Last updated on December 3rd, 2024 at 02:11 pm
Almost 90% of small businesses use CRM systems. If you’re still typing Excel manually, you’re wasting your time and energy.
In addition to saving time and preventing data loss, CRM software gives you a better understanding of your customers.
In addition to smoothing out communication, it can boost sales and keep customers happy. But there are so many CRM companies out there that it can be confusing.
In this article, we’ll discuss the top five CRM solutions to help you find your perfect match. OK, let’s start.
1. Pipedrive
It’s time to roll out the red carpet because we have the top-rated CRM for small businesses, Pipe Drive. In my opinion, Pipe Drive is the ideal CRM for small businesses. Why? Because it is the perfect example of an integrated solution.
First of all, their visual pipelines are more than just practical, they are truly stunning. It will make tracking your sales progress so easy that you’ll frame and hang them in your office so easily.
There’s this thing called timeline view and it’s like watching your sales cycle in action. It lets you see the whole history of each deal or lead in a visual timeline. In addition to customizable workflows, it lets you get a customized sales pipeline.
Everything is where you want it, and don’t forget your smart contact information. It’s like your CRM does your research for you. No need to Google your leads, it’s all there. Also, Pipedrive’s user interface is super easy to use and has everything you need at your fingertips.
They’ve got integration options galore from Google Meet to Zoom and all in between. Reporting is easy to understand and you can narrow it down to specific pipeline stages. If you’re on a higher plan, you can even focus on a specific team and configure time intervals accordingly.
Lastly, let’s discuss its pricing. If you’re a budget-conscious person, then Pipedrive has you covered. It has five premium plans, starting at just $11.90 a month, and there’s also a $79.90 Enterprise plan for those big dreamers.
The secret sauce is that Pipedrive’s pricing is regional. This means if you live in India, the Philippines, or Pakistan, you’ll get a sweet discount, and that’s more than you could ask for. The entry-level plan offers a deal and lead management calendar, ERS, pipeline tools and import tools.
For small businesses, the professional plan at $49.90 per user per month is like hitting the jackpot. Document management, revenue forecasting, and top-notch reporting make it all come together.
There is no free plan available here, but Pipedrive offers a 14-day free trial, so check it out and see if it’s for you. You can get 70% off if you commit to a year. But I want to point out that for large-scale businesses with complex needs, Hope Drive might seem basic.
You may want to consider Salesforce as an alternative. All in all, Pipedrive is an excellent CRM for small businesses that want a user-friendly solution with sufficient features and a flexible pricing model. Simply put, I think it is a winner.
2. Salesforce
Our second-place CRM champ is Salesforce. Salesforce isn’t just any CRM; it’s practically a legend in the field. Statistics show that 86% of its users recommend it. When giants like Amazon, Adidas, and American Express are on board, you know it’s a big deal.
Salesforce usually caters to large companies, but they decided in 2017 to offer Salesforce Essentials to small businesses. This is their first cloud-based CRM system, perfect for small businesses with up to 10 users.
You can easily manage leads, prospects, sales funnels, and support requests. In addition, you can import and sync data from spreadsheets, calendars, emails, and more. Similarly to the big version, you can also view a complete list of contacts, prospects, and all associated documents across channels. In addition, you can view support cases, just like in the big version.
Salesforce also offers an automation tool called Einstein activity capture that automates manual data entry for sales and service personnel, increasing productivity. You can then view users’ real-time sales data using customizable reports for a variety of scenarios, such as a sales pipeline, a win-loss history, and more.
Although some users find the software quite user-friendly, others feel the user interface and how the application works are outdated and need to be updated. I think the system is tricky to use and needs a lot of training, but once it’s working, it will go smoothly.
Additionally, Salesforce Essentials’ pricing is on the enterprise side, even though it is designed for small businesses. Starter plans start at $25 per month, then two more plans begin at $80 per month. This might be manageable for some small businesses, but $1,250 for a digital marketing automation solution.
That’s a lot for a small business. Even though investing in CRM can be profitable, small businesses don’t have the budget and they don’t need those high-end features, so they don’t need them.
As well, there are only 10 users allowed in the organization, five for sales and five for service. There is also no API support and limited customization options. Salesforce is not the easiest to learn. If you stay with it and set it up right, you might eventually move up to their higher plans.
3. HubSpot
In the third spot, we have a very popular name, HubSpot. Now why is HubSpot so popular? Well, it is because it offers the best marketing automation features available in a CRM.
Along with extensive contact management and sales pipeline management tools, HubSpot has got loads of awesome features for marketing agencies. It has got an inbound marketing superstar in its lineup.
HubSpot offers SEO, content creation, and social media marketing to help businesses succeed online. With its slick landing pages, businesses can generate leads for their businesses, so it’s like a powerful toolkit to enhance their online game.
You can track marketing performance in real-time with this dashboard, which is like a One-Stop Shop for tracking marketing performance. In one easy-to-use dashboard, you can monitor important things like website traffic, lead generation, email campaign success, and social media buzz.
By doing so, businesses can make smarter marketing decisions based on data. They can also find out where they can improve and fine-tune their marketing game for top-notch results. In addition, HubSpot’s email marketing capabilities are unsurpassed among all the CRMs we examined in this video.
Although it may seem complicated at first, Hubspot’s email marketing engine functions just as well as any dedicated email marketing tool. Additionally, it can be integrated with nearly all major software brands.
However, Hubspot’s pricing could be steep for average businesses, and it is also expensive. You get a free version of the software that provides some basic lead and sales management features. In addition, you get limited marketing tools like email campaigns, reporting dashboards, and limited website-building capabilities.
Although HubSpot has many features, getting to grips with them all might take some time. However, they’ve got the HubSpot Academy on their website, so even though there is a learning curve, the academy makes it easier.
There are just two paid plans for HubSpot compared to other CRM systems like Pipedrive or Zoho that offer a range of plans. While the first one is pretty basic and costs $20, the second one is a powerhouse but costs $1,781 for a team of five, which I believe is quite expensive for small businesses.
HubSpot pricing is neat because you can get a big 40% discount if you go for the annual plan. HubSpot’s pricing package comes with a 14-day free trial, so you can give it a spin before making long-term decisions.
4. Streak CRM
Next on our list of leading CRM software for small businesses is Streak. In essence, you can manage your sales process right from your Gmail inbox if you use this simple yet effective CRM solution.
All you need to do is install Streak and integrate it with your Google account. As you move through your inbox, streak lets you manage your important tasks, add details about what’s going on, and create custom views of your pipeline.
The free streak plan is only available for individuals. Paid plans start at 15 per user per month. The focus of Streak is on sales, contact management, and communication. The CRM is perfect for small teams that frequently use Gmail or spend a lot of time in Gmail.
Streak CRM could be the ideal solution for your small business if all you need is a better, more streamlined system for managing your sales pipeline and contacts.
5. Zoho CRM
The next CRM on the list is Zoho CRM. You might know about Zoho, right? Zoho is a company from India that offers all sorts of business tools. We’ll take a look at one of its products, Zoho CRM, which is a comprehensive software that helps businesses manage money, manage projects, and track customers.
In addition to storing all of your customer info in one place, you can see who you’ve spoken with, set reminders to get in touch with them, and even group contacts by things like dog lovers.
It can find new customers, send out emails, and keep track of deals so you don’t have to. If you love colorful charts, you might want to look at some other programs. Zoho CRM does play well with other apps.
Zoho reports give you a lot of information, but they might not look as fancy as some others. Among the apps it works with are Google, MailChimp, Slack, Zoom, and more. The free version of Zoho isn’t a trial, it’s free forever.
Now about money, there’s a free version that gives you 1 GB of cloud storage and you can do a bunch of things with it. If you want more, they have paid plans starting at $20 a month, but the professional plan is $35 each month.
I think you should go with this one because it comes with tons of cool stuff like custom reports and a feature called Sales Signals that will help you find potential clients. Okay, I know it’s not one of the cheapest options out there, but it’s not insanely expensive either.
And if you aren’t sure, you can try out Zoho CRM for 15 days before committing to it. So the bottom line is that Zoho CRM is a great tool. It’s easy to use, customizable, and won’t break the bank. As it integrates seamlessly with other Zoho apps, it’s also a great choice if you’re already using other Zoho apps.
Conclusion – Best CRM For Freelancers
As you can see, we have covered some of the best CRM options for small businesses. Picking the perfect one is like picking your favorite ice cream flavor. They all have different specialties.
However, based on research and experience, Pipedrive is the best CRM for small businesses. Besides being loaded with comprehensive tools, it also has a user-friendly interface and is affordable. Even so, the runners-up CRMs shine.
If you need advanced marketing automation along with CRM and you’re willing to spend more, Hubspot is an excellent choice. If you need an extensive feature set, can handle a complex setup, and have a good budget, Salesforce is the reliable giant in the room.
If you’re already using other brand ecosystem software, Zoho CRM is perfect. As a result, choosing the right CRM from this bunch comes down to knowing your needs and budget. Now it’s your turn to share your experiences with any of these five CRMs.
