Top 12 CRM Software

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) helps businesses:

• Streamline their sales processes
• Manage their customer services from a single platform
• Enable them to better understand their customers
• Improve interactions with customers
• Drive growth.

However, with numerous CRM software options available in the market, selecting the right solution for your business can be challenging. According to research, ~ 40% of customers spend most of their time during the buying journey evaluating which CRM software better addresses their existing challenges (see Figure 1).

Source: Gartner

Figure 1. Time spent on each phase of the CRM software buying process

To help businesses make informed decisions when choosing a CRM tool, we have compiled a comprehensive vendor selection guide featuring the top 12 CRM software solutions.

Top 12 Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software

While determining the vendors to examine in our research, we narrowed our vendor list based on some criteria. We used the number of B2B reviews and the number of employees of a company to estimate its market presence because these criteria are public and verifiable.

Therefore, we set certain limits to focus our work on top companies in terms of market presence, selecting firms with:

• 600+ employees
• 350+ reviews on review platforms including G2, Trustradius, Capterra
• at least one Fortune 500 reference

We have analyzed the vendors regarding market presence and commercials (e.g., number of reviews, pricing, etc.). Please note that we did not include whether there is a free trial for the tool, as all vendors offer free trials. You can sort Table 1, for example, by the total number of reviews on software review platforms (including G2, Capterra, and Trustradius).

*Based on the total number of reviews and average ratings on software review platforms G2, Trustradius, and Capterra.

**Based on the ratings on G2.

Disclaimer: With sponsors at the top, other vendors are sorted by the total number of reviews in descending order.

We also compared the platforms in terms of their features. As all vendors offer advanced compliance management and predictive lead scoring, we didn’t include these features in the table. You can sort Table 2, for example, by the low-code no-code development possibilities.

For those interested, here is our article on CRM pricing guide.

Creatio

Creatio is a low-code platform that offers CRM solutions specifically designed for sales, marketing, and service processes. It is known for its flexibility, allowing businesses to automate workflows and customize CRM processes without extensive technical expertise. Creatio’s sales module helps companies manage the entire sales cycle, from lead generation to contract signing. It offers features like lead management, opportunity tracking, and sales forecasting.

Features

• Visual workflow automation with a drag-and-drop interface
• Next action recommendations based on predictive analytics
• Automated call data collection and entry
• Omnichannel customer support integration
• Real-time process monitoring and offline synchronization

Pricing

• Starts from 25$ per user/month with monthly subscription options
• A free 14-day trial is available

Pros

• Intuitive customization without coding requirements
• Responsive technical support for implementation guidance
• Transparent pricing without hidden additional costs

Cons

• Limited third-party integration ecosystem compared to established platforms
• Steeper learning curve for complex customization scenarios

Pipedrive

Designed specifically for sales team efficiency, Pipedrive emphasizes visual pipeline management and deal progression tracking. The platform prioritizes user experience with intuitive interfaces and automated follow-up capabilities.

Features

• Customizable sales pipeline visualization
• Email integration with activity tracking
• Automated notification and reminder systems
• Sales reporting and performance analytics
• Mobile application for field sales teams

Pricing

• Starts from $14.90 / month per user
• Free trial is available

Pros

• Straightforward interface requiring minimal training
• Advanced notification system for follow-up management
• Strong focus on sales process optimization

Cons

• Limited branding and customization flexibility
• Basic reporting capabilities may not satisfy complex analytical needs
• Feature expansion requires higher-tier subscriptions

Monday Sales CRM

Part of the Monday.com ecosystem, this CRM emphasizes visual project management integration with sales processes. Teams can customize dashboards extensively while maintaining real-time visibility into sales progress.

Features

• Customizable visual dashboards and workflows
• Integration with broader Monday.com work management platform
• Email synchronization and lead management
• Automated task assignments and reminders

Pricing

• Starts from $27 per 3 users/month, billed annually
• Free 14-day trial is available

Pros

• Intuitive visual interface with minimal learning curve
• Effective reminder systems for team coordination
• Strong integration with project management workflows

Cons

• No built-in email automation for lead capture
• Potential performance issues with multiple concurrent users
• May not scale effectively for large enterprise deployments

HubSpot Sales Hub

HubSpot Sales Hub is a powerful CRM platform designed to help sales teams manage their entire sales process from lead generation to closing deals. It offers features such as pipeline management, email tracking, meeting scheduling, and sales automation.

Features

• Predictive lead scoring
• Call data entry & collection automation
• Omnichannel customer support
• Real-time monitoring
• Advanced compliance management

Pricing

• Starts from $50 / month for two users
• A free trial is available

Pros

• Extensive third-party integration marketplace
• Clear data visualization and reporting interfaces
• Strong marketing automation integration

Cons

• Calendar scheduling functionality requires improvement
• Advanced features significantly increase subscription costs
• Platform responsiveness can be inconsistent during peak usage

Zendesk Sell

Zendesk Sell is a sales CRM designed to increase the productivity of sales teams by simplifying deal tracking and communication. It provides features like pipeline management, email tracking, task automation, and custom reporting, all integrated within the Zendesk ecosystem. For companies already using Zendesk for customer support, Zendesk Sell provides seamless integration, enabling a smooth handoff between customer service and sales teams.

Features

• Pipeline management with deal tracking
• Email integration and communication logging
• Task automation and custom reporting
• Mobile application with offline capabilities
• Integration with Zendesk Support for service continuity

Pricing

• Starts from $19** / month per user
• Free trial is available

**This price is relevant when paid annually. If a company chooses a monthly subscription, then the price is $25 / month per user

Pros

• Simple, intuitive interface requiring minimal training
• Strong omnichannel support capabilities
• Seamless integration with existing Zendesk service operations

Cons

• Occasional system performance issues and slow response times
• Full feature access requires higher-tier subscriptions
• Limited third-party integration options compared to competitors

Freshsales

Freshsales, part of the Freshworks suite, is known for its simplicity and affordability, making it an ideal choice for small to medium-sized businesses. The platform offers a robust set of features, including AI-powered lead scoring, email and phone integration, and customizable sales pipelines. It also provides sales sequences to automate follow-up processes.

Features

• AI-powered lead scoring with predictive analytics
• Automated sales sequences for follow-up processes
• Email and phone integration with activity logging

Pricing

• Starts from $15** / month per user
• Free 21-day trial is available

**This price is relevant when paid annually. If a company chooses a monthly subscription, then the price is $18 / month.

Pros

• The tool offers various third-party integration possibilities.
• Customization of the dashboard is easy and user-intuitive.

Cons

• Any setup in the platform may require external technical experience and support.
• There is room for development in the mobile app version in terms of functionality and user experience.
• One-on-one assistance for customers may not always be possible (see the image below).

Quickbase

Quickbase is a low-code platform that allows businesses to create custom CRM solutions tailored to their sales processes. Its highly flexible nature lets teams build applications with drag-and-drop tools, enabling businesses to automate workflows, manage data, and create custom reports without needing extensive IT support. Quickbase integrates with various systems, making it ideal for companies with unique sales workflows.

Features

• Drag-and-drop application builder for custom CRM solutions
• Automated workflow creation without extensive IT support
• Custom reporting and data visualization tools
• Integration capabilities with existing business systems

Pricing

• Starts from $30 / month per user, paid annually (min 20 users)
• Free trial is available

Pros

• Customization is easy through the platform’s no-code development feature.
• Onboarding and setup processes are easy and don’t take much time.

Cons

• Pricing is above the industry standards for the CRM sector.
• There are additional costs if one-on-one customer support is needed.
• Mobile app version needs improvement.

ClickUp

ClickUp is an all-in-one project management and productivity tool that also includes CRM functionalities, making it useful for sales teams. While primarily known for task management and team collaboration, ClickUp allows users to create custom workflows, pipelines, and automations to manage sales processes effectively. Its CRM features include lead tracking, deal management, task assignments, and reporting.

Features

• Custom workflow and pipeline creation
• Lead tracking integrated with project management
• Task assignment and collaboration features
• Automated deal management and reporting

Pricing

• Starts from $5 / month per user
• Free trial is available

Pros

• Compared to other vendors, their basic model is less expensive.
• They offer unlimited places per workspace.

Cons

• The tool has a steep learning curve.
• When compared to the web interface, the mobile app lacks some functionalities.

Salesforce Sales Cloud

Salesforce Sales Cloud is one of the leading CRM platforms specifically designed to help businesses manage their sales processes more effectively. It is part of Salesforce’s broader suite of tools and is used by companies of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises. Sales Cloud enables sales teams to manage leads, opportunities, accounts, and customer relationships in a centralized platform.

Features

• Einstein AI for predictive analytics and process automation
• Comprehensive lead, opportunity, and account management
• Advanced reporting and sales forecasting
• Extensive AppExchange marketplace for third-party integrations

Pricing

• Starts from $25 / month per user, billed annually
• Free 30-day trial is available

Pros

• There is an AI-powered implementation in their platform which is called Einstein and helps in automating processes.
• There are various third-party integration possibilities with the CRM system.

Cons

• The reporting functionality has some bugs (see the review below).

• Initial setup and configuration might require expertise.
• Not all functions on the dashboard are useful, making it messy (see the review below).

ActiveCampaign for Sales

ActiveCampaign for Sales focuses on combining sales automation with customer experience, making it a unique CRM tool. It integrates marketing and sales efforts to nurture leads more effectively. With features such as email marketing automation, customer segmentation, lead scoring, and deal management, it helps businesses stay organized while maintaining personalized communication with leads.

Features

• Email marketing automation integrated with sales workflows
• Advanced customer segmentation and lead scoring
• Deal management with personalized communication tracking
• Campaign setup tools for marketing-sales alignment
• Predictive analytics for next action recommendations

Pricing

• Starts from $49 /month per user, paid annually (min 3 users)
• Free trial is available

Pros

• Its automated sales follow-ups assist sales teams in staying up to date throughout the sales funnel.
• It is easy to set up campaigns for the customers.
• Its customer support is responsive and they tackle technical problems rapidly.

Cons

• There is a steep learning curve of the tool.
• The reporting function can be improved.
• The platform may sometimes slow down.
• The mobile version of the tool requires improvements.

SAP Sales Cloud

SAP Sales Cloud is part of SAP’s enterprise-grade suite of tools, designed to help large organizations optimize their sales processes. The platform provides features such as sales automation, opportunity management, and AI-powered sales forecasting. It integrates seamlessly with SAP’s broader ERP solutions, allowing companies to create a unified approach to managing their sales, supply chains, and customer data.

Features

• AI-powered sales forecasting and opportunity management
• Enterprise-grade compliance and security features
• Advanced analytics with custom reporting capabilities
• Mobile application with limited offline synchronization

Pricing

• Custom pricing (Customers should contact sales reps)
• Free trial is available

Pros

• Integrated AI function helps in providing intelligent recommendations.
• It has broad third-party integration possibilities.

Cons

• Its limited offline synchronization capacity may be inconvenient.
• The software can have a slow loading time at times.
• The tool has a steep learning curve.

Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is a highly customizable CRM platform that caters to businesses of all sizes. It offers multi-channel communication, allowing sales teams to engage with customers via email, phone, and social media.

Features

• Multi-channel communication across email, phone, and social media
• Integration with complete Zoho business application suite
• Advanced customization through low-code development tools
• Mobile application with offline synchronization

Pricing

• Starts from $14 / month per user, billed annually
• Free trial is available

Pros

• The tool has a user-intuitive interface.
• It integrates with other Zoho applications, thus providing a wide range of features.

Cons

• The tool has a steep learning curve which can be overwhelming for the new users.
• Customer support response time can be slow at times.

Industries that can benefit from a CRM system

1. Sales and Retail: CRM software can help these businesses manage customer interactions, predict customer behavior, score leads, and streamline sales processes. Omnichannel support and real-time monitoring can improve customer service.

2. Healthcare: CRM can help healthcare providers in managing patient information, streamline appointments, and improve patient communication.

3. Financial Services: Financial institutions, including banks, credit unions, and wealth management firms, can utilize CRM software to manage customer data, track interactions, address customer inquiries, and resolve complaints.

4. Insurance: CRM software can help insurance companies manage client policies, process claims, and deliver customer support. 

> Top 12 CRM software vendor comparison criteria

Research shows the demand for CRM systems with AI or machine learning methods is rising.¹

This trend is driven mainly by AI’s revolutionary potential, which enables CRM systems to move beyond simple data management and into predictive analytics, customized interactions, and proactive customer engagement.

As a result, the incorporation of AI in CRM software is no longer an optional feature but rather a crucial component that drives improved customer experiences and business growth. So, we divided CRM capabilities into AI-powered and other essential features.

> AI-powered CRM features

1- Low-code // no-code development

According to research, 55% of CRM purchasers consider the tool’s ease of use while making a purchase.² Low-code/no-code development refers to visual, drag-and-drop interfaces that allow users to design and customize apps without writing long lines of code. This simplifies the process of designing and modifying the CRM platform to meet the specific needs of a business for CRM systems.

Using low-code/no-code CRM development, companies can create customized interfaces that reflect their operational procedures. This includes developing dashboards, report templates, and customizable applications for managing multiple customer interactions, such as email marketing, customer feedback, sales pipelines, and more. These solutions create better alignment between the CRM system and business operations by allowing firms to adapt the CRM platform to their specific needs, enhancing efficiency and productivity.

2- Predictive lead scoring

Predictive lead score is a machine learning application, a subset of AI, in which the system predicts outcomes through statistical analysis. The predictive powers of AI are a great tool for sales teams, assisting them in streamlining procedures, optimizing strategies, and ultimately increasing sales success.

3- Next action recommendations

Based on analysis of historical data and prediction algorithms, the CRM system can recommend the next best course of action with the use of machine learning, such as creating emails involving the next actions regarding a customer. This improves the efficiency of decision-making processes and helps to promote consumer engagement and satisfaction.

4- Call data entry & collection automation

Artificial intelligence can automate the process of data entry and gathering from customer interactions, including phone calls. AI-powered CRM features can transcribe phone calls, collect essential data and automatically fill CRM fields.

This automatic data gathering not only saves hours of manually entering data but also ensures that critical information is not skipped. Companies can utilize this information to better understand their consumers’ requirements, interests, and behaviors, allowing them to customize sales and marketing activities.

For those interested, here is our article on call center CRM.

> Other essential CRM features

5- Omnichannel customer support

As customers navigate the learning curve that comes with any system, 24-hour customer service can be a beneficial resource. Furthermore, providing support across many channels helps to meet varying user preferences. According to a recent survey, 44% of CRM purchasers consider customer support and service capabilities of CRM software to be an important component in their purchasing choice.³

6- Real-time monitoring

A CRM system can track and record customer interactions as they occur across numerous channels, such as emails, phone calls, website visits, social media interactions, or live chat, using real-time monitoring. This data is immediately available to your employees, providing them with an up-to-date picture of a customer’s behaviors, requirements, and preferences.

Furthermore, CRM systems with real-time monitoring can track sales and marketing actions as they happen. For example, after a marketing email is sent, the system can track open rates, click-through rates, and responses. Instead of waiting until the campaign is over to evaluate its success, this data can be evaluated to determine the campaign’s effectiveness and make quick adjustments if necessary.

For those interested, here is our article on the top 10 retail CRM software.

7- Offline synchronization

Offline synchronization enables users to view and work on their CRM data even when not connected to the internet. For example, a sales professional in a remote location or on a flight can still update customer profiles, record events, take notes, and organize follow-up activities.

Offline synchronization is a feature in CRM systems that ensures seamless operations, data consistency, and increased productivity, particularly for companies with remote workers. By allowing businesses to work from any location at any time, it ensures that they can service customers effectively and efficiently, even when on the move.

8- Advanced compliance management

As businesses go through a complex web of rules, having a CRM system that can handle compliance is essential. This tool assists businesses in remaining on the right side of the law, reducing the risk of costly penalties and damage to their reputation.

9- Advanced analytics & reporting

CRM software requires advanced analytics and reporting beyond simple data collection and storage. These features make use of advanced analytical techniques to extract valuable insights from the system’s vast quantities of customer information. Businesses can make informed decisions, detect patterns, and optimize their strategy for better consumer engagement and sales process performance by investigating and comprehending this data.

For those interested, here is our data-driven list of CRM software.

Transparency statement:

AIMultiple serves numerous emerging tech companies, including Creatio.

Further Reading

• CRM AI Systems
• CRM Pricing Models Comparison: An In-Depth Guide
• CRM in Retail: 7 Key Features, Benefits & 4 Suggestions

External Links

• 1. Software Market Insights: Customer Relationship Management.
• 2. Software Market Insights: Customer Relationship Management.
• 3. Software Market Insights: Customer Relationship Management.