Tracking leads manually is time-consuming and takes away from time you could be selling. A reliable, free CRM, however, gives agents the tools they need to streamline lead management without paying an upfront cost. We reviewed 10 free CRMs and chose the six best—including the best overall—based on the number of contacts allowed, lead capture abilities, marketing tools, and tracking features.
The best free customer relationship management (CRM) software for real estate professionals are:
- Freshworks CRM: (Best Overall) For agents needing a highly customizable CRM with unlimited contacts
- Insightly: Ideal for brokers looking for a CRM with strong project management and lead tracking features
- Bitrix24: Best for agents seeking a CRM with communication features like video conferencing and group chats
- HubSpot CRM: A great option for tech-savvy agents wanting a CRM with advanced marketing, sales, and service tools
- Agile CRM: Best for startup brokers needing a CRM with space for unlimited deals, tasks, and documents
- Zillow Premier Agent: Best for agents seeking a free CRM with lead generation from Zillow
How We Evaluated Free Real Estate CRMs
The best CRMs for real estate professionals allow agents and brokers to manage contacts, marketing efforts, documents, and activities related to closings. Some software tools offer even more industry-specific features, but these features are often only offered at higher-priced tiers. For this reason, we chose to consider the free plans of both real estate-specific and general use CRMs, provided the software addressed the most important needs of agents and brokers.
These are the specific criteria we used to review free CRM software for real estate professionals:
35% of Overall Score
All the CRMs in this article are free, but offer paid plans when you are ready to upgrade. We checked the variety of options and prices offered by each CRM and selected affordable options with plenty of features necessary for real estate professionals.
20% of Overall Score
CRMs should help you get organized and not require hours of setup. We chose CRMs that are easy to implement and use, work quickly, have an intuitive interface, and include a mobile app to conveniently access data while away from the office.
10% of Overall Score
The best real estate CRMs can consolidate multiple platforms and tools to streamline your marketing tasks and processes. The free CRMs on our list have integrations for accounting, email marketing, social media, and more.
5% of Overall Score
An effective CRM clearly shows where every lead is in the sales pipeline. We looked at each CRM’s features, and chose tools with customizable, visual, and easy-to-use pipeline management capabilities.
10% of Overall Score
All CRMs must have customization options to help manage and nurture your leads effectively. We chose CRMs with customizable pipelines, analytics, dashboard, and individual and team goals.
10% of Overall Score
In order to simplify your day-to-day tasks, we sought out CRMs with automation tools real estate agents and brokers would find most valuable. The CRMs chosen have automated reminders, email drip campaigns, sales processes, and pipelines.
10% of Overall Score
Real estate CRMs should also include mass email capability, list segmentation, sales forecasting, ad campaign management, and Zillow and MLS integration. We looked for CRMs with these specific features for real estate marketing.
Freshworks CRM
PROS
- Unlimited contacts and users
- Includes a mobile app
- Easy-to-use customizations
CONS
- Not real estate-specific
- Lacks basic reporting
- Lacks visual pipeline management
RATING CRITERIA | Pricing | 4.25 | OUT OF | 5 |
Ease of Use | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
System Integrations | 2.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Deal & Opportunity Management | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Customization | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Automation | 2.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Additional Features | 0.29 | OUT OF | 5 |
Freshworks CRM is a free-forever, general use CRM. However, what makes it great for real estate is that an unlimited number of users can rate leads based on multiple different criteria, giving real estate agents full control over their lead nurturing efforts. This, combined with the ability to send text messages from within the CRM or integrate with other tools like GetAccept, makes Freshworks CRM right for real estate agents who want a budget-friendly and customized contact management solution.
Freshworks CRM Free Plan Limits
- Users: Unlimited
- Contacts: Unlimited
- Storage: None
Freshworks CRM Free Plan Features
- Intuitive lead tracking
- Pipelines and workflows
- Text message creation
- Built-in phone functionality
- Predictive lead scoring
- Webforms
Lead scoring in the lead management pipeline (Source: Freshworks CRM)
Why You Might Want to Upgrade
Freshworks CRM has many paid options in addition to their Free Forever CRM. There are a total of nine plans ranging from $19 to $125 per user, per month, depending on the size and needs of your team. You can also select specific add-ons, such as workflows, email contacts, and phone credits.
Insightly
PROS
- Highly visual pipeline management
- Large variety of third-party integrations
CONS
- Not real estate-specific
- No customer support on the free plan
- Platform sometimes runs slowly
RATING CRITERIA | Pricing | 3.75 | OUT OF | 5 |
Ease of Use | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
System Integrations | 2.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Deal & Opportunity Management | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Customization | 4.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Automation | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Additional Features | 0.20 | OUT OF | 5 |
Insightly isn’t a real estate-specific CRM, but has integrated team tools agents can use for project management, monitoring contacts, and tracking tasks to completion. It also provides professionals with a visual pipeline that clearly indicates the stages of a project, upcoming due dates, and task deadlines. With these strengths, Insightly is best for brokerages or property managers that need organizational tools to track lead progress or projects with no upfront cost.
Insightly Free Plan Limits
- Users: Two
- Contacts: 2,500
- Storage: 200MB
Insightly Free Plan Features
- Assigns and tracks projects
- Contact and lead scoring
- Combines project management and pipeline tracking
- Custom pipeline stages
- Email marketing and templates
- Extensive email engagement data
- Sales, deals, and task reporting
- Third-party integrations
Insightly email template scoring
Why You Might Want to Upgrade
Upgrading your Insightly plan to the Plus package for $29 per user, per month adds features like email tracking, shared calendar, and custom reports. Moving up to the Professional plan for $49 per month adds customized dashboards, workflow automation, and lead distribution for agents or teams.
Bitrix24
PROS
- Robust internal communication tools
- Includes a mobile app
CONS
- Not specific for real estate
- Free plan lacks email marketing
- Can be glitchy
RATING CRITERIA | Pricing | 3.75 | OUT OF | 5 |
Ease of Use | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
System Integrations | 2.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Deal & Opportunity Management | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Customization | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Automation | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Additional Features | 0.15 | OUT OF | 5 |
Bitrix24’s free, general-use CRM includes enhanced multimedia communication tools like videoconferencing and group chat that can be used between agents or other team members. It also features a call back request tool that can be embedded on websites to promote better client service. This makes it a great no-cost option for real estate professionals who want to connect to clients using multiple engagement strategies, and is ideal for teams that love technology.
Bitrix24 Free Plan Limits
- Users: Unlimited
- Contacts: Unlimited
- Storage: 5GB
Bitrix24 Free Plan Features
- Instant communication tools like live video chat, social media messenger connections, call back forms, and phone capabilities
- Tracks lead and task progress on a visual calendar
- Team collaboration tools like visual sales funnels, pipelines, and 360-customer review
- Customizable reporting features
- Third-party integrations like Slack, Zapier, QuickBooks, Google Drive, and more
Bitrix24 pipeline in CRM (Source: Bitrix24)
Why You Might Want to Upgrade
Bitrix24’s paid plans start at $24 per month and increase to $199 per month for the Professional Plan. Each plan adds more features, such as multiple pipelines, additional admin privileges, weekly meeting sales tracking, custom URLs for team portals, and many more.
HubSpot
PROS
- Large variety of integrations
- Easy-to-use interface
- Advanced marketing and automation tools
CONS
- Not real estate-specific
- Lacks in-depth reporting capabilities
- Features can be limited on the free plan
RATING CRITERIA | Pricing | 3.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
Ease of Use | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
System Integrations | 3.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Deal & Opportunity Management | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Customization | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Automation | 4.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Additional Features | 0.20 | OUT OF | 5 |
HubSpot CRM, which is part of HubSpot’s Growth Suite, is a non-realty-specific free CRM that offers advanced tools for sales and marketing. However, what makes it great for real estate professionals is that it also supports unlimited contacts and users, which means growing realty offices won’t need to upgrade as their business grows. HubSpot is best for computer-savvy realty teams that want to focus on using marketing and sales tools as part of their CRM to close more deals.
HubSpot CRM Free Plan Limits
- Users: Unlimited
- Contacts: Unlimited
- Storage: Unlimited
HubSpot CRM Free Plan Features
- Lead and contact pipelines
- Lead prequalification tools
- Automated email marketing and templates
- Online advertising
- Pop-up creation for landing pages
- Basic reporting and analytics
- One of the largest varieties of third-party integrations
HubSpot’s card-based pipeline (Source: HubSpot)
Why You Might Want to Upgrade
While the free plan offers robust features for organizing contacts, HubSpot CRM does offer add-ons that provide even more functionality. The starter plan for HubSpot Growth Suite, which normally costs $113 per user, per month and adds email marketing, landing pages, and ad management. However, due to COVID-19, HubSpot is offering the Starter plan for $50 per month with a 12-month commitment.
Its even more advanced add-ons include the Professional Plan and Enterprise Plan. The Professional Plan costs $1,343 per month; it supports five users and includes custom reporting, A/B testing, social posts, and video creation. The Enterprise Plan costs $4,200 per month for 10 users with many additional features.
Agile CRM
PROS
- Fast and easy setup
- One of the most affordable upgrade costs
CONS
- Not real estate-specific
- Free plan lacks third-party integrations
- Limited analytics and reporting
RATING CRITERIA | Pricing | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 |
Ease of Use | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
System Integrations | 0.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Deal & Opportunity Management | 4.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Customization | 4.50 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Automation | 3.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Additional Features | 0.03 | OUT OF | 5 |
Agile CRM offers a free, non-realty CRM that stands out by offering unlimited document storage as well as deal management and tasks on its free plan. While Agile CRM does limit the number of users for its free plan to 10 agents, it remains an ideal solution for startup brokerages and small agencies that need room to grow their storage and team without having to upgrade to paid plans.
Agile CRM Free Plan Limits
- Users: 10
- Contacts: 50,000
- Storage: Unlimited
Agile CRM Free Plan Features
- Appointment setting
- Task pipelines
- Email marketing
- Email templates
- Web analytics
- Landing page builders and pop-ups
- Basic marketing analytics
- Document tracking
- Third-party integrations like Twitter, Facebook, and RingCentral
Agile CRM pipeline management
Why You Might Want to Upgrade
The initial upgrade for Agile CRM is the most reasonable of all upgrades on our list. The Starter plan costs $8.99 per month, billed annually, and includes social monitoring and mobile marketing. The Regular plan is available for $49.99 per month for a year and offers help desk functionality and a robust reporting dashboard.
Zillow Premier Agent
PROS
- Designed specifically for real estate agents
- Ability to create a Zillow agent profile
- Intuitive interface that mirrors email inbox
CONS
- Sales reporting lacks depth
- Limited integrations with productivity tools
- No pipeline management
RATING CRITERIA | Pricing | 2.86 | OUT OF | 5 |
Ease of Use | 5.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
System Integrations | 2.75 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Deal & Opportunity Management | 2.00 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Customization | 3.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Automation | 1.25 | OUT OF | 5 | |
Additional Features | 0.18 | OUT OF | 5 |
Zillow Premier Agent, which offers a free CRM as part of its lead generation tool, is the only software on our list designed specifically for real estate agents. In addition, Zillow also gives real estate professionals the ability to create a complimentary agent profile, which helps you to market yourself in search results. This makes Zillow Premier Agent CRM a great option for new agents wanting to manage new leads acquired through advertising on the Zillow platform.
Zillow Premier Agent Free Plan Limits
- Users: Each agent has an individual account
- Contacts: Unlimited
- Storage: None
Zillow Premier Agent Free Plan Features
- Ability to create a Zillow.com agent profile
- Contact management
- Lead reporting
- Task lists
- Email templates
- Autoresponders
- Customer experience reporting
- Social media contact details
- Third-party integrations to over 35 lead generation tools
Zillow Premier Agent CRM contact layout (Source: Zillow Premier Agent)
Why You Might Want to Upgrade
There is no premium version of Zillow Premier Agent. Instead, “upgrading” from the Zillow Premier Agent free real estate CRM means advertising on Zillow.com to highlight your profile on various listings. Advertising on Zillow Premier Agent costs between $20 and $60 per lead, depending on your area property values and agent competition.
How to Choose a Free Real Estate CRM Software
Free real estate CRMs are often ideal for single agents or brokers who are just getting started and need to organize their leads quickly. However, it’s important to consider the price to upgrade, expanded features, mobility, and integration before selecting one.
These are the critical things to focus on when choosing a free CRM for real estate:
- Cost: Considering the next stage of pricing for upgraded features might not seem essential at the free level. However, if the free real estate CRM you choose is too expensive to upgrade, then you may find yourself spending unnecessary time, effort, and money to migrate to a new CRM.
- Mobility: A free CRM for real estate should have an app that helps agents on the go and teams stay connected. Buyers will not wait until an agent is back in the office to communicate, so the app should make staying connected easy.
- Expansion possibilities: A real estate CRM should have a list of upgradable features to expand the current service offering without adding bulky modules. Make sure that features available in both the free and premium plans meet your specific needs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why should I use a free CRM in real estate?
Using a free CRM for real estate gives you the opportunity to try out a platform without incurring any cost. In many cases, the free version of a CRM will suffice for new agents or small brokerages. You can upgrade to paid plans as your agency grows or you want to add more features.
Which CRM is the easiest to use?
While different agents will use CRMs in varying ways, Agile CRM and Freshworks CRM are the easiest for most agents to use. Not only are they relatively easy to set up and customize, but daily task completion and platform maintenance are intuitive.
Why is third-party integration important for a CRM?
Third-party app integration allows agents to add functionality to their CRM without paying for functionality they don’t need. For example, if your CRM does not include lead generation management, you will likely want to integrate a platform like BoldLeads so you can create lead generation ads and manage new lead information in one place.
Bottom Line
A free CRM allows agents and brokers to collect and track leads effectively to ensure they maximize sales. As your business grows, agents will likely want to upgrade these free CRMs to paid options with more robust features, but a free CRM should include easy contact management, marketing features, and communication tools accessible via an easy-to-use interface.
Freshworks CRM is the best overall free CRM because it offers unlimited contacts in an easy-to-use platform forever. Freshworks CRM helps real estate agents organize leads, track them through the sales funnel, and market to them to help close deals. Find out more about the benefits of Freshworks CRM and sign up for their Free Forever CRM today.
Mohd Basheeruddin
The 6 best real estate CRM mentioned in the article are awesome and thanks for sharing this information with us.
Nate White
Thank’s for the post. Bitrix24 is a real gem, never seen a free CRM that powerful.
Emile L'Eplattenier
Hey Nate,
Bitrix does have a ton of features considering it’s free. That said, their interface can be a bit too complicated for some users. I always say that the “best” CRM is the one you actually use! A very simple system might actually work better if you can get your agents to actually use it regularly. If you’re working on your own, then whatever works best for your own work flow is the way to go. Fighting your technology means that you’re less likely to take full advantage of it.