Zoho CRM is one of the top CRM solutions thanks to its free plan, scalable pricing model, contact and lead management capabilities, and team collaboration features. However, its overwhelming customization options, lack of invoicing features, and limited customer support may prompt small business owners to look for an alternative option. To find the best Zoho CRM alternative, we analyzed several top providers based on pricing and critical functionalities.
Here are the top six Zoho CRM alternatives for small businesses and their best use cases:
- Apptivo: Best overall Zoho CRM alternative with integrated billing and invoicing features
- Freshsales: Ideal for companies that want an affordable, easier-to-use Zoho CRM alternative with an advanced built-in dialer
- Really Simple Systems: Recommended choice for sales organizations seeking a customer relationship manager (CRM) with service desk capabilities
- Pipedrive: Great Zoho CRM alternative for teams that want a user-friendly and more intuitive CRM
- HubSpot CRM: Top choice for agencies and marketers seeking a free CRM that does not impose user limits
- Insightly: A popular Zoho CRM alternative for businesses that need project management tools
How We Evaluated the Best Zoho CRM Alternatives
To be considered one of the best Zoho CRM alternatives, we looked for products that were easy enough to use for beginners and intermediate-level users. Products should also offer a robust set of features, a wide range of customization options, and a mobile CRM. We also paid special attention to solutions that address Zoho CRM’s pain points—like optimized forms and 24/7 customer support—to determine the best alternatives.
We found that Apptivo is the best overall Zoho CRM alternative because it offers the most significant value considering the combination of pricing, core CRM features, ease of use, quality of customer support, and expert scores. It also helps you improve client relationships and service with its customer loyalty and built-in invoicing tools.
The tabs below offer more insight into our evaluation process for selecting the best Zoho CRM alternatives:
40% of Overall Score
The costs per user and any upfront costs such as CRM customizations, onboarding, and maintenance fees were considered. We also factored in the availability of a free plan and monthly billing option to determine the best value for your money.
20% of Overall Score
We evaluated the overall set of CRM features, including customizable pipelines, reporting, and analytics. The quality of its contact and deal management capabilities was one of our main deciding factors. In addition, we looked at the availability of a mobile app and third-party integrations.
15% of Overall Score
The best Zoho CRM alternatives should not require technical skills to understand and use, and they should also have an intuitive interface. Each solution in this list was evaluated on how easy it is to set up and operate.
15% of Overall Score
Business owners looking for alternative CRM systems to Zoho CRM prefer those that come with 24/7 customer service via phone, live chat, and email. We assessed each platform in this article to see the quality of help and support they offer to their users.
10% of Overall Score
We checked customer reviews on reputable sites to know how satisfied their customers are. We also noted common issues that users had. Apart from online reviews, we weighed the features that stood out, their value for money, and their popularity to narrow down the best options.
Apptivo: Best Overall Alternative to Zoho CRM
Apptivo
What We Like
- Offers a free plan
- Has built-in payment processing
- Features customer loyalty tools
What's Missing
- Free plan does not include mobile apps
- Lacks customization options
- Limited third-party integrations
How It Compares to Zoho CRM
- Pricing model is more affordable than Zoho CRM across all tiers
- Free plan supports only one user, while Zoho CRM’s free plan supports three users
- Larger file storage capacity
- Product management is available only with paid tiers; all of Zoho CRM’s plans include this feature
- 24/7 support included in basic plan
Apptivo beats Zoho CRM when it comes to affordability. It also offers a bigger file storage capacity at 15GB per user versus Zoho CRM’s 5GB limit. All of Apptivo’s paid plans include 24/7 email and live chat support, as well as 24/5 phone support. In contrast, Zoho CRM charges at least 20% of your license fee (on top of your subscription) to access its 24/7 customer support.
With invoicing and billing capabilities, Apptivo gets the upper hand because these features are built directly into the CRM. Zoho CRM requires you to open a separate invoice app for these functionalities. Some of Apptivo’s biggest setbacks include the lack of deep customization and limited integration options, which you can find in Zoho CRM.
Apptivo Pricing at a Glance*
- Starter: Free for one user
- Lite: $8 per user, per month
- Premium: $12 per user, per month
- Ultimate: $20 per user, per month
- Enterprise: Customized pricing
- Free trial: 30 days
- eSignatue add-on: $10 per month
- Email Campaign add-on: Starts at $10 (pay-as-you-go) or $250 per year
- Training & Onboarding: Starts at $125 for remote sessions and $850 for on-site sessions
*Billed annually. Apptivo also offers a monthly billing option.
Apptivo’s Billing & Invoicing Feature
Creating an invoice from Apptivo’s Financials tab
Creating an estimate from Apptivo’s Financials tab
Apptivo’s Financials tab allows you to create invoices and estimates within its CRM system. You can set up online payment gateways, recurring billing, and automated reminders for unpaid invoices. In addition, it has a commission report generator, drag-and-drop customized PDF template builder, and an invoice portal for your customers.
Freshsales: Best Zoho CRM Alternative With Advanced, Built-in Dialer
Freshsales
What We Like
- Built-in phone dialer is available across all plans
- Robust lead scoring and territory management features
- Highly customizable fields, pipelines, and workflows
What's Missing
- The forever-free startup plan lacks account management functionality
- Offers limited third-party integrations
- Does not support unlimited contacts (up to 5,000 per month)
How It Compares to Zoho CRM
- Free plan that supports an unlimited number of users; Zoho CRM’s free plan is limited to three users
- Paid plans are more expensive
- All plans offer built-in dialer with advanced tools like voicemail and conferencing
- Zoho CRM offers more customization options
- 24/5 support across all plans
Freshsales comes with a built-in dialer, allowing you to make calls without leaving the CRM platform. This is unlike Zoho CRM, which requires you to integrate it with your private branch exchange (PBX) system. Another advantage of Freshsales is the availability of 24/5 phone, chat, and email support across all of its plans. With Zoho CRM, basic support only includes email, knowledge base, customer portal, and community forums.
Both of these providers feature artificial intelligence (AI)-powered assistants. Freshsales’ Freddy AI powers your CRM’s lead generation, chatbots, field duplicate detection, and deal insights. Zoho CRM’s Zia gives you suggestions and predictions for lead conversion, deal closure, workflows, automation, and data enrichment. Zia is available only in higher tiers, whereas Freddy AI is included in both mid-level and enterprise-level plans.
Freshsales Pricing at a Glance*
- Free Forever: Supports an unlimited number of users
- Growth: Starts at $15 per user, per month
- Pro: $39 per user, per month
- Enterprise: $69 per user, per month
*Based on annual billing. Monthly subscriptions are also available at slightly higher rates.
Built-in Phone Dialer Powered by Freshdesk Contact Center
Freshsales’ built-in phone dialer (Source: Freshsales)
Freshsales’ built-in phone is powered by Freshdesk Contact Center and does not require additional charges to set up. You can make calls from within your CRM with just a single click, paying only for the minutes that you spend on your call and for the local or toll-free numbers that your reps use. It also gives you access to key call metrics to assess customer interactions. Additional features like call masking, automatic call logging, and call recording come at no added cost.
Read our full Freshsales review to learn how it helps sales teams collaborate effectively and close more deals.
Really Simple Systems: Best Zoho CRM Alternative With Service Desk Capabilities
Really Simple Systems
What We Like
- Offers a free plan
- User-friendly interface and customizable dashboards
- Service desk add-on
What's Missing
- Lacks sales flow automation
- Does not have a mobile app
- Marketing tools cost extra
How It Compares to Zoho CRM
- Free plan supports up to two users, while Zoho CRM’s free plan supports three users
- Higher-level tiers are more expensive
- All plans offer email and chat support during business hours (U.K. time)
- Zoho CRM has mobile apps for Android and iOS
- Limited customization capabilities
Really Simple Systems has fewer customization capabilities and its higher-tier plans are more expensive than Zoho CRM. However, it offers a few advantages, like a more user-friendly interface and a Service Desk add-on (tools for managing customer service). Its customer support is available in all plans via email and chat during business hours. On the other hand, Zoho CRM’s basic support includes email and self-help resources.
What’s missing from Really Simple Systems is a mobile app, which Zoho CRM has. You can only access the software via mobile on a web browser. In addition, you need to shell out at least $22 per month to add lead management and marketing tools. Meanwhile, Zoho CRM’s plans already include these tools.
Really Simple Systems Pricing at a Glance*
- Free: Supports two users
- Starter: $14 per user, per month
- Professional: $30 per user, per month
- Enterprise: $46 per user, per month
- Free trial of Professional plan: 14 days
- Simple Marketing add-on: $22 per month**
- Advanced Marketing add-on: $46 per month
- Service Desk add-on: $46 per month**
*Based on annual billing. Monthly subscriptions are also available at slightly higher rates.
**Either Simple Marketing or Service Desk can be included for free with five or more users on the Enterprise plan. Both tools can be included for free with 10 or more users.
Really Simple System’s Service Desk
Service and Support dashboard (Source: Really Simple Systems)
Really Simple Systems’ Service Desk add-on provides you with the tools you need to deliver fast and efficient customer service. These tools include case management, service level agreements (SLAs), email integration, and case reports. You can manage your customer cases, prioritize urgent cases, link incoming emails to customer accounts, and gain insights into your closed cases.
Discover how this CRM helps small businesses track deals, communicate with prospects, and reach sales goals in our Really Simple Systems review.
Pipedrive: Most User-friendly & Intuitive Zoho CRM Alternative
Pipedrive
What We Like
- Easy setup and data import
- Visual pipelines and customizable reporting dashboards
- Extensive third-party software integrations
What's Missing
- Does not offer a free plan
- Phone support limited to Enterprise plan
- Lead generation tools cost extra
How It Compares to Zoho CRM
- No free plan
- Pricing model is more expensive
- Simpler interface and fewer customization options
- Charges additional fees for lead generation tools
- 24/7 chat and email support across all plans
Both providers have visual pipelines, but Pipedrive’s user interface and customization options are much simpler than Zoho CRM. However, unlike Zoho CRM, it does not have a free plan. Its higher-tier plans are also more expensive, and the Enterprise package requires at least 10 users. Another factor that adds to Pipedrive’s cost is its lead generation add-on. With Zoho CRM, similar tools are already incorporated into its plans.
Despite the higher cost of its basic plans, Pipedrive makes its overall package more attractive by offering 24/7 chat and email support across all plans. With Zoho CRM’s tiered plan, you only get email support and self-help resources as basic support. You’ll need to pay additional fees to get access to 24-hour customer support.
Pipedrive Pricing at a Glance*
- Essential: $12.50 per user, per month
- Advanced: $24.90 per user, per month
- Professional: $49.90 per user, per month
- Enterprise: $99.00 per user, per month (at least 10 users)
- Free trial: 14 days
- Lead generation tools: $32.50 per company, per month
*Based on annual billing. Monthly subscriptions are also available at slightly higher rates.
Pipedrive’s Visual Sales Pipeline
Pipedrive pipeline view (Source: Pipedrive)
Pipedrive provides you with a visual presentation of your sales process. You can choose to view your deals sales activities using the pipeline mode, list mode, or forecast. The visual pipeline allows you to easily track your qualified leads, contacts, proposals, and negotiations. From the same page, you can customize your pipeline’s visibility, create new deals or contacts, import data, and add a new pipeline.
Explore the rich feature set of this software and learn how it helps sales teams thrive in our Pipedrive review.
HubSpot CRM: Best Free Zoho CRM Alternative for Unlimited Users
HubSpot CRM
What We Like
- Free plan supports 1 million contacts and companies
- Has an intuitive, easy-to-use interface
- Includes lead generation tools, such as smart forms and chat
What's Missing
- Limited support options with the free tier
- Plan upgrades can become expensive
- No advanced project management and operational CRM features
How It Compares to Zoho CRM
- Free plan supports unlimited users
- More complicated and expensive pricing scheme
- More complex reporting capabilities
- Chat and phone support are available only for paid plans
- Additional support line via Twitter
- Free in-depth HubSpot software training
HubSpot CRM offers a free CRM with a robust set of features and supports unlimited users. Zoho CRM’s free plan, on the other hand, supports only three users. When it comes to customer support, HubSpot CRM elevates its game by adding a Twitter communication line, which Zoho CRM does not have. In addition, it offers free in-depth training on how to use the software.
As for pricing, HubSpot CRM’s model is more complicated and expensive. Costs can add up quickly when you decide to upgrade to include advanced CRM tools like Stripe integration, product catalogs, price quotes, and predictive lead scoring. However, it is a great choice for your business if you need a free CRM with powerful marketing and reporting tools.
HubSpot CRM Pricing at a Glance*
- Free: Supports an unlimited number of users
- HubSpot for Startups: Ranges from $40 to $89 per month
- Marketing Hub: Starts at $45 per month
- Sales Hub: Starts at $45 per month
- Service Hub: Starts at $45 per month
- CMS Hub: Ranges from $23 to $1,200 per month
- Operations Hub: Free for syncing HubSpot with third-party apps. Paid plans start at $45
- CRM Suite: Starts at $45 per month
- Free Trial: 14 days
*Based on annual billing. Monthly subscriptions are also available at slightly higher rates.
HubSpot CRM’s Free Marketing Tools
HubSpot CRM’s email scheduling feature (Source: HubSpot CRM)
HubSpot CRM offers a lot of free tools for CRM, sales, marketing, service, and operations. These include contact management, forms, email marketing, live chats, email scheduling, ticketing, and calling. You can also personalize your email marketing strategy using its library of free customizable templates. Then, you can use its A/B testing and analytics features to reveal data and patterns for campaign optimizations.
Read our full HubSpot CRM review to learn more about how it helps small businesses manage essential business functions.
Insightly: Best Pipedrive Alternative for Project Management
Insightly
What We Like
- Milestone tracker
- Workflow automation
- Third-party integration with Google Workspace, Gmail, Xero, and QuickBooks
What's Missing
- Free plan is limited to two users
- Sharp learning curve
- Phone integration and advanced support entail additional cost
How It Compares to Zoho CRM
- Free plan supports two users, while Zoho CRM’s free option supports three
- Pricing scheme is more expensive
- Offers project management features
- Uses custom tags to assign leads and contacts
- No chat support
Insightly offers a free plan that supports up to two users, and it is equipped with project management, a milestone tracker, and workflow automation features. When comparing the two, Zoho CRM is easier to set up and use, plus its free plan supports three users. In general, all of Insightly’s plans are significantly more expensive than Zoho CRM.
Zoho CRM comes with a territory management feature, allowing you to assign contacts and leads to reps in different geographical locations and departments. In the absence of this capability, Insightly uses custom tags. In terms of customer support, it’s a tie between the two because both include only email and self-help resources for their basic support. Zoho CRM charges additional for chat support, and Insightly does not offer it at all.
Insightly Pricing at a Glance*
- Free: Supports up to two users
- Plus: $29 per user, per month
- Professional: $49 per user, per month
- Enterprise: $99 per user, per month
- Free trial of paid plans: 14 days
- Customer Support and Service Plans: Range from $1,500 to $10,000 per year
*Based on annual billing. Monthly subscriptions are also available at slightly higher rates.
Insightly’s Project Management & Delivery
Insightly’s project activity panel (Source: Insightly)
Insightly’s built-in project management feature uses a horizontal pipeline, providing you with a visualization of your sales stages and project milestones. It also allows you to create lead and workflow task pipelines. With Insightly, you can customize each stage to manage sales opportunities as projects. You can also filter your view according to the project stage or assigned user.
Discover how this CRM helps small businesses track conversations and close more deals in our Insightly review.
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