Customer relationship management (CRM) software is used to organize lead information, track sales opportunities, and collaborate with team members on deals and tasks. While traditional CRM products such as Salesforce and HubSpot are excellent for managing sales-related operations, some teams don’t need the advanced automation, reporting, and communication tools in these products. In that case, CRM alternatives for tracking prospects and deals are ideal.
We’ve reviewed dozens of software that act as substitute CRM options and narrowed them down to our top nine recommendations:
- Most intuitive CRM replacement with prebuilt CRM templates: Trello
- Excellent all-around project management and collaboration tool: ClickUp
- Recommended for teams using Google apps: Google Workspace
- Best work management tool with a spreadsheet interface: Smartsheet
- Great CRM alternative with marketing capabilities: Airtable
- Solid option for project management with time tracking: Wrike
- Ideal for Objectives and Key Results (OKR) tracking: Profit.co
- Good for business process automation: Pipefy
- Top tool for resource management: ProofHub
- Best CRM Alternatives Compared
- Trello: Best for Prebuilt CRM Templates
- Trello Pricing Plan & Overview*
- ClickUp: All-around Project Management & Collaboration Tool
- ClickUp Pricing Plan & Overview*
- Google Workspace: Best CRM Competitor for Teams Using Google Apps
- Google Workspace Pricing Plan & Overview*
- Smartsheet: Best Work Management Tool With Spreadsheet Interface
- Smartsheet Pricing Plan & Overview*
- Airtable: Great Marketing Capabilities
- Airtable Pricing Plan & Overview*
- Wrike: Top CRM Alternative With Time Tracking
- Wrike Pricing Plan & Overview*
- Profit.co: Ideal for Objectives & Key Results (OKR) Tracking
- Profit.co Pricing Plan & Overview*
- Pipefy: Good Business Process Automation Tool
- Pipefy Pricing Plan & Overview*
- ProofHub: Top Project Resource Management Software
- ProofHub Pricing Plan & Overview*
- Why Use a CRM Alternative?
- Bottom Line
Best CRM Alternatives Compared
| Provider | Starting Monthly Price* | Free Plan? | Our Rating Out of 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
 | $6* | ✕ | 4.85 |
| Visit Trello | |||
 | $5* | ✓Unlimited users | 4.83 |
| Visit ClickUp | |||
 | $6 | ✕ | 4.74 |
| Visit Google Workspace | |||
 | $9* | ✓One user and two editors | 4.65 |
| Visit Smartsheet | |||
 | $10* | ✓Five users | 4.63 |
| Visit Airtable | |||
 | $10.00 | ✓Unlimited users | 4.63 |
| Visit Wrike | |||
 | $9* | ✓Five users | 4.50 |
| Visit Profit.co | |||
 | $23* | ✓Five users | 4.48 |
| Visit Pipefy | |||
 | $45Unlimited users | ✕ | 4.31 |
| Visit ProofHub | |||
*Based on monthly price per user, billed annually; monthly billing is available for slightly higher rates.
Trello: Best for Prebuilt CRM Templates
Trello Pricing Plan & Overview*
Cost:
- $0 for unlimited users
Key Features:
- Unlimited cards and storage (10MB per file)
- Unlimited activity logs and integrations per board
- 10 boards per Workspace
- Workflow automation
- Assignee and due dates
- Desktop and mobile (iOS and Android) apps
- Trello templates
- Custom backgrounds and stickers
- Two-factor authentication
- Community support
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per user, per month breakdown. Monthly billing is also available for a higher cost. Pricing is reflected at the time of this publication. We update pricing information regularly, but we encourage readers to check current pricing here.
Customized Workspace views (Source: Trello)
Our Expert Opinion
Using Trello as a CRM is a great alternative for costs, integration options, and simplicity. You can use its boards, cards, and workspaces to manage leads and projects. Its power-up Crmble feature allows you to use prebuilt CRM templates and turn your board into a CRM with pipeline management, lead tracking, and sales dashboard funnel and revenue reporting. It also has hundreds of integration options with popular software like Google Drive, Twitter, and Mailchimp.
ClickUp: All-around Project Management & Collaboration Tool
ClickUp Pricing Plan & Overview*
Cost:
- $0 for unlimited users
Key Features:
- Unlimited tasks and custom views
- 100MB file storage
- Two-factor authentication
- Collaborative docs
- Whiteboards and task overview
- Real-time chat
- Kanban boards
- Calendar view
- In-app video recording
- Native time tracking
- 24/7 support via Help Center and ticketing
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-user monthly breakdown. Monthly billing is available for a higher cost. Pricing is reflected at the time of this publication. We update pricing information regularly, but we encourage readers to check current pricing here.
Tabs for tasks, lists, boards, timelines, docs, and whiteboards (Source: ClickUp)
Our Expert Opinion
ClickUp is an all-in-one project management solution that makes it easy to organize and grow your customer relationships using its tools for task tracking, data visualizations, and email. You can use it as an alternative to a CRM system by adding its CRM List template to your Workspace. It also allows you to create high-level views of your projects and drill down into tasks using filters and groups.
Google Workspace: Best CRM Competitor for Teams Using Google Apps
Google Workspace Pricing Plan & Overview*
Cost:
- $6.00
Key Features:
- Custom and secure business email
- Ad-free mail experience
- Google Meet (video and voice conferencing) with 100 participants and 24 hours maximum length
- U.S. or international dial-in phone numbers
- Digital whiteboard
- Google Drive (secure cloud storage) with 30GB per user
- Google Chat (team messaging)
- Shared calendars
- Docs, Sheets, and Slides (collaborative content creation)
- Sites (website builder)
- Forms (survey builder)
- Writing assistance (Smart Compose, grammar suggestions, and spelling autocorrect)
- Two-step verification and group-based policy controls
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per user monthly breakdown. Monthly billing is available for a higher cost. Pricing is reflected at the time of this publication. We update pricing information regularly, but we encourage readers to check current pricing here.
Inventory tracker (Source: Google Workspace) 
Video chat via Google Meet (Source: Google Workspace) 
Google Workspace apps (Source: Google Workspace)
Our Expert Opinion
If you directly compare capabilities to a CRM product, each Google app can be used for specific CRM modules. For instance, you would use Spreadsheets as a CRM for tracking contact and pipeline information. Docs, Forms, Slides, and Sites can be used to design and manage files, content, and your website. Drive is where you organize and share files, while Meet and Chat let you communicate through video calls or live chat.
Smartsheet: Best Work Management Tool With Spreadsheet Interface
Smartsheet Pricing Plan & Overview*
Cost:
- $0 (one user and up to two editors)
Key Features:
- Up to two sheets for tracking tasks and projects
- Views: Gantt, grid, chart, and calendars
- Dashboards and reports
- 500MB file attachment storage
- 100 automations per month
- Login with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or Apple ID
- Access to Help Center, Learning Center, and community support
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-user monthly breakdown. Monthly billing is available for a higher cost. Pricing is reflected at the time of this publication. We update pricing information regularly, but we encourage readers to check current pricing here.
Overview of Smartsheet’s core features (Source: Smartsheet)
Our Expert Opinion
Smartsheet’s prebuilt templates gives sales teams and organizations the ability to manage customer data and track sales opportunities. It is spreadsheet software, a productivity tool, and a project management platform rolled into one system. You can use it to collaborate and communicate with your team, as well as automate repetitive tasks using advanced workflows.
Airtable: Great Marketing Capabilities
Airtable Pricing Plan & Overview*
Cost:
- $0 for up to five users
Key Features:
- Unlimited bases (databases with tables and views)
- 1,200 records per base and per table
- 2GB attachment per base
- Two-week revision and snapshot history
- Rich field types (including attachments, checkboxes, and drop-downs)
- Web, desktop, iOS, and Android apps
- Real-time collaboration and commenting
- Views: Grid, calendar, form, Kanban, gallery, and list
- Interface Designer (drag-and-drop app designer)
- One extension (charts, page designer, pivot table, etc.) per month
- Automations (100 runs per month with two-week run history) and one integration
- One synced table per base and one integration
- Access to on-demand webinars and self-serve knowledge base
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-user monthly breakdown. Monthly billing is available for a higher cost. Pricing is reflected at the time of this publication. We update pricing information regularly, but we encourage readers to check current pricing here.
Interface Designer (Source: Airtable)
Our Expert Opinion
Airtable can be used as a CRM by customizing spreadsheet rows, otherwise known as records, into lead and customer profiles with pipeline statuses. Some automation capabilities and extensions for marketing activities make it a great CRM alternative—especially for popular marketing CRM tools like HubSpot. There are also record management, workflow automations, and document storage features similar to a CRM.
Wrike: Top CRM Alternative With Time Tracking
Wrike Pricing Plan & Overview*
Cost:
- $0 for unlimited users
Key Features:
- Multi-language support
- Desktop and mobile apps
- 2GB storage space per account
- Project management: tasks, subtasks, and account-wide work schedules
- Email integration and notifications
- Custom work views (table and Kanban)
- Work Intelligence (smart search and mobile voice assistant interaction)
- Artificial intelligence (AI) recommended tasks and sub-item creation
- Use case project templates
- Collaborators
- Integrations: Cloud storage platforms and open RESTful (representational state transfer) API (application programming interface)
- Enterprise-grade security with authentication via Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-user monthly breakdown. Monthly billing is available for a higher cost. Pricing is reflected at the time of this publication. We update pricing information regularly, but we encourage readers to check current pricing here.
Project dashboard (Source: Wrike) 
Project resource management (Source: Wrike) 
Online proofing with side-by-side file comparison (Source: Wrike)
Our Expert Opinion
You can use Wrike as a simple CRM by adding customer records as Folders, which function as projects you can share and assign to your team or another department. You can also add linked tasks and files, add subfolders to function as subtasks, and customize work views. Its timeline view provides you with a dynamic Gantt chart that displays upcoming tasks, and its dashboard contains interactive widgets that you can customize via a drag-and-drop format.
Profit.co: Ideal for Objectives & Key Results (OKR) Tracking
Profit.co Pricing Plan & Overview*
Cost:
- $0 for up to five users
Key Features:
- Objectives and Key Results (OKR) Management: Basic planning, execution, and reflection tools
- Task Management: Workspace, task boards, board stages and checklists, and task priorities and due dates, and task views
- Training and Service: Certification program, consulting services, and online resources
- Desktop, mobile apps, and television apps
- Integration for single sign-on
- Access to email support
- Users and role management
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per user, per month breakdown. Monthly billing is also available for a higher cost. Pricing is reflected at the time of this publication. We update pricing information regularly, but we encourage readers to check current pricing here.
OKR management and strategic alignment (Source: Profit.co) 
Department progress heatmap (Source: Profit.co) 
Task management (Source: Profit.co)
Our Expert Opinion
Profit.co’s OKR management features are useful for keeping employees aligned with the company’s goals and objectives. You can also use its task management feature and workspaces to assign deals and opportunities to your team members and track their progress. Its board stages and checklists help you implement a predefined workflow for your team. Lastly, you can associate tasks with key results for easier monitoring of goals and assignments.
Pipefy: Good Business Process Automation Tool
Pipefy Pricing Plan & Overview*
Cost:
- $0 for up to 10 users
Key Features:
- Five workflows
- 50 cards per month
- 500 database records and 2GB storage space
- Process and email templates
- Public shareable forms
- Standard productivity and lead time metrics
- Mobile app
- Request tracker (for non-users)
- Customizable service portals
- Dashboards
- Native integrations and Zapier integration
- Mass card creation with spreadsheet imports
- Access to Pipefy University, help articles, and community support
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per-user monthly breakdown. Monthly billing is available for a higher cost. Pricing is reflected at the time of this publication. We update pricing information regularly, but we encourage readers to check current pricing here.
Customizable dashboard with team KPIs (Source: Pipefy) 
Workflow template gallery (Source: Pipefy) 
Business process automation (Source: Pipefy)
Our Expert Opinion
Pipefy offers various process templates for different types of industries, such as sales, HR, finance, and IT. You can customize these templates according to your own business workflows and keep track of your team’s activities, deal progress, and opportunities from the dashboard. Its low-code automation capabilities helps organizations save time by automating time-consuming processes, such as lead qualification and sales onboarding.
ProofHub: Top Project Resource Management Software
ProofHub Pricing Plan & Overview*
Cost:
- $45 for unlimited users
Key Features:
- Manage up to 40 projects
- 15GB file storage
- Project and task management
- Boards (team task overview) and Gantt charts
- Project templates with time tracking
- Discussions, calendars, and forms
- Email integration
- Sticky notes, project notes, files, and documents
- Proofing, file approval, and file revisioning
- In-app chat
- Private discussions and task lists
- Multilingual support
- Integrations
- Custom fields
*Pricing is based on annual billing on a per month breakdown. Monthly billing is available for a higher cost. Pricing is reflected at the time of this publication. We update pricing information regularly, but we encourage readers to check current pricing here.
Board view of tasks (Source: ProofHub) 
Project discussions (Source: ProofHub) 
Proofing and file approval (Source: ProofHub)
Our Expert Opinion
ProofHub is an ideal solution for sales teams and project managers looking for an all-in-one tool for managing projects and collaborating with team members. You can use its project templates to streamline your processes for sales, lead scoring, customer onboarding, and sharing customer data.
Why Use a CRM Alternative?
Popular CRM software tools offer relative value in that each product or solution will be better suited for specific businesses based on their modular needs, budget, and usability requirements. Substituting a traditional software product with a CRM alternative benefits certain businesses for various reasons. Here’s why some firms might pursue alternative CRM solutions:
- The firm is a solo-operated business: Much of the value of a CRM stems from the ability to collaborate with team members and keep each other up to date on current opportunities. Solopreneurs don’t need those features as they work alone and may prefer a simpler solution.
- Business has budgetary constraints: Small or startup businesses are often on a tight budget. Therefore, using a software tool with free and low-cost subscription options they can customize into a CRM may be a more practical route. For those on a tight budget but who would like a traditional CRM system, check out our picks for the best free CRM software tools.
- Users prioritize product ease of use: Because many of these alternative products use spreadsheet-style formats, it’s easier to add and update lead and customer records than traditional CRMs. Plus, many business owners have never used a CRM before but have experience with project management tools—making it a suitable option for managing sales.
- The team only needs minimal functionality: Some businesses have a simplistic sales operation where all they want to do is track their pipelines and contact data. Using project management or productivity software is an easy solution to basic CRM functionality—especially if your team doesn’t need advanced analytics, automation, or artificial intelligence (AI) features.
How We Evaluated the Top CRM Competitors
To determine the best CRM alternative, we considered purpose-built platforms for managing contacts and administrative projects. The products we chose offer tools for modifying and automating business processes, as well as tools for managing and assigning tasks. Additionally, we looked at other essential product attributes, such as features, pricing, customer support availability, and user reviews. The tabs below offer insight into our evaluation process for CRM competitors:
Other than ease of use, pricing was the top criterion evaluated for each product. We 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.
We looked at overall features crucial to a CRM alternative, regardless of its primary use case or usability ratings. For instance, we wanted to see if each product had capabilities essential to any sales operation, including customizable pipelines, reporting and analytics tools, and an extensive range of third-party and native integration options. We also checked if the provider offers an easy-to-use mobile application for on-the-go sales.
Extensive support and service are necessary to help prevent poor experiences users may encounter while using any of these CRM alternatives. This category was 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.
In addition to firsthand experience with these CRM competitors, we evaluated what actual users say about each product according to online reviews. These criteria consider how customers feel in terms of product ease of use. It also provides insights into customer feelings regarding value for the price paid and how useful they find the platform’s features.
Bottom Line
CRM options are project management and productivity software tailored to be a substitute for a traditional CRM product like Salesforce. The minimal sales features, ease of use, and low-cost subscription options make these platforms solid replacements for investing in a full-scale CRM. Each product, while an alternative, is better suited for specific businesses based on their modular and budgetary needs.
