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As a result of my own experiences, I’ve come to the realization that using customer relationship management (CRM) software is an indispensable component of the method of constructing and preserving trustworthy connections with customers. These technologies are particularly beneficial for sales teams because they allow salespeople to more effectively manage the relationships they have with their clients.
This makes these technologies extremely useful for sales teams. A game-changer that has the potential to fundamentally transform a company is the ability to track every interaction that a company has with a customer, from the customer’s contact information to phone calls, emails, and in-person meetings. In addition, customer relationship management systems offer a number of capabilities that can speed up the management of opportunities and deals, which can be of great use to businesses.
Not only does this lead to a boost in productivity, but it also provides assistance in identifying which industries have the greatest potential for growth. It’s possible that people have the notion that customer relationship management software is expensive; nevertheless, here’s the inside scoop: there is a shocking array of low-cost and even free options accessible on the market. These easily accessible solutions make it simpler for businesses of any size to reap the benefits of customer relationship management (CRM) technology, which ultimately enhances their relationships with their customers and helps to the success of the business.
Best Free CRM Software Comparison Table
Sales teams use CRM software to manage customer connections. Salespeople can log customer contacts, phone calls, emails, and meetings with it. Deal and opportunity management is available in CRMs. This may seem pricey, but there are affordable and free options. Certainly, here’s the table with rows and columns exchanged:
Feature | Zoho CRM | EngageBay | Monday Sales CRM | Pipedrive | Insightly |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pricing | Free plan, paid plans starting at $12/month | Free plan, paid plans starting at $9/month | Free plan, paid plans starting at $10/month | Free plan, paid plans starting at $12.50/month | Free plan, paid plans starting at $29/month |
Features | Contact management, opportunity management, lead management, sales forecasting, reporting, and more | Contact management, opportunity management, lead management, sales forecasting, reporting, and more | Contact management, opportunity management, lead management, sales forecasting, reporting, and more | Contact management, opportunity management, lead management, sales forecasting, reporting, and more | Contact management, opportunity management, lead management, sales forecasting, reporting, and more |
Integrations | Integrates with over 500 apps and services | Integrates with over 100 apps and services | Integrates with over 1,000 apps and services | Integrates with over 300 apps and services | Integrates with over 250 apps and services |
Ease of use | Easy to use, even for beginners | Easy to use, with a clean and intuitive interface | Easy to use, with a focus on customization | Easy to use, with a focus on sales automation | Easy to use, with a focus on customer relationship management |
Website Link | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website |
Best Free CRM Software
Sales teams might benefit from using customer relationship management (CRM) software to organize their interactions with customers. It helps salespeople keep tabs on their contacts, phone conversations, emails, and in-person meetings with clients. Deal and opportunity management functions are also available in CRMs. While this may sound pricey, there are actually some low-cost or even free alternatives.
Zoho CRM

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Contact Management | Organize and manage contacts efficiently. |
Sales Automation | Automate sales processes for higher efficiency. |
Email Integration | Seamless email integration for better communication. |
Workflow Automation | Create and automate custom workflows. |
Reports and Analytics | Generate insightful reports and analytics. |
I’ve used Zoho CRM frequently in my career and can vouch to its reliability and robustness. For companies looking to improve sales and marketing, it’s revolutionary. Zoho CRM has great lead management, contact tracking, email marketing, and analytics tools. Zoho CRM’s easy-to-use interface makes CRM learning easy for beginners. Additionally, the program is highly configurable for organizations of all sizes. Its versatility helps firms nurture leads, automate procedures, and improve client engagement.
The Good
- Extensive feature set for sales and CRM.
- User-friendly interface.
- Affordable pricing options.
- Integration with various other Zoho apps.
- Mobile app for on-the-go access.
The Bad
- Steeper learning curve for some advanced features.
- Limited customization options for the interface.
- Support response time can vary.
EngageBay

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Contact Management | Efficiently manage contacts and leads. |
Marketing Automation | Create and automate marketing campaigns. |
Sales Automation | Streamline sales processes for better results. |
Helpdesk and Support | Offer customer support and manage tickets. |
Analytics and Reports | Access detailed analytics and reports. |
My experience with EngageBay was amazing. Businesses can easily manage client interactions and marketing initiatives with this CRM and marketing automation tool. This is ideal for small and medium-sized businesses looking for affordable ways to improve client engagement and revenue. EngageBay offers CRM, email marketing, automation, and social media management. This integrated strategy streamlines client engagement and marketing management, making it a one-stop solution for firms aiming to improve efficiency.
The Good
- Affordable all-in-one solution for CRM, marketing, and support.
- User-friendly interface.
- Robust marketing automation features.
- Good customer support.
- Free plan available.
The Bad
- Limited third-party integrations.
- Some advanced features require upgrading to higher-priced plans.
- May not be suitable for large enterprises with complex needs.
Monday Sales CRM

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Contact and Lead Management | Organize contacts and leads efficiently. |
Sales Pipeline Management | Visualize and manage sales pipelines. |
Task and Activity Tracking | Track tasks and activities for sales success. |
Reporting and Analytics | Access detailed reports and analytics. |
Integrations | Connect with various third-party tools. |
Monday Sales CRM is a great addition to Monday.com, in my experience. Sales teams can manage leads, track deals, and streamline their pipelines with this straightforward and customized solution. Visual boards and automation simplify the sales process, making it stand out. Collaboration is easier, priorities are clearer, and deals are closed faster.
The Good
- Intuitive and easy-to-use platform.
- Customizable to fit different business needs.
- Great visual representation of sales data.
- Strong task management features.
The Bad
- Pricing can be on the higher side for small businesses.
- Limited automation features compared to some competitors.
- Learning curve for advanced customization.
Pipedrive

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Sales Pipeline Management | Visualize and manage sales pipelines. |
Contact and Lead Management | Efficiently organize contacts and leads. |
Email Integration | Seamlessly integrate emails for communication. |
Automation and Workflows | Automate repetitive tasks and workflows. |
Reporting and Analytics | Access in-depth reports and analytics. |
I found Pipedrive to be user-friendly and customizable, making it a great alternative for sales teams. It stands out for simplicity and efficacy. It simplifies sales with lead management, pipeline visualization, and sales forecasting. Pipedrive simplifies lead monitoring and boosts conversion rates, making it a top choice for sales-focused companies.
The Good
- Highly focused on sales pipeline management.
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface.
- Strong email integration for communication.
- Extensive automation and workflow capabilities.
- A wide range of integrations available.
The Bad
- May lack some advanced CRM features.
- Pricing can be a bit high for small businesses.
- Customization options are somewhat limited.
Insightly

Feature | Description |
---|---|
Contact and Lead Management | Efficiently manage contacts and leads. |
Project Management | Integrated project management features. |
Sales Automation | Automate sales processes for efficiency. |
Email Tracking | Track email interactions for better insights. |
Customization | Highly customizable for unique business needs. |
I utilized Insightly frequently and can attest to its CRM and project management capabilities. It’s designed for SMBs to manage customer interactions and projects on one platform. Users can rapidly learn Insightly thanks to its straightforward UI. Integration allows firms to centralize customer relationship management and project monitoring, streamlining operations.
The Good
- Strong focus on project management in addition to CRM.
- Good customization options.
- Email tracking for sales insights.
- Integration with G Suite and Office 365.
The Bad
- Pricing can be on the higher side.
- User interface may not be as intuitive as some competitors.
- Limited third-party integrations compared to other CRMs.
Setting Up and Using Free CRM Software
Setting up and using free software for customer relationship management (CRM) can help you manage contacts with customers, improve customer service, and streamline your efforts in sales and marketing. Following is a step-by-step approach that will assist you in getting started with free customer relationship management software:
Setting Up Free CRM Software:
How to Select the Appropriate CRM Software Do some research to find a free customer relationship management software that meets your requirements, and use that. HubSpot CRM, Zoho CRM, and Bitrix24 are three well-liked programs that fall under the category of free CRM software. Create an account, if you don’t already have one, or download the software.
- Creating an Account: Create an account by giving your name, email address, and any other information requested throughout the registration process. It’s possible that some customer relationship management software will provide you the option to sign in using your Google or social network account.
- Configuration by the User: It’s possible that you’ll need to configure user accounts for the CRM program you’re using. Invite members of the team who will be utilizing the CRM, and assign roles and permissions in accordance with the requirements.
Using Free CRM Software:
- Administration of Contacts: To get started with your CRM, begin by adding contacts and organizing them. Include specifics such as names, email addresses, and phone numbers, in addition to any other information that may be pertinent.
- Monitoring of Business Deals and Opportunities: Deals and opportunities need to be crafted in order to monitor the development of sales. Establish stages, provide values, and connect firms or contacts with each individual contract.
- Chores and Other Occupations: Make use of the CRM to plan out tasks and activities that are connected to deals or contacts. To keep yourself organized, set due dates, prioritize your tasks, and create reminders.
- The Integration of Email: Establish a connection between your email service and the CRM so that you may monitor and record your correspondence with contacts via email. This may supply you with insightful information regarding your past communication.
- It’s All Automated: Investigate the various automation capabilities available, such as those that automate workflows and emails. These technologies can reduce the amount of time spent on repeated chores and make them more efficient.
How to Choose the Best Free CRM Software
It is essential to select the very best free CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software if you want to properly manage your contacts with your customers. This is especially true if you run a small company or are just getting your firm off the ground and have a restricted budget. The following is a step-by-step strategy that will assist you in arriving at a well-informed decision:
- Determine What Your Needs Are: Determine first exactly what it is that you require from a CRM system. What are your goals for using customer relationship management software? Do you require customer service capabilities, email integration, contact management, tracking of sales pipelines, marketing functionality, or sales pipeline tracking? The first step is to gain an understanding of your requirements.
- Make a Checklist of Your Absolute Must-Haves: Create a list of the most important features that the customer relationship management software should include in order to satisfy your company’s objectives. Tools for contact management, deal monitoring, email integration, report generation, and collaborative working could fall under this category.
- Utilization Effort: Pick a customer relationship management system that has an interface that is simple and straightforward to use. It shouldn’t require a lot of training for you and your team to understand how to use it, and you should be able to utilize it right away. Conduct tests on the program to make sure it satisfies this requirement.
- Individualization by: Look for a CRM that enables you to personalize its fields, pipelines, and workflows so that they correspond to the way your company does business. The adaptability of the CRM to your particular requirements will be ensured by the flexibility of the customization options.
- Importing and Exporting Data: Make sure the customer relationship management software you choose allows you to import and export data, especially from spreadsheets (such as CSV or Excel files). This makes it much simpler to import previously collected data into the CRM as well as export data for further examination.
Questions and Answers
That’s right—powerful tools for marketing and sales, robust integrations, and risk-free cloud storage—all at no cost. Why? Because customer relationship management software is an unavoidable requirement for all types and sizes of companies, offering even the most fundamental customer service should not be prohibitively expensive.
The benefits of adopting a Google Workspace as a customer relationship management system are that it is both cost-free and already integrated with your company’s email. This may be the perfect system for a freelancer or a small firm that has a limited amount of uncomplicated and straightforwardly simple offerings and low lead quantities.