposes. Copper, unfortunately, does not allow this until its Business plan for $99 per user, per month. Freshmarketer is the best alternative on this list with free Shopify integration.
Copper CRM Monthly Pricing (per User) at a Glance*
- Basic: $23
- Professional: $49
- Business: $99
- Free trial: 14 days
*Pricing based on annual billing; monthly billing is also available for a higher cost.
Copper CRM website tracking (Source: Copper CRM)
Like what you see? Our Copper CRM review will give you everything you need to know about Copper’s Google integrations, built-in capabilities, and use cases to help you make your next purchase decision.
How We Evaluated the Best CRM for Ecommerce Tools
To determine the best CRM system for ecommerce, we evaluated the specific features relevant to managing an online storefront. For instance, an elaborate website builder with omnichannel marketing capabilities allows an online retailer to generate website traffic for a customer base. We also looked at other critical product attributes, including price, customer support, and what users say about the products.
We found Zoho CRM Plus to be the best CRM software for ecommerce businesses and online retailers. For one, the platform offers end-to-end solutions for managing inventory, marketing, sales, projects, and customer support in one system. Additionally, Zoho CRM Plus has solid social media management tools for publishing content and monitoring activity. Finally, it has elaborate email marketing capabilities specific to ecommerce through automated purchases, abandoned cart follow-ups, and product and coupon syncs.
The tabs below offer insight into our evaluation process of the best ecommerce CRMs:
30%
General Features
25%
Pricing
20%
Niche/Advanced Features
15%
Expert Score
10%
Help & Support
30% of Overall Score
We looked at overall features crucial to any CRM system, regardless of its primary use case. For instance, contact management features with history tracking let ecommerce businesses organize and better understand their customers through the data it collects. Similarly, marketing automation lets online retailers put their email campaigns on autopilot by deploying and readjusting for the users.
25% of Overall Score
Pricing considered free plan availability and various scalable pricing options businesses could afford as they grow. We also looked at the availability for a subscriber to either pay monthly or save by paying annually. Finally, we looked at the costs of using the features specific to ecommerce businesses, like inventory management and website designer tools.
20% of Overall Score
We evaluated niche features specifically for ecommerce companies that want to grow their customer base and purchase orders while maintaining a smooth operation. A point-of-sale (POS) system within a CRM, for example, lets users handle orders and payment transactions from one interface. Similarly, managing a website and marketing campaigns from one system lets teams keep workflows centralized.
15% of Overall Score
In addition to firsthand experience with these ecommerce systems, we evaluated actual customer experiences to learn what users say about each product according to reviews. These criteria consider how customers feel to gain insight into value for the price paid, popularity, ease of use when operating and navigating the CRM, and how users feel about the CRM’s features.
10% of Overall Score
Extensive support and service help prevent poor user experiences and outcomes users may encounter while using any of these ecommerce CRMs. Help and support were evaluated in terms of customer service hours and the availability of support via phone, live chat, and email. We also looked at self-service and help center resources users can access, like tutorials, forums, or training modules.
*Percentages of overall score
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is ecommerce CRM software?
Ecommerce CRM software products are platforms that let online retailers or businesses that sell through their websites manage sales, marketing, and operations. It’ll have features, either built-in or through integrations, for storing customer data, designing online storefronts, deploying marketing campaigns, and gaining revenue insights. It’ll also be able to track inventory and orders through the system. Though there are specialty tools like BigCommerce and Metrilo, many ecommerce solutions are found within traditional CRM systems.
What is the best ecommerce CRM?
There can’t really be a “best” ecommerce CRM because each platform has its own special use cases and standout product attributes. For example, traditional CRMs like Zoho CRM Plus are not specifically built for ecommerce and, therefore, will not have specialty capabilities like payment processing or storefront design tools. Specialty products like BigCommerce, on the other hand, are meant for online retailers and include capabilities useful to them. These, however, come at a higher cost and require steeper learning curves.
What are the benefits of using an ecommerce CRM?
The purpose of an ecommerce CRM is to manage as many functions of an online retailer as possible. If you can use one system to complete workflows and store data on sales, marketing, inventory, orders, and accounting activity, you can keep work centralized in one interface. This ultimately lets you reap the benefits of a more organized operation, increased collaboration with team members, and improved efficiency and results.
Bottom Line
Ecommerce CRM platforms help online retailers collect customer data and manage marketing, inventory, purchase orders, and transactional activities in one interface. While Zoho CRM Plus is our pick for the best overall ecommerce CRM software, other systems could better fit your business depending on features or product attribute needs. Regardless, adopting a CRM built for ecommerce offers benefits like a more organized and efficient operation—helping generate business growth.
