Startups and small businesses need all the help that they can get to grow and become profitable. From streamlining their processes and workflows to managing their customers to turning leads into sales, small businesses need to be on top of their game to ensure that they are scaling up as much as possible. One of the best ways for small businesses to do so is to invest in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software. Happy and loyal customers lead to profitability and growth which is why you need to find the right CRM software for small businesses.
We understand that when you are starting out, you need to be careful with your funds and investments, which is why we have curated this list of the 5 best free CRM software for small businesses and startups. You can try the free version of these software and choose the one that best matches your business requirements.
Table of Contents
What is CRM software?
Before we list down the 5 best CRM for small businesses, you need to understand what CRM software is and why your business needs it. In simple words, a CRM software can be described as a suite of tools and features which enable businesses to better handle their customers, maintain a healthy relationship with them, and ultimately increase their business by converting leads into sales.
A CRM software offers an intuitive, centralized platform through which small businesses and startups can perform a wide range of functionalities and effectively manage their growing customer base. CRM software does not come cheap; hence, we recommend you first try out various free CRM software to understand how the platform works, how to use it efficiently, how to modify it for your business requirements, etc., and then opt for the paid plans.
Factors to consider while choosing a CRM software
Whether you are choosing a free CRM software for small business or paid plans, there are a couple of factors that you need to consider while choosing the right software. These factors include –
- How many features are being provided in the free plan?
- How beneficial is the software for your business and is it effective in making your work more efficient and productive?
- What are the pricing plans offered?
Top 5 CRM software for small businesses
CRM software has become an integral software for businesses of all sizes which is why you will see that there is no dearth of options in the market today. However, as a startup or small business, you need to be more vigilant and make the right investments. If you are looking for a CRM software, check out these 5 free CRM software for small businesses.
1. Less Annoying CRM
Less Annoying CRM has been designed especially for small businesses. It offers several key CRM software features, such as task management tracking, collaboration management, contact management, note-making, multiple configuration options, and more. This CRM software is quite easy to understand and also affordable which makes it an ideal choice for small businesses and startups. Less Annoying CRM offers a single platform where businesses can store all their customer data which makes it easy for different teams to access the details as required. You can also avail their 30-day free trial before investing in the software.
Features
- Contact & account management
- Lead management
- Task management
- Email marketing
- Data import and export
- Dashboard
- Desktop integration
- Opportunity and Pipeline management
- Reporting
- Call logging
- Project management
- Referral tracking
- Product catalog
- Customer support
Pros
- Simple to set up with an intuitive dashboard.
- Ability to log emails to the contacts by simply adding the CRM in BCC.
Cons
- Limited app integrations.
- Better search function required to make it easy to find information in documents and notes.
Pricing plans
- $15 per user per month
2. Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM has a simple and user-friendly interface, customizable modules, efficient social media features, logical automation, and more – all of which together make this one of the best CRM software for small business. You will have access to a wide range of CRM features, such as workflow automation, multichannel options for customers, customizable KPIs, etc. Zoho CRM also offers top-notch collaboration tools which facilitate better collaboration and communication between various teams. Once you have gained experience and knowledge about the software through its free plan, you can upgrade to any of the paid plans.
Features
- Document & content management
- Task management
- Case management
- Marketing ROI Analytics
- Customer support portal
- Data import & export
- Social network integration
- Dashboards
- Contact management
- Referral tracking
- List management
- Marketing automation
- Quotes (Proposals)
Pros
- One of the key advantages of Zoho CRM is that it offers a customizable CRM interface.
- Amazing collaboration tools and file-sharing features.
Cons
- The free plan allows only three users.
- The free plan does not include the analytics tools.
Pricing plans
- Freemium
- Standard – $14/user/month/billed annually
- Professional – $23/user/month/billed annually
- Enterprise – $40/user/month/billed annually
- Ultimate – $52/user/month/billed annually
3. Really Simple Systems CRM
As the name suggests, this is a really simple CRM software suitable for startups and small businesses. This CRM software offers a wide range of features and is one of the best free CRM software for small businesses because it includes most of its core features in the free plan. It also offers a robust reporting feature which includes ‘Listing reports’ for immediate stats and ‘Forecast reports’ for expected numbers. Really Simple Systems CRM has the ideal combination of marketing, sales, and customer-oriented features which is why more than 3,000 businesses depend on it.
Features
- Customization
- Performance and reliability
- Task management
- Customer contract management
- Email marketing
- Contact & account management
- Opportunity and Pipeline management
- Lead management
- Customer support portal
- Reporting
- Dashboards
- Forecasting
- Call logging
- Quotes (Proposals)
- Collaboration tools
- Auto-responders
- Calendar management
Pros
- It is an easy-to-use CRM software which is compatible with desktop as well as mobile devices.
- The task management feature is amazing and helps users to stay on top of all their tasks.
Cons
- The email marketing features need to be more enhanced.
- Compared to some of the other CRM software for small business, generating reports in Really Simple Systems CRM is more complex.
Pricing plans
- Freemium
- Starter – $14/user/month/billed annually
- Professional – $30/user/month/billed annually
- Enterprise – $46/user/month/billed annually
4. BenchmarkONE
BenchmarkONE is an all-in-one sales and marketing tool which is ideal for small businesses and startups. You can perform a wide range of CRM functionalities with this tool, enabling small businesses to build strong relationships with their customers. It is a comprehensive CRM system which offers excellent email marketing automation, reports and analytics, sales automation, etc. In short, this CRM software for small businesses offers all the core functionalities at affordable prices.
Features
- Automated email responses
- Sending outbound emails
- Marketing lead database
- Data quality management
- Segmentation
- Online behavior tracking
- Contact management
- Project management
- Call logging
- Lead scoring
- Customer support
- Document storage
- Collaboration tools
- Social media integration
- Campaign management
- Analytics/ROI management
- Mobile access
Pros
- BenchmarkONE offers a very user-friendly interface.
- The customer support offered by BenchmarkONE is amazing and they ensure that businesses have a smooth initial onboarding.
Cons
- BenchmarkONE doesn’t offer the option to text or call customers directly through the platform.
- The filter options need to be more enhanced.
Pricing plans
- Lite – $49 per month
- Core – $89 per month
- Pro – $149 per month
- Enterprise – $219 per month
5. HubSpot CRM
HubSpot CRM is one of the most well-known CRM software available in the market today, and thanks to its forever-free plan, it is considered as one of the best free CRM software for small businesses. This software provides excellent sales and marketing automation, which enables your employees to work more efficiently.
When you opt for HubSpot CRM, you will have access to several features, such as one million saved contacts, ad managers, chatbots, customizable dashboards, VoIP, reports & analytics, and more! This is a must-try software if you are just testing the waters and still figuring out which is the best CRM software for your business.
Features
- Activity dashboard
- Alerts/Notifications
- Document management
- Email management
- Email marketing
- Client tracking
- Campaign management
- Client management
- Calendar management
- Document storage
- Referral tracking
- Quotes (Proposals)
- Lead scoring
- Customer support
- Product catalog
- Marketing automation
Pros
- HubSpot CRM is an easy-to-set up software with an intuitive user interface.
- One of the key advantages of HubSpot CRM is that it offers a forever-free feature-rich plan.
Cons
- The software may seem slightly complex in the initial stages due to the wide range of features it offers.
- The customization options offered by HubSpot CRM are limited.
Pricing plans
- Freemium
- Starter – $45/month/billed annually
- Professional – $450/month/billed annually
- Enterprise – $1200/month
Conclusion
The primary function of any CRM software is to make your employee’s job easier and increase their efficiency and productivity. The right software will provide the best tools and features to engage with your customers and keep them satisfied. We hope this list of the five best CRM software for small business comes handy for you and enables you to grow the size as well as profits of your organization!
You can also check out more amazing software on SaaSworthy which offers complete information about more than 40,000 software spread across 300 different categories.
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