Manufacturing companies use customer relationship management (CRM) software to track and document the sales process as well as manage customer interactions. However, manufacturers also need CRM features that are up to the task of tracking inventory, invoicing customers, and managing projects. We reviewed a variety of CRMs to learn which are best for the manufacturing industry and which is the best overall solution.
It’s important to note that the following standalone CRM solutions mentioned here are recommended for light manufacturing companies that find that more expensive, enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions too bloated for their needs. However, manufacturers with complicated production requirements can also make use of these CRMs as they can also be combined with other tools to create a truly custom manufacturing management solution.
Top 6 CRMs for Manufacturing
CRM for Manufacturing | Best For |
|---|---|
(Best overall) Businesses wanting an affordable, comprehensive solution with contact and territory management | |
Companies needing to manage inventory and customers on a single platform | |
Manufacturers looking for highly visual pipeline management and generous cloud storage | |
Sales teams that manage customer projects after the deal is closed | |
Companies needing a solution that integrates with existing business apps | |
Manufacturing companies wanting a free CRM that scales as they grow |
How We Evaluated CRMs for Manufacturing
The best CRM software for manufacturing should be affordable and include features that allow users to track inventory, manage orders, and document interactions with customers and suppliers. It should have a short learning curve and be easy to use regardless of technological aptitude. Therefore, we evaluated manufacturing CRM based on criteria such as:
- Price and affordability
- Ease of use
- Inventory tracking
- Reporting and analytics
- Customization options
- Workflow automation
- Production planning features
- Help desk integration
- Mobile apps for field reps
Based on these guidelines, we chose Freshsales as the best customer relationship management solution for manufacturing because of its affordability and range of features that include robust contact and territory management tools. Freshsales is intuitive, easy to use, and includes a 21-day free trial so you can try before you buy.
Freshsales: Best Overall Affordable, Feature-rich CRM for Manufacturing
Freshsales contact card (Source: Freshsales)
What it is: Freshsales is a full-featured CRM software with contact and territory management tools to help sales teams build long-term relationships with customers and clients.
What makes it great for manufacturing: Freshsales lead management features allow users to segment prospects and leads in a variety of ways and get a 360-degree view of all interactions in a single place. Qualified leads can be assigned to specific territories and tracked all the way through to the sales pipeline, making Freshsales a great choice for manufacturing companies that need to support agents across a large geographical area.
Freshsales Pros | Freshsales Cons |
|---|---|
Affordable | No social media integration |
Unlimited users on free plan | Lacks invoicing tools |
Easy to use | Doesn’t offer sales forecasting on free plan |
Freshsales Pricing
- Free: Supports unlimited users
- Blossom: $12 per user, per month
- Garden: $25 per user, per month
- Estate: $49 per user, per month
- Free trial of paid plans: 21 days
Freshsales Features
- Multiple deal pipelines
- Territory management
- Advanced reporting
- Custom roles
- Workflow automation
Learn more about how Freshsales can help your manufacturing company connect with customers on our Freshsales reviews page.
Zoho CRM: Best Manufacturing CRM for Inventory Management
Zoho CRM’s price books (Source: Zoho CRM)
What it is: Zoho CRM is a customer relationship management solution with the tools manufacturing companies need to manage accounts, from price quotes to delivery of goods.
What makes it great for manufacturing: Zoho CRM includes inventory management features like price books as well as invoicing tools that support agents through the complete sales cycle. It also includes core contact and account management features that make Zoho CRM the best choice for companies selling standardized products that want a single platform to manage both customers and inventory.
Zoho CRM Pros | Zoho CRM Cons |
|---|---|
Offers a free plan for up to three users | Limited customization |
Advanced selling tools | Free plan lacks marketing automation |
Products can be either goods or service | Lower-tier plans offer limited integration with business apps |
Zoho CRM Pricing
- Free: Supports up to three users
- Standard: $18 per user, per month
- Professional: $30 per user, per month
- Enterprise: $45 per user, per month
- Free trial of paid plans: 15 days
Zoho CRM Features
- Price books
- Inventory management
- Invoicing
- Purchase orders
- Lead and account management
For information on how Zoho CRM helps manufacturers deliver superior customer service, visit our Zoho CRM reviews page.
Pipedrive: Best Manufacturing CRM for Visual Sales Pipeline Views
Pipedrive lead management (Source: Pipedrive)
What it is: Pipedrive is a browser-based CRM with a highly visual sales management process as well as workflow automation and advanced customization options.
What makes it great for manufacturing: Pipedrive’s ability to integrate with apps like Shipit, a product roadmap tool, and MRPeasy, production management software, makes it easy for manufacturing teams to customize the platform to meet their unique needs. However, Pipedrive also features a built-in visual pipeline tool that is great for tracking deals or production orders in process. This makes Pipedrive is a good choice for teams and organizations that want to manage processes at a glance.
Pipedrive Pros | Pipedrive Cons |
|---|---|
Visual sales pipeline tool | No desktop app |
24/7 support offered on all plans | Limited automated workflows |
Unlimited cloud storage | Lacks lead or customer segmentation |
Pipedrive Pricing
Essential Plan: $12.50 per user, per month
Advanced Plan: $24.90 per user, per month
Professional Plan: $49.90 per user, per month
Free trial of paid plans: 14 days
Pipedrive Features
- Customizable pipelines
- Help desk integration
- Deal management
- Cumulative revenue forecast
- Sales and activity reports
- Integrates with a wide range of resource management tools
To learn how companies use Pipedrive’s visual pipeline and other features, read our Pipedrive reviews page.
Insightly: Best Manufacturing CRM With Project Management Tools
Insightly’s drag-and-drop dashboard (Source: Insightly)
What it is: Insightly is a CRM solution with built-in project management tools to help agents service customers and clients after the deal is closed.
What makes it great for manufacturing: Insightly offers a variety of integrated project management tools that track communications with your customers, milestones, and other processes. Insightly is the best choice for manufacturing companies that support and manage customer projects after the deal is closed.
Insightly Pros | Insightly Cons |
|---|---|
Robust project management features | Free plan only supports two users |
Features relationship linking between contacts | No territory management |
Add voice memos to customer notes | Lacks inventory management tools |
Insightly Pricing
- Free plan: Supports up to two users
- Plus plan: $29 per user, per month
- Professional plan: $49 per user, per month
- Free trial of paid plans: 14 days
Insightly Features
- Highly customizable dashboards
- Workflow automation
- Lead assignment and routing
- Built-in business intelligence dashboards
- Price books
To find out more about Insightly’s project management tools and features, check out our Insightly reviews page.
Really Simple Systems: Best Manufacturing CRM With Business App Integration
Really Simple Systems’ sales forecast summary (Source: Really Simple Systems)
What it is: Really Simple Systems is an easy-to-use CRM that integrates with a wide array of popular business applications to help teams run efficiently.
What makes it great for manufacturing: Really Simple Systems’ business app integration via Zapier.com and allows teams to streamline common business processes with business apps they already own, including Sage Business Cloud Accounting and Google Apps productivity suite. Really Simple Systems is a great choice for manufacturers wanting a solution that easily ties into their existing business tools.
Really Simple Systems Pros | Really Simple Systems Cons |
|---|---|
Features natural language search | Lacks workflow automation |
Includes weight sales forecasting | Free plan limited to two users |
Very easy to use | Does not offer mobile apps |
Really Simple Systems Pricing
- Free: Supports up to two users
- Starter: $14 per user, per month
- Professional: $30 per user, per month
- Free trial of paid plans: 14 days
Really Simple Systems Features
- Custom reports
- Pipeline management
- Customizable dashboards
- Generous document storage
- Multiple customer support channels
Find out what Really Simple Systems’ users have to say about this CRM solution at our Really Simple Systems reviews page.
HubSpot: Best Free CRM for Manufacturing
HubSpot conversation management (Source: HubSpot)
What it is: HubSpot CRM is a forever-free customer relationship management solution that supports unlimited users and includes a robust set of sales, marketing, and service tools.
What makes it great for manufacturing: HubSpot’s free CRM includes tools to help manufacturers generate and nurture leads, messaging segmentation by customer persona, and cross-selling features to help increase sales. HubSpot is a great option for manufacturers wanting a free CRM with unlimited users that scales as a company grows.
HubSpot CRM Pros | HubSpot CRM Cons |
|---|---|
Support unlimited users for free | Upgrades for paid modules can be costly |
Free plan never expires | Limited document storage |
Over 200 business app integration available | Lacks social media integration |
HubSpot CRM Pricing
- Free: Supports unlimited users
- Add-on modules: For additional sales, marketing, and service features, pricing starts at $40 per module, per month
HubSpot CRM Features
- Gmail and Outlook integration
- Automated tasks
- Reporting dashboard
- Deal tracking
- Ad management tools
To read more about the advantages of HubSpot’s forever-free CRM, visit our HubSpot CRM reviews page.
Bottom Line
CRMs for manufacturing often include industry-specific features beyond standard tools like contact, deal, and opportunity management. Some may offer integration with popular accounting software for easy billing and invoicing, while others include inventory management tools to help sales teams track available products and provide up-to-the-minute quotes.
Manufacturing companies wanting a comprehensive and affordable CRM solution with a solid feature set to support sales teams should check out Freshsales. The company offers a permanently free plan as well as affordable paid plans and a generous 21-day free trial.
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