A CRM helps you manage customer relationships, track sales pipelines, and close more deals. From free options to enterprise solutions, this guide compares the best CRM software for every business size.
Best CRM Software 2025
- Best Overall: HubSpot CRM (free + paid tiers) - Best free CRM, scales well
- Best for Enterprise: Salesforce ($25-300/user/mo) - Most powerful, customizable
- Best for Small Business: Zoho CRM ($14-52/user/mo) - Affordable, full-featured
- Best for Sales Teams: Pipedrive ($14-99/user/mo) - Visual pipeline, easy to use
- Best Free CRM: HubSpot Free CRM - Unlimited users, core features
Top CRM Software Compared
| CRM | Free Plan | Paid Starting | Best For | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot CRM | Yes (unlimited) | $45/mo | Growing businesses | |
| Salesforce | No (trial only) | $25/user/mo | Enterprise | |
| Zoho CRM | Yes (3 users) | $14/user/mo | Small business | |
| Pipedrive | No (trial only) | $14/user/mo | Sales teams | |
| Freshsales | Yes | $15/user/mo | Startups | |
| Monday CRM | Yes (2 users) | $10/user/mo | Visual teams |
Detailed CRM Reviews
TOP PICK
HubSpot CRM
- Free tier: Unlimited users, 1M contacts, core CRM features
- Paid tiers: Starter $45/mo, Professional $450/mo, Enterprise $1,200/mo
- Pros: Generous free plan, easy to use, great marketing integration
- Cons: Gets expensive at higher tiers, some features locked
- Best for: Companies wanting free CRM with growth options
ENTERPRISE
Salesforce
- Pricing: Essentials $25, Professional $80, Enterprise $165, Unlimited $330/user/mo
- Pros: Most powerful, endless customization, huge app ecosystem
- Cons: Complex, expensive, steep learning curve
- Best for: Large enterprises with complex sales processes
VALUE
Zoho CRM
- Free tier: 3 users
- Paid tiers: Standard $14, Professional $23, Enterprise $40, Ultimate $52/user/mo
- Pros: Affordable, full-featured, part of Zoho ecosystem
- Cons: Interface dated, customer support variable
- Best for: Budget-conscious small businesses
Feature Comparison
| Feature | HubSpot | Salesforce | Zoho | Pipedrive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contact Management | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Good |
| Pipeline Management | Good | Excellent | Good | Best |
| Email Integration | Excellent | Good | Good | Good |
| Marketing Automation | Best | Good (add-on) | Good | Basic |
| Reporting | Good | Best | Good | Good |
| Mobile App | Excellent | Good | Good | Excellent |
| Customization | Good | Best | Good | Limited |
Essential CRM Features
Contact & Lead Management
- Contact database: Store customer information centrally
- Lead scoring: Prioritize best opportunities
- Activity tracking: Log calls, emails, meetings
- Segmentation: Group contacts by criteria
Sales Pipeline
- Visual pipeline: Drag-and-drop deal stages
- Deal tracking: Monitor opportunities and values
- Forecasting: Predict future revenue
- Automation: Auto-move deals, send reminders
Communication
- Email integration: Gmail, Outlook sync
- Email templates: Reusable sales emails
- Call logging: Track phone conversations
- Meeting scheduling: Calendar integration
Free CRM Options
Best Free CRMs
- HubSpot Free: Unlimited users, 1M contacts, email tracking, live chat
- Zoho Free: 3 users, leads, contacts, tasks, reports
- Freshsales Free: Unlimited users, contact management, chat
- Bitrix24 Free: 12 users, tasks, projects, drive storage
- Agile CRM Free: 10 users, 1,000 contacts, email campaigns
Industry-Specific CRMs
- Real Estate: Follow Up Boss, LionDesk, Real Geeks
- Healthcare: Salesforce Health Cloud, Kareo
- Financial Services: Wealthbox, Redtail
- Nonprofits: Bloomerang, Little Green Light
- Construction: JobNimbus, Buildertrend
How to Choose a CRM
- Define your needs: Sales tracking, marketing, customer service?
- Count users: Per-user pricing adds up fast
- Check integrations: Works with your email, accounting, etc.?
- Evaluate ease of use: Will your team actually use it?
- Consider growth: Can it scale with your business?
- Try before buying: Most offer free trials
CRM Implementation Tips
- Clean your data: Import accurate, deduplicated contacts
- Start simple: Don't over-customize initially
- Train your team: Adoption is everything
- Define processes: Standardize how deals move through pipeline
- Measure success: Track adoption and sales metrics