Customer relationship management (CRM) software is the heartbeat of your revenue operations. Acting as a single source of truth for your sales team, marketing team, and customer support team, CRM tools create alignment and help you smooth out bumps in your buyer’s journey.
Most large organizations have some kind of CRM solution in place to manage their customer data and support their sales process. But small businesses and startups don’t need to miss out on the benefits of great software just because they have a tighter budget. Free CRM software is available for companies big and small, and many offer all the functionality you need to get started with managing your customer relationships.
Ready to ditch the spreadsheets and quit doing all of your email marketing manually, but not sure which tool to go with? Don’t worry, I did the research to find the best free CRM software available, based on specific criteria I’ve outlined below. Keep reading to discover the top free CRM tools available in 2023, and find a solution that suits your team’s needs.
Best Free CRM Shortlist
Here’s the shortlist of the best tools that I’ll go over in more detail in this article.
- EngageBay - Best for small businesses with light customer success operations
- Zoho CRM - Best CRM with a built-in bot assistant
- Bitrix24 - Best CRM and workspace with flat-rate pricing
- Hubspot CRM - Best free CRM for an out-of-the-box solution
- Streak - Best free CRM to integrate with Google Workspace
- monday Sales CRM - Best for companies with a sales-led growth strategy
- eWay-CRM - Best free CRM to integrate with Outlook
- ClickUp - Best free CRM and cross-team collaboration software
- Really Simple Systems - Best free CRM software for small B2B businesses
- Freshsales - Best for building out a modular CRM solution
The RevOps Team is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click through links on our site — learn more about how we aim to stay transparent.
What is Free CRM Software?
Free CRM software are tools that help businesses build and nurture relationships with leads, prospects, and existing customers. These tools support every team in a company’s revenue operations department — which usually comprises sales, marketing, and customer support.
Paid CRM platforms can have in-depth features that provide additional value for larger organizations or those with complex sales pipelines. But many of these software providers also offer free trials and free plans with a baseline feature set to get companies of various sizes and stages started managing their customer relationships. A free CRM system can provide a solid foundation that powers your RevOps teams’ workflows, projects, and performance.
How I Selected the Best Free CRM Software
To find the best free CRM software, I started with a long list of the top-rated tools on the market, then evaluated them based on my set criteria.
Once I had a long list, I narrowed it down by comparing the tools against each other, taking into account my years of revenue operations experience to look for standout, value-add features. Finally, I considered which use cases each software might be best for, which I’ve reflected in my overviews below.
If you want to learn more about key features and benefits of free CRM software, you can jump ahead to the People Also Ask section farther down. Ready to see how these tools stack up against each other? Skip to my detailed overviews of the best free CRM software.
Selection Criteria
Here are the evaluation criteria I used to select each free CRM software.
Usability
You’re probably already balancing a suite of SaaS tools and apps, so the last thing you need is a platform that’s overly complex. A friendly user interface with straightforward navigation goes a long way, so I took note of how easy each platform was to explore.
Target User
Many customer relationship management software are designed to be used by sales reps, marketers, and customer support teams alike. But some cater more to the needs of one team or another, and this can be beneficial depending on your revenue operations and GTM strategy. In conducting my research, I paid close attention to what type of user each software was best suited for.
Features
Not all free CRM solutions are built the same. Some offer email automation with custom fields, while others have drag-and-drop landing page builders. I made a point of noting standout features and special functionalities these various tools offer, so you can spot the ones that would make the biggest difference for you.
Integrations
What’s the help of a Microsoft Outlook integration if your team uses Gmail? We’re all looking for new software that can connect with our existing tech stack. I’ve included a list of each free CRM software’s integrations alongside its overview to help you see how it will fit in with your other tools.
Pricing
All of the software on this list offers a free version, whether that’s for a trial period or free forever. You’ll also find pricing information for the paid plans available for each tool to get a sense of what an upgrade might cost you down the line. Usually, paid plans depend on factors like number of users and storage capacity.
Overviews of the 10 Best Free CRM Software
These detailed overviews will give you a clearer idea of how each free CRM software stands out among its competitors. I’ve included standout features and integrations, pricing information, and a screenshot of the user interface to give you a feel for each product.
1. EngageBay - Best for small businesses with light customer success operations
EngageBay has a free, all-in-one CRM suite for small businesses with automatic data entry, targeted marketing, and workflow automation features.
Why I picked EngageBay: The freemium version of this software offers many of the same features of a paid account, just with some limitations. Users can manage and segment contacts, create email sequences, build and test landing pages, and manage a help desk through the platform. It generally covers the basics of what your sales and marketing teams need from a CRM, with the greatest limitations being in the customer service features.
This software is a great option for small businesses that don’t require a robust customer support operation. Virtually all of the marketing tools are available in the free plan, but users are limited to 250 contacts, 1000 branded emails, and 500MB of storage. For sales, all you miss out on from the next plan tier is calling minutes and custom deal milestones.
EngageBay Standout Features and Integrations
Features include email broadcast and sequences, forms, landing pages, live chat, social suite, reporting dashboard, Facebook ads, appointment scheduling, and predictive lead score.
Integrations include Asana, BigCommerce, DocuSign, Google Meet, JotForm, LinkedIn, Outlook, QuickBooks, Shopify, Stripe, Trello, Twilio, Xero, Zapier, and Zoom.
Price: Paid plans start at $14.99/user/month
Free Trial: Free plan and free demo available
Pros
- Virtually all marketing tools in the next plan tier are accessible in the free version
- A/B landing pages helps users run tests
- All integrations are accessible in the free version
Cons
- Customer support features are limited compared to a paid plan
- Freemium users can only access email and chat support from EngageBay
2. Zoho CRM - Best CRM with a built-in bot assistant
Zoho CRM has features to help users build strong customer relationships, streamline their workflows, and manage and measure their business operations. A 15-day free trial is available for every plan tier.
Why I picked Zoho CRM: This software helps revenue operations teams create great user experiences with omnichannel coordination and data-driven personalization. Users can also build automated workflows and create assignments, escalations, and validations in the platform. The software has customizable charts and a range of data visualization options to analyze data and track metrics.
The tool’s real standout feature is its built-in AI, nicknamed ‘Zia’. Zia acts as a conversational assistant, giving users analytic and predictive insights on the go. This tool also scans customer emails for competitor mentions and sentiment analysis, giving sales reps and customer support staff useful information for navigating customer conversations.
Zoho CRM Standout Features and Integrations
Features include an AI bot, automated workflows, segmentation, attribution, omnichannel management, custom page layouts, reports and charts, sales forecasting, and a mobile app.
Integrations include Dataddo, DropBox, Eventbrite, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, PandaDoc, PostgreSQL, QuickBooks, Qwilr, Slack, Stripe, Twilio, WhatsApp, and Zoom. Even more integrations are available with Zapier.
Price: Plans start at $20/user/month
Free Trial: 15-day free trial available
Pros
- AI-powered bot ‘Zia’ gives users on-the-go insights and notifications
- Users can access the full functionality of any pricing tier free for 15 days
- A marketplace of over 800 integrations makes it easy to connect your tech stack
Cons
- Users will need a paid plan to continue using the software after the trial
- Some terminology in the product is not standardized, which can be confusing
3. Bitrix24 - Best CRM and workspace with flat-rate pricing
Bitrix24 is a complete workspace software that offers CRM, project management, HR, website, and collaboration tools all in one platform.
Why I picked Bitrix24: CRM software are robust tools on their own, but this platform goes beyond the scope of a standard CRM to incorporate all spheres of business operations. Users can manage their revenue operations with the tool’s lead management, sales automation, and quote and invoice functionalities. They can also plan and track their projects, manage employee schedules and requests, and build and manage their website or e-store.
This software is a good option for companies looking to do more with less and centralize various aspects of their business. For small, early-stage businesses, it’s a good toolkit to get them started. For large enterprises looking to streamline their processes, it creates a central source of truth. It’s also worth noting that the tool offers flat-rate pricing tiers rather than pricing per user.
Bitrix24 Standout Features and Integrations
Features include contact management, video calls, social media management, rules and triggers for deals, inventory management, live chat, and a website builder.
Integrations include Box, DocuSign, Dropbox, Google Workspace, Mailchimp, Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, Xero, and Zapier, which unlocks additional integrations.
Price: Paid plans start at $61/month
Free Trial: Free plan available
Pros
- Users can bring project, workforce, and customer relationship management into one platform
- Free version offers enough functionality for small business
- Flat pricing tiers means no guesswork from per-user pricing
Cons
- The user interface can be overwhelming as there are so many features
- The CRM tool can not be accessed independently of the rest of the platform
4. HubSpot CRM - Best free CRM for an out-of-the-box solution
HubSpot CRM is software that sales representatives, marketers, and customer service teams can use to plan, manage, and track the performance of their work.
Why I picked HubSpot CRM: This tried-and-true software offers contact, lead, and pipeline management tools as well as business intelligence and data analytics features. Sales teams can leverage the meeting scheduler, company insights, and deal tracking tools. Marketers can rely on the platform’s email automation, chatbot builder, and ad management. And customer success teams can manage their helpdesk, emails, and live chat in the same place.
Known for its quick setup, users can sign up for a free plan and get started right away. The simple and intuitive user interface makes the platform easy to navigate with minimal learning required. These factors make it a great option for teams that want to get a CRM solution up and running quickly.
HubSpot CRM Standout Features and Integrations
Features include form automation, ad retargeting, landing pages, list segmentation, email tracking, live chat, reporting dashboard, ticket pipelines, and company insights.
Integrations include Calendly, EventBrite, Facebook, Google Workspace, LinkedIn, Mailchimp, Microsoft Suite, Outlook, PandaDoc, Slack, Shopify Typeform, Zoom, and more. Zapier unlocks additional integrations with a paid account.
Price: Paid plans start at $1,781/month
Free Trial: Free plan and free demo available
Pros
- Friendly user interface makes tool accessible and easy to use
- Plenty of help content and community content for support
- The platform is modular, so users can build up the stack they need
Cons
- Free plan does not include customer support
- Users may hit limits quickly in the free plan
5. Streak - Best free CRM to integrate with Google Workspace
Streak is a Chrome extension CRM, bringing all of its functionalities directly into the Google Workspace tools (Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Sheets, and Google Drive).
Why I picked Streak: App-switching is too often productivity’s pesky opponent, so the chance to connect a CRM directly with your most-used workplace tools can be appealing. Users can create custom pipeline views, track and view all contact interactions, and access contact data directly from Gmail. The software also has data importing and exporting capabilities and workflow customization features.
For companies that want to amplify the tools they're already using rather than migrate to a whole new environment, this can be a great option. In particular, professionals in the venture capital industry can benefit from the document organization and investment data access the tool offers. Likewise, those in the real estate industry can keep track of their client’s history and manage deal and commission information with the platform.
Streak Standout Features and Integrations
Features include email tracking, custom fields, A/B testing, custom pipeline views, contact timelines, smart inputs, automatic call logging, and a mobile app.
Integrations include Google Workspace: Gmail, Google Drive, Google Sheets, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Meet, etc. Zapier can also be connected for additional integrations with a paid account.
Price: Paid plans start at $19/user/month
Free Trial: Free plan available
Pros
- Reduces app-switching by integrating directly into Google Workspace
- Straightforward features make it easy to use and benefit from all features
- Email tracking gives details like when emails are opened
Cons
- Smaller menu of features; some users might be seeking more
- Lacks a ‘home base’ for users because it’s a Chrome extension
6. monday Sales CRM - Best for companies with a sales-led growth strategy
monday offers a sales CRM with contact and pipeline management, process automation, and customer onboarding tools for sales teams.
Why I picked monday Sales CRM: This software has deal management and workflow automation features that sales teams, account managers, and business owners can benefit from. Users can set up customized deal stages to track their pipeline, automatically assign leads to sales reps, and view contact interactions over time. Sales forecasting and contact activity notifications keep sales reps planning ahead and responding to immediate needs.
For businesses where the sales team is at the forefront of revenue operations, this can be a great choice. The software does have features that marketing teams and customer support reps can use, but overall it caters primarily to sales teams. Customizable dashboards can also be created to measure sales KPIs and other performance metrics.
monday Sales CMR Standout Features and Integrations
Features include activity management, email tracking, email templates, workflow automation, custom pipeline builder, notifications, sales forecasting, team goals, and reporting dashboards.
Integrations include Airtable, Canva, DocuSign Easyform, Figma, Hootsuite, Jira, JustCall, Miro, PandaDoc, Tableau, Toggl, Twilio, and Zoho.
Price: Paid plans start at $10/user/month, billed annually
Free Trial: Free plan available
Pros
- Companies using other monday products can stay in the ecosystem
- Large knowledge base and YouTube channel to access support
- Quick setup and friendly user interface
Cons
- Those looking for a robust solution may not find every feature they need
- Customer support is not readily available by phone
7. eWay-CRM - Best free CRM to integrate with Outlook
eWay-CRM helps sales and marketing teams manage their contacts, deals, and projects directly from Outlook and other Microsoft products.
Why I picked eWay-CRM: This software has contact and company management, email marketing, and sales automation features. Users can use the single, centralized database to store and access all of their contact data and send bulk emails with ready-made templates directly from an Outlook account. Automated workflows and reminders keep sales reps on top of every deal.
In addition to useful CRM features, the software can also be used for project management. The project management tool helps users keep emails, tasks, and meetings organized by project. Users can create tasks and subtasks in the platform and manage timesheets, billing, and deliveries. Again, all of these features are integrated into Outlook, meaning users won’t need to switch apps to access their project planning or CRM software.
eWay-CRM Standout Features and Integrations
Features include automatic email tracking, contact custom fields, notes and follow-ups, automated workflows, reminders and notifications, email templates, and project management.
Integrations include Adobe Sign, Microsoft Office, Outlook, PowerBI, Tableau, QuickBooks, WordPress, and Zapier, which unlocks additional integrations.
Price: Paid plans start at $20/user/month
Free Trial: Free plan and free trial available
Pros
- Integrates directly into Outlook and Microsoft Office tools
- Responsive and knowledgeable customer support team
- CRM is connected with project management
Cons
- Setup and getting to know the product can take some time
- Not compatible with other email and workspace tools
8. ClickUp - Best free CRM and cross-team collaboration software
Self-described as ‘one app to replace them all’, ClickUp is broad-spectrum software that includes CRM, project management, and HR, IT, and finance tools.
Why I picked ClickUp: Revenue operations teams can stay aligned with product and design teams using this software for their CRM needs. Sales reps can manage prospect and customer accounts, automate sales processes, and get real-time reporting in the platform. Marketers can collaborate on assets, manage campaigns, and plan content calendars.
The software also has specific features for product, engineering, design, finance, HR, and IT teams, bringing all departments together in the same platform. This means every team is connected and shares a workspace. The project management tool lets users visualize and plan projects, collaborate, and track progress across teams and departments.
ClickUp Standout Features and Integrations
Features include flexible pipeline and list views, over 50 dashboard widgets, customer onboarding, automated workflows, order tracking, and templates.
Integrations include Chrome, Clockify, Dropbox, Evernote, Figma, Harvest, HubSpot, Intercom, Outlook, Salesforce, Slack, Timely, Toggl Track, Zendesk, and Zoom. Additional native integrations are available, and Zapier unlocks even more integrations.
Price: Paid plans start at $9/user/month
Free Trial: Free plan available
Pros
- Project management and reporting are in the same system as CRM
- Facilitates company-wide alignment by bringing all teams into one platform
- Highly customizable platform can be molded to fit virtually any business’ needs
Cons
- Feature-rich platform, but can be difficult to navigate
- CRM solution can’t be used separately from the rest of the software
9. Really Simple Systems - Best free CRM software for small B2B businesses
Really Simple Systems is CRM software built specifically for small B2B businesses, designed to be simple and easy to use.
Why I picked Really Simple Systems: Users can build and manage relationships, collaborate, and understand their KPIs with the features this software provides. Sales teams can manage their contacts and pipeline, create sales quotes, and plan tasks, events, and calendars. Marketers can use the tool to manage their campaigns, automate their emails and marketing, create segmented lists, and build web forms. Customer support teams have access to case management and reporting features as well as service level agreements.
Simplicity is at the heart of the platform, and the company’s philosophy is to make complex applications easier and more affordable. Their aim is to provide everything small businesses need for their sales and marketing without unnecessary complexity.
Really Simple Systems Standout Features and Integrations
Features include contact management, pipeline management, workflow automation, web forms, reporting and forecasting, lists and segmentation, campaign management, and service level agreements.
Integrations include Google Sheets, Leadinfo, Microsoft Azure, Onelogin, QuickBooks, Sage Business Cloud, Xero, and Zapier, which offers additional integrations.
Price: Paid plans start at $18.21/user/month
Free Trial: Free plan and free trial available
Pros
- Simple user interface makes the software user-friendly
- Many free how-to videos are available through their YouTube channel
- Responsive and knowledgeable customer support team
Cons
- Businesses in B2C may find not all features relevant, and others are missing
- May not be suited for large enterprises
10. Freshsales - Best for building out a modular CRM solution
Freshsales is a sales CRM by Freshworks that helps users personalize their customer communications and shorten their sales cycles.
Why I picked Freshsales: This software is a great CRM starter kit for sales teams. It offers contextual customer data, multi-channel customer communications, workflow and sequencing automation, and detailed sales intelligence reporting features. Users can build out their sales pipeline to visualize deal progress, and use activity goals to break down broader sales objectives into smaller achievements.
What’s unique about this platform is that it’s one piece of the broader CRM suite offered by Freshworks. Their other product modules include Freshmarketer, a marketing automation platform; Freshdesk, a customer helpdesk; and Freshchat, a multi-channel chatbot tool. All three of these additional software offer free plans and can be purchased separately so users can test them out and custom-build a modular setup to meet their needs.
Freshsales Standout Features and Integrations
Features include activity timeline, customer highlight cards, email automation, chat campaigns, automated workflows, sales sequences, pipeline builder, activity goals, product catalog, and reporting dashboards.
Integrations include DocuSign, Gmail, Outlook, PandaDoc, PayPal, QuickBooks, Slack, Xero, and Zapier, which can unlock additional integrations with a paid account.
Price: Paid plans start at $18/user/month
Free Trial: Free plan available for up to 3 users; 21-day free trial available
Pros
- Users can build a modular CRM solution, leaving out any unnecessary tools
- 24-hour weekday phone, chat, and email support are available with a free plan
- Add-ons are available to create a more customized plan
Cons
- Advanced chatbot and communications reporting are limited in the free plan
- Free plan users are limited to building just one sales pipeline
Other Options
Didn’t find an option that suited your needs on the short list? Here are a few other free CRM software you can check out:
- Dolibarr - Best for open-source CRM and ERP software in one
- folk - Best for a collaborative contact management workspace
- Trello - Best for customized visual sales tracking
- Crmble - Best for turning Trello into a CRM quickly
People Also Ask: Common Questions About Free CRM Software
If you’re still not sure what you’re looking for in free CRM software or how these tools can benefit your team, I’ve answered a few common questions to help you out.
What are 5 key CRM features?
What are the benefits of free CRM software?
How much does a CRM cost?
What other operations software should I use?
Conclusion
For businesses big and small, starting your customer relationship management journey with free CRM software has many benefits. When you go with a free plan, your team members are able to test out the platform and see if it works for them. Whether you want to implement marketing automation, streamline your workflows, or improve your lead management, there’s a tool out there for it.
Ready to invest? Check out our list of the best CRM software for 2023, which includes paid options that weren’t on this list.
And check out more reading material about the ways CRM software can support your team:
- What Is Customer Relationship Management? Your Key To Successful Growth
- CRM & Marketing Automation: The Differences, Benefits & Why You Need Both
- 8 Insightful Tips For Building Customer Relationships That Last
Want to stay up to date on the latest revenue operations tools, tactics, and trends? Subscribe to our newsletter mailing list to keep up with RevOps Team content!