Greetings, fellow sales professionals!
It’s no secret that managing customer relationships is crucial to the success of any business. As salespeople, we need tools to help us keep track of leads, close deals, and grow our revenue. That’s where CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software comes in – it’s the backbone of a sales team’s operation. But with so many options in the market, it can be overwhelming to pick the right one.
Fear not! In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the top 10 CRM tools for salespeople. We’ll explore their features, advantages, and shortcomings, to help you make an informed decision. Let’s get started!
Introduction
Before we dive in, let’s define what CRM software is and why it matters to salespeople. At its core, CRM software is a tool that helps you manage your interactions with customers and prospects. It allows you to store information about them, track their behavior, and automate certain tasks.
Using CRM software is essential for salespeople because it helps them streamline their workflow and close more deals. With a good CRM tool, you can:
- Track your leads and opportunities
- Manage your schedule and follow-ups
- Collaborate with your team members
- Get insights into your sales pipeline
- Automate repetitive tasks
All of this translates into more time spent selling and less time spent on admin tasks. In short, CRM software is a must-have for any modern sales team.
The 10 Best CRM Tools for Salespeople
Without further ado, let’s jump into our list of the top 10 CRM tools for sales professionals:
| CRM Tool | Price (per user, per month) | Features | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Salesforce CRM | $25-$300 | Customizable dashboards, Advanced analytics, Lead and opportunity management, Mobile app, Integration with third-party apps | Robust features, High level of customization, Large community of users, Extensive third-party integrations | Expensive, Steep learning curve, Some features are only available in higher-priced plans |
| 2. HubSpot CRM | Free-$50 | Lead and deal tracking, Customizable sales pipeline, Email tracking and templates, Reporting dashboard, Live chat | Free plan available, Easy to use, Integration with other HubSpot tools, Good customer support | Limited features in the free plan, Limited customization options, No phone support |
| 3. Pipedrive | $15-$99 | Visual pipeline management, Email integration, Sales forecasting, Customizable reporting, Mobile app | Intuitive user interface, Pipeline visualization, Good mobile app, Affordable pricing | Limited customization options, No built-in email marketing, Limited integrations with other apps |
| 4. Zoho CRM | $12-$100 | Automation workflows, Sales forecasting, Lead and contact management, Mobile app, Integration with other Zoho apps | Affordable pricing, Wide range of features, Good user interface, Good mobile app | Steep learning curve, Limited customization options, Some features are only available in higher-priced plans |
| 5. Freshsales | $12-$49 | Lead and deal management, AI-based lead scoring, Built-in phone, Email integration, Customizable reporting | Good value for money, Advanced lead scoring, Built-in phone, Easy to set up | Limited third-party integrations, No dedicated mobile app, Limited customization options |
| 6. Insightly | $29-$99 | Lead and opportunity management, Customizable pipelines, Project management features, Mobile app, Integration with other apps | Good project management features, Affordable pricing, Customizable pipelines, Easy to use | Limited automation features, Limited reporting capabilities, No phone support |
| 7. Copper | $19-$119 | Gmail integration, Lead and opportunity management, Customizable pipelines, Mobile app, Reporting dashboard | Good integration with Gmail, Good mobile app, Easy to use, Affordable pricing | Limited customization options, Limited third-party integrations, No built-in phone |
| 8. Agile CRM | $9.99-$47.99 | Marketing automation, Lead scoring, Contact management, Mobile app, Integration with other apps | Good marketing automation features, Affordable pricing, Good mobile app, Good customer support | Steep learning curve, Limited reporting capabilities, Limited customization options |
| 9. Nutshell | $19-$35 | Lead and contact management, Visual sales pipeline, Email tracking and templates, Mobile app, Reporting dashboard | Good value for money, Good mobile app, Easy to use, Good customer support | Limited customization options, Limited third-party integrations, No built-in phone |
| 10. Streak | $0-$129 | Gmail integration, Lead and deal tracking, Pipeline visualization, Mobile app, Reporting dashboard | Good integration with Gmail, Free plan available, Good mobile app, Easy to use | Limited features in free plan, Limited third-party integrations, No built-in phone |
1. Salesforce CRM
Salesforce is one of the most popular and well-known CRM tools in the market. It’s a cloud-based software that offers a wide range of features for sales teams of all sizes. Let’s take a closer look at its pros and cons.
Pros
Highly customizable: Salesforce allows you to tailor the software to fit your specific needs. You can create custom fields, build custom dashboards, and automate certain tasks.
Large community of users: With over 150,000 customers, Salesforce has a large and active community of users. This means you’ll have access to a wealth of resources, including forums, user groups, and online training.
Extensive third-party integrations: Salesforce integrates with over 5,000 third-party apps, including marketing automation tools, accounting software, and project management tools.
Cons
Expensive: Salesforce is one of the most expensive CRM tools in the market, with prices ranging from $25 to $300 per user per month.
Steep learning curve: Because of its advanced features and customization options, Salesforce has a steeper learning curve than other CRM tools.
Some features are only available in higher-priced plans: Certain features, such as API access and offline access, are only available in higher-priced plans.
2. HubSpot CRM
HubSpot CRM is a free, cloud-based CRM tool that’s designed to be simple and user-friendly. Let’s look at its pros and cons.
Pros
Free plan available: HubSpot CRM has a free plan that includes most of its core features, making it a great option for small businesses or startups.
Easy to use: HubSpot CRM is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, with a clean and modern interface.
Integration with other HubSpot tools: If you’re already using other HubSpot tools, such as their marketing automation software or their CMS, HubSpot CRM integrates seamlessly with them.
Cons
Limited features in the free plan: While HubSpot CRM’s free plan includes most of its core features, some advanced features, such as email sequences and workflows, are only available in higher-priced plans.
Limited customization options: HubSpot CRM is designed to be simple and easy-to-use, which means it has limited customization options compared to other CRM tools.
No phone support: HubSpot CRM only offers email and chat support, which might be a deal-breaker for some users.
3. Pipedrive
Pipedrive is a visual CRM tool that’s built specifically for sales teams. It’s designed to help you visualize your sales pipeline and manage your deals more effectively. Here are its pros and cons.
Pros
Intuitive user interface: Pipedrive has a clean and intuitive user interface that’s easy to navigate, even for beginners.
Pipeline visualization: Pipedrive’s visual pipeline feature lets you see all your deals at a glance, making it easier to manage your sales process.
Good mobile app: Pipedrive’s mobile app is well-designed and offers many of the same features as the desktop version.
Cons
Limited customization options: Pipedrive has fewer customization options than some of its competitors, which might be a drawback for businesses with specific needs.
No built-in email marketing: Unlike some other CRM tools, Pipedrive doesn’t have a built-in email marketing feature, which means you’ll need to use a third-party tool for email marketing.
Limited integrations with other apps: While Pipedrive integrates with some popular apps, such as Google Apps and Zapier, it has fewer integrations than some of its competitors.
4. Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM is a cloud-based CRM tool that offers a wide range of features for sales teams. It’s known for its affordability and ease of use. Here are its pros and cons.
Pros
Affordable pricing: Zoho CRM offers competitive pricing, with plans starting at just $12 per user per month.
Wide range of features: Zoho CRM includes a wide range of features, including lead and contact management, sales forecasting, and automation workflows.
Good user interface: Zoho CRM has a clean and modern interface that’s easy to navigate.
Cons
Steep learning curve: Zoho CRM has a lot of features, which means it can take some time to learn how to use them effectively.
Limited customization options: While Zoho CRM offers some customization options, it has fewer options than some other CRM tools.
Some features are only available in higher-priced plans: Some advanced features, such as sales signals and gamification, are only available in higher-priced plans.
5. Freshsales
Freshsales is a cloud-based CRM tool that’s designed to help sales teams close more deals. It’s known for its advanced lead scoring feature and built-in phone. Here are its pros and cons.
Pros
Good value for money: Freshsales offers competitive pricing, with plans starting at just $12 per user per month.
Advanced lead scoring: Freshsales uses AI to automatically score your leads based on their behavior, making it easier to prioritize your follow-ups.
Built-in phone: Freshsales has a built-in phone feature, which means you can make calls directly from the CRM.
Cons
Limited third-party integrations: Freshsales doesn’t have as many third-party integrations as some of its competitors.
No dedicated mobile app: While Freshsales is mobile-responsive, it doesn’t have a dedicated mobile app, which might be a drawback for some users.
Limited customization options: Freshsales has fewer customization options than some of its competitors, which might be a drawback for businesses with specific needs.
6. Insightly
Insightly is a cloud-based CRM tool that’s designed to help small businesses manage their sales and projects more effectively. It offers project management features in addition to its sales features. Here are its pros and cons.
Pros
Good project management features: Insightly offers a range of project management features, including task management, project pipelines, and team collaboration.
Affordable pricing: Insightly’s pricing is competitive, with plans starting at just $29 per user per month.
Customizable pipelines: Insightly allows you to customize your sales pipeline, making it easier to tailor the software to your specific needs.
Cons
Limited automation features: Insightly has fewer automation features than some of its competitors, which might be a drawback for businesses that rely heavily on automation.
Limited reporting capabilities: Insightly’s reporting capabilities are more limited than some of its competitors, which might be a drawback for businesses that need robust reporting.
No phone support: Insightly only offers email support, which might be a deal-breaker for some users.
7. Copper
Copper (formerly ProsperWorks) is a cloud-based CRM tool that’s designed to integrate seamlessly with Gmail. It offers a range of sales features, including lead and opportunity management. Here are its pros and cons.
Pros
Good integration with Gmail: Copper integrates seamlessly with Gmail, making it a good option for businesses that rely heavily on email communication.
Good mobile app: Copper’s mobile app is well-designed and offers many of the same features as the desktop version.
Easy to use: Copper’s user interface is clean and easy to navigate, even for beginners.
Cons
Limited customization options: Copper has fewer customization options than some of its competitors, which might be a drawback for businesses with specific needs.
Limited third-party integrations: Copper integrates with fewer third-party apps than some of its competitors, which might be a drawback for businesses that rely on multiple apps.
No built-in phone: Copper doesn’t have a built-in phone feature, which means you’ll need to use a third-party tool for phone calls.